How do I get the best MPG on my motorcycle?
#1
12-12-2008, 05:40 PM
How do I get the best MPG on my motorcycle?
I have a 09 Ninja 500R. Right now I am in the break-in period (not recommended to go above 4000RPM) So I have a question about what gear I should be in. For example, I take a back road to school, which has a 30 MPH speed limit. So I usually go 30 MPH in fourth gear at 3000 RPM and hold it there. Is that good? Is it good MPG? Should I shift up to have a lower RPM? I do try to listen to the bike but I'm not 100% sure.
But I was also just told not hold a steady RMP is that true? How do I not do that? Any gearshifting/RPM info?
One other thing. When I slow to stop, I downshift (one at a time, letting the clutch out each gear) but sometimes (while breaking) my bike won't downshift. I press down but there is no *chunck* downshift. I usually fix it by reving the throttle (i guess this lets the gear catch?) Any tips for that?
But I was also just told not hold a steady RMP is that true? How do I not do that? Any gearshifting/RPM info?
One other thing. When I slow to stop, I downshift (one at a time, letting the clutch out each gear) but sometimes (while breaking) my bike won't downshift. I press down but there is no *chunck* downshift. I usually fix it by reving the throttle (i guess this lets the gear catch?) Any tips for that?
#2
12-12-2008, 06:03 PM
Join Date: May 2008
Location: West By God Virginia!
Posts: 6,656
Hey Welcome to KF,, rule of thumb is lower RPMs is better gas mileage on most but not all vehichles.. and another thing, I ride a KLX dual purpose bike the book said the same thing, But I Think as I learned here cuase it makes since is to fluxuate the RPM's and not ride them out for a long perioud of time,, let it change/fluxuate up and down during your break in.. Alot of people think that thats better for the engine, and coming from a mechanical world well it just makes since... lol
#3
12-13-2008, 10:14 AM
Varying the rpm is a good idea suggested by JRock420. Also when you find a downgrade you can let the revs build up with basically an unloaded motor and then let the revs drop back to the recommended level. There are buckets of theories on running in a bike.
gammac
gammac
#4
12-13-2008, 12:11 PM
As it gets more broke in, the mileage will get better. When I got my ZRX back in '01, I was only getting about 99 miles out of a tank. Now I get anywhere from 160 to 180 miles per tank depending on how hard I twist the throttle.
#5
12-13-2008, 01:01 PM
Don't worry too much about the revs during break in. If it goes 1K over it won't hurt. You should really be increasing the load progressively, increasing both revs and throttle opening a bit more each time the bike is used. Treat it too gentle and it'll never deliver its best. Neither will it if you treat it too rough too soon. What you're doing is rubbing off the marks left from machining during manufacture. Rub too hard and you cause tearing of the metal and create localised hot spots. Don't rub hard enough and you don't get it smoothed down properly. As it smooths, you need to rub harder to keep the process going. You rub harder by making the motor work harder. Vary the revs and don't let it labour at low revs. By about 600 miles or so you should be hitting peak revs and full throttle for very short bursts, and over the next 400 miles gradually increase the length of those bursts. Correct break in puts your licence at risk in the later stages. I would avoid revs below 3K in the higher gears, and I'd avoid anything other than the most gentle acceleration unless the revs are over 4K in the top two gears. This can drop to nearer 3K later in the break in, but is still best avoided.
For optimal mpg, the real trick is to avoid hard acceleration or braking. Read the traffic and roads so that you ride at as near a constant speed as you can manage. Really good clutch, steering and brake control allows you to keep moving in heavy traffic instead of continually stopping and starting. Out of traffic, ride at a speed that lets you run easily without labouring in top gear - maybe about 50 mph / 4k - 4.5K rpm depending on the bike - but no faster. Shift up as soon as he bike will take the next gear up without labouring. You can shift up sooner down hill than you can up hill. Be super smooth in everything that you do.
You don't really want to be doing this during break in though as you won't work the motor properly.
