MPG's for other bikes?

yamihoe

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Has anyone had or seen a consistently good mpg on a liter bike? the FZ1

My R1 would match my FZ6 in mpg's (50-51) but everywhere I look it seems the FZ1 gets TERRIBLE gas mileage. I have seen a vfr get over 50mpg so does it come down to the rider?
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Just a quick note as your comparing MPG's from the FZ6.

Are you running /checking your mileage W/O a speedohealer(stock set up)?

We all know the stock speedometer is off, the stock odometer (no Speedohealer) is pretty accurate...


BTW, I looked at a blue 2013 FZ1 (faired), big brother to mine, but the mileage sucked (research from the Yamaha web site). That was one of the largest deterants for me, besides re-farkling...
 
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odachi13

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I don't think I've ever had a consistent MPG because it always depends on the weather! I think the best I've had from a brimmed tank is 160miles which is when it must of been raining all week. Worst is 30miles, but that was on a track so it doesn't count.
 

Erci

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Nope. Have had my 2007 FZ1 for 3 years now.. consistently get 35mpg. Doesn't matter if I baby it.. very rarely get better than 35.

I know Gen I (05 and older) was much better.. people typically got mid 40's.

But engine size is not the issue. New V-strom 1000 averages 50mpg. FJR (1300) typically gets low 40's.

FZ1 is just a thirsty beast. I'm happy enough with 35.. still better than most cars, but sure wouldn't mind seeing better numbers.
 

2old2ride

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It's the rider more then the ride. There are techniques one can use to seriously increase mileage. Or one can be 'sporty'. You can't have both. No free lunch. Sorry.
Can you even get real gas in Europe? I was under the impression that it was all blended (ethanol). That is about a 10% difference right there.
Then there is traffic. Starting and stopping KILLS gas mileage. Traffic depends on where one lives....So again, rider.:D
 

FIZZER6

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It's the engine. It's just thirsty by design.

My cruiser is a 650 lb, 1635 CC Victory Touring bike that still gets 45 mpg average and 50 mpg if I keep the speed below 55 in the mountains. This is about the same as my FZ6 in a bike that is significantly larger with an engine almost 3X the displacement.
 

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Last full tank on the FZ6 returned me 62mpg - mixture of English town and motorway riding - commuting mostly

XJ6 used to struggle to 42mpg on same journeys :(
 

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Last full tank on the FZ6 returned me 62mpg - mixture of English town and motorway riding - commuting mostly

XJ6 used to struggle to 42mpg on same journeys :(

Just to clarify.. this is imperial gallons, right? So US folks.. don't freak out that your bikes can't do as well.
 

Erci

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It's the rider more then the ride. There are techniques one can use to seriously increase mileage. Or one can be 'sporty'. You can't have both. No free lunch. Sorry.
Can you even get real gas in Europe? I was under the impression that it was all blended (ethanol). That is about a 10% difference right there.
Then there is traffic. Starting and stopping KILLS gas mileage. Traffic depends on where one lives....So again, rider.:D

I want to agree with you and I certainly notice this difference in my cars, but with the FZ1.. I can seriously baby it to a senseless degree.. we're talking keeping RPMs at 3k for most of the tank, and I still get 35.

I can ride it at higher RPM (7-8k (basically never get out of 2nd gear).. which would bike like keeping FZ6 at 9-10).. and it STILL gets 35k, so :don'tknow:

Generally, I'm pretty easy on my bike.. so it's just not very efficient.

And I may be wrong, but I think Euro gas is actually better than the stuff we get in the states.
 

cupcake

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I want to agree with you and I certainly notice this difference in my cars, but with the FZ1.. I can seriously baby it to a senseless degree.. we're talking keeping RPMs at 3k for most of the tank, and I still get 35.

I can ride it at higher RPM (7-8k (basically never get out of 2nd gear).. which would bike like keeping FZ6 at 9-10).. and it STILL gets 35k, so :don'tknow:

Generally, I'm pretty easy on my bike.. so it's just not very efficient.

And I may be wrong, but I think Euro gas is actually better than the stuff we get in the states.

