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Cruising Range/MPG - How many miles on a tank of gas


Wolfp4cker

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As mellow states above their are huge variables with how much petrol you use, I've stuck in an extract from the ride report I listed in August down below. Best MPG I have ever had worked out at 68 MPG (imperial measurement) that would give me a theoretical range of 267 miles before the tank ran dry. Now, would I have run it that distance? No chance. I am ever likely to get close to that figure again? I seriously don't think so. I regularly run about 180 miles before I fill up  but only If I know where I am stopping for fuel. That has usually left about 2 to 3 litres of fuel still in the tank.

One surprise that day was how good the Tracer was on fuel consumption, apart from the first 40 miles to Oban and the last 25 miles to Fort William we were on quiet single track roads (30 to 40 MPH). When I fueled up on the Thursday morning I had used 11.3 litres of fuel over a sat nav confirmed 168 miles or 68 miles to the imperial gallon,

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Unless I ride VERY conservatively, I can only manage about 40~42 mpg.  Higher speeds (+75) kill mileage and best revs for mpg are between 4,500 and 5,700 or so.  Too big of a screen (like a Givi Tour with a top spoiler) and of course luggage and a large pilot also do not help mileage.  Going to 15 / 44 sprockets and a 520 chain has actually helped mileage.  Using cruise control when needed give bonus bonus miles too.

But the point of a FJ/Tracer is having a kick-ass time going far, fast.

I did 168 miles on 4.05 gallons the other day taking it easy, and it had been on reserve for 6 miles.  Don't be frightened by the fuel gauge.  It drops to half at around 100 miles.  Figure 20 miles per segment after that except the last and only start to really worry when the last segment starts blinking while on reserve, which counts up rather than down, stupid!

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My typical economy is also in the 40-43mpg (US) range. I have a large windscreen (26" Madstad) so yeah any speeds above 70mph really kill the mileage. I usually look for a gas station around 270-300 miles. Of course I'm cheating with a 3.25 gallon aux fuel cell on the back:

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Gas mileage can vary tremendously depending on the gas used, elevation, speed, road conditions etc.

I've talked about this before but bought my 2020 Tracer GT in Sioux Falls, SD which is 1,400 miles from home.  It,s an interesting story in itself but gave me a good opportunity to see how the Tracer GT did on fuel mileage.  I put 600 miles on the bike in South Dakota, had the first service and then headed home.  Fully loaded (for me) with sidecases full and a duffle bag on the rear seat.  Running interstate speeds of 75+ it would get 150 t0o 160 miles before getting thin on gas.  I went 175 a couple of times.  The route home was a familiar one and going thru Kansas temps were 96F.  There are spots where it is a bit of distance between gas stations so a good idea to know where the stations are and how much further you can go.  With lower speeds I've seen close to 200 miles before the gas light went on.  This is the second bike I've had with the funky gas gauge that is full then half so am used to it.  At every fill up I'll reset the a trip odometer, gallons used and average fuel mileage.  I look at instantaneous mileage and average mileage plus gallons used to get a feel of how much I've consumed and how much further I can go.  When I fill up the amount is mentally noted and compared with what it says was consumed.  Also mentally do a quick check of the average gas mileage versus what the bike says.  The gallons consumed and the average mileage the bike says are never the same as actual but are a good indicator - I do a mental calibration.  For example riding into a stiff headwind on the interstate in Wyoming where the speed limit can be 80mph, the gas mileage will not be good but using the fuel consumed, average mileage and instantaneous mileage gives a good indication of what's going on. So if you have figured out 3.1 gallons consumed really means it has used 3.3 gallons then there are 1.5 gallons left but you are getting 35 mpg so your max range is 52.5 miles - in Wyoming that means slow down and look for gas station now.  If I get my speed down to say 65 could stretch that distance to 75 or 80 miles so the gas station that is 40 miles away is pithing safe reach.  On the trip back I had one time I pushed the distance to 178 miles between stops and the gas light had been on for 4 or 5 miles when I stopped.  I knew where I was and how far it was to the gas station so not something I would normally do in unfamiliar territory.  My Zumo XT will show the next towns and what services they have - don't totally trust it but nice to.  Still only put something like 4 or 4.1 gallons in so still had a nice reserve - I think!  I have never emptied the gas tank to see how much it really would hold.  In more remote areas I look at the route I want to go and the location of the gas stations starting after 75 miles or so.  If I see a nice station will go ahead and fill up.  I have come close a couple of times.  One time in Wyoming would have been stranded for sure were it not for single gas pump at a tiny gas station at a crossroads!  100 miles to the next gas going the way I was!  Sometimes 87 octane is all that is available - I'll use it o get me to the next fillup but do not use it on a regular basis.

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I can ride plenty aggressively, and so far I have yet to dip below 40 MPG, matter of fact this Tracer gets gas mileage on par overall that my V-Strom 650 did. But yeah I agree that between 150/175 I will typically fill up.

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My bike must be running lean. Constantly shows 50+ mpg on average and yes I reset it every fill up. And no I am not running it around at 40 mph. The dash number matches what I put in it and my math. Typically 53-57 mpg on my average. only has 1400 miles on it and I do not weigh north of 140 lbs at 5'9"tall. I do not ride with the side bags on all the time either, only if I plan to pick something up while out on it which is rare. Stock wind screen to date but I did add the touring screen last week just haven't rode it much yet due to wet and now freezing weather.

And I use non ethanol premium gas 90% of the time.

