| Author | Message | ||
     Guilhem0018 |
Hello, As a great fellow of nature and environmental questions I would like reducing my fuel consumption which is quite high in city With the ecm Pc cable and tuner pro I have detected that I could reduce idle speed. This is a first step but I'm sure that some of you, expert, have other nice idea to help me in this task. I have a power commander + autotune with 2 wideband sensors. So I can also aim AFV values by this device. Any suggestions are welcome | ||
| Sprintst |
Buy a moped. Seriously, these are very high performance machines, and trying for gas mileage doesn't make much sense to me | ||
| Zac4mac |
Welcome to BadWeB Guilhem. Don't get too discouraged, but you won't find a happy reaction to sharing tuning parameters, especially those protected by Copyright like an Erik Buell Racing race ECM. Honestly, unless you're racing, the pre-programmed ECM($250.00) from Erik's shop is the best solution, no muss/no fuss install. If you're racing, they also have a programmable ECM with Software for 750.00 USD IIRC. I have a 2008 "R" with a Drummer/K&N/Race ECM and I'm very happy with the way she runs. Stay out of the throttle is the only way to increase your fuel economy, I see 39-40mpg(US) average with 26k miles consistent. Zack | ||
| Jersey_thunder |
get a buell blast . | ||
| Tpoppa |
Reducing idle speed is not a good idea. It may result in charging issues. And the slower, less-smooth idle tends to beat up engine parts (per the folks at EBaRRR). | ||
| Jules |
LOL Reducing the idle speed too low (lower than 1400) would not be a good idea, your charging system is (ummm searching for polite and non-confrontational word) "marginal" and I doubt it'd make much of an impact on the overall MPG. If you spend so much time at idle that it impacts the MPG you're probably on the wrong bike/road... Before anyone leaps on the "marginal" charging piece I was trying to be constructive and besides 1400 is the figure quoted by Erik Buell Racing when I asked them to reduce the idle on my Erik Buell Racing ECM (and I seem to recall the rationale given was that the charging system needs that level at idle).. | ||
| Froggy |
Get your bike properly tuned, not with that power commander. I recommend you buy a Race ECM from Erik Buell Racing for your setup. A properly tuned bike will get better fuel economy than stock due to local emission regulations. Also, changing your riding habits, and increasing tire pressure can also help. I have gotten well over 50mpg-US (60mpg imperial, 4.7L/100km) on highway tanks from all of the above. | ||
| Jules |
Just out of interest Guilhem what's your baseline? What MPG or KPL are you getting now? | ||
| Jdugger |
It's possible to get really respectable fuel economy from this bike -- certainly others like Froggy have done it -- but it really isn't the right tool for this job. You will be putting your efforts into aspiring to achieve fuel economy instead of enjoying the ride. It's a big displacement twin, it takes big gulps of fuel, etc. A nice 650cc parallel twin or smaller motorcycle would be a better choice if your primary concern is fuel economy. | ||
| Rogue_biker |
Scooter is your best choice. A Bicycle is even better. I'm not poking fun but simply suggesting the obvious. Nothing wrong with either modes of transportation. I ride my road bike often and you get a great workout and never use any fossil fuel. I think tuning the 1125 for maximum fuel efficiency is like training a Lion to behave like a housecat. It's not right! LOL! Even if you're getting a mere 38 mpg on your 1125 you are already helping the environment. I would forget about it and enjoy the ride and the power of the 1125. | ||
| Froggy |
The thing is, many people don't realize is that improving fuel efficiency is just about always done the same way as improving performance. Better aerodynamics, less weight, but most importantly, improving combustion efficiency.
