| Author | Message | ||
     Wgnzlz |
I just filled up and calculated the mpg on my last tank of gas. I put 3.325 gallons in (thought the tank was only 3.3 gallons) which got me a whopping 88.9mi. This equates to 26.7mpg. HORRIBLE! The tank before this I got 32mpg. The bike is an 08 XB12Scg with about 340miles on it. I've been following the break in procedure and have kept the bike under 5k rpm. The bike seems to be running great (my first buell) with only minor popping on deceleration. Any ideas why I am getting such horrible mileage? Is it just that my bike is so new? | ||
| Roadkingtrax |
It has to break in. The motor is not at it's peak mechanical efficiency. Give a couple thousand miles to improve. Rings have to wear in, gears have to mesh. Consider your throttle management. Stop and go traffic. The biggest factor is the motor. If it gets worse or stays the same then I would consider HD to look at it. I am sure others will agree with me. After break-in switch to a quality synthetic oil and you will see an increase in fuel mileage and a cooler running engine too... Trax~ | ||
| Darthane |
It's been a long time since I broke in my XB9R, but it seems to me that that's awful MPG even for a stiff motor. >.< | ||
| Interex2050 |
Something does not seem right... After the rebuild (more or less new engine), Ive been getting low to mid 40s, this is close to 1000miles on the "new" engine. | ||
| Ferocity02 |
Keep in mind gas mileage varies GREATLY depending on how you ride. I range from 30mpg to 55mpg on my 05 XB12Scg depending on how heavy my hand gets. | ||
| Azxb9r |
What type of riding are you doing? If you are doing alot of short trips, and stop and go driving, it can make a major difference. If I am using my xb9 just for going to work(5 min. warm=up 4 mi. ride), my mileage drops into the high 30s. On sunday,I rode down to Patagonia for lunch. On the 150 mi. round trip, I averaged over 61 mpg. That included a couple of sections of heavy throttle application. 26 mpg does sound abnormally low though. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
only minor popping on deceleration. I love making mine pop from time to time. Especially when the blue hairs are waiting at the bus stop. But for MPG on my 9r, I average about 145-150mi. a tank. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The Buell engines are least efficient at lower RPMs. If you run at 70MPH in 4th vs. 5th, you will get better mileage in 4th gear than in 5th. During the break in you have a few things working against your mileage. First off, the engine is still fairly "tight". It takes a little while to loosen up. Second, you are running it at lower RPMs to follow the break in procedures. This runs the engine at lower efficiency. Third, I believe that the bike doesn't run as well until after the break in is complete, you are running synthetic, and you have had the TPS and idle resets completed. You will also have some belt resistance that loosens up over time. Mine didn't really start getting better mileage until about 3,000 miles. My $.02. If after all of this, you still have problems with mileage, I would have it checked. If it is running ok, give it a little more time. If it's running like crap, there is something wrong. | ||
| Rflives |
I got 50.5 running I95 to daytona at 75 | ||
| Punkid8888 |
TPS reset ???  | ||
| Badlionsfan |
you don't do tps resets on 08 models. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Just noticed it was an 08. Thought it was an 07. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I get 55mph consistently on my '04 XB12R, and if I go easy on her I have gotten as much as 62mpg. Give her some time. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Many people complain about the terrible mileage when these machines are new (check out the 1125r board!) Give it a thousand miles, things should get much better. | ||
| Wgnzlz |
Thanks for all of the responses guys. Most of my rides have been to and from work. Depending on which route I take to work, my ride is anywhere from 8 to 12 miles. Actually, If I rode straight to work it is only 3 miles, but I haven't done that yet. Since it has been anywhere from 20 to 40 degrees I have been letting the bike warm up for about 5 minutes before taking off. I'll give it some time since the bike is running good. If it doesn't get any better before the 1,000 mile service I'll have the dealer take a look at it. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
