Gas Mileage

**Idaho** · 09-22-2009, 11:25 PM

This always seems to be a hot topic and all over the map as far as fuel economy goes. I always suspected that it really gets down to how much one twists the throttle more than anything. Most of the time lately I get in the low 30's for mileage. Our interstates in idaho are 75 mph and that is what I ususally ride. With my large lowers on there I'm pushing a lot of air and the bike gladly gulps gasoline.

This weekend I went on a ride with a slow riding bunch that rarely hit 65 and for two straight tankfulls I averaged 44.8 mpg.

Less twisties, more mileage. go figure.

AlabamaNomadRider · 09-22-2009, 11:29 PM

Drifter, I am going to do a thread about the gas mileage I got on my 2,000 plus mile trip to Texas and back to Alabama. I can say this much for now. I got 38, I think for a low, and 47 mpg for a high. Look for my post on trip to Texas and mpg or something similar.
Gene

**jmorrow** · 09-23-2009, 02:46 AM

When My wife and I ride (seperate Nomads), we normally ride the twisted twisties and sweeper roads we can find and will ride a constant 50 to 65 MPH. I will normally get 44 to an occassoinal 46 MPG and she will get 45 to an occasonial 49 MPG. Both are stock except for AM exhaust.

**ringadingh** · 09-23-2009, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Dooley

When My wife and I ride (seperate Nomads), we normally ride the twisted twisties and sweeper roads we can find and will ride a constant 50 to 65 MPH. I will normally get 44 to an occassoinal 46 MPG and she will get 45 to an occasonial 49 MPG. Both are stock except for AM exhaust.

I get results very similar to yours under those conditions as well. Also when the weather gets colder here in Oct - Dec. I notice I get about 30 miles to the tank less than during the warmer days.

**rayski271** · 09-23-2009, 07:57 AM

with me it seems the more i twist the worst it gets this weekend i went on trip had 175 miles on the tank and two bars left i thought it was wrong so i stopped and put gas in and only took 3.8 gallons but yet only get 130 out of a tank most times anyone think its time to slow down ?

dantama · 09-23-2009, 09:58 AM

I know that moving air out of the way squares with speed, meaning it gets hugely worse with increases of speed.

In my 10 years of owning a Nomad, I've wondered what going down the interstate at a low speed would do for mileage... but I've never been able to bring myself to do it! :)

I get 37ish

**Top Cat** · 09-23-2009, 10:08 AM

I average from 39 to 42 most of the time.
Debaffle and cold solinoids removed the rest is stock.
Now if I let Cindy get ahead of me on her Shadow my milage drops some as she likes to gas it on every curve we come out of

**Jared** · 09-23-2009, 10:33 AM

I've gotten as low as 28 and as high as 46.

dougster · 09-23-2009, 11:37 AM

I just got back from a trip where we did a little of everything, as far as roads and speed. Plus, we were very loaded down with stuff. I averaged around 40 mpg most of the time. On the way home Monday, we rode into a stiff headwind most of the way, and I averaged 28-32.

**Cajunrider** · 09-23-2009, 03:21 PM

I normally average 36 - 38 riding 2 up. I did 43.7 mpg this past weekend riding 2 up and not being very aggressive with the throttle. Pulling my trailer normally gets me around 34 or 35. I have gotten as low as 24 coming home from Custer pulling the trailer against some very stiff headwinds in the hills.

krt · 09-23-2009, 04:17 PM

With my trike kit I get 33mpg all the time. Not much interstate driving. We take more 30-40 mile evening rides.

ells · 09-23-2009, 08:30 PM

Bounces around 40 mpg with mix of open road and city. For me, 35 is really low and 44 is remarkable.

petenomad · 09-23-2009, 08:45 PM

Around town, a very disappointing 29-32 mpg. With some highway riding I have managed to get up to 35.

**Idaho** · 09-23-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

I know that moving air out of the way squares with speed, meaning it gets hugely worse with increases of speed.

In my 10 years of owning a Nomad, I've wondered what going down the interstate at a low speed would do for mileage... but I've never been able to bring myself to do it! :)

I get 37ish

Yeah Dan, I know what you mean. The only way I was able to slow down was to ride in a group and observe the rules. When I did the mileage shot up nicely.

Looks like most here have the same experience. Nice to know in a pinch if you find yourself getting low on fuel and a long way to go to the next gas station. Slow down and go farther.

