[UBarW]

I've put about 21k on the BumbleWee so far. Love this bike.

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, this is the most capable bike made. It aint the perfect "_____" (fill in the blank with your choice of bike style) but it does
just about everything well.

I rode a PGR mission this past monday. Of the 226 miles, about half was running at 65, the rest about 50 mph.

She took 3.6 gallons, at 226.7 miles on the odo. Thats over 62mpg. When I run just interstate, I am getting 52. I love it!!!

Lovin' my wee...

 

[Cascade Wanderer]

Yup. Have been pleased with the mpg these things deliver. Good mpg combined with the generous sized tank results in a good long range too.

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

I actually got 73mpg (Canadian gallons) once driving like an old lady on the flat roads of PEI.But on average 60-65mpg is what I get on the secondary roads.:thumbup:

 

[Dino M]

I've got a Bee as well. I like the extra painted parts ( fender, side plates) you have on yours. Did you paint them yourself and do you have any pics you could post? Looks good!:thumbup:

 

[notacop]

This wonderful mileage, is it with saddlebags or a plain naked bike?

 

[UBarW]

I've got a Bee as well. I like the extra painted parts ( fender, side plates) you have on yours. Did you paint them yourself and do you have any pics you could post? Looks good!:thumbup:

My bike was born flat black. The PO wanted a yellow, but couldnt find one. So he had it done. If you notice, he painted the front fender, too.

The mpg report was done with only the top case on...

 

[Phinhead]

I never get more than 46 when running in the early 70s. If I put the Givis on, I get 42 ish or less.

 

[ken mier]

I never get more than 46 when running in the early 70s. If I put the Givis on, I get 42 ish or less.

When I run in the early 70's, my bell-bottoms flap around too much in the wind! :green_lol:

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

This wonderful mileage, is it with saddlebags or a plain naked bike?

My avatar picture was taken in PEI on the day I got the 73mpg.In fact the sign I am leaning on says "Stompin' Tom Road".The luggage was pretty much empty. I had to check the mileage twice because I thought I had made a mistake.Like I said the roads are flat and top speed was maybe 80kph with the rpm under 5000 most of the day and the Canadian gallon is larger(and considerately much more expensive) than yours.
I have since replaced the cheesy OEM luggage with Jesse luggage and on the free-way at speed my mileage has decreased although I haven't bothered to calculate it.I usually don't bother to calculate my mileage but that day the bike took so little gas compared to the kms on the trip meter I had to check.

 

[BJFazio]

I rode a PGR mission this past monday. Of the 226 miles, about half was running at 65, the rest about 50 mph.

She took 3.6 gallons, at 226.7 miles on the odo. Thats over 62mpg. When I run just interstate, I am getting 52. I love it!!!

I've read other threads about these high mileages, but I just can't seem to get more than 48 to 50 depending on the type of riding. Very happy with these numbers, but 62 would be really nice.

 

[nhbubba]

New '11 owner here. I've run about 2500 miles across my bike, and am averaging 56MPG (US). I agree, love the mileage and economy! My cage sucks high-test. Fillups for it are over $50. Filling up the wee costs less than a $20 bill. Awesome.

I am neurotic about recording every fillup. I track it all on fuelly. You can view all my records here.

Most of my miles are commuting. I commute ~120 miles a day across state lines. In the AM I do almost 100% Interstate highway all the way to work at 75-85 MPH indicated. On the way home I do about 50% Interstate and the rest rural roads averaging 35-50 MPH.

I've yet to have a tank fall below 52 MPG. I really don't understand how some of you are getting wee mileage into the 40's..

My bike is stock. Although I just added Givi E21 side cases. I am interested to see how they effect mileage.

 

[johnnail]

New '11 owner here. I've run about 2500 miles across my bike, and am averaging 56MPG (US). I agree, love the mileage and economy! My cage sucks high-test. Fillups for it are over $50. Filling up the wee costs less than a $20 bill. Awesome.

I am neurotic about recording every fillup. I track it all on fuelly. You can view all my records here.

Most of my miles are commuting. I commute ~120 miles a day across state lines. In the AM I do almost 100% Interstate highway all the way to work at 75-85 MPH indicated. On the way home I do about 50% Interstate and the rest rural roads averaging 35-50 MPH.