How is that helping? Are you referring to tail pipe emissions, which are worse than the average SUV? | ||
| Fast1075 |
The Blast! idea is great...Froggy gets something like 80mpg with his...my old one got mid 70's. I am looking at possibly getting my next commuter bike in the spring...a CBR250r Honda. | ||
| Drawkward |
What a waste... | ||
| Froggy |
No, someone not out riding and enjoying their bike is a waste.  | ||
| Drawkward |
Someone worried about their fuel consumption on a superbike is the epitome of a waste. Your owning an 1125 is a slap in the face of everyone who can't/doesn't and wants a superbike. You'll never change my opinion of that Froggy, sorry. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I've seen Froggy on his 1125; he can handle it just fine and knows how to run it should the need arise. He chooses to save fuel too, though. Nothing wrong with that in my book. Of course, I have (going the other direction in fuel economy, but along the same lines of "that's not what it was designed for!") a 1972 Plymouth Satellite station wagon that seats 7, weighs 4400 lbs, and runs 12 second quarter miles on street tires at over 110mph. So...you don't "have" to use everything the way it was "designed". It's yours - enjoy it however you want. For the original poster - lose the powercommander, they're a joke. Most times, all they do is *add* fuel in the name of "more power". Email Erik Buell Racing. Tell them what you have (bike, year, options, upgrades, etc). Tell them what your goal is. Ask them if they can help you. I bet they can, and they will. And they'll do it the RIGHT way. | ||
| Froggy |
Wait, so you can't have reasonable fuel economy on a high performance sportbike? News to me. The OP mentions his bike is getting poor fuel economy in the city. He didn't mention any specifics, but it sounds like he thinks it is unusually low. He came here looking for advice. I gave it. People like you who immediately brush off the situation as "waste" are wrong. Remember that for the future, in case if you have an issue, looking for a solution will be a waste. I'll stop caring about my fuel economy when I am no longer footing the bill. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
nothing wrong with being efficient as mentioned above that is where the real power lies. that's also where the real lowered fuel cost/use is too. | ||
| Firemanjim |
You guys are way off on the Power Commander--great tool that is all that is available for lots of bikes. You can add and subtract fuel in more areas the the maps seen in Ecm-spy. Would love to see one and how it works on an 1125. The PC's on early Buells got a bad name because tuners did not understand how the "learned fuel" area worked so if they made any big changes here the whole map went in the toilet. | ||
| Jules |
You're unlikely to sway anyone witht hat argument firemanjim... Why waste the money on a unneccessary plug in bandaid when you can buy the ideal tool from Erik Buell Racing? Back to the topic of the thread, if the OP responds to say how "bad" the fuel economy is we can try to help... If all you have to say is "it's a waste of a bike" then don't bother posting as it's not at all constructive and the guy is new to the board. It's his bike, if he wants to improve the fuel economy then good for him. | ||
| Juniorkirk |
if you REALLY want fuel efficiency, you might want to look into buying a moped, they get about 100mpg. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
Why would anyone not get the ebr ecm? It is like God offering you advice, and you saying, no I think I'll take this guys advice. Erik Buell Racing designed the bike, don't you think they are going to know how to make the best map for it? | ||
| Mountainstorm |
My fuel economy went up when I installed the Erik Buell Racing Race ECM. I switched slip on exhausts and Erik Buell Racing recalibrated it for the new exhaust. I tried a piggyback tuner card from Jardine and sold it as soon as I could. It was about useless. Without tuning software, a Dyno, a Wideband O2 Sensor, a Data Logger and lots of time and some skill you won't approach what has already been acheived by the man himself. Just saying. | ||
| Pattio |
upshift early and often coast as often as possible accelerate as little as possible brake as little as possible look way, way ahead plan your route to minimize stops and left turns keep tires inflated properly & perhaps somewhat more than properly remain in a catlike crouch monitor your fuel use meticulously and constantly until you feel each drop like a physical pain. I do all of these things to some extent but can't bear to do them to the real extremes. My best tank ever, catlike crouch and all, probably rivals Froggy's worst. But I am trying my best to make a game out of it, since I can practice just about every time I am on the bike, while I can only ever go fast some of the time I am on the bike. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Well said Pattio. | ||
| Drawkward |
DrAwkwArD:
Quoted for truth.  | ||
| Froggy |
 | ||
| Mrbuell |
I get 39-43mpg with my PCV auto tune dual o2 set..no issues in almost a year that I have owned the bike.. There is more than one way to skin a cat. I have a barker exhaust K&N and it is smooth I did not go with the ecm because they were not available. and the race unit at 250.00 was good until you spend another 500.00 to adjust it just my 2 cent worth. (Message edited by mrbuell on January 13, 2011) | ||
| Firemanjim |
Jules, PC3 or PC5 not a bandaid but nice tool for tuning,about the same cost as the Erik Buell Racing ecm,but that is not adjustable by you and I. If ECM Spy still worked on the 08 and up bikes I would agree with you and recommend the against the PC. Anytime you can tune in the stock ECU it is better, but that option is not available for alot of bikes.Thus the PC as a tuning tool. I have tuned a ton of bikes with PC's and really like them,one big advantage that almost no other tuning system has is the ability to do live changes and see the results on dyno instantly. | ||
| Froggy |
Jim, Tunerpro is freeware and works with an ECMspy cable and will tune ANY fuel injected Buell. I recall Xopti mentioning a live tune feature, but I haven't played around with the most current version yet. Tunerpro also works on some cars and other bikes too. |
