Where did the mileage go?

[Baja 65]

Just wondering why the mileage dropped so fast?

First off I have a 07 R 1200RT with just shy of 12000 miles and getting ready to have the 12000 service done.

 

I was getting about 320 to 340 miles per tank

 

Now I was am sitting on the side of the freeway,

 

out of gas with only 285 miles on the clock?

 

Note: It does seem to be running rough at freeway speeds 70 mph

 

Any thoughts or suggestions to be added to my 12000 mi

 

service would be great.

 

P.S. Fuel gauge close but not perfect yet, so have always gone by the Odo/mileage.

 

P.S.S. It is one of the faster Blue RT's

 

Thank you in advance

 

Baja65/ Fred K.

 

 

 

[RoadJunkie]

My '06 mileage drops off considerably at speeds of 70+, probably down to 43 mpg. Also, I have experience with gas that, for some reason, does not yield good gas mileage. I wouldn't be too concerned if your experience is a one-tank data point.

 

I just got back from Salt Lake on a 1300 mile round trip and averaged 49 MPG with 20% at highway speeds of 75+. I could watch the MPG indicator fall as I sustained higher speeds.

 

Anyway, all my data is based on the bike instrumentation. Good luck!

[Paul Mihalka]

Besides any problem with the bike, many other things, like a moderately strong head wind, can influence gas mileage that much. On my R1200GS my common mileage is about 45 mpg, when I push it a bit it may be 40 to 42, riding into a Kansas head wind it can go down to 30.

[lvnvbiker]

I get between 38.5-39.5 mpg fairly regularly at speeds of 80-90 average, if I slow up to 65-75 I get 43-45 mpg. I am a pretty agressive rider and have been know to float the front on acceleration at times when hoonin' around, but I still pull pretty hard off the stop even when riding normal. ( I have this thing about being away from the cages. ) Tose figures do drop dpending on conditions like as mentioned already headwinds and such, my best m ilage was in a strong tail wind with the cruise set at 75mph (the tail wind was near 80) and it got me up to 56mpg but that was right after a fill up and reset of the comp.

[hitechcpa]

I must have an awesome 12RT, because I get 60+mpg if I keep it at a constant 60 to 62. I get 50mpg at 75mph. On a 5,000 mile trip this summer, I averaged 49mpg and that included long stetches of Nevada highway at 100+. And this is after loosing 2mpg when I had Russell Daylong build my seat a little higher (must have been the increased wind resistance). I typically get a combined street/highway of 48mpg, but have never gotten less than 46. I typically drive at 75 to 80 mph on this daily driver. I currently have 46,000 miles.

 

I use Royal Purple Max Cycle synthetic oil. This likely accounts for part of my good mileage. I also have a Remus total exhaust system.

 

Listed are some potential reasons for your drop in mileage:

 

1) Getting on the pipe (i.e., hauling ass),

2) Dirty air filter,

3) Throttle body out of sync,

4) Low tire pressure,

5) Bad gas,

6) Problem bearings (think rear spline),

7) Bad plugs or coil wires,

8) Leaking fuel system (my K12RS sprung a leak at the plastic quick snap connectors)

9) Head wind (this drops my mileage more than anything), and

10) Stop and go traffic.

[Elhoff]

I know here in CA they reformulate the gas about this time year, to reduce winter air pollution. Myself and several other riders I know have noticed s significant drop in mileage starting in Nov, and running through March or April. Not sure if they do that in your location.

[Baja 65]

I normally get about 46 to 48 mpg

 

Yea I forgot that they change the fuel here too.

I will have to do a mileage check again for the winter.

 

Thank you all for your words of wisdom.

 

Once aain this is the best site there is.

 

Baja65/Fred K.

[BanjoBoy]

+1 to that! I ran out of gas a few years back, because I was calculating my MPG. That reformulated crap really caught me off guard!

In CA, we pay the highest price in the country for watered down gas that gives us the worst mileage. (Imagine how much $$$ they make off all those SUVs running around CA)

 

Andy Norris

[rideaway]

I have average 37 mpg but that was mostly well loaded. The best I get is 41 and that's at 55 to 65 mph local riding but includes some city riding. I took the trunk off and will see if that makes any difference. The bike feel less twitchy without it and I can actually feel the heat on my back the from the heated jacket liner now.

[JayW]

Listed are some potential reasons for your drop in mileage:

 

1) Getting on the pipe (i.e., hauling ass),

2) Dirty air filter,

3) Throttle body out of sync,

4) Low tire pressure,

5) Bad gas,

6) Problem bearings (think rear spline),

7) Bad plugs or coil wires,

8) Leaking fuel system (my K12RS sprung a leak at the plastic quick snap connectors)

9) Head wind (this drops my mileage more than anything), and

10) Stop and go traffic.

 

This is a good list, though it is my understanding that a dirty air filter decreases mpg only on an older carburated vehicle. On a computer-controlled fuel-injected vehicle only the available power (approaching zero as the filter becomes completely obstructed) would be reduced because the air/fuel ratio is so carefully controlled. Correct me if I'm wrong here, because I believed the same thing until recently.

 

1+ on the low tire pressure. Reduced mileage was the primary symptom I noticed that turned out to be the result of a leak in the rear tire that I had not picked up on otherwise (I know, shame on me for not checking it sooner). Restoring the proper pressure also restored my mileage (consistently upper 40s to low 50s).

 

Jay

[motoguy128]

+1 on dirty air filter not being a likely cause. I remember someone doing a test with the boxer engine where they taped over 50% or more of the filter and it had no significant impact on a dyno.

 

I tend ot think that for low RPM, small throttle psotions, so little air is needed that a diry filter has little effect on economy in normal riding conditions. Economy would drop if you were crusing at 100mph, or riding on a racetrack.

[JayW]

...economy would drop if you were crusing at 100mph, or riding on a racetrack.

 

I don't think so, though if the filter were badly clogged you might not be able to even get to 100mph. Fuel economy would not suffer for the reasons I mentioned above. If there is less air available, then the computer simply reduces the fuel delivery such that the ratio is strictly maintained. Therefore, power is reduced but the fuel mileage stays the same. Any experts out there who can confirm this? I forget my source for this information, but it was a credible one.

 

Jay

[Rotor]

 

P.S.S. It is one of the faster Blue RT's

 

Thank you in advance

 

Baja65/ Fred K.

 

Well, there's your problem... If you had a "Red" one you would have gotten the combo deal: fastest RT and the best fuel mileage!

[markgoodrich]

I have the same experience with lowered mileage as I approach each 6k service interval. Recently dropped from around 47 to 42, and I'm within a few hundred miles of 24k. TB sync seems to make the difference for me, as valves are usually within spec (TB sync is usually only very slightly out of spec).

[Don_Eilenberger]

Also - cold weather. Aside from denser air you're pushing aside, an active emissions system like the R12's have will run richer..

 

I find I loose about 10-15% mileage when the temps start getting below 50F..