Mpg?

[Troll]

Stock setting.

I try to leave motorcycles stock as much as I can.  I like to buy stock low mileage motorcycles and after a few years of use, I sell them for the same price or perhaps even a little more than I paid.  It has been a practice that has put over 30 different motorcycles in my garage though out the years.  It is fun having something different to ride too.

However, the Drifter 800 is so pleasant to ride I might just keep this longer than the typical 2-3 year cycle of ownership.

The last H-D I sold I had for 32 years...I think I'm going to keep the Drifter a bit longer 

[LarryInSeattle]

Stock setting.

I try to leave motorcycles stock as much as I can.  I like to buy stock low mileage motorcycles and after a few years of use, I sell them for the same price or perhaps even a little more than I paid.  It has been a practice that has put over 30 different motorcycles in my garage though out the years.  It is fun having something different to ride too.

However, the Drifter 800 is so pleasant to ride I might just keep this longer than the typical 2-3 year cycle of ownership.

[greenbarn]

Larry, is that one still the stock jetting??

Mine has improved a lot with the fatter jetting - starts easier cold, etc.

I wish there were more alcohol-free fuel available around here.   If a brand would start promoting "all of our premium grade is now alcohol free", I would go out of my way to search them out,  but it's hit and miss at best.

However, I recently did find a fuel additive that is supposed to mix the alcohol better, eliminating some of the inherent problems with it.  I plan to at least put some in for storage, if not periodically during riding season. 

[LarryInSeattle]

My 01 had 5500 miles on it when I bought it 3 years ago.  It sat more than it ran.  When I first got it, it would hesitate on initial throttle response after a shift and sometimes it would even pop or even a small back fire and then it would go.  It steadily improved with each tank of seafoam I ran through the tank.  I ran it as prescribed on the bottle for the first 10 tanks.

Now, I have 11,000 miles on the bike.  It starts easy, runs great and I run seafoam in the tank once the season winds down and the time between tanks increases.

Even when the weather is horrible for long periods of time, I do start the bike and bring it up to temperature to flush out the carbs.  I also get better performance using 91 octane, non ethanol fuels.  I wish I lived closer to a steady supply of non ethanol fuel.

I know the goldwing and the valk uses 87 and I always used 87 in my Honda Goldwing and Silverwing, however, in the winter months, I put in 91 as it is reported to be more of a stable fuel.

[Tfrank59]

It might be fun to do a basic carb tutorial. The carb on the 800 is pretty simple to remove and service. The worst of it is just getting stuff out of the way to get to it. I removed mine to gain access to the pilot jet screw. Once I drilled out the cover and fattened it up a bit, the off idle condition improved. I think I am going to go back in and put a washer under the needle to see if the improves things a bit more.

When I get a chance to do this, I should get out the phone and do some photos and short movies.

Yeah, I was thinking when I cleaned my air filter that just getting to the carb is a pain and probably 20 minutes work.  If you would do a video or two, for ex. the carb pilot jet thing, that would be great for me and any others who need "carb adjustments for dummies"

[kfoster]

Well Tfrank59, I am not a carb guy either and was hung up on doing the Grampsizimng on  my carb that I never did it, and so I am with you. That being said it might be the time to bite the bullet and find a carb guy, someone you can trust, and who will not need a down payment of your first born or a body appendage let alone be added to your will for doing a hour or so of work for you on the bike.
I have found a really good mechanic who I trust and he charges me $30.00 an hour, if he remembers to ask for his money, and he is willing to help with everything, but can only help me on Sundays so we have a schedule worked out, pehaps find someone for help on your carb.

It might be fun to do a basic carb tutorial. The carb on the 800 is pretty simple to remove and service. The worst of it is just getting stuff out of the way to get to it. I removed mine to gain access to the pilot jet screw. Once I drilled out the cover and fattened it up a bit, the off idle condition improved. I think I am going to go back in and put a washer under the needle to see if the improves things a bit more.

When I get a chance to do this, I should get out the phone and do some photos and short movies.

[Tfrank59]

I ran Seafoam in my first 10 tanks of fuel to clean my carbs.  Now, every third tank gets a treatment.

No more hesitation.

Hey, thanks for the tip.  I think my bike has sat for a lot of months, even years, so it probably needs that same cleaning – I guess I'll buy some seafoam or???  I read on other forums where there might be some better fuel treatments than seafoam (I thought this was more of a fuel stabilizer like for winter)--anybody have an opinion on that?

[LarryInSeattle]

I ran Seafoam in my first 10 tanks of fuel to clean my carbs.  Now, every third tank gets a treatment.

No more hesitation.

[CDNRatMan]

   Hell, if the ticket is waiting for me at to the counter I would come myself.....lol......but any bike mechanic with carb experience would be able to help you out.

[Tfrank59]

Any chance your guy is willing to come out to Seattle-Tacoma and do a job?

