Everybody Else Fueled Twice

[Mike Cash]

Just came back from a ride up in the mountains with a group totaling 14 riders. Bikes ranged from an old Suzuki GT185 through 250s, 400s, 750s, and liter-plus bikes.

The ride was about 320km and covered an elevation difference of about 2,000 meters. There was one section near the top with a long stretch of nothing but wilderness, so we all topped off at the "last chance" gas station. I was only down three liters, but I topped off anyway.

About a third of the way through the downhill leg everybody else gassed up; I sat patiently while they did so.

Just before arriving home....still with two or three bars showing from the fill-up 240km earlier....I decided to fill up so I could calculate my mileage.

Paying no heed whatsoever to driving economically, going up the mountain I got 27.15kml (63.86mpg). Coming down I got 33.74kml (79.36mpg).

So my average for a day of blasting around was 31.81kml (74.82mpg).

But the best part was realizing that I only used 10.34 liters of fuel out of what so many people unfathomable dismiss as an inadequate and puny 14 liter tank. So in actuality, on a ride where everybody else had to buy gas twice, I could have made the entire day without refueling....and still had enough left over to go to work on all of next week.

 

[670cc]

That's good, Mike. Like yours, my NC excels in fuel economy in the twisties and back roads.

However, where the NC does not shine is on the highway. Yesterday I found the bike's weak side when driving into a strong headwind, with full luggage attached, and holding it at a reasonable 68 mph. I drove the NC's gas mileages down to, for me, an unimaginable 55 mpg. That made the small fuel tank an issue. My riding buddy at the time was on a Harley Road King. While I still beat him in fuel economy, the NC only bested his big Harley by maybe 20%, and the big bike's larger tank meant we stopped for gas because of me, not him. My pride was squashed.

On the other hand I got mileage in the 80's during back road rides. On back roads, my riding buddies were topping off with 50-70% more fuel than what I was using. It just goes to show the NC is very sensitive to speeds and wind. I take that to mean the engine and drive train are very efficient, so the fuel use is almost directly proportional to the work being done.

My mileage for full tanks of at least three gallons used has ranged from 55 to 95 mpg. That's quite a large spread.

(Sorry for not translating the figures to metric).

 

[itlives]

It just goes to show the NC is very sensitive to speeds and wind. I take that to mean the engine and drive train are very efficient, so the fuel use is almost directly proportional to the work being done.

I found the same thing on my recent 2,300 mile trip. Going to NC and back (to Louisiana), I averaged 65.5 mpg. Up in the mountains, devoid of my luggage, I got 72+ mpg. Coming back in a head wind and maintaining 70-75 mph is what knocked my average way back down.

I agree that that the sweet spot for mpg is 68-70 mph

 

[Smallville]

The best mileage I get is around 45mph in top gear. I can get 90 or better mpg.

 

[BerndM]

I have only filled my NCXD up 5 times since I bought it new and I have been getting in the 55 - 65mpg range.
I assume this will increase some with time as I stop fooling around with the paddle shifters.
Now I have settled in to using the DCT in SPORT mode. Shifts more like a "normal" bike.

 

[johnakay]

did a 143 miles today and still have a tank full left and riding two up.
and I wasn't pussy fussying around either got up to 95mph at one stage.
eee I'm getting abit of a rebel these days

meant to be half a tank full.
one must open ones eye mustn't one when typing.

 

[ziggie]

I can get 65 mpg to 73 mpg every time,and that is riding anyway I feel,highway,backroads,not even trying to get good mpg.also with givi 21s on most of the time.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[anglachel]

I have only filled my NCXD up 5 times since I bought it new and I have been getting in the 55 - 65mpg range.
I assume this will increase some with time as I stop fooling around with the paddle shifters.
Now I have settled in to using the DCT in SPORT mode. Shifts more like a "normal" bike.

My manual improved I'm mileage after the first 2k miles or so, might have been the engine breaking in, our it might have been the rider breaking in... Either way, something happened and the bike settled into a nice 65-70mpg.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

 

[anglachel]

did a 143 miles today and still have a tank full left and riding two up.
and I wasn't pussy fussying around either got up to 95mph at one stage.
eee I'm getting abit of a rebel these days

95 mpg or 95 mph, have to pick one.


