Odometer will read approximately 2.6% low with the 16t countershaft. If you were running a true 75 mph then 40 mpg is about right. Add back the 2.6% and you have just over 41. Which is about what I get at that speed on my 2012. It is about 3-4 miles per gallon better than the 2004 DL 650 my son rides with a 15t countershaft when following me on trips. I have seen the fuel light start flashing at 160 miles. We usually figure on filling up every 180 miles when traveling at speed. I don't like that, but when I get in the mountains or off the 75+ mph areas I can get over 60 mpg and range is good.

 

I'm riding from Phoenix to Los Angeles (Simi Valley) this coming Wednesday and will return over the weekend. I'm planning to kill some of the boredom of the trip by tracking my speed and mileage. I'll post my findings, but I expect my mileage to be in the mid-to-high 30's. Hopefully I'll be surprised and it'll be higher.

 

"Boredom"?
I sure don't get bored between Phoenix and LA Basin! Love that run! And after that, there's nothing boring about the LA Basin because you're fighting for your very life against caged idiots and wannabes in 4-wheeled BMWs!

 

It's a v squared thing... Air resistance will increase with the square of the velocity at the speeds we ride at.

So, as an example, compare 60 mph to 75 mph (I'll use the medieval units today). That 25% increase in speed will result in (75/60)^2 = 1.56 or a 56% increase in drag. Assumming everything else being equal (particularly the Specific Fuel Consumption of the engine at the higher rpm) expect a similar increase in actual fuel consumption.

Which is pretty much what Shelby said...

Motorcycles are not aerodynamically great as speeds get high, either....

 

It's a v squared thing... Air resistance will increase with the square of the velocity at the speeds we ride at.

So, as an example, compare 60 mph to 75 mph (I'll use the medieval units today). That 25% increase in speed will result in (75/60)^2 = 1.56 or a 56% increase in drag. Assumming everything else being equal (particularly the Specific Fuel Consumption of the engine at the higher rpm) expect a similar increase in actual fuel consumption.

Which is pretty much what Shelby said...

Motorcycles are not aerodynamically great as speeds get high, either....

Which assumption is okay for the current formula you are addressing, but is not at all accurate in reality as the increase in RPMs also increases internal friction / heat / oil pressure / etc. = increased fuel consumption.

 

The change of CS sprocket from 15 to 16 teeth changed your odometer reading by 6.6667%. So, if we assume it was accurate before the change and is no 6.6667% off, your actual mileage is 42.6667 MPG. Still seems awfully low for going "only" 75M MPH, unless this was some mountain section that had you on the gas hard during significant parts of this ride. If I'm just cruising at those speeds (i.e. back roads in 6th vs. mountain passes in 3rd or 4th) mine will indicate about 50 MPG (with stock gearing).

Gustavo

 

If it's any consolation, I got the same results traveling at the posted, 75 mph, speed limit crossing So Dakota back in July.
A bit of a head wind and mileage goes all to poop.

 

The adv side bags are good for 5-7mpg on the highway. I get mid 40s with the bags on and just over 50mpg without them, when cruising at 75-80mph. Of course the winds youre dealing with will also have an impact.

 

My interstate mileage is comparable as well with my adv. It also gets near identical mileage to my sv650s running the same roads at the same speeds. I am a bit surprised by that. I would have figured the sv's better aero to make a measurable impact.

Run at 55mph and its a totally different situation. I try to stay off the interstate due to mpg and boredom, but I have racked up quite a few interstate miles from my commute.

 

Exactly! This is the way to do it. 55mph on side roads. But there aren't too many of those between Phoenix & Simi Valley. The ones that are there, they are an adventure in themselves--being old mining roads. Fun and challenging, but not the way to get to Simi Valley in a day.

 

Just got back from Barber Vintage weekend on my 12 glee. We took the secondary roads going and the slab coming back 600 miles where I drove 70-74 MPH actual (corrected from 75-80 shown on speedometer) the whole way except for 65 MPH actual thru the big cities. I got 51-54 mpg actual mileage as measured by gallons used and gps distance. Stock sprocket, top case, wolfman dry bag behind me across the passenger seat. I weigh 195 plus I took maybe 30 lbs in the bag and case. Not much wind to speak of. Madstad xtall Adventure windscreen and bracket tilted back. The screen may actually increase mileage. At 50 mph in 6th I can get up to about 63mpg actual -- maybe more if I drove it like a Prius. My buddy who rode next to me the whole way going out on back roads was on his 05 wee with a 16t sprocket. One particular fill-up after 205 miles, I used 3.5 gal. and he used 4 gal. which works out to 51 for him and 58 for me. I wonder if the 16t has a negative affect on mileage?

