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Real-world gas mileage effects when changing sprocket sizes (?)

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#21 ·
MorganB said:
You know what I think? All the people who claim to get anywhere near 50mpg are either too stupid to do the math correctly, weigh under 80lbs, ride under 3,000rpms, or some combination of all of the above.

That's what I think.
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Sorry, 218 without gear, average cruising rpm of around 5-6k, and well, that math isn't too hard, even for me... got 46mpg yesterday joyriding, 48 on my Friday fillup after commuting the three days prior. Maybe the dealer never took the plastic wrap off your air filter? :dontknow:
 
#22 ·
Before installing the belt drive on my SV, I ran chains for several years with a Scottoiler. I ran both 16 teeth and 17 teeth on the countershaft. My experience is that for each tooth you add on the countershaft you gain 3 mpg. If you flog it continually you will get much worse mileage. There are several driving techniques you can use to get better mileage. Accelerate when it is convienient to(downhill), run in as tall a gear as possible, streamlining / areodynamics. In the 1980s my company Rifle was able to get 378 mpg on a 185 cc single cylinder Yamaha traveling up and down the California coast on hwy 1 averaging 45 mph in traffic(rear world conditions). Some of the modifications were ceramic coating the top of the piston and combustion chamber, removing one of the two valve springs, manual ignition retard for climbing hills in taller gears. I made a belt drive for it too for a much taller more efficient drive train.

Running chains and taller gearing on the SV I usually got around 50 mpg. My latest belt configuration stock gearing (same as 15/45 with a chain) gave my 55 and 59 mpg on my runs part inland and part on the coast and back. I switched directions on the two runs. These were two lane road routes no interstate taveling. The reserve light started flashing at 164 and 176 miles. I filled up the tank at 205.5 miles, 3.5 gallons. This was pretty regular riding. 75 mph on the straight hwy stretches. I weigh 170 lbs.

You will get better mileage traveling somewhere that you get on a bunch of short local trips.

Zak
 
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#23 ·
MorganB said:
You know what I think? All the people who claim to get anywhere near 50mpg are either too stupid to do the math correctly, weigh under 80lbs, ride under 3,000rpms, or some combination of all of the above.

That's what I think.
Click to expand...
maybe you just dont know how to ride the SV to get good gas mileage?

im 220lbs and switch way early if i dont have to accelerate fast, im in 6th probably by 40mph and get 54mpg, if i gun it alot i get 47mpg... which translates to about 180-something miles between fill ups, keep in mind that more than half of my riding is non freeway
 
#25 ·
MorganB said:
You know what I think? All the people who claim to get anywhere near 50mpg are either too stupid to do the math correctly, weigh under 80lbs, ride under 3,000rpms, or some combination of all of the above.

That's what I think.
Click to expand...
well, you could ride with me, watch me fill up, then watch me calculate my gas milage dividing the miles driven by the gallons filled, then watch me zero my trip odo. I have a 45mile commute at average about 40-55mph, twisty roads, if I get stuck behind someone slow, I pass them, I go full throttle to pass cause I dont like being in the wrong lane for long, I weigh 235-245lbs, you can tell this by one look at me. I get 50-53mpg constantaly with stock gearing. I also ride 600miles a week, so I know its not just a fluke, its constant. I also have a yosh pipe and K&N and a snorkle still in place and I pulled the powercommander off (I WAS getting 42-46mpg). I keep the RPMs between 4-6 thousand, use the engine to brake as much as I can, I dont often clutch it in for long downhills, and my route is about 70%highway (not interstate) 30% cityish. there are a few corners I downshift and rip through at 6-7k rpms.
I also have a 2nd gen
 
#26 ·
I'm a fatass. Bike is a naked. I went up 2 teeth in the back. I'm running pods with 215/220 mains. Please don't make me calculate it out. And I ride it like a grandma (I ride it like your grandma, fast, hard, lots of wrist action, and burning rubber). :thumbsup:
 
#28 ·
MorganB said:
You know what I think? All the people who claim to get anywhere near 50mpg are either too stupid to do the math correctly, weigh under 80lbs, ride under 3,000rpms, or some combination of all of the above.