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[Ruggybuggy]

You need to post pics of that ride! Japan has some very nice riding areas. From another forum "Eastern Beaver" from Canada posted pics of his rides. Really wanted me to jump on a plane.

 

[Mike Cash]

The whole smirky-smug fun of it comes from sitting by patiently waiting for everybody else at the gas station...."None for me, thanks"....and then way on down the road when they're about to fuel up again pointing out that your gauge is only down one bar.

Didn't take any pictures, except one doing a stoopid tourist pose in front of a marker at the highest elevation of a national highway anywhere in Japan (2,172m).

 

[670cc]

The whole smirky-smug fun of it comes from sitting by patiently waiting for everybody else at the gas station...."None for me, thanks"....and then way on down the road when they're about to fuel up again pointing out that your gauge is only down one bar.

Didn't take any pictures, except one doing a stoopid tourist pose in front of a marker at the highest elevation of a national highway anywhere in Japan (2,172m).

You look different without the hat and cigar.

 

[Mike Cash]

You look different without the hat and cigar.

But chicks still dig me, which is all that matters.

 

[Old Can Ride]

In the 1960's I was in Japan for a little sporting event. They took us on a hover craft across some lake, and we got on cable cars that took us up high into the mountains. Now I know they took us way up high, so I know there are some really high mountains in Japan. My question is there are not highways that go into the mountains in Japan? You can not ride your bike in the mountains in Japan?

Every time I have been to Japan sense that time, I have been on the flat lands super fast trains system you folks have, but never again to the mountains. Still remember how nice it was in the mountains.

 

[pismocycleguy]

I've been into the mountains, forests, rivers and lakes of Northern Japan. There are some great roads and vistas to enjoy in the mountains. Never knew I wasn't suppose to travel on the mountain highways!
Maybe that is why they wouldn't let me come back for another visit? LOL! Like that ever happened!

 

[Fuzzy]

When I was in Japan it seemed it was nothing but mountains.


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[Ruggybuggy]

Wow, so many on here have been to Japan. Maybe when I retire. Japan, Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Australia and New Zeland are on my bucket list.

 

[Mike Cash]

75% of the people on Japan live on 25% of the land, it is said. Probably because it is about 3/4 mountains here.

Yes, of course we ride through the mountains. It would be hard to not ride through the mountains here. I doubt you could totally avoid them even if you just rode along near the seashore.

Spent the whole day yesterday in the mountains in seemingly never ending twisties and switchbacks. Rode right by the edge of an active volcano, even. (The view was surreal and the stench of sulfur was overpowering).

 

[Brillot2000]

The ride was about 320km and covered an elevation difference of about 2,000 meters. There was one section near the top with a long stretch of nothing but wilderness, so we all topped off at the "last chance" gas station. I was only down three liters, but I topped off anyway.

About a third of the way through the downhill leg everybody else gassed up; I sat patiently while they did so.

Just before arriving home....still with two or three bars showing from the fill-up 240km earlier....I decided to fill up so I could calculate my mileage.

Paying no heed whatsoever to driving economically, going up the mountain I got 27.15kml (63.86mpg). Coming down I got 33.74kml (79.36mpg).

So my average for a day of blasting around was 31.81kml (74.82mpg).

But the best part was realizing that I only used 10.34 liters of fuel out of what so many people unfathomable dismiss as an inadequate and puny 14 liter tank. So in actuality, on a ride where everybody else had to buy gas twice, I could have made the entire day without refueling....and still had enough left over to go to work on all of next week.

I did a ride simular to yours a few weeks ago up to Wrightwood, CA, which is at an elevation of 5,938 ft (1,809.90 M). The highest elevation on the route thare was over 7,200 ft (2,194.56 m). I filled up at our destination and found out that I got an average of 55.9 MPG heading up with a couple of days riding to work that week on that tank. On the way down, I got 67.3 MPG. I fueled up the next morning while heading into work to calcualte my MPG. NaNCy is a DCT Model and this was the best MPG that I ever got with her.

My second best was 61.8 MPG when I did a ride to Lake Isabella, CA on the way back to Mojave, CA. This the route I took on that one tank of fuel, Lake Isabella Loop.

 

[JoeTx]

You need to post pics of that ride! Japan has some very nice riding areas. From another forum "Eastern Beaver" from Canada posted pics of his rides. Really wanted me to jump on a plane.

Yeah Mike Cash, I bet it's beautiful too, lets see some pics