2004 1150 RT-P fuel consumption

[shweller]

I am getting about 32-35 MPG on my 04 R1150RT-P and am wondering if the stick plugs are to blame (or crap gearing? 5K at highway speeds)... I just performed the 24K service myself plus v-belt but didn’t get to do the throttle body sync as I have a tool. Just trying to choose best path forward... Valves were only about .001" off any help would be appreciated. Easy way to check for spark?

[AndyS]

What speed is that?

Are you talking US MPG?

Throttle body synch is probably more important - in terms of relevance to this 'problem'.

What mileage is the bike?

What state are the Spark Plugs in?

When were they last replaced.

Do you know anyone else with a twin spark 1150? if so the best way to confirm stick coil deterioration/failure is by substitution. The stick coils often don't fail totally, just their performance drops off - particularly under load. Have you noticed any increase in vibration?

 

Andy

[dan cata]

TB Sync is very important on these bikes, IMHO. Since your's are not in sync, you should be hearing backfires upon de-celeration when going downhill.

 

Bad spark plugs would make the bike not start or start and surge.

 

And in case you do sync the bike, don't expect a great fuel mileage improvement. It does improve a little, but not too much. I get 5.2 liters / 100kms with passenger and some luggage (~5 kg)

 

Thanks,

Dan Cata

[dirtrider]

Morning shweller

 

When it comes to fuel economy-- winter fuel blends & cold thick engines oil can have more effect than engine balance or valve adjustments on fuel mileage.

 

ANY idling without moving is giving you ZERO MPG at that time so warm-up idling & sitting idling at a stop light is lowering your fuel mileage.

 

If you are not warming the bike up before riding & haven't changed your riding habits or style but suddenly show a drop in MPG then look into things like your 02 sensor is not working correctly, or you have real thick gear oil in the trans & final drive, or you have an engine sensor issue.

 

If you have replaced the battery recently or have run the battery down make sure you did (or do) a new TPS re-learn procedure (it's in your rider manual in the battery replacement section).

 

As far as stick coils being the issue possibly but highly unlikely. They run so bad with a poor performing stick coil you would probably be here complaining of runability issues not lower fuel mileage.

 

Bottom line-- I don't know how cold the weather is in your area right now or your engine warm-up habits but if it runs good then personally I wouldn't do much to address the MPG until you can get good extended warm weather & good (many tanks) fuel economy data.

 

[roger 04 rt]

One more thought, in addition to winter blends, and at highway speeds the difference in aerodynamic drag between 80F and 20F is 13%. That factor alone would drop your mileage from 42 to 36 mpg. Subract another 7% for winter fuel and you'd be at 33/34 mpg.

 

In general, the RT is pretty "draggy" and it gets worse in cold air. High RPMs also reduce mileage by lightening the torque load on the engine. So if you can get to a higher gear you'll get better mileage.

[Quinn]

My mileage drops when using heated gear. Also, I'm a little less aerodynamic after the holidays.

 

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[shweller]

Hello to all and thank you for the great information. My RT-P has 53K miles on it and I just replaced the spark plugs and gear oil (synthetic) with parts provided from Beemerboneyard. The bike runs fine and I am going about 80mph on the freeway at 5k rpm’s. Since I use this bike as a daily commuter I was hoping to get better MPG like 40-45 mph as many RT owners have claimed. The MPG I am getting has always been around 32-35 as I have only put 2k miles on the bike myself. I do let the bike idle to warm up for few minutes every time I ride. I will purchase a Carbtune or Twinmax asap and at least balance the throttle bodies out.

[dJames]

I purchased my 1150 (2004) RT-P 2 years ago and needed to replace my stick coils. The bike sounded terrible so it was pretty obvious.

As far as Mpg's go, I usually get somewhere in the low 40's.

Other mpg considerations

Tire pressure...

Traffic...

Windshield position, full up is going to be a bit less aerodynamic...

How hard you are on the throttle...

 

[roger 04 rt]

Here are some numbers that I have on mileage at 80 miles per hour.

 

You use about 0.5 gallons per hour idling so if you want traveling MPG you have to figure out how much you're using warming up.

 

On a stock bike here is the spec:

Fuel consumption @ 75 mph 44 mpg or 0.0227 g/m at 19.3 HP

 

To go 80 MPH

23.2 HP @ 80 mph, or 39 mpg

 

A chart I have indicates at 25% HP you'd use 20%+ more fuel at 5000 RPM than 4000 RPM. 0.8 times 39 MPG would put you at 32 MPG.

 

[cavediver]

I'm with Quinn with heated gear and the holiday aerodynamics . Being farily new to the RT my concours would drop from 42 to 38 in the winter because of the fuel blends and letting it warm up longer like dirtrider said.

 

Jack

[tallman]

Right wrist is the first factor.

 

Cruising at 80 will cut your mpg way down on that bike.

 

Go for a head clearing backroads cruise at 55 with little stop/go involved.

 

Bet you goup 30-50%.

[roger 04 rt]

It's really simpler than that: high speed, high RPMs and high drag (made worse by cold air) equals poor mileage.

[tallman]

Roger,

Understand all of that.

Was thinking back to a thread about 8 yrs ago where some folks went

on a slow speed (55 or lower) back roads cruise and got 50-60 mpg.

They did it to explore the upper ranges of possibilities.

I think we all do more exploring mpg's at the higher end of sppeds.

I rode home the deserted roads and dropped my mpg's 25% with a short and spirited ride thru the forest.

 

I averaged just under 40mpg on my R1100.

