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2001 KLR650 fuel economy

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ntklr650

ntklr650

Matt6:34
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Michael
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So I have been keeping track fuel economy on the KLR the past couple months with and without TCW3 oil mixed in. Not sure its the most scientific results but here you go.
Thoughts?

47.48 mpg 8/14/17 pre tcw3
49.65 mpg 9/26/17 w/tcw3
49.7 mpg 11/16/17 wo/tcw3
47.93 mpg 1/25/18 wo/tcw3

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What's sad is I rode almost every day for 5 of those months. Just live really close to work and have a IMS tank.

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I get right around 50 mpg on a 2007 no matter what I do. I think you are right on target!


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4 tanks, and 2 mpg difference, really isn't enough to tell you anything. I'd say you need to take at least a 3-tank average each way, and even then, the results can get skewed if a little bit of easy highway riding gets mixed in, to up your average.

By the way, I like your scripture - one of my faves. It'll be the basis of an adult Bible school lesson I'm teaching this Sunday.
 
tshelfer said:
4 tanks, and 2 mpg difference, really isn't enough to tell you anything. I'd say you need to take at least a 3-tank average each way, and even then, the results can get skewed if a little bit of easy highway riding gets mixed in, to up your average.

By the way, I like your scripture - one of my faves. It'll be the basis of an adult Bible school lesson I'm teaching this Sunday.
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I need to be more diligent on what I'm trying or not trying. I still need to make some other changes to the bike so it may go up or down.

I love being reminded of that scripture. In this life it is easy to get sidetracked and lose focus.

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ntklr650 said:
In this life it is easy to get sidetracked and lose focus.

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Click to expand...

It is that. Actually, we're sidetracking your post here (sorry about that), but I'm in the middle of teaching a series I call "Faith Protocols." Last week was the Greatest Command, this week is grace, next week is service (also Eph 2:8-10). Not sure about the next week.
 
why are you adding oil to the fuel? it would seem that the petcock,float bowl metering needle in the carb and any filters would flow less than designed. and let's not even mention fouling the plug (even worse fuel mileage).
If you need more mileage get a bigger tank, add more pressure in the tires,lighten the load/bike,run slower,go downhill more etc.
Be happy with what you get. When I fuel up, I usually complain loudly "Dang, only 55 miles to the gallon" that gets the cagers attention.:tears:
 
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Just to update this discussion. I stopped adding 2 stroke oil in the fuel. Just was not seeing any real change.
I have seen a dip lately in mileage but we have moved out of town and my commute is at a higher speed. My plan is to change sprocket and gears soon and hopefully that will help since I am running higher RPM.

I have missed a few fill UPS on this list.

47.48 mpg 8/14/17 pre tcw3
49.65 mpg 9/26/17 w/tcw3
49.7 mpg 11/16/17 wo/tcw3 - 16198.0
47.93 mpg 1/25/18 wo/tcw3 - 16425.7
48.21 mpg 6/12/18 wo/tcw3 - 17410.2
49.21 mpg 9/26/18 wo/tcw3 - 18583.2
46.32 mpg 11/8/18 wo/tcw3 - 19113.3
44.36 mpg 11/29/18 wo/tcw3 - 19374.1
43.8 mpg 1/24/19 wo/tcw3 - 19661.2
 
A 5-6 mpg drop is pretty substantial.

I don't know if the oil would make that big a different. If you've not made any changes to the motor, carb, air box, sprocket sizes, exhaust, octane rating on gas, or your riding style, I would be thinking about a compression test on the engine.

Running at higher speeds will definitely make a difference, especially once you start getting up over 60mph. That seemed to be the magic speed for my 02 KLR that had about 17K miles on it. Below that, I'd be pushing 50mpg. Above that and it started falling toward 40mpg in a hurry. Or, if I was blasting back roads, revving it, and acclerating hard out of corners, even without hitting high speeds, the mph would start dropping and it would start using a wee bit of oil.
 
I would up air to 30-32 psig in tires for road trip and mileage went up on my 2011 KLR. Low air will affect mileage on a single. I loved that KLR
 
I am gointto try keeping a closer eye on my air pressure and see how that helps. My old 87 had different gears and got substantially better mpg above 65.
 
No one has said anything about the summer, winter gas mix which has more ethanol in it. I know both of my bike mileage dropped some since November

Aaron
 
Retiredtosoon said:
No one has said anything about the summer, winter gas mix which has more ethanol in it. I know both of my bike mileage dropped some since November

Aaron
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I am lucky enough to have an ethanol-free gas station in town. :thumb:
 
The local buc-ee's has ethanol free gas. I may have to run a few tanks through.
 
Really depends how you ride it. I’ve gone as far as 300 miles on a tank and as little as 150 on my KLR.

Mike p
 
I get 50 running around DFW commuting on my tired 50K mile 2004. If I run it at 70ish it drops to low 40's. If I run 75 or more especially into a head wind Iget in the low to mid 30's.
 
From AAA
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says conventional summer-blend gasoline contains 1.7 percent more energy than winter-blend gas, which is one reason why gas mileage is slightly better in the summer. However, the summer-blend is also more expensive to produce, and that cost is passed on to the motorist.
 
were riding motorcycles why worry about mileage ride hard fast less .ride easy slow it gets better . if its cost related might be the wrong hobby for some .
 
TDtrans said:
were riding motorcycles why worry about mileage ride hard fast less .ride easy slow it gets better . if its cost related might be the wrong hobby for some .
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For adventure riding, sometimes it is about being able to predict whether you can make it to the next gas stop or not... :pray:
 
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