200 miles per tank?
08-11-2007, 08:46 PM
#1
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200 miles per tank?
I've always been pretty happy with the fuel mileage on my '03 VTR. I get low 30s running the mountains and canyons. I get 45-46 mpg on the freeway. That at 80 mph cruise with short roll ons up over 100 to blow by clots of cars, put a smile on my face etc.
I'd been wondering what mileage I'd get and how far I could go on a tank if I cruised right at the 65 mph speed limit and skipped the roll ons. I also wanted to know how much fuel is actually left when the red warning light starts flashing.
I gassed up to the bottom edge of the filler neck, filled a one quart plastic oil bottle with gas and strapped it to the back of the seat so I wouldn't get stranded. I zeroed the tripmeter and pulled out of the driveway just before dawn last Saturday.
My run was about 80% freeway. Most of the rest rural highway with a few red lights. I stopped and shut off the bike four times. Once to look at the ocean and watch some surfers. Twice to recycle all the coffee I'd drunk before I left, and once to get more coffee.
When the low fuel light started blinking at me, the tripmeter read 177.3 miles.
When the engine started bogging and I had to pull over and add my spare fuel, the tripmeter read 213.5 miles.
If the tank actually holds 4.2 gallons when I fill it and the petcock flows every bit of it to the float bowls before they go dry, then I got 50.83 miles per gallon.
If reserve is really 7/10 gallon when the red light flashes, I should have gone another (50.83 X .7) 35.58 miles. I went another 36.2 miles.
So yeah, my VTR can get 50 mpg on the highway. It can go 200 miles on a tank, and my reserve really is 7/10 of a gallon.
I'd been wondering what mileage I'd get and how far I could go on a tank if I cruised right at the 65 mph speed limit and skipped the roll ons. I also wanted to know how much fuel is actually left when the red warning light starts flashing.
I gassed up to the bottom edge of the filler neck, filled a one quart plastic oil bottle with gas and strapped it to the back of the seat so I wouldn't get stranded. I zeroed the tripmeter and pulled out of the driveway just before dawn last Saturday.
My run was about 80% freeway. Most of the rest rural highway with a few red lights. I stopped and shut off the bike four times. Once to look at the ocean and watch some surfers. Twice to recycle all the coffee I'd drunk before I left, and once to get more coffee.
When the low fuel light started blinking at me, the tripmeter read 177.3 miles.
When the engine started bogging and I had to pull over and add my spare fuel, the tripmeter read 213.5 miles.
If the tank actually holds 4.2 gallons when I fill it and the petcock flows every bit of it to the float bowls before they go dry, then I got 50.83 miles per gallon.
If reserve is really 7/10 gallon when the red light flashes, I should have gone another (50.83 X .7) 35.58 miles. I went another 36.2 miles.
So yeah, my VTR can get 50 mpg on the highway. It can go 200 miles on a tank, and my reserve really is 7/10 of a gallon.
08-11-2007, 09:07 PM
#2
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Do you have stock gearing?
My light came on today at 114 miles and when it does I could only put in 3.2-3.3 gallons, never more. I never seen anything higher than 115 on my trip before the light came on even with the smoothest rides. If you got 213 miles, I say damn, all the power to ya. What are the mods?
My light came on today at 114 miles and when it does I could only put in 3.2-3.3 gallons, never more. I never seen anything higher than 115 on my trip before the light came on even with the smoothest rides. If you got 213 miles, I say damn, all the power to ya. What are the mods?
08-11-2007, 09:38 PM
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AZZKIKER;
If you're getting 115 miles on 3.2 gallons, that is about 36 mpg. Given your intake/ exhaust and cam, that isn't bad at all.
That BMC race filter flows like a son of a bitch. I tried tuning to it, gave up and decided that without a full system or at least really free flow slip ons I was wasting my time. My S4 cans are louder and freer than stock, but not by a whole lot.
If you're getting 115 miles on 3.2 gallons, that is about 36 mpg. Given your intake/ exhaust and cam, that isn't bad at all.
That BMC race filter flows like a son of a bitch. I tried tuning to it, gave up and decided that without a full system or at least really free flow slip ons I was wasting my time. My S4 cans are louder and freer than stock, but not by a whole lot.
08-12-2007, 07:49 AM
#6
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superbling;
I think it is really good mileage and I'll probably never get it THAT good again, but I wanted to see what it would do and maybe prove a point because so many people diss the bike for the mileage.
I know from searching previous threads on this site and elswhere on the web that maybe not most guys, but plenty of guys report getting mid 40s mpg on the highway, which is what I usually get.
I'd rather ride the freeway fast and frisky for 45 mpg than ride like Grandpa Simpson for 50 mpg, but I like knowing what the bike will do if I want it to.
I think it is really good mileage and I'll probably never get it THAT good again, but I wanted to see what it would do and maybe prove a point because so many people diss the bike for the mileage.
I know from searching previous threads on this site and elswhere on the web that maybe not most guys, but plenty of guys report getting mid 40s mpg on the highway, which is what I usually get.
I'd rather ride the freeway fast and frisky for 45 mpg than ride like Grandpa Simpson for 50 mpg, but I like knowing what the bike will do if I want it to.
