DARKSIDE fuel milage

[Rotorboy]

I was wondering how other DARKSIDERS are doing with their fuel milage. I have had an unexpected rise in mine. I am up a full 1mpg. This is after a couple of tanks and I have a Speedohealer so I know this as accurate between the old and the new tire. So how is everyone else doing?

[Jared]

I can only imagine you ODO is reading slightly different than it was previously. Possibly even with the healer? Not too sure how those work.

There's no reason why you fuel economy would increase that I can think of.

[Monkeyman]

There should actually be MORE rolling resistance as there's more of your tire on the ground (the way it should be ). More rolling resistance should (in theory, at least) equal poorer gas mileage.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

What type rides did you take to check the mileage? Long trip or short trips. Long trips will increase your mpg while a lot of short trips will decrease it.

[RACNRAY]

Originally Posted by Rotorboy

I was wondering how other DARKSIDERS are doing with their fuel milage. I have had an unexpected rise in mine. I am up a full 1mpg. This is after a couple of tanks and I have a Speedohealer so I know this as accurate between the old and the new tire. So how is everyone else doing?

I'm not familiar with the c/t's being used, but simple math might explain his mpg improvement.

If he has used his speedo healer to calibrate his speedo/odo to compensate for the c/t's different circumference then we can assume it is now accuratly recording the speed/mileage. His last statement suggests that, but can he elaborate on this aspect?

If the c/t circumference is larger than what he had, then his engine is turning fewer rpm at any given speed. Lower engine revs sometimes equates to better mpg.

When i went from the standard size rear tire to the next larger size, i too saw an increase in mpg, almost 1 more.

RACNRAY

[blowndodge]

That's what I was wondering Ray... I went to a 185/75/16 and it corrected most of my speedometer error but did make my ODO a little slow compared to the GPS.. so I get my MPG calculated from it... In warm 70+ weather I'm getting 41mpg on the highway riding double at speeds below 75.

Weather down in the 40's I lose about 4 mpg's...

I can't make an assessment on if the larger car tire is making a difference since I put it on at 10K miles and now I have 32K. 22k on the CT.. It could be bike is broken in and loose. I ride a little easier maybe because most of my riding is two up now?

[markclark57]

1 mpg might be something else too. I get more difference than that depending on which fuel grade/brand I use. It might not be the tire at all. Was your test on the same roads, same time of day, same temp? Did you "get on it harder" or carry more weight? Was the wind different?

[recumbentbob]

check 5 tanks then let us know your MPG.

[Rotorboy]

Sorry to not get back to you sooner. Life and all. I have made no changes in my daily riding, at least none that I am conscious of. I have a Bridgestone Potenza in 195/55R16 and I do notice that the engine runs just a little bit faster. I don't usually drive above 55 and am wondering if maybe I was just slightly under-revving the engine a bit. Before the CT driving at 50 in 4th seemed like I needed to shift up, but 5th seemed like I needed to down shift. Most of my commute is done in 50mph zones in a city that will stop you for 51. I'll run a few more tanks through it and report back.

[dank]

My high on the Nomad was 54 mpg and low was 26 mpg, both full tanks on the freeway. Same equipment. Difference was wind direction and speed. (Actually my direction: going west across South Dakota on the 26 and going east on the 54.) I see no way I could have identified or attributed a 1 mpg difference to anything I did. Tank to tank varied that much just from riding conditions and wind. A 4 mpg change, like Brad mentioned with cold weather, yeah, that was noticeable over a couple tanks as a general change in the average, around which the usual couple mile per gallon variation continued from tank to tank based on wind direction and my speed, and I learned to associate that change with cold weather. But I would never have been able to identify or attribute a 1 mpg shift (That is just 4-4.5 miles distance on a full tank.) to any specific thing.

[Rotorboy]

If we were talking about our truck, I would not mention a 1mpg change. It varies a lot. But with my bike, my last 15 to 20 tanks have all been well within .5 mpg unless I do a freeway ride or some other type of longer trip. Because I have not changed anything other than the rear tire , seeing a 1mpg improvement is kinda cool and I can only think it has to do with the tire. I'll keep checking it.

[blowndodge]

As long as it didn't decrease your waaaaaaaay ahead of the game Rotorboy!!

[RACNRAY]

My Hayabusa's gas mpg is not affected by tailwinds vs headwinds as much as my Vaquero is. The V's fairing is an aerodynamic "oopsie". As mentioned earlier heading into the wind decreases mpg substantially, and the faster i go the worse mpg i get. Nature of the beast.

RACNRAY

[dank]

Originally Posted by Rotorboy

If we were talking about our truck, I would not mention a 1mpg change. It varies a lot. But with my bike, my last 15 to 20 tanks have all been well within .5 mpg unless I do a freeway ride or some other type of longer trip. Because I have not changed anything other than the rear tire , seeing a 1mpg improvement is kinda cool and I can only think it has to do with the tire. I'll keep checking it.

So tank to tank you are consistently seeing variation of less than 2 miles distance traveled on 4 gallons of gas. (Less than plus or minus 0.25 mpg around your average) Hats off to you! You must have a very steady throttle hand and constant route, wind, and temperature. Our weather and road conditions must vary more here in Michigan.
Anyway, glad you like the new tire!

[blowndodge]

Like I said mine varies widely too Dan..