09-22-2009, 11:25 PM	#1
Idaho Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Posts: 5,241	Gas Mileage This always seems to be a hot topic and all over the map as far as fuel economy goes. I always suspected that it really gets down to how much one twists the throttle more than anything. Most of the time lately I get in the low 30's for mileage. Our interstates in idaho are 75 mph and that is what I ususally ride. With my large lowers on there I'm pushing a lot of air and the bike gladly gulps gasoline. This weekend I went on a ride with a slow riding bunch that rarely hit 65 and for two straight tankfulls I averaged 44.8 mpg. Less twisties, more mileage. go figure. __________________ Idaho (aka Curmudgeon) Blue Knights Idaho III VBA #110 VROC #24864 IBA #49753 2007 Nomad 86,000 miles Bud Smalley Pocatello, Idaho Idaho Jack Adapter Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-22-2009, 11:29 PM	#2
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Gas Mileage Drifter, I am going to do a thread about the gas mileage I got on my 2,000 plus mile trip to Texas and back to Alabama. I can say this much for now. I got 38, I think for a low, and 47 mpg for a high. Look for my post on trip to Texas and mpg or something similar. Gene __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

09-23-2009, 02:46 AM	#3
jmorrow Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Arkansas Posts: 1,884	Gas Mileage When My wife and I ride (seperate Nomads), we normally ride the twisted twisties and sweeper roads we can find and will ride a constant 50 to 65 MPH. I will normally get 44 to an occassoinal 46 MPG and she will get 45 to an occasonial 49 MPG. Both are stock except for AM exhaust. __________________ Jim (Dooley) Morrow Stanford, Arkansas 2004 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 VBA #146
	0

09-23-2009, 07:57 AM	#5
rayski271 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: hometown ILL Posts: 716	Gas Mileage with me it seems the more i twist the worst it gets this weekend i went on trip had 175 miles on the tank and two bars left i thought it was wrong so i stopped and put gas in and only took 3.8 gallons but yet only get 130 out of a tank most times anyone think its time to slow down ? __________________ National Rally 2009 - Custer, SD NorthCentral Regional Rally 2010 - Prairie du Chien, WI National Rally 2011 - Maggie Valley, NC Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-23-2009, 09:58 AM	#6
dantama Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 0	Gas Mileage I know that moving air out of the way squares with speed, meaning it gets hugely worse with increases of speed. In my 10 years of owning a Nomad, I've wondered what going down the interstate at a low speed would do for mileage... but I've never been able to bring myself to do it! :) I get 37ish
	0

09-23-2009, 10:08 AM	#7
Top Cat Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoples Republic of New York State Posts: 15,154	Gas Mileage I average from 39 to 42 most of the time. Debaffle and cold solinoids removed the rest is stock. Now if I let Cindy get ahead of me on her Shadow my milage drops some as she likes to gas it on every curve we come out of __________________ Tim "TC" Conley VBA #9 2011 Victory Kingpin mine 2013 Victory Boardwalk -hers [LEFT][COLOR=#000000] [SIZE=4]
	0

09-23-2009, 10:33 AM	#8
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Gas Mileage I've gotten as low as 28 and as high as 46. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

09-23-2009, 11:37 AM	#9
dougster Advanced Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Crete, Nebraska Posts: 679	Gas Mileage I just got back from a trip where we did a little of everything, as far as roads and speed. Plus, we were very loaded down with stuff. I averaged around 40 mpg most of the time. On the way home Monday, we rode into a stiff headwind most of the way, and I averaged 28-32. __________________ Doug Witzke - "Dougster" 2003 Nomad 1500 VBA# 740
	0

09-23-2009, 03:21 PM	#10
Cajunrider Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: (SE Louisiana) Posts: 8,340	Gas Mileage I normally average 36 - 38 riding 2 up. I did 43.7 mpg this past weekend riding 2 up and not being very aggressive with the throttle. Pulling my trailer normally gets me around 34 or 35. I have gotten as low as 24 coming home from Custer pulling the trailer against some very stiff headwinds in the hills. __________________ 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482
	0

09-23-2009, 04:17 PM	#11
krt Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sun City Center, Fl. Posts: 122	Gas Mileage With my trike kit I get 33mpg all the time. Not much interstate driving. We take more 30-40 mile evening rides.
	0

09-23-2009, 08:30 PM	#12
ells Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Boulder County, Colorado Posts: 2,014	Gas Mileage Bounces around 40 mpg with mix of open road and city. For me, 35 is really low and 44 is remarkable.
	0

09-23-2009, 08:45 PM	#13
petenomad Sr. Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,135	Gas Mileage Around town, a very disappointing 29-32 mpg. With some highway riding I have managed to get up to 35. __________________ Glenn petenomad Peterman 2016 BMW R1200RT 2012 Candy Arabian Red Concours - Traded at 23000 miles 2008 Red/Black Nomad - Traded at 29500 miles
	0

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