I'm not so sure our petrol (gas) is actually better than in the States - I think the Octane levels might be slightly different, but that doesn't necessarily relate to quality or gas mileage (unless someone knows better and can clarify?). I know here in Europe fuel does have to be refined within strict rules - to do with emission levels I think, don't know if there's any difference with the US. Probably very little I would suggest.

Definitely agree that rider style makes a difference, but so does the type of bike. I'm an efficient rider generally. I like a bit of speed but I'm also quite at home pottering around in top gear at super-low revs. The VFR just wouldn't potter around anywhere being a v-twin, so I guess the poor MPG was just a result of the type of bike it was. The XJ6 was a 'revvy' bike so higher revs means lower gas mileage. That's just how it goes I guess ;)

Interesting topic though... :)
 

Project84

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My first calculated tank on the FZ6 was 37mpg... a little disturbing but I had ran some SeaFoam in the tank and it was new-to-me at that time.

A week later I got 46. My current tank is at 170 miles and will likely show 50+.

That being said my previous bikes averaged:

Ninja 250 - would get 46 if beating on it, 56 if being nice.

Vulcan 900 Custom - for a 900cc v-twin weighing 650lbs, it honestly gets 50-52mpg every time.

KTM Duke 2 - stock it got 48-50. Jetted it to the max and gutted the cans, rip on it way harder now days and its getting 52-54.


I don't think I'd enjoy a bike that only got 35 or so. Half the reason for riding is the saved fuel, my car can get close to 30, so my bikes need to get 50 or so to warrant keeping them around.
 

FinalImpact

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I run the FZ pretty hard and am NOT the kind to lug it as its no good for any of us.
From the bikes stand point its doing more work which hurts MPGs (higher gears at low speeds) while allowing it to Rev freely has far more advantages than disadvantages.
- more oil flow cooling and lube
- more coolant flow
- higher vacuum = better mpg / up to point

- safer for getting out of harms way should there be need.

Monitoring engine vacuum as direct correlation to load or work being done gives a pretty good indication as to where the engine is happy. Not that our bikes have this but throwing a gauge on there or stepping into diagnostic mode where it can be observed is an option too.

A quick video from utube on vacuum, work, load, efficiency.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBYVZLRyQjk"]Driving with a vacuum guage for fuel efficiency - YouTube[/ame]

And yes, while gathering info I hooked one up to Crisis! :eek:
picture.php


Eric - have you ever given any thoughts towards a fuel controller and changing the map? Is the exhaust tip black on the FZ1?
 

FinalImpact

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Where do you connect the vacuum gauge to? That's an interesting concept, and I might just give that a try!

On the right side is a vacuum sensor. T into the port under the sensor. You just need to lift the tank and route the hose out. Although in Diagnostic mode it dispalays it but ive never Ran the engine in dia mode.
picture.php
 

Erci

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I run the FZ pretty hard and am NOT the kind to lug it as its no good for any of us.
From the bikes stand point its doing more work which hurts MPGs (higher gears at low speeds) while allowing it to Rev freely has far more advantages than disadvantages.
- more oil flow cooling and lube
- more coolant flow
- higher vacuum = better mpg / up to point

- safer for getting out of harms way should there be need.

Monitoring engine vacuum as direct correlation to load or work being done gives a pretty good indication as to where the engine is happy. Not that our bikes have this but throwing a gauge on there or stepping into diagnostic mode where it can be observed is an option too.

A quick video from utube on vacuum, work, load, efficiency.
Driving with a vacuum guage for fuel efficiency - YouTube

And yes, while gathering info I hooked one up to Crisis! :eek:
picture.php


Eric - have you ever given any thoughts towards a fuel controller and changing the map? Is the exhaust tip black on the FZ1?

Tip is clean. Looked into fueling.. everyone with PC says they cannot do better than stock, mpg-wise. Most get it for power.. and drop mpg to 28.
 

yamihoe

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the fz1 has the "same" 20 valve as my R1 did and it was amazing on gas in comparison on what most people have reported so it has to be in the computer and the tune.

I am right about the same as cupcake, this summer I have gotten ~51mpg almost every tank for the last 4 months on the FZ6
(17t front unhealed, so technically my mileage should be higher then what I am seeing as I am going farther then the odometer reports.)

Erci- My mustang is like that, I beat on it at the strip, 18mpg, I set the cruise control and relax, 18 mpg.
 
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