Get into the habit of stopping by holding the clutch in and using the brakes, not engine breaking. This is correct technique anyway. Don't release the clutch after each downshift, but shift as the bike slows, keeping the clutch held in, so that the correct gear for the speed is engaged in case you have to accelerate away again. Blipping the throttle to equalise revs if it won't shift is OK. It will get easier as the bike loosens up. Change gear a lot as part of the break in process.
Rob
For optimal mpg, the real trick is to avoid hard acceleration or braking. Read the traffic and roads so that you ride at as near a constant speed as you can manage. Really good clutch, steering and brake control allows you to keep moving in heavy traffic instead of continually stopping and starting. Out of traffic, ride at a speed that lets you run easily without labouring in top gear - maybe about 50 mph / 4k - 4.5K rpm depending on the bike - but no faster. Shift up as soon as he bike will take the next gear up without labouring. You can shift up sooner down hill than you can up hill. Be super smooth in everything that you do.
You don't really want to be doing this during break in though as you won't work the motor properly.
Get into the habit of stopping by holding the clutch in and using the brakes, not engine breaking. This is correct technique anyway. Don't release the clutch after each downshift, but shift as the bike slows, keeping the clutch held in, so that the correct gear for the speed is engaged in case you have to accelerate away again. Blipping the throttle to equalise revs if it won't shift is OK. It will get easier as the bike loosens up. Change gear a lot as part of the break in process.
Rob
Last edited by williamr; 12-13-2008 at 01:07 PM.
#7
12-14-2008, 04:42 AM
Welcome to KF.
You will know your ride shortly. Stay comfy and you can figure out how the mpg will be for you.
You will know your ride shortly. Stay comfy and you can figure out how the mpg will be for you.
#9
12-15-2008, 03:35 PM
The "break-in period" is a myth!!!
The manufacturing methods including machining have advanced greatly in the last 30 years. The break-in period was a concern on machinery produced 20 years ago but the warning has stuck in our culture and continues to get passed down.
I am a Automotive Engineer and when a new car rolls off the line a test is performed to check the vehicle performs to the specifications. The vehicle is placed on a dyno and from a cold start the engine is redlined multiple times. Yea a break-in period is bogus!!!
If there was anything in your engine/transmission that would cause failure from early abuse it would cause failure no matter what.
The only concern with motorcycles since the engine is dry (no oil) when shipped is the gaskets. The gaskets need to set but that only takes a few heat cycles of warming up the engine and then letting it return to room temperature.
After that don't be afraid to push it to its limits!
The manufacturing methods including machining have advanced greatly in the last 30 years. The break-in period was a concern on machinery produced 20 years ago but the warning has stuck in our culture and continues to get passed down.
I am a Automotive Engineer and when a new car rolls off the line a test is performed to check the vehicle performs to the specifications. The vehicle is placed on a dyno and from a cold start the engine is redlined multiple times. Yea a break-in period is bogus!!!
If there was anything in your engine/transmission that would cause failure from early abuse it would cause failure no matter what.
The only concern with motorcycles since the engine is dry (no oil) when shipped is the gaskets. The gaskets need to set but that only takes a few heat cycles of warming up the engine and then letting it return to room temperature.
After that don't be afraid to push it to its limits!
#10
12-16-2008, 10:53 AM
Strange that none of the manufactuers agree with you. Neither do most metallurgists, engineers or mechanics. The interaction of the tool and the metal during machining processes hasn't changed that much - partly because of cost effectiveness, and that means that machined surfaces aren't much different.
Modern oils are the main reason that break in can be a bit more abbreviated, but it's still a long way from being a myth.
Your end of line test is very short. That's very different from sustained running and is too short for localised heating, as one example, to become a problem. I don't expect modern engines with modern oils to suffer catastrophic failure from moderate abuse, but without a progressive break in the motors won't develop full power and both economy and longivity will be affected.
Rob
Modern oils are the main reason that break in can be a bit more abbreviated, but it's still a long way from being a myth.
Your end of line test is very short. That's very different from sustained running and is too short for localised heating, as one example, to become a problem. I don't expect modern engines with modern oils to suffer catastrophic failure from moderate abuse, but without a progressive break in the motors won't develop full power and both economy and longivity will be affected.
Rob