After reading the post I refer to I rode 100 miles at speed limits

and w/out stopping. (Open country roads w.no stop/go).

I averaged 49.9.

 

That told me what the bike was capable of so it was up to me to control what I could wrt mpg outcome.

Can't control fuel blends or ambient temp but I can (sometimes) have input w/right wrist.

 

When I got the GT, well, for some reason I got 27mpg on my first tank.

I'd like to say it was the fuel.

Next tank 40 mpg as I stayed in double digit speeds.

 

Never hurts to see what your bike can get mpg wise if you max out

variables in your favor.

 

Each bike will have its own outcome based on tune/fuel/ambient conditions/throttle/tire pressure/etc.

 

I think many of us have never found the max possible from conservative riding to have some basseline wrt our bike and mpg.

Sorry for the veer from OP.

[roger 04 rt]

Hi TM,

That's a good narrative of the range of mileages that riders are experiencing. I think I get caught up in the details quite often, getting curious about what causes what. What I've come to realize is that the R11XXs can't really get good mileage. They have high drag at Cd 0.7 (some cars are under 0.3) so the gas mileage is poor at 80, don't run well lean so you're encouraged to run higher RPMs, and have a lot of horsepower so the engine is throttled back at 55 mph cruise where it takes less than 9 of the 94 horsepower.

 

After doing some test rides and trying different closed loop mixtures, I'm going to guess that the best mileage would come from the closed loop mixture set to 14.1:1 so that it's possible to ride at 50 MPH in 6th gear at 2500 RPM. But who would want to ride these motorcycles like that?

 

I'm really happy now with a pretty rich mixture and a very responsive throttle from 2200 rpm on up. All in, I buy about $18 of gas every 200 miles, pretty cheap entertainment.

 

It's an unusually warm foggy New England winter morning. Think I'll go waste some gasoline.

[Woodie]

To the OP, on my 1100RTP, I got very similar mileage, which was a bit disappointing.

 

IMHO, higher speeds really drive poor MPG on these bikes.

Not mentioned, is that the RTP models (at least the 1100) have a different final drive ratio, which definitely reduces mileage but gives you "more power". I see the first, I can't tell the latter. I think the 1150's had the same/similar change in the FD ratio. I'm sure someone will jump in and correct me!

 

[shweller]

I will check the stamping on my final drive to verify ratio. I may be looking to do a swap for a civilian final frive so that I can keep the RPMS lower at higher speed.

[Quinn]

I am getting about 32-35 MPG on my 04 R1150RT-P and am wondering if the stick plugs are to blame (or crap gearing? 5K at highway speeds)... I just performed the 24K service myself plus v-belt but didn’t get to do the throttle body sync as I have a tool. Just trying to choose best path forward... Valves were only about .001" off any help would be appreciated. Easy way to check for spark?

 

On my '04RT, I'm pulling 4k at 80mph in 6th gear. The RT-P version is geared lower for better slow speed (escort duty) maneuvers. This time of year I'm getting about 40mpg; Summer I'm getting around 43 or so. It's not really that cold in North Carolina Piedmont region so I don't let the bike warm up for more than a few seconds before riding gently off. I do leave the "choke" on until bike warms to one bar. Could you have too much oil in the sump? Or too heavy a blend? Is your alternator working extra hard--maybe charging a bad extra battery that the RT-Ps have?

 

 

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[outpost22]

The advice you have received is spot on. The only thing I have to add is to ask if you are running a top case? If so, try removing it and see what happens to your mileage. I bet it goes up, especially if you're riding solo.

[DonW]

Hello All, I have a '04 RTP also, and consistently get about 35 mpg. It's been tuned and balanced perfectly at times, and not so much at other times. Currently I have the O2 disconnected and use a Techtronics thingy to get rid of some surging.

 

IMPORTANT POINT on THIS model- the '04 RTP has the "Adventure" transmission which has quicker, but slower ratios. My '03 RTP was a slug compared to this bike, but I think it got better mileage. The '03 has the stock RT trannie.

 

I ride it hard, love the acceleration, and live with slightly lower mileage.

[shweller]

That explains a lot. Thanks to everyone for the helpful input. I guess I will have to take the good with the bad. 35mpg but everyone happily moves out your way.

Hello All, I have a '04 RTP also, and consistently get about 35 mpg. It's been tuned and balanced perfectly at times, and not so much at other times. Currently I have the O2 disconnected and use a Techtronics thingy to get rid of some surging.

 

IMPORTANT POINT on THIS model- the '04 RTP has the "Adventure" transmission which has quicker, but slower ratios. My '03 RTP was a slug compared to this bike, but I think it got better mileage. The '03 has the stock RT trannie.

 

I ride it hard, love the acceleration, and live with slightly lower mileage.

[DonW]

OK, here's one of the joys of an RTP. On the way to work this afternoon, I'm cooking downhill on the freeway, probably doing well over 80. SOB! There's a CHP with radar!!!

 

But, I'm certain by the look he gave me as I zoomed by, he had thought I was a fellow CHP, and didn't tag me. He looked kind of miffed as I went by and he realized I was a fake cop.

 

[dJames]

+1 on the RT-P. Same situation. Sure saved me some $$.

OK, here's one of the joys of an RTP. On the way to work this afternoon, I'm cooking downhill on the freeway, probably doing well over 80. SOB! There's a CHP with radar!!!

 

But, I'm certain by the look he gave me as I zoomed by, he had thought I was a fellow CHP, and didn't tag me. He looked kind of miffed as I went by and he realized I was a fake cop.