127 miles on 3.7 gallons = 34.3 MPG

[scottybooj]

mileage is directly proportional to age...as evidenced by some of the members on this board!


let the flaming begin!

[adg44]

mileage is directly proportional to age...as evidenced by some of the members on this board!


let the flaming begin!

Hah!

I filled up again, 172 miles on 4.375 gallons of gas, which equals 39.31 MPG. That was on 93 octane, and I filled up with 89 octane this time.

At 10.3:1 compression, I think 89 is more appropriate than 93 octane. If we had 91 octane, then I'd give that a try. Actually.... Sunoco does sell 91 octane at a few of thier stations. I'll try that next time.

We'll see how it does on the 89 octane this time. For what it's worth, the temperature is getting cooler now, so that is helping with efficiency.

- Anthony

[scribblin]

I just bought my 2004 R1150R two days ago (absolutely thrilled with it, BTW) and filled the tank until the fluid level was about 1/2" below the hole. Then I set the trip meter. I have done strictly in-town riding with a little "Let's see what this baby can do" mixed in. My trip meter is showing exactly 189.0 and the fuel light has not come on.

I have a few newbie questions about this:

1. Can I trust the fuel light, or am I in for a rude awakening tomorrow?
2. How much fuel is left once the light comes on? (I know, I know, read the manual. But I want to know what people have actually experienced.)
3. Specs I found online say the tank holds 4.5 gallons, but I have seen posts here suggesting up to 4.9 (if I remember correctly). Is the extra .4 gal. residing in the filler stem or something?
4. This amazing bike has a clock but not a fuel gauge? Seriously? (Since that must have been done on purpose, is it some kind of "real rider" snobbery thing I need to know about?)

Thanks in advance!

[NoRRmad]

The Tech Specs here say Fuel capacity 5.4 gallons, est. 221mi at 75mph
I've never run all the way out of fuel, but I've gone 30 miles after the light came on, (then put in 4 gallons.) Looks like you're about an ounce and a half away from the warning light. You say "a half an inch below the hole." You mean a half-inch below overflowing out the filler? I never put that much fuel in. There are vents and overflow tubes up at the top of the tank. It's possible I think to soak the charcoal cannister with too much gas in the tank.

Fuel gauge? We don' need no steenkin' fuel gauge.

(But I always reset my trip meter at each fillup, start looking for a gas station around 190 miles -- if the light doesn't come on first.)

[adg44]

The light should come on after you've used about 3.5 gallons. Mine comes on like clockwork at 130ish miles.

If you've gone that far and still haven't seen the light - I'd be worried!

Go fill up tomorrow and see how many gallons it takes.

As the manual states, put the bike on the side stand and fill it up until the pump stops.

- Anthony

[scribblin]

Awesome, thanks for the help.

I went back and checked the specs I saw online -- I misread them. The info is on a UK site that says the fuel capacity is 20.5 litres/4.5 gal./5.4 gal. US. Oops. (It's a neat site - http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/specpages/R1150R.htm.)

When I filled up...it's hard to describe because I don't know the technical terms...I didn't run it over at all. The pump clicked off and then I put in more, up to about 1/2" below the lower filler hole, so that it was not running over but was more full than at the shutoff.

My experience at this station, my "regular" station, is that there is upwards of 1/2 gal. left to fill on a bike after the auto shut-off. I want those extra 20 miles or so. The 189 miles I've ridden in two days is average for me, and 20 miles extra per fill-up add up quickly.

BTW, the UK site says that fuel consumption (average) is 41 mpg @ a constant 120 kph and 51 mpg @ at a constant 90 kph. That's 75.5 mph and 56 mph respectively, according to the Google converter. I'm eager to find out what I've been getting around town, below (mostly) that 56 mph lower range.

Oh, I started with 4,911 on the odometer, so I understand from the posts that mileage might actually improve later on, and my bike isn't really even broken in. Wow.

- Tony

[scribblin]

Sorry -- I forgot to add that I'll post the results of this morning's fill-up.

- Tony

[scribblin]

Okay, here are my results:

I left the house this morning with 189.0 on the trip meter and no fuel light. Leaning the bike back and forth, I could hear fuel cascading across the bottom of the tank. I estimated that it sounded like half a gallon or so, not that I would know (since I've only owned the bike for two days).

I rode past both gas stations near my subdivision, watching the trip meter and anticipating the fuel light.

190...191...192...no fuel light....

I passed another gas station farther down the road.

195...196...197...no fuel light???

I passed a car pulled off on the shoulder. (Was that a gas can the driver was carrying back? Gulp.) Then I could see the next gas station, my "regular" one, where I topped off after I bought the bike Monday night.

198...199...200.1 - fuel light on!!! Yay! Then...fuel light off????

I pulled up to the same pump from Monday and parked at 201.2 and no fuel light. I leaned the bike on its stand, and the fuel light flickered and then stayed on.

I gassed up with 89 octane (the minimum listed on the tank sticker), and the pump (and receipt) read 3.821 gallons, which means that I still had 1.579 gallons left at 201.2 miles, much more than the half-tank I estimated by sound. (Also, after the pump shut off, I was able to put .3 gal. in gently before the fluid level approached the lower filler hole. In an earlier post, I estimated it would be about .5 gal., so at least I was close on one guess.)

I'm no math major, but I think all of this means my bike achieved 52.66 miles per gallon in city driving, including romps on the throttle for fun. I think the numbers also mean that I still had roughly 83.15 miles left in the tank, for an estimated range of 284.35 or so. That sounds like too much, so I think I may have done something (or some math) wrong.

Since both my mileage and range figures are higher than the specs, I'm tracking it all again.