[CDNRatMan]

  Well Tfrank59, I am not a carb guy either and was hung up on doing the Grampsizimng on  my carb that I never did it, and so I am with you. That being said it might be the time to bite the bullet and find a carb guy, someone you can trust, and who will not need a down payment of your first born or a body appendage let alone be added to your will for doing a hour or so of work for you on the bike.
I have found a really good mechanic who I trust and he charges me $30.00 an hour, if he remembers to ask for his money, and he is willing to help with everything, but can only help me on Sundays so we have a schedule worked out, pehaps find someone for help on your carb.

[Tfrank59]

Your engine is carburated, so there is no BARO sensor to change the computer's programming based on air pressure. Jetting a carb for a specific altitude is a bit of an art. When I used to go out west into the Rockies with my H-Ds, I would carry spare smaller jets with me, if I was going to be at high altitude for a long time. Higher altitude=less oxygen=smaller carb jets for mixture correction..I'm pretty picky about that stuff.

You know now that I have my exhaust right, I should probably change the jets on my bike.  Trouble is, I'm all thumbs when it comes to carburetor work – I just don't have the skill or patience.  Maybe if I could watch somebody do it or a YouTube I'd have a little more confidence, but I'm afraid I'll make matters worse.  But my bike still has a bit of hesitation when I accelerate from idle.

[CDNRatMan]

  This should be moved to general discussion as people are comparing a FI engine to a carb'ed engine and the answers are getting confusing.

[Troll]

Your engine is carburated, so there is no BARO sensor to change the computer's programming based on air pressure. Jetting a carb for a specific altitude is a bit of an art. When I used to go out west into the Rockies with my H-Ds, I would carry spare smaller jets with me, if I was going to be at high altitude for a long time. Higher altitude=less oxygen=smaller carb jets for mixture correction..I'm pretty picky about that stuff.

[Tfrank59]

Huh, so at sea level to maybe 700 feet above, where I ride mostly, I must be getting piss poor mileage

[pcarrell]

I'm about 900 feet above sea level, so I guess it all makes sense.

[Troll]

I made some interesting discoveries in the last 62,000 miles about mpg on a 1500. One that really surprised me was that altitude above sea level has an ENORMOUS effect. On a trip out to Wyoming in 2011, I was getting about 37 to 40 @ 65 mph on the level land, and as I climbed into the mountains, my mpg went up. At about 5,000' I was getting 45 @ 70 mph. This was with a completely stock intake system, and the Cobra Peace Pipe, running solo. I've tweaked it about 16 different ways, and now I get 45 all the time at sea level and as much as 52 in the mountains...all at 70 mph

[pcarrell]

Hmmm, I've never done better then 47mpg on my 1500.

[Tfrank59]

The only time I ever calculated the MPG on my 1500 was a few months ago and I averaged 64MPG over 3 tanks of gas but that's using the larger CDN gallon.  It's about 53 in USMPG and that was entirely highway driving.

53 mpg on the highway sounds about right for a 1500 – that's about what I'd expect, actually better than what I'd expect, on my 1500 Valkyrie.  And I'm guessing if I did all highway riding with my drifter 800, I'd get about 50 to 53 mpg too.

[CDNRatMan]

  Once again there is a huge difference or should be in mpg between a 800 and 1500. Like comparing apples and oranges. The one time were you can not compare the bikes and see what the difference is.

[Bucko]

The only time I ever calculated the MPG on my 1500 was a few months ago and I averaged 64MPG over 3 tanks of gas but that's using the larger CDN gallon.  It's about 53 in USMPG and that was entirely highway driving.

[CDNRatMan]

  Well good for you, I looked at your gallery pictures, and a hint......I'll wage you get at least a couple more mpg if you switched to WWW on them rims, and it would look super cool........

[Tfrank59]

Well after finally getting my exhaust back pressure right, and running a couple tankfuls of ethanol free gas through her, not to mention just figuring out how she wants to be ridden, I managed to get 45 MPG in a mix of city and highway riding.  I think I'm good with that.

[Tfrank59]

Well I appreciate all the feedback. I don't think my bike is running quite right, but I did go 120 miles on 3 gallons, mix of around town and out on secondary roads.  But 40 miles per gallon is not totally screwed – at least that's what I'm finding out from you guys.  Once I get my exhaust tweaked like it should be, and then if I have to dial-in the carb I'll do it, and then I should reach peak performance.  One factor to consider is that Washington state is a very hilly state, not flat like Texas or apparently Maryland, and yeah I have a tendency to accelerate hard out of turns also

[kw-retrorider]

Good info all around guys...

Ratman: It's not an exact science. I just fill the tank (so in this case "size" doesn't matter), then run until I have to go on reserve....(the 800 makes a noticeable stumble compared to my W650), then I just fill the tank again at the first gas station.  Always use regular. I usually go about 150 miles and usually putting 3 gallons in the tank when I fill after just going on reserve (+/-) on both numbers, but that is the average).

Like I've  said before on this topic...I'm in Maryland riding one up, saddlebags and windscreen...very flat by comparison to where most of you are. That is what I attribute my higher MPG to....and deciding not to screw with the existing engineering, since the performance is fine for me....and perhaps driving conservatively. Under 70 MPH.

All good and look forward to your results.