what I learned about my 1500

[Mak]

Keep in mind that the US Gallon is 3.78ltr whereas the British Gallon is 4.54ltr.

When I rode to the Drift-In (1000+ miles), Helen, GA, I did routinely achieved 130miles with the J1.  In the UK I did get 55mpg.  On the Chelohala Skyway - I even managed 150miles before the fuel light lit up - interestingly many of us had above average fuel consumption.  It would say that it was due to a combination of low speeds, elevation, time of day and weather conditions.

Generally I achieve 5ltr/100km on the J1 and MM (R1), but on the BigMak (BM) I seem to be struggling and sit at 6 - 6.5ltr / 100kms.
On the MM and BM I have the techlusion installed but have the Roadhouse Dooleys on the MM (2in1 into 2) whereas on the BM I have the V&H Baggers installed.  Maybe there is the diff?

Luckily I have an 27ltr tank on the BM gets me 300miles + by then you WANT to stop for food anyway lol

Mak

[Troll]

What I learned about my drifter on the trip to Georgia. Remember...I dis some major redesign to my air box last year. On my trip to Wyoming, in 2011, my overall fuel mileage was about 39, with the best of 45 coming in the mountains at 4500-5000'....so to begin. Day one fuel mileage avg..42.24, day 2. 43.64 day 3: 46.3 Day 4: 49.05 Day 5: 46.4 day 6: 42.42...
for an overall avg. of 45.00008...I think my airbox mod was worth the effort. I was routinely filling up at 150 miles or so when we did the mountain road rides, and at about 170 when I was travelling... mountain road rides were typically don at around 50-60 mph in 3rd and 4th...not enough straight road for 5th...Interstate speeds were 70-75...sometimes 80( ). I took exactly 1/2 of 1/32" off the rear tire, no measurable wear on the front...2565 miles The push me soon light now comes on at about 165-170 miles...

[John Hopkins]

I worked mine out with a calculator..At a constant speed of about 50 mph and with 12 litres before I hit reserve I get about 10 miles per liter..that's about 45 miles per imperial gallon..But if I increase the speed to maximun 107 miles per hour I get 6 miles per litre or about 27 miles per imperial gallon..

To be honest I am quite satisfied with that..

John.

[Petemoss]

Man, I'm getting like 50 mpg on the highway. The tank on my bike is a 5 gallon tank so I could go like 250 miles on one tank. But the gas gauge reads 1/8 tank when the light comes on and I put about 2.5 gallons of gas in the tank so my math must be way off, I guess. Either that or the bottom 1/4 of the tank is huge.

[John Hopkins]

Is that fair dinkum ?
I'd have a 2/12 mile walk if I tried to do it with 1 refill - bugger.
You're joshing me right ? - you've used a calculator !!!

Google maps..John O'Groats to Gretna Green..

shortest route from top of Scotland to the English border..you can go a lot further but it's not easy..

John.

[drifter-paul]

Is that fair dinkum ?
I'd have a 2/12 mile walk if I tried to do it with 1 refill - bugger.
You're joshing me right ? - you've used a calculator !!!
Sounds like Central Queensland, Australia. The small towns have died off (still on the map, but nothing there), and now you can have 90 miles without a petrol outlet. It's a pain having to do the extra stops, but, I enjoy having the road to myself, except for passing 2 people, and seeing 1 coming towards me on each leg. 

[John Hopkins]

but then how far can you travel in Scotland ??

363 miles.

John.

[drifter-paul]

I agree 107 miles seems very low, running rich?.

I get 108 kilometers to the half way mark on the gauge,
another 108 to the 'E' mark with the yellow low light steadily on.
with an estimated 72 till empty. Total of 288 , same as Jobi (180 miles).
This is at an actual 60 MPH on highways (the speedo reads 110KPH at an actual GPS 100 (62MPH). I try not to run it over the 160 Miles.
This is on a 16 litre steel tank with 4 of those litres as reserve.

At 70 MPH it disproportionately chews thru the petrol, and cold mornings with short trips also play havoc.

When travelling steadily in the outback , i double the mileage at half mark, then add 1/3 of the total at the 'E' mark. It's proven a pretty reliable rule of thumb.

Troll's post (30 June 2013) reply to "99 Drifter running poorly at low speeds" might be of interest, John, if you are after greater range - but then how far can you travel in Scotland ??

[John Hopkins]

My drifter has an Indian speedometer dial which reads 0 to 120 miles per hour but the odometer is in kilometers so 160 on the odometer is only 100 miles, I had a reading of 1,970 on the odometer (not all of those count because when I got lost I didn't do a fuel stop)..A few roads were jammed with traffic due to roadworks, there were a few hairpin bends, I got lost twice, had to go through a city center.

So I'm pretty sure that I can rely on 100 miles to the full tank if I don't go over 80 mph.

John.

[Jobi]

Over the weekend I learned a few more things about my Drifter..

I can get as much as 120 miles on a full tank if I ride at about 50 mph.

I can get 70 miles on a full tank if I ride flat out all the way.

Are you sure those are the right numbers? I get 175 miles (~285) fairly regularly with average riding at 55-60 mph and a pinch of aggressiveness from time to time to overtake the trucks. I'm on a 1999 Drifter 1500 with the 16 litre tank (at least I'm pretty sure it's the 16 litre version)

[TripWire]

I did an Iron Butt mile run (Lake Michigan 1000) on my 1500 Drifter last year and have two more planned for this year.  19hours - 1100 miles, on the 4 lanes hwy I averaged about 70-75 (just kept up with traffic) and the low fuel light came on at about 155 miles.  I figure I can go about 200miles before I would run empty doing normal highway speeds.

Sometime speeding will slow you down, if you factor in the time it takes to stop and refuel sometime going slower will speed you up.

[John Hopkins]

I was the only one..it was a solo ride..

John.

[CDNRatMan]

  All really important points if you live in the British Isles. The ones about falling asleep are valid anyplace, and one final note at that Iron Butt I'll wager you had the coolest looking ride there.

[John Hopkins]

Over the weekend I learned a few more things about my Drifter..

The top speed is 107 mph..

If there is a really strong gusting wind the top speed drops to 90 mph..

I can get as much as 120 miles on a full tank if I ride at about 50 mph.

I can get 70 miles on a full tank if I ride flat out all the way.

Fuel stations in Scotland are either grouped together or about 100 miles apart.

The police stations in remote areas of Scotland carry an emergency supply of petrol which they will sell to you.

When you fall asleep on a drifter it can drift out of the motorway lane..

If you fall asleep four times the car behind you will drop back about 500 yards..

You can do the Iron Butt on a drifter but not if you keep to the speed limits..

John.