 

70 mph willl get you run over out here in California! The highways move along about 75-80. I avoided them when I rode a KLR!

I'm wondering if the California gas formulation has a determental effect on mileage. They have a summer and winter blend (for air polution), not sure when it gets switched over.

50 mpg @ 75 mph would be great but I don't see that happening for me. You probably get 10K miles on a back tire too right? :jawdrop:

 

Not sure I get the point, you've highlighted the comment about SFC, but seem to suggest that higher rpm makes it worse - but worse than what? By that argument it would be best at a very low rpm which isn't generally true... Having a wide rpm range where SFC is good is the mark of a well designed engine, but without the trickery of variable valves, etc. the Strom probably doesn't get close to better examples of a really flat SFC map for an IC engine.

Yes, increased rpm has some costs in terms heat, friction, etc, but this may be offset a bit with better efficiency in other areas, by being closer to the design rpm (often near best torque), a wider throttle opening, higher intake charge velocity, etc.. Who knows? I don't, for sure...

In any case the aerodynamic assumption gives about a 50% increase in fuel consumption for the 60/75 mph case, which seems to be similar to what most are getting, though some report numbers that aren't that bad, so maybe the increased drag is offset by the engine being more efficient at the higher rpm...

** shrug **

 

In any case the aerodynamic assumption gives about a 50% increase in fuel consumption for the 60/75 mph case, which seems to be similar to what most are getting, though some report numbers that aren't that bad, so maybe the increased drag is offset by the engine being more efficient at the higher rpm...

Max torque is at 6400 rpm according to the Suzuki GB website so you're getting quite close at motorway speeds. Though the extra few mph to get to 6400 rpm will probably be very wasteful fuel economy wise due the the extra drag.

 

No, about 6k on the rear. Personally, I think 70-75 actual mph (76-81 indicated) is a good cruising speed for this bike. Above that and the mileage goes to $#*! and IMO the bike is too light weight to be a good high speed cruiser. My buddy with the 05 wee is currently on his way from Birmingham, AL to Phoenix and going across TX he told me he was cruising extended time at 100 indicated (92 actual). I think he's nuts. He's also had about 50 tickets in the last 30 years BTW, he was getting about 35 mpg.

 

... My buddy with the 05 wee is currently on his way from Birmingham, AL to Phoenix and going across TX he told me he was cruising extended time at 100 indicated (92 actual). I think he's nuts. He's also had about 50 tickets in the last 30 years BTW, he was getting about 35 mpg.

In 2011 I bee-lined home from Utah to the Greater Toronto (Ontario, Canada) area. I did about 3,200 km or roughly 2,000 miles in about 2.5 Days. This was on my 2006 DL650 that at the time had about 116,000 miles on it. iirc there was a decent tailwind for much of the ride and temperatures around 90°F to 100°f. Out west I mainly rode at 85 to 95 mph and only slowed a bit to 85 or so mph in the Chicago area to Toronto leg. My mileage for that leg was about 9% below my total average I got on that bike and I'd bet about 20% less than the average for the rest of that trip.

These engines LOVE running at high speeds and higher revs!

..Tom

 

"70 mph willl get you run over out here in California!"

Tut, tut. What Drivel. I ride the highways and byways of Calif and other locations at a speed I feel comfortable even if it is less than posted. I've never had anyone run me over in 50 years of doing so.
Lotsa folks fire up the radar detector and zoom around comfortably. Good for them. Those that wanna go slower do.
The ones that get run over have been done in by incompetent other drivers who can't handle a vehicle appropriately. It ain't the lack of speed, it's the over exuberance of the speeders.

 

Hah if you're running less than the posted limit (in California) you're a road hazard. (Edit: rude remark removed, sorry)

I tend to ride in the fast (left most) lane on freeways. Keeps a bike out of a lot of trouble.

 

Okay, a Dumb question. I've seen posts over and over on this forum regarding changing sprockets and discussing how much that changes the speedometer and/or odometer. Totally confused here. On my 09 and my previous 05, it appears to me that the speed sensor is on the left side of the front wheel. If that is true, sprockets, chains and even rear tire size would have no effect on the speedo or odo readings. Front wheel is just along for the ride. What am I missing?

