Miles Per Gallon

[dm_gsxr]

On my recent 6,053 mile trip to BusaBash III, I averaged an indicated 45.5 mpg. A high of 51.87 doing the speed limit in VA and low of 36 fighting Kansas wind. Since the 'busa's mpg display doesn't exceed 50mpg, does anyone know if the overall average is reduced because of this?

I reset the first trip meter after every fillup but didn't touch the second one for the whole trip so it never exceeded 50mpg but if the sensor only goes to 50mpg, it might affect the overall average.

I have all my receipts except for one so I may be able to figure it out but I don't know if someone else knows so I thought I'd ask.

Carl

 

[IG.]

Are you saying that if the actual mileage is better than 50, the Busa's computer is still gonna show 50?

 

[dm_gsxr]

Are you saying that if the actual mileage is better than 50, the Busa's computer is still gonna show 50?

Yep. It won't go higher than 50mpg displayed. I hit it several times on my trip. I don't know about the underlying sensor info though. That's why I was wondering.

Carl

 

[stkr00]

I've never seen my mileage that high. Mine is normally around 30 to 35 mpg around town and some highway use. At the track it actually drops down to about 19 mpg.

 

[Charlesbusa]

50!!! Are you sure your riding a Busa!??

 

[dm_gsxr]

50!!! Are you sure your riding a Busa!??

I'm pretty sure it's a 'busa. You tell me:



And of course, without photos there's no proof:



Carl

 

[TruWrecks]

It's got a Busa shell, but what engine or fuel are you using? I have never seen my 04 over 39MPG on an all freeway trip, behaving the entire way? Were you in a full tuck the whole trip?

 

[dm_gsxr]

It's got a Busa shell, but what engine or fuel are you using? I have never seen my 04 over 39MPG on an all freeway trip, behaving the entire way? Were you in a full tuck the whole trip?

It's an 02 'busa. I didn't do anything different with the bike; I mean it's a stock engine and all. I do have a yellow box installed for accurate MPH. I think that'd give me even worse indicated mileage though. Heli-bars and the Protekk footpegs for my height (6'2"/6'4" in boots and 197ish weight).

The bike was loaded for the trip so I couldn't get into "full tuck".



I was shifting my seating position, elbows on knees and chest on the JR bag for a bunch of the trip but it was out of comfort than trying to get the best mileage.

For that picture, I started out at a lower number, not paying that much attention and then in talking to my wife, I got down to the speed limit and just as I pulled in to the gas station, it tripped to 50mpg. For the next leg, I kept it at the speed limit for the whole tank and got 51.87mpg and that's when I found out that it only displayed 50mpg max.

But it's honest mpg as far as I know. That was one of the reasons for asking. A question was asked about mpg. I gave my answer for the trip then thought about the possibilities for better average mpg because of the apparent limitation of the display.

I guess they never figured someone would get better than 50mpg on the bike

Oh, and I used 89 octane for the whole trip (I think I did 91 once or twice when 89 wasn't available though).

Carl

 

[dm_gsxr]

Oh, and I was doing about 80mph average I guess. I hit 160mph just as a try on the first day. Nice long straightaway here in Colorado.

When I went through Tennessee and got to Virginia, the cops were out in force so I kept it at a reasonable speed. My wife called me on my cell (Autocom hookup to my helmet so we can chat while I'm on the road) and I commented that I was getting pretty good mileage. With that, I tried to get the best mileage I could for the rest of that tank and then for the next tank to get the better number.

The following tank though, I did some playing around

But I was keeping the trip 1 mpg indicator displayed all the time rather than the Odometer. Mainly to keep an eye on the mileage and see what effects things like wind and wicking it up would have.

Since I was going to attempt an IronButt 50cc, I was considering doing it all at better than 50mpg just to see if it could be done. But that was in Florida, a few days later. I bailed on the trip unfortunately though.

Carl

 

[#cruncherbusa]

My personal best is 38, how the hell did you get 50

 

[MET]

good mileage, I average between 18-45mpg..............

 

[dm_gsxr]

My personal best is 38, how the hell did you get 50

Nothing special. A cop every mile or so will certainly keep your speeds down.

In Va there was a cop on the right side of the road. You know that as soon as he's out of sight, people go back up to speed again. Well about 100 feet past that point there was another cop sitting in the median strip just waiting for that. Since I was doing the limit, he didn't catch me

but I did laugh.

What mods do you have? Would they have affected your mileage. I've been to bike get togethers where one of the functions was to use a Power Commander to get the best performance out of your bike. Of course, better performance is a negative effect on mileage.

I figure the bike goes faster than I'll ever need to go so enhancing the performance isn't a benefit, in my case. As long as I'm comfortable, and that's where most of my mods point, I'm happy.

Carl

 

[onerabidshark]

37-43 average for me seen a little lower everytime my right wrist gets itchy

 

[bronc3]

It's easy to peg the mileage at 50 if you ride easy on the highway.

 

[stkr00]

Honestly. Could you tallie up the total miles for the trip and total gallons used from your receipts and calculate it out for us.

It just seems too high. Congrats if it is though...Good Job.

Your fuel map may be running the bike too lean. This could be an indication of an underlying problem. Maybe an injector is clogged. Hope nothing is wrong though.

 

[dm_gsxr]

Honestly. Could you tallie up the total miles for the trip and total gallons used from your receipts and calculate it out for us.

It just seems too high. Congrats if it is though...Good Job.

Your fuel map may be running the bike too lean. This could be an indication of an underlying problem. Maybe an injector is clogged. Hope nothing is wrong though.

Ok, I'll check it out this weekend. The bike still sounds great and all so I don't know what sort of symptoms I should be looking for to see if I have a partially clogged injector.

The number if miles is pretty accurate. I compared it against MS Streets & Trips which is never perfect but I got it within a hundred miles or so of the 6,053 that was displayed on the trip meter.

How do you clean the injectors? I don't recall seeing it on the service schedule but my memory isn't perfect

Carl

 

[stkr00]

I'm not saying your injectors are dirty or clogged. I'm just thinking that if you're getting 50 mpg, then it seams that something "could" be wrong without you knowing. That's why I asked about the calculated mileage vs the computer's mileage.

You would have to remove the injectors to clean them properly, but you could also use some injector cleaner fuel additive as a preventative measure every once in a while. I wouldn't go tearing your bike apart just because you got 50 mpg. Just keep it in mind as time goes on. Might be something to ask the service guys at the dealership when you take it for service.

No worries

 

[Lloyd]

46mpg all the time for me. This is calculating it and not using the bike computer..The bike computer shows 46-50mpg. The speedo is very optomistic on the Busa. Faster you go the more it is off. Reads faster than you are going...

If you get a bycycle computer, mount it up put in the computrack tire measurment or find the spec for your front tire diameter. You will get your actual speed for alot less money than a GPS..

 

[Lucky34]

lol
I'm in the low 30's too....
45

lol... that's way to high.... yer not riding the beast the way it was meant to be ridden

 

[greyrocket]

on the hwy i get 46-50 mpg in the city 34 its just so hard to go the speed limit.