Edited by roy826
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16 minutes ago, roy826 said:

Typically 53-57 mpg on my average. only has 1400 miles on it and I do not weigh north of 140 lbs at 5'9"tall.

That is remarkable. The only times I've ever gotten even close to 50mpg was when I was puttering around at 45-60mph and going easy on the throttle. But I'm 6'3", weigh 250lbs, I run a large windshield and I always have my saddlebags mounted. I'm sure my fat ass and un-aerodynamic accessories are to blame. 

I don't think ethanol vs. non-ethanol fuel makes much of a difference. I usually run E10 here in the PNW because that's usually the only thing available. But I burned a lot of non-ethanol fuel this summer in Montana, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. If the clear gas yielded better fuel economy, it wasn't enough for me to notice. I seem to get the same crappy MPGs regardless of fuel type.  

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35 minutes ago, keithu said:

That is remarkable. The only times I've ever gotten even close to 50mpg was when I was puttering around at 45-60mph and going easy on the throttle. But I'm 6'3", weigh 250lbs, I run a large windshield and I always have my saddlebags mounted. I'm sure my fat ass and un-aerodynamic accessories are to blame. 

I don't think ethanol vs. non-ethanol fuel makes much of a difference. I usually run E10 here in the PNW because that's usually the only thing available. But I burned a lot of non-ethanol fuel this summer in Montana, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. If the clear gas yielded better fuel economy, it wasn't enough for me to notice. I seem to get the same crappy MPGs regardless of fuel type.  

Yea I have been a little concerned about the mpg. But it averages out every time within 2 tenths of the dash reading and I fill to same spot every time tight at the irritation plate in the fuel tank neck. I do stick to premium gas however been tempted to just run regular like I did with no issues in my Africa Twin. My Tenere 700 only calls for 86 octane or higher and it gets low 50s riding it and it is much more revved out than the 900. Worst I've seen on the 700 was 48 mpg running behind another Africa Twin and and a KTM 1290 down the highway.

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7 minutes ago, roy826 said:

I do stick to premium gas however been tempted to just run regular like I did with no issues in my Africa Twin. 

You should stick to premium since that's what the Tracer calls for. It will run on regular - I've had to do it a few times in rural areas where 87 octane was the only thing available - but since there isn't a knock sensor it probably isn't safe to run regular, er, regularly. 

I was referring to E10 premium (10% ethanol) vs. E0 premium (ethanol free). In some areas (maybe where you live) they don't even sell E10 premium, all premium is E0. But in other areas everything is E10, even premium. 

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If I commute 65 MPH on cruise, mode B, I gas up anywhere from 210-220 miles on the tank. If I'm rip roaring in the twisties, a heartfelt prayer might get me to 140 miles on a tank. 

This is probably the most sensitive bike I've ever had vis a vis MPG and wrist control. 

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’70 Yamaha 125 Enduro; ’75 Honda CB360T; ’81 Yamaha XS650SH; ’82 Honda GL650 Silver Wing Interstate; ’82 Suzuki GS650L; ’87 Yamaha Virago 535; ’87 Yamaha FJ1200; ’96 Honda ST1100; ’99 Yamaha V-Star Classic; ’00 Suzuki SV650; ’07 BMW K1200GT; ’12 Suzuki DR200; ’15 Yamaha FJ-09.  Bold = current

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I failed to mention I’m in standard mode almost always. I hate B mode and I find A mode just to twitchy for my everyday use unless I’m chasing friends or the one leading the way. Then I use A mode. 

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As a 60+ year old with RA I'm taking a break at about 120 - 150 miles. I use that time to top off as well. I don't willingly run the interstates for any distance. Been on most of them at some point. I have the time to ride the side/back roads and that's the way to do it. YMMV

Max distance on the FJ is 435 miles all secondary roads, max gpm 57.1 on the Natchez Trace following a friend nicknamed "Miss Daisy". 

 

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"It doesn't matter who walks in, you know the joke is still the same"  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. USA

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You have some inputs here.  I suggest looking the bike up on Fuelly and seeing what a larger sample size gets.  That'll give you the high, the low and the mode.

What I do is to track and record every fill-up.  I have a different bike, but I can tell you that I'll get around 45 mpg in town in the winter...around 53-55 mpg on most trips...and if I'm doing a lot of non-interstate back roads, I've gotten up to 70 mpg.  So multiply that times my gas tank size and I have a range of 180 to 280 miles.  

Now which figure should I count on for my range?  If I'm counting on the max range of 280 miles and I'm only getting 45 mpg...then I'm probably going to walk a lot.  ;)

I suggest you do the same.  Don't push it till it is empty.  You could find yourself pushing that bike for a couple miles if you miscalculate.  And is the fuel pump cooled by the fuel?  Just start keeping a record of your fill-ups and the conditions.  PhotoAl does the same as I do.  I reset my trip odometer with each fill-up.  When I'm on the road, I already have planned my max comfortable range.  In my case, it is about 160-180 miles.  Then as I'm going along, I'm keeping tabs on my average MPG and how many miles I've gone...and how many miles I need to go till the next fill-up.  

There are so many variables that affect gas mileage that this is like asking what is the best oil to use.  How often and how much do you twist your right wrist?  Do you have a head wind, or tail wind?  Hilly country, or Kansas?  How many stop lights do you encounter?  You'd be surprised at how quickly that ruins your gas mileage.  I think you get the idea.

And since this is your first post...welcome to the forum!

Chris

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