That's what I think.
Click to expand...
My 2002 with jets and desnorkled got mid 40's.

After I put on a full system, race filter, cams, BIG jets and 14 tooth sprocket I still got high 30's or low 40's.
And as you know I do not weigh 80lbs nor do I ever ride under 3,000 RPM's ;)
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Turd Ferguson said:
I'm a fatass. Bike is a naked. I went up 2 teeth in the back. I'm running pods with 215/220 mains. Please don't make me calculate it out. And I ride it like a grandma (I ride it like your grandma, fast, hard, lots of wrist action, and burning rubber). :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
My grandma is gonna kick your a**, boy! Nexus242
 
#32 ·
MorganB said:
You know what I think? All the people who claim to get anywhere near 50mpg are either too stupid to do the math correctly, weigh under 80lbs, ride under 3,000rpms, or some combination of all of the above.

That's what I think.
Click to expand...
I may not be smarter than most people here (then again, I might be).

I do work at NASA Goddard building spacecraft (but we have made mathematical mistakes, contrary to the Transformers movie).

I'm in shape, not under weight (I am a Marine, afterall).

My vision isn't perfect (I do wear contacts), but I can see that on the highways, my RPM reading is between 5.5k and 6.5k, depending on speed.

On average, I get about 42mpg. At a steady 75mph on slab, I do get nearly 50mpg.

Let's see....Distance traveled / volume fuel introduce (used) = mpg, right?

Am I stupid? (I think not.)



Then again, I'm a very mature rider, and I don't go WOT any chance that I get.
 
#35 ·
Riding in the moutains near the Dragons Tail, I get between 54-59 mpg.
Many times my wife will ride on back, we still get about 50 mpg,
Engine revs/gearing choice does obviously affect your mileage.
But, load on the engine is THE MAIN factor. More load=more fuel needed.
And aerodynamics affect load alot.
My bike is an 03, with an M4 pipe and a F-15 windshield (helps alot).
 
#36 ·
How you ride is, IMO, the main factor. Frinstance, on the few occasions I've carried a pillion I've got good mileage despite the the weight and aerodynamic impact since I ride so much more conservatively. In winter, I'll get 40-45 most of the time, in summer often 25-35, just because I don't attack corners in the same way. I could easily get more, but I'd sooner ride in a way that I find more enjoyable, and have a 15% higher fuel bill, personally.

It's good to know how to really sip fuel, though, for those times when you get stuck in teh middle of nowhere with a flashing fuel light :thumbsup:
 
#37 ·
Just got 16/46 I am at 180 on the trip meter and still no blinking light. :eek: I let you know when it comes on... 1st tank with this gearing...
 
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#38 ·
I am kinda wondering about whether going up or down would change much for me on my typical commute. as I average between 40 and 60, I am usually between gears 4 and 6, rarely 6th, so going down to 14/44 would make it so I am in 6th more, which might increase milage, and 16/44 would make it so I am rarely in 6th at all, cause I dont like cruising below 4krpm really, it shakes too much for me. so maybe going down would end up with the same or similar gas milage and also lots of fun as well if I tap into it, which is kinda how I want my bike to me. if 14/44 gives easier power wheelies below 30mph then thats great as well. but 16/44 would give a taller 1st gear for acceleration (ss bikes dont shift by 60mph so there 0-60 is better because of that, wonder what ours would do if 1st was geared to 60 or 62mph.... edit: nevermind, that would be a 16/32 combo and I doubt it would accelerate all that well.....)
 
#39 ·
I don't like dropping teeth on the front sprocket. It puts more wear on the chain and more pressure on your coutershaft.

I prefer increasing teeth on the rear, less dramatic of change. One tooth down on the front is about four teeth up on the rear. Instead I like to go up one or two teeth on the rear for optimum results! :D

dp
 
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