Make sure you use premium fuel and a fuel conditioner with duralt. Break in fuel mileage should be between 38 and 45 mpg. Break in will last for about 4000 miles. | ||
| Brumbear |
I got an xb12ss 06 milage did improve dramaticaly at 3000 or so I really never thought about it until now. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Another thing to consider is that during the 5 minutes you let it warm up you are getting 0 mpg. Granted it is only at idle, but it is still fuel burned for zero miles traveled. Just about the time you complete your 8 to 12 mile trip it is just getting warmed up good. Your fuel injection may not be switching over from the rich warm up mode at all in the length of your ride. | ||
| Oddalloy |
Not sure what they're doing in Pennsylvania these days or if it's a Federal Mandate, but here in New Jersey you can pretty much count on pump gas containing at least 10% Ethanol. In some areas, it may be as high as 15%. That'll screw up your average MPG. | ||
| Brianb |
Motors are electric.  | ||
| Wgnzlz |
Hopefully the weather cooperates this weekend, as this is the first weekend since I've owned the bike that my wife doesn't work so I don't have to stay home all day with our son. I'd like to ride long enough to use a tank of fuel on one ride and check the mileage after that. | ||
| Jos51700 |
"The Buell engines are least efficient at lower RPMs." This is true, but not exclusive to Buell engines. All current reciprocating engines are most efficient at the point of peak torque. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
motor (mō'tər) n. Something, such as a machine or an engine, that produces or imparts motion. A device that converts any form of energy into mechanical energy, especially an internal-combustion engine or an arrangement of coils and magnets that converts electric current into mechanical power. | ||
| Etennuly |
Oddalloy has a point. I have tested all of my vehicles with the ethanol mix. The mileage drops about 8 to 10 percent. See if you can get "real" gas if you aren't running it now. | ||
| Eengler2 |
also, consider that since you said it is 20-40 degrees and extra fuel is usually added by ecm to keep engine running until warmed-up (think Choke). You will get better mileage when it is broken in and after the temps warm up. Just ride and enjoy and check again in a 1-2k miles | ||
| Believer |
I also have new lightning xb12scg 2008. Since i bought it, i made about 300 miles and my fuel mileage is about 28. Is that OK for a new bike.. and i was driving in about 15°C to 20°C temperature outside and didn't push the engine over 3500rpm. p.s.: It's quite annoying being on a gas station every 110 miles | ||
| Mrmajestyk |
Any one had their sidestand collapse because the anchor bolts sheared off and bike falls over. Am I the only one this has happened to? '07 Uly. | ||
| Reepicheep |
It may have gotten loose first, and thats what made it shear. My 05 9sx got loose, but helpful people here warned to check it, so I caught it and tightened it back up before anything broke. | ||
| Eicas |
I have almost 1,000 miles on my 12Ss now and my mpg is slowly creeping up, now it around 40, up from around 32 mpg after the 3rd tank. However, I do spend a bit too much time warming it up, and drive in mostly stop and go traffic. My 02 Sportster took about 5,000 miles to break in, but then got a regular 50+ mpg. I drive the Buell in about the same manner as I drove my 1200s. My Buell is now going in for it's 1,000 mile service, maybe it will do a bit better after. Not now, but on the next service I will get synthetic oil and that might help a bit too. | ||
| Mtg |
The Buell engines are least efficient at lower RPMs. If you run at 70MPH in 4th vs. 5th, you will get better mileage in 4th gear than in 5th. Care to explain? In general, Buell's get better mileage than most motorcycles because of their efficiency at low rpm. As the engine speed increases, the frictional losses increase as well, which is why running an engine at full throttle at low rpm in a tall gear is one of the main tactics used by "hyper milers". The only case I can think of where you would get better mileage on the highway in 4th, instead of 5th, is if the power band of the engine (bsfc to be more correct) was very non-linear, to the point of offsetting the higher frictional losses of running the engine at a higher rpm. (Message edited by mtg on March 12, 2008) |
