MPG - A total let down!

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boxermania
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by boxermania »

Jpainter187

The adjustment of the TB's at 3000 rpms is the one to get as close as possible as the engine is seeing waymore air than at idle.

The TB's sync is done on the cable adjuster and it is rather sensitive, the idle speed balance is done on the right brass screw and if you have to ajust engine speed up or down, to 1100 rpm, you do so by adjusting both brass screws small amounts
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Yep, I finished the adjustments earlier today. I haven't gotten a chance to ride the bike yet but can already tell a difference in vibration when the engine is being reved.

*EDIT* I couldn't wait until Monday, which would be the next time I could ride unless I did it tonight. So I went out for a short 30 minute ride and MAN, what a difference! The bike felt smoother and somehow, even more responsive. But since this threads topic is about MPG I will post an update next fill-up, and hopefully I'll have good news to report!
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by boxermania »

And based on your ride report your MPG should improve, that is unless you are abusing your new found power.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

'Abuse' is such a harsh word... So far I've done good at keeping the bike under 4,000ish RPM. Accept on the way to work yesterday, when a guy riding a Harley with his hands over his head thought he could pass me. Needless to say that was pretty short lived... So far I'm at about 90 miles on the trip meter. I'll post the total number of miles I was able to achieve after my next fillup.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Okay... I don't know what the deal is but last night when I left work my fuel light stayed on longer than usual after starting the bike (approx 2-3 minutes). Then it went off, and a few more miles down the road it came on again. This went on for awhile, which it has never done before, so I decided to go ahead and fill up. The reason this struck me as odd is because I was only at 98 miles on the trip meter!

I ended up putting 3.873 gallons in. So I will just start my MPG measurement from here since my first tank was going to show skewed results anyways... since I already had 25 miles on the trip meter before doing the valve adjustment and TB synch. I am hoping to get at least 150 + miles out of this tank of gas. Although if my MPG really did drop I will be worried... [-o< 8-[
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Well, I got 127 miles on the trip meter until my reserve light came on. Not the big difference I was hoping for. I think I will get a K&N air filter and see if that helps anything. But I have a feeling there has to be a slight leak somewhere... So I would still like to lift the tank and check the QD fuel lines. But even if they were leaking what would be the best way to go about fixing it?
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by NoRRmad »

How much fuel did you take after that 127 mile fill-up? Without that, the only problem to diagnose is an oversensitive fuel-level pickup.

I did a couple of hundred miles this weekend, and at one point I was filling up just after the fuel light came on at 191 miles. It took 3.925 (U.S.) gallons to fill the tank. That's 48 MPG and change. Mostly highway cruising at the speed limit.

I think you can see the QD connectors by peering up just behind the tank, under the side panel on the right side. There should be pressure in the lines, so the engine should be running. (Don't run it for more than a couple of minutes. It will overheat without cooling airflow.) Use a flashlight, look for drops.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Sorry I forgot tinkled how many gallons I put in... It took 3.956 gallons. So that's about 32mpg, and that was with me staying close to 4k RPM pretty consistently.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by BigCat »

If it's any consolation, my rockster is also doing about 34 mpg.
I put it down to short distances city riding, using the bike for a daily 5 mile commute through town.
On longer tours it is much more economical, haven;t worked out exaclty how much better
I have a twinmax and regularly check the throttle bodies pretty much ruled that out as cause.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Yeah, I keep getting around 32mpg.The weird thing is I rode pretty aggressively (getting up in the triple digit speeds) my last tank. The fuel light came on at 125 miles for a minute, then went off, and came back on and stayed on at 133 miles or so... I know my TBs are synched because I just did not recently. I have yet to check the fuel lines for leaking. And either way I still plan to get a K&N air filter to see if that can't get me a few more mpg.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by seahound »

Just came across this so bit of a late reply.

Did you ever get to the bottom of the poor fuel economy? My Rockster is pretty much consistent in returning 33mpg - the fuel light
comes on at 116 miles almost without fail.

All the best.

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London.
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

No, I have not. Last month I put a new K&N air filter in and checked my QD fuel lines to make sure all the clamps were nice and tight and no gas was leaking. Even with the K&N filter I didn't notice any better MPG, just a little better responseiveness. I synched my throttle bodies about 1k miles ago so I know they have to still be close... I don't know what else to check :(
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Lion_Lady »

Winter gas may be the culprit (ethanol added). See if you notice a change in gas usage as the last of the winter mix is pumped out of fuel storage at your local gas stations.

