What MPG?

[Wintersdark]

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

How true, especially if one has a large peach size prostrate. 

However there are often times when there isn’t a gas station when you need one in the boonies...

Fortunately, everywhere I ride there's gas stations at least every couple hundred kilometers at worst, and thanks to the Old Man Has To Pee All The Time issue, I never feel up to skipping one and trying to make the next   When planning out rides, I always plan for a town at most every ~250kms or so, and in very sparse areas I take a "If there's a gas station, top the bike up" approach.  

Thing is, even if you know calculate what your average fuel economy is, it's not going to be exact for all situations.  I mean, if I calculate my fuel economy here at ~3500' ASL and totally flat city riding, it's going to be different riding in mountains or for high speed highway riding or for aggressive twisties etc.  So then, back to the bike's display being good enough for me

[Wintersdark]

On 7/31/2021 at 8:35 AM, 2and3cylinders said:

Safe tank mileage seems to be about 165 leaving about .81 gallons on reserve or 29 miles to fumes.

 

This sounds pretty familiar.  I can do a reliable 300kms (186 miles) on a tank but be in reserve, so I just plan for 250kms max between fuel and that's plenty regardless of how fast and hard I'm riding.  

[texscottyd]

On 7/29/2021 at 7:18 PM, petshark said:

But no idea why I seem to have the worst mileage of the entire forum.

I’m probably pretty close to the overall averages you mentioned, although I’ve never tracked it in detail or manually calculated an actual average.  I’ve never reset the average fuel economy reading on my 2015 FJ, and it currently shows 42.6 mpg over 21k+ miles.  (I’m assuming it didn’t reset when I had the battery out) 

If you allow for being 5% optimistic, this gets the actual number down to right around 40 mpg.   I haven’t really thought of it as good or bad… it just kind of ‘is’. 

I just pay attention to the gauge, since I’ve had tanks when I trigger the reserve countdown at 120 miles, and others where it’s around 180 miles.   I can’t see actually getting 200 miles out of a tank, personally.   

[Maverick302]

40mpg US, mixed

[2and3cylinders]

My average actual is 40 ~ 41.5

And in the boonies when I've got to pish, I'll stop anywhere and try to remember to put the side stand down in my haste, as my heart is pounding and breathing labored, and it's a mad rush to get off (problematic in the best of circumstances due to my bad back), and get unzipped and out without wetting my pants!!!

[Wintersdark]

3 hours ago, texscottyd said:

I’m probably pretty close to the overall averages you mentioned, although I’ve never tracked it in detail or manually calculated an actual average.  I’ve never reset the average fuel economy reading on my 2015 FJ, and it currently shows 42.6 mpg over 21k+ miles.  (I’m assuming it didn’t reset when I had the battery out) 

If you allow for being 5% optimistic, this gets the actual number down to right around 40 mpg.   I haven’t really thought of it as good or bad… it just kind of ‘is’. 

I just pay attention to the gauge, since I’ve had tanks when I trigger the reserve countdown at 120 miles, and others where it’s around 180 miles.   I can’t see actually getting 200 miles out of a tank, personally.   

 

Yeah, I think 200 miles is pretty much a stretch.  Mine reads much higher, but like I said above I reliably get 186 (I've clocked 300kms on a tank a few times) but it's always into the reserve there.  I wouldn't be comfortable going further, and generally prefer to keep it much lower (250kms/155miles) because I'm not interested in getting stranded somewhere pointlessly. 

I figure I could do 200 miles on a tank if I kept to =<50mph without a lot of stop and go, but... gross.  

[texscottyd]

16 minutes ago, Wintersdark said:

but... gross.  

Exactly!   I ride for fun, and that doesn’t sound like fun.  

Related thought:  The ‘recommended shift points’ in my owners manual reads like the introduction to a Steven King horror novel… 

[Wintersdark]

3 hours ago, texscottyd said:

Exactly!   I ride for fun, and that doesn’t sound like fun.  

Related thought:  The ‘recommended shift points’ in my owners manual reads like the introduction to a Steven King horror novel… 

<insert horror movie music here>

Imagine actually riding like that?  It's so absurd it's hilarious. 

[texscottyd]

“It was a dark and stormy night, and a mysterious stranger silently shifted his FJ 09 into sixth gear at 37 mph.  Clearly, evil was afoot…” 

[petshark]

Those shift points are probably emission related. I wonder if that is how some people get 60 mpg.

[DR_DR3I]

I doubt it because that sounds like you're very nearly lugging the engine. I usually upshift anywhere between 3-5k rpms when I'm being civil, but I have no issue taking it to 8k+ in 2nd, 3rd, and ooops already doing 100mph...

Lifetime average is 49.7mpg and still climbing.

[petshark]

Went for a day of riding in the mountains and did some highway miles to get there. Contrary to what I think I read here, I get better mileage on the highway compared to my normal way of riding. This is consistent with the way the fuel consumption of cars is advertised.

I kept a close eye on the estimated average consumption on the dash as well and up till 140 km/h the consumption is lower than my normal average. When accelerating that number is about double the average which makes sense. As there is a lot of acceleration going on because of the dense traffic situation in these parts I think I understand why my mileage is at the low extreme of the spectrum. So I used two tanks of fuel for 3 hours of highway and 4 hours of mountains and the calculated average is again exactly 40 mpg. Can't get away from that number whatever I do. 😆

[Burley]

Just did a 950 km trip from the south end of Vancouver Island (Victoria) to the north end (Port McNeill) and back.  Going somewhat easy.  Managed 4.2 litres per 100 km averaged.  That's with full luggage and a tail bag.  Did a longer trip 2 years ago and got the same result.  Used cruise control a lot.

[2and3cylinders]

I think we're into Winter gas again

 I was really wicking it up last ride and then checked it again today after a short ride for barbecue

 Gauge said 41.8 MPG not even close

 Actual was 34.5!

 Maybe I've been going WFO  anticipating mothballing all the bikes for the winter and have been making up for what will be lost time 😞

[PhotoAl]

Don't discount how much ethanol they have been putting in the gas more recently.  Have heard some folks are adding more than 10% to keep the price lower.