MPG - costing

[seb421]

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Average fuel usage for my storm on the run to and from work, A roads and Motorways.

100 (usually in the high 90’s at least) mile till reserve comes on the 16ltr tank, that’s 13 ltr used (if brimmed)

0.13 ltr used per mile

4.54 ltr to a UK Gallon current cost @ 1.40 is £6.35 (6.356)

13 ltr = 2.86 gallon

100 miles average in 2.86 gallon = 34.9 mpg

1 ltr will get you on average ‘assuming 100 miles from 13 ltr’ a distance of 7.69 miles (7.692)

So taking a 5ltr jerry can on a trip could give you 38.46 miles on top of your journey

Cost of 1 mile @ 1.40 per ltr = £0.18 (0.182)

Cost of 100 miles @ 1.40 per ltr £18.20

Cost of 1000 Miles @ 1.40 per ltr £182


obviously with summer riding and giving it the beans this figure will drop a hell of a lot.



My Works commute costing

Cost of trip to work 18.3miles @ 1.40 per ltr £3.33

Cost of round trip 36.6 miles = £6.66 = 4.757 ltr

Week’s 5 day commute = 183 miles £33.30

Monthly 732 miles £133.22

[Opel]

Funnily enough, I’ve been going through the same exercise. Although my rough calculations… (and giving it the beans) concluded 32’ish MPG.
Consequently I’ve spent the past week looking at other bikes and concluding that the storm isn’t work hacking in, even though I’ve just been offered a grand for it! That was a big improvement on £875 last week…

For me the storm is one, if not the best bikes for city riding… narrow, small and ballistic between the lights, I tend not to stop now for anything except red lights. The issue is MPG, it’s crippling.

My latest plan is to keep the storm, it’s worth more than a grand to me, it really is. OK privately I could expect more, but I don’t want to part with it for what little it’s worth… Consequently I’m tracking down another ‘less than a grand’ bike (ideally a Kawasaki GT) for the daily commute. When's that budget? 3p on a litre is it?

[seb421]

Just added some more details to it mate, thought about it lots,

would like to keep the storm and have a small bike too, but then you've got to factor in insurance, MOT's, Tax and Running costs as well..... hummmm

[agentpineapple]

my mate runs an old fzr600 for commuting, it still looks the biz and its got a fair it of poke, the only downside is secondhand spares are getting thin on the ground, he's also built a fzr600 track bike over the last 6 mths, i've ridden it around the local trading estate, its great fun and its wierd riding a trackbike on the road, albeit a trading estate, you have to remember theres no indi's and give hand signals
anyway the fzr is small.nimble,quick,cheap and should return decent mpg.........

[Image]

Are there any add-ons like spark plugs, carb filters etc that improve mpg?

[seb421]

There is a short route to work that 12 miles but it takes for wombles ages with all the stop start around town and traffic lights and all that crap,

thought about getting a push bike and taking it on the train (station 5 mins walk away from home and work)... and then riding it home, but then could i be arsed to bike it 12 miles at gone 2am after a hard shift..... would get me in shape again tho. and for the cost of a month's or two fuel i could by a push bike and keep the storm for Sunday best so to speak,

i think i could do it but the g/f think's I'm an idiot

[Wicky]

Keeping the bike stockish would help fuel efficiency with your tour it could be worthwhile having it dynoed and tuned for economy rather than outright performance - and riding style is a major facet on economy. No coincidence wet wether riding gives better mpg by keeping it smooth and steady by throttle control- using foresight to throttle back rather than heaving on anchors at the last moment etc.

Then if its urban riding with stop-starting-stop-starting- compared to long distance touring where you get a rate of knots up and tuck in and eat the miles up.

Keep tires pumped up and wearing slim fitting clothing helps....

Are there any add-ons like spark plugs, carb filters etc that improve mpg?

[seb421]

Are there any add-ons like spark plugs, carb filters etc that improve mpg?

I once did a whole tank well 13ltr of it riding like a granny i got 135 miles i think it was till the reserve came on, i was shocked kept willing it on and it just kept going once it hit 130 i thought the bulb had blown then a few miles latter it started to flash then came on solid. dam! was so close to 140 miles

i did 60 mph on the way home down the motorway (just faster the the trucks) and about 65 mph on the way to work riding like that returned just over 47 mpg so if you don't do 80 mph or close to that then you can dramatically increase the mpg and if your doing your tour / cruse take it easy and i should think you could stretch it to 50 mpg mate

[Furrybiker]

I seem to find that riding at higher revs gives better mpg, I have tried riding at 2-3,000 rpm and it seemed worse than at 4-5,000. I have no idea why this should be, but it stops me riding like a granny At 2-3 I get approx 80 to a tank and at 4-5 I have had 115. All these figures are for motorway and A road.

I thought lower revs would equal more mpg.

[marravtr]

on my old storm at the TT i got a tankfull down to 67 miles!! am i missing the point ere!

[tony.mon]

I seem to find that riding at higher revs gives better mpg, I have tried riding at 2-3,000 rpm and it seemed worse than at 4-5,000. I have no idea why this should be, but it stops me riding like a granny At 2-3 I get approx 80 to a tank and at 4-5 I have had 115. All these figures are for motorway and A road.

I thought lower revs would equal more mpg.

The engine's running more efficiently at those revs.
In top but not over about 65, otherwise you spend money (petrol) push against the air, and air resistance is squared with speed.

Otherwise all vehicles would have a stupidly high top gear for fuel economy.

[MissEd]

Holey smoke

how does this compare to an avarage 600 sports IL4 bike?

[leevtr]

Storms are thirsty, always have been. If its used for commuting, then its an issue, but as a toy, I'll live with it.

[Image]

What about iridium spark-plugs? Do they make a difference?

[boz]

I do a 110 mile round trip up a dual carriageway 3 times a week and have also kept some mental notes on MPG.
Have experimented with riding the way I like, as if I'm gonna be late and riding smoothly.......keeping the revs down and constant, not going over 65mph (probably actually averaging 60mph).
Riding briskly but not mentally (90mph max) with a smooth style has been getting me around 32MPG.
Riding at around the 60 mark, nice and smooth with low revs and I have been getting between 43 and 48 MPG.

One thing though, I am a lazy sod when it comes to checking my tyre pressures. The best I got recently from a full tank was after I did pump them up and after a mini service (plugs, oil, air filters and carb balance) was I reckon 45 mph average. That was made up of 50% motorway and 50% town. Pretty damn good considering the Storm's reputation.

Ride like a banshee and pay. I am a tight butt with the added virtue of a mental fear of crashing (had a bad off two years ago) making me the MPG king !!!!