08-12-2007, 08:44 AM
#7
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Well, I'm amazed. My dang light comes on at about 75 miles and from what it takes to refill...I'm only getting around 28 mpgs. I'll have to do a grandma test and see if it's just my heavy hand or my bike. Sure wish it got better mileage.
08-12-2007, 08:14 PM
#8
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Normally I get about 35mpg on the backroads but just today i checked it with an all highway run (about 180 miles total) from southern CT down to Long Island NY and got 45mpg. Stock gearing and ignition. K&N filter and two bros pipes.
08-13-2007, 03:27 PM
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trinc;
My Superhawk's Tailwind sensor/chronographical recordance module has been misbehavin' lately, but since I spent half the time running north and half running south, absent an occurence of the exceedingly rare kamakazi, I believe that data would have been inconclusive.
My Superhawk's Tailwind sensor/chronographical recordance module has been misbehavin' lately, but since I spent half the time running north and half running south, absent an occurence of the exceedingly rare kamakazi, I believe that data would have been inconclusive.
08-20-2007, 03:16 PM
#14
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My bike is jetted, with pipes and the same gearing as you.
My light regularly comes on at about 100 miles. If I drive like I usually do I can go 15 miles before I am out.
Last edited by nuhawk; 08-20-2007 at 03:22 PM.
08-20-2007, 08:45 PM
#16
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I picked up my 03 hawk on 8-1 and have been commuting on it almost every day. I am getting 120-150 miles on it before it hits reserve. I have been getting anywhere from 40-48 MPG. Of course depending on how much I get into the main.....
08-20-2007, 08:51 PM
#17
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It seems that the later model year VTRs get somewhat better mileage than the earlier ones. With the same carbs, jets, airbox and filter, sprockets etc. I don't why that would be. Anybody have a clue?
08-21-2007, 10:33 AM
#18
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Handa detuned the bikes after '98. They have a history of giving their bikes and cars more power in the first year of a model.
08-21-2007, 11:22 AM
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spdrcr;
"Honda detuned the bikes after '98." OK, maybe so, but do you know what they did? With a quick look through my workshop manual it seems that all the specs and clearances etc. for everything from the airbox snorkel to the exhaust cans are identical for models '98 thru '03.
I know the first bikes they sent to the magazines in '97 dynoed a few H.P. more than later ones, but never knew if this was the result of changes or "special treatment"/"cherry picking" before they sent the first ones.
"Honda detuned the bikes after '98." OK, maybe so, but do you know what they did? With a quick look through my workshop manual it seems that all the specs and clearances etc. for everything from the airbox snorkel to the exhaust cans are identical for models '98 thru '03.
I know the first bikes they sent to the magazines in '97 dynoed a few H.P. more than later ones, but never knew if this was the result of changes or "special treatment"/"cherry picking" before they sent the first ones.
08-21-2007, 09:38 PM
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An engine can be built to factory specs and have a few more hp by going to high end of certain specs and the low end of others. This is commonly done by engine builders of spec and showroom stock class race cars. Sunbuilt builds "factory spec" engines for Spec Miata racers by selecting the right factory stock parts when building an engine (they sell for over $5000, but if you want to run up front....). Honda knows what specs to to go high or low on, they designed the engine. After the first year or so they don't spend the extra time to select the "prefered" parts.
08-22-2007, 08:28 PM
#23
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I'v always wondered how far the 'Hawk would go on a tank. My '03 has given me 47mpg @ a steady 65mph, and that was with the carbs out of sync. The SH gets a bad rap for it's proported poor mileage. Good to hear of more people out there getting good mileage. I guess the moral of the story is that you'll probably have to stop & pee before you run out of gas anyway! 
08-22-2007, 08:38 PM
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jbaxx;
Hey, if my bike had a 1.8 gallon tank and ran dry at 80 miles, I'd still have to stop and pee first, but that's just me.
47 miles/gallon is great mileage. How many sportbikes over 500cc will do any better than that?
Hey, if my bike had a 1.8 gallon tank and ran dry at 80 miles, I'd still have to stop and pee first, but that's just me.
47 miles/gallon is great mileage. How many sportbikes over 500cc will do any better than that?
08-23-2007, 09:51 AM
#26
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Well, I'm still going to have to undo my carbs to get at the pilot screws so I'll look inside and see what the PO has in there for "factory" jetting. My light comes on at 68 miles or so and takes 2.5 gallons or a bit more to refill so I am NOT one of those peeps getting anything even near 47mpgs and it irks me to no end. I'm not really on the gas much either.......
08-23-2007, 10:09 AM
#27
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Ya know, I read about how bad the tank capacity was and I still bought one - now I understand the pain of having to fill that dang tank - Last weekend, I was filling up every 125 miles or so. I did some highway pulls etc and cruised at 90 or so....
I fill when the light comes on and dump in about 2.9 gallons or so...
I fill when the light comes on and dump in about 2.9 gallons or so...
Id love to see 200 miles per tank.
08-23-2007, 05:29 PM
#29
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That's what I'm saying, good lord. I get a light between 110 and 120 miles, filling the tank to 3.2 to 3.4 gallons. But that's 110-120 miles INDICATED...I'm -1/+3 and never got a speedohealer, so best I can guess....light at 80 miles? Im tuned rich unless I'm on the throttle though...havent gotten to fixing that yet.
