The biggest thing is, slow on the throttle. 1/2 throttle or more on accelleration, costs about 5 mpg.

 

There are always after market items you can add to improve mileage, carb's, exhaust systems. but on the whole what you get is what your stuck with .. Besides your riding style will have one of the largest effects on mileage. Add and over size windshield and it drops more, expressway speeds of 75 + and no mater what you may add to improve mpg will not help much.

 

I own a 400 and regularly get over 60 MPG, sometimes over 70 MPG, with a big Givi screen and a 320-pound rider. The key is all in how you ride, and it's all obvious stuff. Try and time lights so that you don't have to stop- accelerating away from lights costs lots of gas. Accelerate slowly, as pointed out above. Try riding at 5-10 MPH below the speed limit. Avoid high-speed Interstate highway runs. Travel when traffic is very light when possible, so that you can set the pace of your choosing and remain there.

And, of course, follow the above advice ONLY when it's safe to do so. Flesh and blood are still slightly more costly than gas, the last I heard. (Who knows by Labor Day?)

 

Forgot to mention, I ride 2-up, GIVI windshield.

Short hops (10 miles) 45 mpg,

Day trips (60-100 miles) at a strech, 50 mpg.

Average between tanks 47-48 mpg

Almost always 60-70 mph indicated.

 

Ride it for fun. To heck with the gas mileage.

But if you must fret about gas mileage, a gentle hand on the throttle, a clean air filter, and proper tire inflation all matter, in about that order. Avoid installing a larger windshield and/or a top box if mpg is your primary concern. They create additional wind drag. But if comfort and more carrying capacity matter, then we are back to "to heck with the gas mileage" and install whatever makes the scooter more comfortable and useful.

I have the accessories, and I twist the throttle as I feel like it. Probably costs me 5 mpg. But I really don't care. I ride it for enjoyment. Economy is secondary. I still get 46-47 mpg a lot of the time.

 

They have computer displays in the hybrids that tell you how to drive to get the best mileage. John McElroy, the host of AUTOLINE DETROITcommented that the same strategies can be used on any car, truck, or motor driven vehicle for an improvement in mileage. He added that auto makers should put those displays in new vehicles in his opinion, and if the drivers payed attention to them it would save the country millions of gallons of gas every day.

Accelerate slowly. Get into your highest gear as soon as possible. Don't go any faster than the posted speed limits, and go slower if it is safe to do so. That fight against the wind grows goemetrically as you speed up. Pack light. Lose weight. Increase the air pressure in your tire. Coast down hills. Put out a sail on windy days. Etc..

Dave B. :wink:

 

I got 54/gal outa the last tank, keeping out of the throttle. Bike has 500 miles on it. I cain't run too fast on the city expessways , so that may help.

The big question is, how accurate is the odometer? It seems to be about 200 yards short in a two mile run, by the mile markers at highway speeds. The inaccurate speedo is a real disappointment.

Has anyone had any luck getting it to tell the truth?

 

I added a very inexpensive bike computer to my 650 for an accurate speed and odo reading. Schwinn, sold at Walmart for <$10. Carefully measure the circumference of the wheel to enter into it, and it calculates with a wheel mounted magnet/sensor counting wheel revolutions and doing the math. Perfect for in-town <60mph riding. It doesn't keep up higher than 60mph, so I simply take it off on highway trips.

See the pictures in my gallery.

Dave B.

 

There seem to be a lot of posts that cover the topic of how much fuel the Burgers use, but I haven't been able to find anything on what folks have done to improve things. What changes have any of you made to your 650 particularly that have improved your mileage?

It seems you have gotton some very good advice on how to improve on your gas mileage. The only think that I would add is that my 400 started improving even more on the mileage after about 3000 miles. :wink: So if you don't have it good and broke in yet you will probably see an improvement then. Good luck. :lol:

 

Thanks for the posts, folks. I actually already figured out the behavioural stuff, after riding for 30 years' but it's always good to be reminded. Equally comforting is the fact that there doesn't seem to be any gizmos or gadgets I must have along this line. Thanx again.

 

In the long run a GPS is going to stay accurate for miles traveled, but the bicycle computer will lose it's accuracy as the tire wears.

For better mileage - keep it at 70 or below (I get noticably less when traveling faster). Don't go to a larger windshield, and don't add a top box. My mpg dropped a few when I added the Givi. If the screen is larger than you need - you might consider cutting it down (leff wind resistance means better mileage). Try to ride at a constant speed rather than accelerating and slowing down. Decellerating wastes as much fuel as braking - because these scooters don't coast...

 

I have ridden approximately 150 test miles with my GPS to check the accuracy of the speedo. As posted in many places in this forum, the speedo is off by a fairly precise 10%. The interesting thing is that the odometer is only off just shy of 3%. Based upon the GPS recorded mileage,and adhering religiously to the 4000 RPM max break-in engine speed, my gas mileage for the first 600 miles has been 50 mpg.

 

If you GO LIKE HELL you'll get 40 sumpthin.

Why improve?

 

... economy

Guess when you will get around 20,000K , you will se real improvements. I sure did , at 20 k ,I am getting the better of 62 milles per canadian gallon. Time on Your side...Salut.Jaype.