How far can you go on a tank of gas? I run the VFR to empty to find out...

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by Skifreak, Jul 26, 2014.

  1. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    That whole area is rough country. Even the land on either side of Highway 20 is an official wilderness area.

    Any possibility of you inviting SOW on your next trek then leaving him there as Sasquatch food? Most climbers are pretty good environmentalists and lovers of local flora and fauna.. ;)

    Too many bike "events" to do any serious climbing. Bad knees.. I would like to tackle Pike's Peak on a bike someday now that its paved. Hell I would even like to see the event..
     
  2. Skifreak

    Skifreak New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2012
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Washington State
    Map
    Been skiing up on those peaks in the North Cascades. Beautiful country. Recent fire has burned over 250,000 acres and claimed 300 homes by Carlton near that area. Too sad.

    Anyways, I wonder why some of us are getting 45 mpg and some like Cadbury64 are getting 30-33 and Gweglez getting 35 to 39 mpg. Just curious...
     
  3. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Given that my bike is the exact same colour as yours (including the wheels!) and I don't use any drag-causing luggage, I'm wondering that too!

    To be fair my riding is specifically targeted at "fun" roads...lots of bends, elevation changes etc, so not much steady throttle cruising, but also not a lot of flat out either, generally I'm running between 40 and 80mph and 4-8000rpm.

    My last carbureted bike had a sharp increase in consumption due to wear in the carbs, specifically the emulsion tubes (which form the other part of the needle jet orifice) wore into oval shapes due to the needle moving back and forth with engine pulsations. This meant the bike was running rich at small and medium throttle openings, which made for boggy running, occasional fouled plugs and a sooty tailpipe. This was an easy fix with new emulsion tubes, and probably reduced the fuel use by 40%.

    I'm hoping to find some equivalent FI fault with the VFR because I think it runs pretty rich due to the soot on the exhaust and the poor economy. The ECU will do what ECUs do (i.e. just the same thing forever) so I am looking for items that can wear/change over time, and the fuel pressure regulator (being fully mechanical) has to be a prime suspect (and is mentioned specifically in the shop manual as a cause of high consumption).
     
  4. Syclone538

    Syclone538 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2014
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ohio
    Today I got 4.59 gallons after 209.0 miles for 45.52 mpg.
     
  5. Skifreak

    Skifreak New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2012
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Washington State
    Map
    Maybe post that in the mechanic's forum and see if anyone there has any ideas? Would it have anything to do with your de-pairing the engine?
     
  6. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2013
    Messages:
    3,522
    Likes Received:
    391
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Map
    I use an app that keeps track of gas purchased and miles traveled. There are 55 entries with an average 37.3 mpg. All my riding is done twisty roads and around town, no long trips or freeway miles.
     
  7. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    The PAIR system is designed to bleed fresh air (filtered, from the airbox between the filter and the intake funnels) into the exhaust system to allow any remaining hydrocarbons to burn off, and clean up the pollutant emissions. If I was really worried about those I would stay home and knit yoghurt or something.

    The ECU turns the PAIR system on and off (by default it is on) by actuating the solenoid valve located in front of the air box, then reed valves in the PAIR chambers ensure the air is only going one way (not back to the airbox which would be a Bad Thing).

    It's not changing anything upstream of the exhaust ports so can't change the fuel-air mixture being inhaled by the motor. With the PAIR system capped off you could expect perhaps a little more in the way of exhaust soot, a reduction in the likelihood of popping on overrun, but no change to consumption. I should add that I only pulled it all off because it is absolutely surplus to the good running of the bike, and made for even more hoses on a machine that IMHO already has more than enough.
     
  8. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2009
    Messages:
    7,831
    Likes Received:
    90
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    Colorado Front Range
    Map
    I expect better from you; it's daylight saving time. No multiples of saving here.
     
  9. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48

    I am trying to conform. It's difficult..
     
  10. kennybobby

    kennybobby New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2011
    Messages:
    909
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie Georgia Boys mighta been usin' dat
    Map
    Other items to check include any temperature sensors (intake air and engine) and throttle position sensor.


    On topic content:

    If OP had measured at fill up after running it out we calculatus how much the tank actually holds vis-a-vis 5.5 gal.
     
  11. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

    Country:
    Belgium
    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2009
    Messages:
    4,019
    Likes Received:
    137
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    South FL
    Map
    I just tune in to view Duccmann's avatar

    On the road, I velcome stopping every 100 miles, I never had the opportunity to ride through "deth-valley" so I don't know if I would make it or if I would become vulture bait. As long as I don't have to push the bike, I am happy. I get around 32 and 42 on a parrallel twin.
     
  12. jerritt

    jerritt New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Toronto
    Map
    Just wondering as I've never ran out of gas, but does the flashing bar disappear at some point before you run out of gas?
     
  13. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    I wonder if SOW thinks d'man's avatar is a shemale?
     
  14. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

    Country:
    Belgium
    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2009
    Messages:
    4,019
    Likes Received:
    137
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    South FL
    Map
    funny^
    The flashing bar icon morphs into a little figure with its head between its legs, kissing its arse good bye. :lol:
     
  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Now I'm wondering if this number crunching to sometimes three decimals factors in the volume differences in US gallons and Imperial gallons. Unless those sneaky Canadians somehow convinced Honda to ship them bikes with bigger tanks.
     
  16. Skifreak

    Skifreak New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2012
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Washington State
    Map
    Hey Jerritt, I was curious about that as well. Flashing bar never went away, stayed flashing until bike ran out of gas.
     
  17. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Are flashing bars the same as those HD leather bars?
     
  18. risgett

    risgett New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2012
    Messages:
    163
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Florence, SC
    Map
    Like has been said, there's so many variables. I commute 68 miles round trip a day...part town, part hwy. If I ride easy, I have gotten 240 miles on a tank and could have gotten a little more out of it. Weeks where I'm in the mood to ride the piss out of it(more often than not) I'm lucky to see 200 miles per tank. Best I have ever gotten was cruising interstate to the mountains on pure gas(non ethanol) and got 281 miles before stopping. That trip I was shittin bricks because it seemed like that light flashed forever until I saw an exit with a gas station. It took 5.7 gallons to fill up.
    On a side note, I found out the hard way that my newly acquired Goldwing 1800 does not go nearly as far as the ceptor once the low fuel light comes on. :hss: I usually only push my luck if I'm close to home. If I'm on a trip, I like to stop every 100-150 miles to stretch so usually fuel mileage becomes irrelevant.
     
  19. Skifreak

    Skifreak New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2012
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Washington State
    Map
    I agree. I stop more often to gawk at the countryside or to just stretch, so mileage is not usually an issue. It was fun to find out though.
     
  20. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    This may spark a whole new interest in places to take pix of various bikes. A nice shot of a RWB VFR at a Chevron station would be great.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page