32 mpg? SOLVED

[sweatmark]

Peels, your bike is (was) iABS?
If so, is the ABS tone ring installed under the rear wheel brake rotor?
If so, is the offset shim ring in place between rear wheel and hub?

[peels]

Bike is stock, engine wise. Don't feel need for mods to the boxer.

Sweat mark, I didn't touch any of that... Should I? Ring still there, shim is still there...I cleaned it and the hub really good when i did my tires.

Interestingly, Pulling that ccp saw even further improvement in low rpm surge I doubt it does anything for economy, maybe worse?


lets go on a brainstorm....

what would be the worse case scenarios?

-lost compression?
-carbon deposits(dirty valves)? been thinking about this one....being its a low mileage bike, prob used short rides, sitting with bad (ethanol, it IS Iowa after all) gas.....

all the really bad causes I can dream up would come with some sort of crap performance though, so I i'm continually led back to fueling. But, I don't have much experience to draw from, being that the only 1150 Iv'e ridden is my own lol.

[swamper]

Not rubbing salt in the wound but I just returned home from the 49'r Rally in Maraposa Ca. Not a lot of miles for us about 600 for the four days but I recorded my mileage and the three tanks used I got 47 in the first and then 49 in the next two. Yours is so far off in the other direction I'd say you must have a combination of things causing the poor mileage.

[peels]

Not rubbing salt in the wound but I just returned home from the 49'r Rally in Maraposa Ca. Not a lot of miles for us about 600 for the four days but I recorded my mileage and the three tanks used I got 47 in the first and then 49 in the next two. Yours is so far off in the other direction I'd say you must have a combination of things causing the poor mileage.

LOL thanks alot, The wound is burning now.

I kid. I am ok with that...because when I hear those reports, I know I'm not wasting my time looking into it.

[peels]

Returned from my arkansas trip.

I shall call this MPG case closed for now.

Though not a believer much in additives... After reading accounts of fellow beemer guys HERE...the final thing I tried was Techron added separately to 3 empty tanks, and filled with 91.

first tank(2days commute, and first leg of trip south); returned EXACTLY 40mpg.
tanks 2: (constant 75-80mph) 44mpg!
Tank 3: a bit slower, curvy, unknown roads to the ferry-but still fast: 46.25!

Ill take it.. THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR IDEAS while I dealt with this...

note: the MPG at a near constant triple digits is 35mpg. we beat the rain that evening. Which I cant say for Friday. It rained as soon as I hit the Ar. border, and didnt stop all night. it POURED.

[peels]

I should also note, that these MPG were achieved AFTER removing the Cat code plug.

wonder if I throw it back in it could improve further?

[sstein]

That sounds more like it - 46 mpg is acceptable. I noticed that I was also getting consistent 35 mpg so I was following this thread. Then when I filled the tank and slabbed it out on route 495 to cape cod and back, mostly 75 mph @ 3500 rpm in 6th gear, I suddenly got 45 mpg. This is to say that type of riding probably has a lot to do with mpg.

Great thread.

Thanks!

[peels]

That sounds more like it - 46 mpg is acceptable. I noticed that I was also getting consistent 35 mpg so I was following this thread. Then when I filled the tank and slabbed it out on route 495 to cape cod and back, mostly 75 mph @ 3500 rpm in 6th gear, I suddenly got 45 mpg. This is to say that type of riding probably has a lot to do with mpg.

Great thread.

Thanks!

definitely does. But when my MPG did not improve with a slab trip....that was when I REALLY dug into it and found my MPG was lacking vs other reports, then found the hot brake disc.

I found over my trip, that 75mph is the best for economy/speed/comfort compromise.

[jasondo]

Hey just wondering what your dose of techron is when filling up.

[peels]

Hey just wondering what your dose of techron is when filling up.

I just split it into 3 tanks.

[peels]

first week tank of full commuting 38.9mpg. i'm definitely happy with this. because I was not easy on it. schools out, so no kids to get ready in the am. i sleep in til last possible moment and have to haul ass to get to work LOL 80+ and some extra in town riding.


also, still riding with that cat code plug out. doing that for this tank, then I might just put it back in just to see what happens for two tanks.

[sstein]

I don't know if you already mentioned this in this thread, but does your rear brake disc still heat up? Do you think that made a mileage difference? I ask because my front discs stay cool, but rear disc does heat up considerably. Maybe I use the rear brake too much?

[Railbender]

I don't know if you already mentioned this in this thread, but does your rear brake disc still heat up? Do you think that made a mileage difference? I ask because my front discs stay cool, but rear disc does heat up considerably. Maybe I use the rear brake too much?

I think the rear disk is absorbing heat from the final drive. I just went through sticking rear brake pads. In that case the rotor was hotter than the final drive. Now it is still warmer than the front rotors but cooler than the final drive.

[peels]

I don't know if you already mentioned this in this thread, but does your rear brake disc still heat up? Do you think that made a mileage difference? I ask because my front discs stay cool, but rear disc does heat up considerably. Maybe I use the rear brake too much?

nope, cool as a cucumber. well its still "warm"...but, before, it was HOT.and yes, I think it was a big of not THE biggest factor in my mileage issue.