I've yet to have a tank fall below 52 MPG. I really don't understand how some of you are getting wee mileage into the 40's..

My bike is stock. Although I just added Givi E21 side cases. I am interested to see how they effect mileage.

When you run a strom above 5500 rpm, mpg drops off

 

[nhbubba]

That's what I don't get. I run mine up there all the time, 5-6k RPM for 40-60 min at a time and still average in the mid 50's.

I'm not complaining mind you.

And really, is it the high RPMs that kill you, or the aero drag? (Hence me being interested to see if the new side bags impact my highway mileage.)

 

[jeems]

I have a question for you 50-60+ mpg guys. What wind screen do you have?

I have the Suzuki tall and have it all the way up in the magical 4th position or whatever it's called. I consistently get 42ish mpg. I think I am going to try lowering it to see what I get. As a note I have recently added a JC whitney topbox and it hasn't really affected mileage. Maybe a 1mpg drop but I haven't had it long enough to verify. I do not have side bags.

 

[nhbubba]

Good point: Stock screen here.

My (used) motorcycle didn't come with a manual. I tried to figure out how to adjustable screen in a parking lot one day using the tool kit. Didn't get anywhere, it befuddled me.
I now have a manual. Maybe I didn't read closely enough, but I thought there were only two positions.

Mine was in the low position. I have recently adjusted it to the high position. Also may effect MPGs.

 

[jeems]

I have it set up so the bottom two bracket holes (two on either side) are aligned with the top two screw holes on the bike (see pic below). I don't get any buffeting, but apparently my gas mileage suffers. I've already decided I'm dropping it to see what happens.

 

[richw]

NH Bubba

Take the windsheild off for a tankfull

Maybe your commuting makes you a good candidate for
going up one tooth on the countershaft

 

[Stixx]

I have found it is difficult to get an accurate reading because of a bit of ambiquity about what is "full". Reading the manual I learned you must fill to the bottom of the fill lip.(Don't use your lighter to check this dark hole) but if you are careful to fill from fill to fill consistently you will find these guys get high fifties pretty much consistent with a top box on and fairly aggressive riding. Riding in the high seventies and eighties as we do here in the south, it will be less but overall I am getting well over 260 miles to the warning part of the guage strip. Then it usually holds about four or five gallons so that's over fifty mpg anyway you go and thats super in my view. I run the everloving crap out of mine in the hills and on the slab keep it on six grand and never get less than fifty I don't think. If I could get the non ethanol mixture gas it would be east to get sixty as I have proven time and again that is about what it costs us to use that crap.

I can believe sixty with conservative riding below five grand easily but seventy or more would likely be as I did early on a miscalculation of the filling of the tank. Thinking you got it full then the next time the mileage varies greatly. Who knows though, there is a possibilty I suppose someone could milk that kind out but with so many others getting in the fortys with bags, I kind of doubt it would be possible on mine.

 

[nhbubba]

I am probably not super consistent with how I fill the tank. But then me logging each and every tank should counteract this. My overall averages should balance out.

Take the windsheild off for a tankfull

Maybe your commuting makes you a good candidate for
going up one tooth on the countershaft

I bought the bike partly because it had a screen. Not really interested in riding a naked bike on my commute. Had a naked one for 10 years. Sold it partly because I couldn't get a decent screen for it. Being on the open highway for up to an hour with nothing blocking that wind sucks.

I might be the only one on here, but I like the factory screen. Decent bubble to hang out in on the slab. Then flip up the visor and get some air on the back roads.

I'm sure I'm a candidate for a taller sprocket. Thought I might go for this eventually while I was cross shopping bikes. But not if the bike is going to continue returning this kind of mileage. At this point it is in "it ain't broke, don't fix it" territory.

I'm getting ~275 miles to a fillup, and rarely put more than 5 gal in. Couldn't be happier.

 

[rconti]

65mph on the interstate? Oh, Oregon Now I get it!

For all those who fret about their low mileage, don't. It's just your speed. I rarely get much above 42, but I saw 60mpg once when I spent an entire tank doing 55mph actual speed, and that's with a CalSci Medium windscreen and a full load of luggage. It's all about your speed. Go slow, you'll get great mileage, but be bored.