videoarizona Posted June 3, 2015 Share #51 Posted June 3, 2015 Last thought from me regarding those getting in mid30's in normal around town riding on a 2nd gen. Stay in 3rd or 4th and let the rpms run. I'm getting the mpg's I'm getting by doing just that. Someone mentioned that here and since then... I'm much happier with the 2nd gen. 5th really is an overdrive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dna9656 Posted June 3, 2015 Share #52 Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) Last thought from me regarding those getting in mid30's in normal around town riding on a 2nd gen. Stay in 3rd or 4th and let the rpms run. I'm getting the mpg's I'm getting by doing just that. Someone mentioned that here and since then... I'm much happier with the 2nd gen. 5th really is an overdrive! It's been my exp. that most engines like to spin a little faster at low vehicle speeds as the torque is greater they don't bog down as much; on the other hand my '83.5 gets 50 mpg hwy. (highway) @ 60 mph and most of my driving is hwy. and not at 60 mph; It's 61 mph. Edited June 26, 2015 by dna9656 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlm Posted June 3, 2015 Share #53 Posted June 3, 2015 Last thought from me regarding those getting in mid30's in normal around town riding on a 2nd gen. Stay in 3rd or 4th and let the rpms run. I'm getting the mpg's I'm getting by doing just that. Someone mentioned that here and since then... I'm much happier with the 2nd gen. 5th really is an overdrive! What RPM's do you run at? I get around 30-32MPG in town, on the hwy. Doesn't seem to matter. I try to keep the rpms around 3-4,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great White Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share #54 Posted June 3, 2015 Engines like to run at (or around) thier torque peak. This is where they make the most efficiency for the speed traveled. Overdrives that dip the rpm too far below the torque peak cost you efficiency which can cost you mpg. There's more to MPG than just getting the revs down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
videoarizona Posted June 3, 2015 Share #55 Posted June 3, 2015 What RPM's do you run at? I get around 30-32MPG in town, on the hwy. Doesn't seem to matter. I try to keep the rpms around 3-4,000. Good question, Todd. I don't know. I ordered one of those cheapie digital tachs just so I could check, but it's so inaccurate, I didn't bother to install it. My guess is....the same as you...around 4K. She sounds like the 1st gen at that rpm around town...so that's as close as I can get without a tach. Still a guess though. I do know the PO put new plugs in/sync'd carbs, etc., last Fall...so she has very few miles on since then. So I "assume" those are good. I did put a new fuel filter in which helped my high speed stumble... david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
videoarizona Posted June 3, 2015 Share #56 Posted June 3, 2015 Engines like to run at (or around) thier torque peak. This is where they make the most efficiency for the speed traveled. Overdrives that dip the rpm too far below the torque peak cost you efficiency which can cost you mpg. There's more to MPG than just getting the revs down... Exactly. When I read that 2nd gens were getting better mpg's not upshifting all the time, I thought I would try it for a tank. It worked for me. Staying in 3rd or 4th depending upon speed around town really helped. Plus, I do believe the motor is happier...these V4's do like to rev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlm Posted June 4, 2015 Share #57 Posted June 4, 2015 I seldom get out of 3rd until about 60mph. My around town driving is about 1/2 highway and 1/2 side streets. I do tend to twist it pretty good when getting on the hwy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted June 4, 2015 Share #58 Posted June 4, 2015 The biggest factor is throttle position at any speed. An example of this is running at 40 mph in 5th gear, thinking you are doing good keeping the revs low, but, if without changing the throttle any, you downshift one gear and the bike speeds up. Then, to maintain the same speed, you have to reduce the throttle some to maintain the same speed. The same thing applies to running in 3rd at 40 mph and again, without changing the throttle position, you upshift to 4th and to maintain the same speed you have to let off the throttle some. Most people do not get their best fuel mileage on these bikes because they are lugging the bike more than they think are. We tend to feel that by running a lower RPM that we are using less fuel because it takes so much to fill the cylinder on each stroke, but it actuality, there is very little difference between RPM's as much as how open the throttle is, which in turn dictates fuel consumption. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mralex714 Posted June 4, 2015 Share #59 Posted June 4, 2015 It's been my exp. that most engines like to spin a little faster at low speeds as the torque is greater they don't bog down as much; on the other hand my '83.5 gets 50 mpg hwy @ 60 mph but most of my driving is hwy and not at 60 mph. It's 61 mph. I had owned 2 new 84 (83.5) and never got less than 40MPG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dna9656 Posted June 4, 2015 Share #60 Posted June 4, 2015 I had owned 2 new 84 (83.5) and never got less than 40MPG. You had XVZ12DKC2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mralex714 Posted June 5, 2015 Share #61 Posted June 5, 2015 You had XVZ12DKC2? Yes I did Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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