arcadiandj
Parking Attendant
Posts: 3
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posted July 09, 2008 10:01 AM
Strange experience on my ZX14. Can anyone help me make sense? (MPG issue)
On my way to work, I ride on a small state road. In 6th gear, the MPG reading identifies that at about 65 mph I get just around 40 MPG. Yesterday I hit the freeway and was doing about 80. The MPG reading indicated I was getting around 50 MPG. Certainly, I'm not complaining, but I expected the mileage to get worse on the freeway with the faster speed. However, that's not what the instant MPG meter reads. What gives? Does anyone have an idea why this took place?
  
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01smokes
Needs a job
Posts: 2243
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posted July 09, 2008 10:34 AM
quote:
On my way to work, I ride on a small state road. In 6th gear, the MPG reading identifies that at about 65 mph I get just around 40 MPG. Yesterday I hit the freeway and was doing about 80. The MPG reading indicated I was getting around 50 MPG. Certainly, I'm not complaining, but I expected the mileage to get worse on the freeway with the faster speed. However, that's not what the instant MPG meter reads. What gives? Does anyone have an idea why this took place?[/quote
mine does the same i usually get the best MPG around 80mph or 4k RPM]
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted July 09, 2008 10:50 AM
I thought the MPG reader was really just for sh*ts and giggles and that it wasn't even that accurate in the first place?
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fifth
Expert Class
The Magnificent Bastard
Posts: 303
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posted July 09, 2008 12:07 PM
With 16/43 gearing, I am getting around 33.5 mpg at a costant 75-80 mph (which was around 4800 rpm, if I remember correctly)
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Tool man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted July 09, 2008 03:20 PM
quote:
With 16/43 gearing, I am getting around 33.5 mpg at a costant 75-80 mph (which was around 4800 rpm, if I remember correctly)
Same here.
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted July 09, 2008 06:43 PM
Stock I average 40 mpg according to the instant and average gauge. It calculates correctly when I fill up vs miles.....
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ratbyk
Expert Class
Posts: 179
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posted July 09, 2008 07:47 PM
I have found that my best mpg figure occures at 4000rpm/about 80mph. I'm not complaining at all. That is where I like to cruise. I'm hustling a bit but not usually enough to catch PoPo's attention.
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NCZX14
Expert Class
Posts: 108
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posted July 09, 2008 09:14 PM
Push the reset button and hold it when you fill up so you're getting accurate MPG readings. Since I've done all my mods I stay mainly in 4th gear and get around 33.5 MPG but when I cruise the hwys in 6th gear between 60mph and 100mph on the interstate I get 37mpg.
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BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
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posted July 10, 2008 02:17 AM
 Edited By: BobC on 10 Jul 2008 03:19
Don't think the reset button affects the instantaneous mpg reading. The bike is probably using less fuel at the higher speed in 6th where the engine makes it's power more efficiently. Also on a freeway at constant throttle would probably be more efficient than on a minor road.
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jus cruisin
Novice Class
Old Dude
Posts: 53
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posted July 10, 2008 04:04 AM
I haven't gotten a reading that has even been close to my actual hand calc mpg. I do tend to cruise in 4th or 5th and hardly ever use 6th and I have only gotten more than 30mpg once and that was during break-in. Most of the time I am around 28 mpg
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2008 ZX-14 Midnight Sapphire Blue
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ninja12
Needs a job
Posts: 3310
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posted July 10, 2008 04:31 AM
Edited By: ninja12 on 10 Jul 2008 05:33
quote:
On my way to work, I ride on a small state road. In 6th gear, the MPG reading identifies that at about 65 mph I get just around 40 MPG. Yesterday I hit the freeway and was doing about 80. The MPG reading indicated I was getting around 50 MPG. Certainly, I'm not complaining, but I expected the mileage to get worse on the freeway with the faster speed. However, that's not what the instant MPG meter reads. What gives? Does anyone have an idea why this took place?
Ever ride a 10 speed slow is 10th gear. (showing age)
It takes more power to ride in the wrong gear, hi or low.
6th gear is our overdrive, but it's only efficient after 4000 rpms.
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NCZX14
Expert Class
Posts: 108
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posted July 10, 2008 05:11 AM
My instataneous fuel average has shown some f'd up numbers. I never use it just the Average.
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bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted July 10, 2008 12:49 PM
On my cross country trip, my average was within 1 mpg of my calculator. 4000 is the bike's sweetspot. My bike averaged any where from 40-50mpg running anywhere from 75-100. I usually stayed at about 80-85. My bike was bone stock, running a 190 tomahawk t-3, in high temps and harsh winds.
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted July 10, 2008 02:55 PM
the bike is hitting its sweetspot of hp and torque making it more efficient. if you are going slow in 6th you are lugging it which hurts mileage.
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heb80
Parking Attendant
Posts: 8
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posted July 10, 2008 05:44 PM
quote:
the bike is hitting its sweetspot of hp and torque making it more efficient. if you are going slow in 6th you are lugging it which hurts mileage.
My bike gets better mpg in 6th gear compared to 4th or 5th at any speed, even under 4k.
I'll agree that at 80mph the bike does seem to get better MPG than at 40mph.
As for this "sweet spot". The engine is not necessarily consuming less fuel at 4k compared to 3k... or 5k for that matter. Efficiency is a product not only of RPM's, but also time. Given a particular commute, the engine is run for half as much time at 80mph than at 40mph. The engine is likely consuming more fuel per minute at 80mph, but your 1 hour commute at 40mph now only requires your engine to be running for 30 minutes at 80mph.
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Jim K
Expert Class
Posts: 141
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posted July 10, 2008 06:24 PM
I agree with everyone.... mine gets better milage @ 80 than when doing 55. I've seen almost 50mpg at 80... @ 55 I get about 36mpg. This is all on flat/level ground. On an incline you can watch the milage drop. NO complaints here!!!
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strokedoutzx14
Novice Class
Saving for a turbo by tax time
Posts: 55
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posted July 10, 2008 06:33 PM
Edited By: strokedoutzx14 on 10 Jul 2008 19:35
when u get up to 75-85 mile per hour (3800-4200 rpm's, depending on gearing) the air speed moving in, is matching the amount of air being used. Instead of pressuring the airbox, it's like a smooth air vortex directly into throttle bodies, there for everything is equalized improving fuel mileage. At them same speeds, draft behind a car at them speeds and get up to 65 miles per gallon. My theroy above might be a load, but i've often thought about it, ok, listen if your at 60 mph 6th gear is around 3000 rpm's and 35 miles per gallon, if you stay at the same speed but shift to 5th, the mpg don't change much, but if you stay in 6th and go 85 mph, you get great milage. maybe i'm a moron lol
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