During the summer months, my fuel light comes on at around 145-153 on the tripmeter. During the cold months, it will come on at 130-135. Having owned my Rockster for 6 years/67,000 miles now, I know the pattern. MPGs drop during the winter and come back in the late spring.

P
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Lion_Lady wrote:Winter gas may be the culprit (ethanol added). See if you notice a change in gas usage as the last of the winter mix is pumped out of fuel storage at your local gas stations.

During the summer months, my fuel light comes on at around 145-153 on the tripmeter. During the cold months, it will come on at 130-135. Having owned my Rockster for 6 years/67,000 miles now, I know the pattern. MPGs drop during the winter and come back in the late spring.

P
Don't think that could be the issue for me. When I first started checking my MPG it was last June-July. Those are some of the hotter months here in East Texas. It's already reached triple digits a few days this month...
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by sweatmark »

When we had both R1150R Roadster and Rockster, the fuel economy difference was painfully apparent: Roadster would typically get 220 miles per tank (maximum range, 42-45 MPG) and Rockster maybe 180 (35-40 MPG). Rockster's economy is burdened by combination of motor that's already less efficient than other motorcycles (consider R1150R @ 45 MPG versus my aircooled prehistoric pushrod H-D/Buell's 52 MPG); plus the Rockster's shorter gearing (compared with Roadster). Even my buddy's /5 airhead gets better fuel economy than my Rockster in best state of tuning. Oh well, it's the price we pay for "legendary BMW quality" (sic).



On a more joyous note, Happy Easter everyone!
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by sweatmark »

This topic was bugging me the past couple days. Part of that love/hate thing for these particular bikes.

Just curious, I googled for a motorcycle MPG comparison that I hoped would cast a better light on the Rockster, but...

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/vie ... forum_id=4
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Jpainter187 »

Man! With the way gas prices are going, it looks like I'm SOL. I have a friend who works for Chevron and he said it wouldn't be a surprise to him if gas is $6 a gallon by October! :shock:

...Does BMW make a scooter yet? :roll:

And this may be a bit off topic, but I'll ask anyways. When I've filled up my Rockster at the pumps and gone to start it it just makes a whining sound, but doesn't actually crank. I'm not sure why this is, but each time I have flipped the ignition switch down and then back up again, and rolled the bike a few inches forward or backward and it has started right up on the second attempt. It's only done this about 3 times total I think, but it still worries me. Any idea why it would do this? :-k
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by RBrider »

Sounds to me like the starter drive, or Bendix, as we used to call it, is on it's way out. (That's the gear on the end of the starter that engages the flywheel in order to crank the engine over.)

My green '04 Rockster delivers a pretty consistant 43 mpg. The bikes are pretty much all the same, so the difference is probably the fuel blend of your location or how active your right wrist is :D

RB
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

You need a manometer to set TB, no matter how good your hearing and 6th sense is. Agree with Riceburner, it is easy to construct--lots of pictures around. The biggest "controversy" is what to fill the manometer with. I use ATF--it's red and thicker than water, not as thick as oil--works well for me.

Your mileage--if you are doing some really heavy duty stop and go city, rarely out of 2nd, lots of idling, those numbers are possible. I get about 50+ - on the highway, steady state, at any speed from 65-80ish.
Stop and go city---mid 30s to low 40s.

Get her on the road and see what you get, and the low fuel lite is too rough a guide for meaningful numbers, but mine comes on when on sidestand with city riding anywhere from 115-120 -> 125-135.
While riding, with a city highway mix, around 145-154. On long trips, steady high speed, 172-191.

Do not baby this bike. It likes to be flogged and will perform better. Also, some Sea Foam is a good additive every so often.

John
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Re: MPG - A total let down!

Post by spoon »

And another reply to make some one sad. My work commute is 7 miles and most of that is at about 60mph. I get 44mpg duing that. On the open road I get about 50mpg. Bags and luggage with high speed reduces that a little. No bagges on the intetstate, a 200 mile round trip, I count on 4 gallons. When I'm on the road I keep a steady constant speed.
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