Some thoughts about how my riding affects the mileage outcome:

1. I live in a metro area with a population of about 100,000 - 150,000 (rapid growth means that nobody really knows). My "city" driving is more like large town driving, and there isn't much in the way of traffic (not the kind you sit in, anyway) like I saw when I lived in Atlanta. Completely different. When I'm riding, I'm mostly riding, not sitting.

2. I live in Florida, so all of my driving is on land flat as a pancake.

3. I watched the tach on my shifts today (as much as was safe) and noted that I consistently shift in the 2,700-3,100 range. I'm in 6th gear pulling about 2,500 rpm or less for most of my drive time.

Thoughts?

- Tony

[scribblin]

Maybe the silver color makes it more aerodynamic?

[NoRRmad]

The mileage figure you got looks reasonable; I've gotten slightly better under perfect circumstances (high altitude leisurely cruising.) But your "range remaining" figure assumes that the total capacity of the tank is usable, and it's not. I've never seen a figure for "usable fuel" but the fuel pickup point has to be somewhat above the very bottom of the tank to avoid picking up sediment.

There may come a day when you learn exactly how many miles are remaining after the fuel light comes on, but it will probably entail hitching to a gas station and carrying a gas can and other unpleasant stuff. I'd assume thirty miles and leave it at that.

One tip: Often when the tank runs dry, you can slosh some remaining fuel trapped in the left side by tipping the bike to the right. Let's hope you never have to.

(Oh, and it's really bad to run the tank dry; the fuel pump is cooled and lubricated by the fuel, and it's damaging to run it without lubrication.)

[scribblin]

Good, thanks!

Now I'm wondering who might know where the fuel pick-up is in the tank and "how low can you go." Doin' the gas tank limbo!

Seems like a fuel gauge would help. Some portion of the gas tank is kind of pointless if you can only go there on a wing and a prayer.

I'm checking the mileage again. I have 122 miles on the meter since the fill-up yesterday. I'll check highway mileage when I do the Iron Butt 1,500 next month.

- Tony

[NoRRmad]

I saw a posting by some fellow who thought he was entitled to warranty coverage on tow charges because he had run out of fuel when his fuel gauge said there was one-half gallon remaining. Even bikes with a fuel gauge don't entirely solve the problem of getting the last mile out of a tank. Some bikes have a "miles remaining" computer, but even that will fail if you pin the throttle for the last few miles, hit a headwind, or an uphill section of highway. It's always a risk.

[dnat928]

scribblin, you gotta rev that thing higher, you're in ol' lady territory shifting that low. These are made to rev up - go ahead and have some fun. The smooth, powerful accelleration is a blast. And go easy on the MPG checking, you need to check over a longer period of time to get a reasonable average. That way, the small differences in fill levels will average out.

[Barney]

I've gotten a consistent 48 miles per gallon in mixed riding. A straight highway ride to the Adirondacks last month and my light wasn't even coming on until 200 miles. Your mileage seems way under where it should be. Just an observation, no solution.

[scribblin]

I saw a posting by some fellow who thought he was entitled to warranty coverage on tow charges because he had run out of fuel when his fuel gauge said there was one-half gallon remaining. Even bikes with a fuel gauge don't entirely solve the problem of getting the last mile out of a tank. Some bikes have a "miles remaining" computer, but even that will fail if you pin the throttle for the last few miles, hit a headwind, or an uphill section of highway. It's always a risk.

Wow, warranty coverage on pushing too far. Yikes.

I guess my concern is in leaving something like 28% of the tank up in the air (1.5+ gal. out of 5.4). Seems like a lot.

I'll dodge the risk and fill quickly after the light comes on.

[scribblin]

scribblin, you gotta rev that thing higher, you're in ol' lady territory shifting that low. These are made to rev up - go ahead and have some fun. The smooth, powerful accelleration is a blast. And go easy on the MPG checking, you need to check over a longer period of time to get a reasonable average. That way, the small differences in fill levels will average out.

Yeah, I've only owned it five days now, and I'm nursing it a little until I get more used to it.

Part of what is going on is that I've been riding just under two years, though I've put 27K+ on my V-Rod during that time. The R1150R is such a different bike (in every way), though, that I'm taking my time getting acquainted. Shifting smoothly has been tricky, but it's coming along.

I haven't been revving the R1150R because the redline looks low to me -- 7,500 rpm compared to the V-Rod's 9,000 rpm (actually more like 8,900). I've smacked the rev limiter on the V-Rod -- kind of unnerving the first time it happened. I haven't been out to the private road yet to play with the R1150R.

Last night, however, I went romping through some side roads with a buddy on a Stage I Road King and another on an R1. Easily handled the Road King, but the R1, of course, was another story.

This morning, the fuel light came on at 197.5, instead of 201.2 like last time, courtesy of the fun. But I'll take that any day! I still got 50 mpg. (That's a big advantage of ol' lady shifting at least part of the time.)

The V-Rod has quite a bit more power, but it can't touch the mileage (or the range) of the R1150R!

[adg44]

I DID IT!!!!

I'm done tracking now.

158.1 miles on 3.881 gallons of gas = 40.74 MPG!

For what it's worth, I noticed some clattering and knocking this last tank, and that was while running 89 octane. I will take note and see if it does it on this tank which I filled up with 93.

- Anthony

[Daryl_stamp]

I switched to premium grade fuel & it seemed to reduce engine knocking noise. It's all I use now. However, I read in magazine or on some messageboard that higher octane does not necessarily equate to better performance unless the manufacturer recommends it.

Can someone with this specific knowledge regarding octane rating, engine design & engine performance elaborate on this?

And post some ride reports while you're at it.

Thanks,

DLS