 

Sprocket changes affect the speedo reading on the DL1000 (any year) and on the DL650 from 2012 onwards as they take the speedo reading from the front drive sprocket area. (This part of Stromtrooper for the 2012+ DL650.)

..Tom

 

Are we talking speedo or GPS based 75 MPH? And is the MPG "real" (odometer miles divided by amount of fuel put in, assuming you fill up to the top each time), or dashboard readout?

I routinely cruise at 75 MPH on the speedo, which is around 5500 RPM on the tach, and get at least 50 "real" MPG, though the dashboard invariably reads a lower figure than that (like 47.5). As in, I'll fill up to the top of the tank each time after the fuel symbol start blinking, and put in 4.0 to 4.2 gallons after riding 200-225 miles.

For the record, I'm 6' 2" tall, about 200 lbs., and ride one-up with no side cases (just a large Shad SH49 top case), OEM hand guards and a V-stream "sport touring" N20215 windshield (though I got the same mileage using the stock windscreen and a Laminar Lip).

And yes, I got 11,500 on the original rear tire before I changed it mostly on religious grounds, it seemed to have at least another 1,000 miles on it left.

As for riding out West: I did a trip out to St. Louis and rode across most of Illinois at 85 MPH on the speedo and a throttle lock on. That killed my mileage but not down to 40 MPG, more like somewhere around 45 MPG.

Oh yeah - I also rented a 2012 DL650 with Givi top and side cases while in SF earlier this year, and did a run to the Sierra Nevada (up the Sonora Pass and then the Tioga Pass back down after seeing Bodie State Park and Mono Lake as well as other parts of Yosemite). Even with side cases and riding at up to 10,000 feet above sea level, I don't remember ever dropping lower than 45 MPG (though I didn't do any high speed riding in the Sierra Nevada!).

Heck, when I got the bike it was somehow set to British Imperial gallons, and boy was my MPG awesome then (into the low 60s ).

 

Are we talking speedo or GPS based 75 MPH? And is the MPG "real" (odometer miles divided by amount of fuel put in, assuming you fill up to the top each time), or dashboard readout?

My figures are from taking the gps readout for mileage. The 16t countershaft sprocket means the odometer is about 2.6% low so I use the gps mileage for computing fuel mileage. The speedometer is almost perfectly matched to the gps with the 16t, at least with a new rear tire. I manually calculate gallons into miles ridden. I cannot see much difference between the Givi Airflow and the Parrabellum setup I have now, both push a lot of air. I do have large side cases that stick out quite a bit and I am sure they lower mileage. When on long distance rides we usually cruise at 77-78 mph actual speed. Over many tankfuls in a row I will average about 41 mph at this speed. On a recent trip to Colorado this was my average for most of the trip. Once into the mountains, we slowed down a bit and mileage went to 50 and above for the 2012, the 2004 is usually about 4 mpg less. Two times I filled up in Silverton Colorado where we were staying and riding local gravel, pavement, etc. One tank was 67 the other was 63 mpg.

I wish the new Glee had a bigger fuel tank. I have seen the fuel light begin to flash at 160 miles. I might go 180 before stopping but I don't like that. Wish I could go well over 200.....

 

"I wish the new Glee had a bigger fuel tank. I have seen the fuel light begin to flash at 160 miles. I might go 180 before stopping but I don't like that. Wish I could go well over 200....."
Stating the obvious here, but slow down to 70mph (actual), enjoy the scenery a bit longer and you'll be well over 200mpg

 

200 mpg? Just how slow does he have to go?

..Tom

 

I just got home from a 2,300 me ride from San Diego to Rexburg, Idaho. Soft side bags, top case and 40 lt. Waterproof bag across the back of the seat in front of the top case. With gear I weigh probably 260. 16 T sprocket. My riding companion was on a Kawasaki Concourse 14. We rode typically 80-85 mph on the gps/speedo the whole way. My mileage ranged between 32 and 46 mpg. The interesting thing is that my buddy on his 1400 cc Kawasaki got essentially the same exact mileage as my DL 650. Every time we filled up we would put in the exact same amount of gas within 1/10 gal. We had a similar experience on a ride from L.A. To S.F.

For the record, the 650 with the 16 T sprocket is great on the open road. The power and is more usable and the bike just feels better at speed. The dead-nuts accurate speedo when compared to my gps is a real plus also.

 

Great example why buying abike based on mpg is nonsense. In the real world mpg will be too close to make any kind of a real meaningful difference on your wallet.