Fuel efficiency and performance for cc ranges

[eugeart]

I'm not sure whether or not this topic has been covered but a thread about proper cc ranges for skill set prompted my thinking.

My 750 Kat gets about 30-35 mpg intown and somewhere around 45+ on the hwy if I'm not caning it. My opinion is that if you want to "economize" a bigger displacement is not neccesarily for you.

Sub 500cc or even better 250cc will produce alot of economy intown light to light. 60-90mpg.

The problem is that many people mistakenly disrespect these smaller engines as too weak. But, intown light to light actually these bikes make more sense and the rider can make full use of the rpm ranges as well. The Katana I barely get out of first gear before I'm hitting the brakes to stop at a light or traffic conditions.

I guess a comparison would be driving a hopped up Honda civic versus a Ferrari or a Mustang GT. What would you rather drive in rush hour?

[niterider]

eugeart, which bike would you rather have, 250 cc or your 750 Kat?? Don't get me wrong, you are right about the the mpg and the city performance with the small cc. I still rather have my 750 cc Vulcan.

[Sev]

My first bike was a LS650 - onethumper. It was great for the city, about 20km/l. But at highway speeds it had to work so hard just to keep going that it's economy actually fell off a fair bit. Down to 15 or 16 km/l.

My second is a Honda 599 and it does a lot better on the highway. I've gotten 27, but that was riding my bike like it was a car. Accelerating REALLY slowly, and maintining speed at 100km/l yadda yadda.

Anyways, the bigger the engine the more gas it's going to suck no matter what. But the harder you run it, the more it's going to use.

[macktruckturner]

I've found that my '05 SV650S maintains about 50mpg city or highway. Normal driving around town gives me about 50 to 55mpg - where riding a whole tank on the freeway at speed (80ish MPH) gives me about the same range. If I slow it down to 60-70MPH it gets 60-63mpg. I've got some modifications on the way - and I'll post the impact on fuel economy, along with dyno charts

[eugeart]

Oh yeah, I'd much rather have my Kat since on the freeway etc. it is perfect.

But if I never got on the highway and wanted fuel economy as a surface street commuter I'd probably look for something that would give me better mileage.

I do like to go fast so there has to be a trade-off.

I heard the Buell blast thumper (500cc) gets 90mpg!

[CNF2002]

If someone's getting 90MPG on the blast I want to know what they're doing!!

Actually the blast has the best mileage that I've seen on bikes, not including scooters. I get 70 real-time mileage with mixed highway and in-city driving. My highest has been 80 and my lowest 60, but I figure the small differences are that I don't always get EXACTLY the same amount of fuel back into the tank at the gas station.

[Ninja Geoff]

My XR's 200 CC runs on air alone . Well, one tank lasts me pretty much all day. Small tank too. But it tops out around 55, 60 mph.

[jayhawk]

Been getting about 55-70 MPG in mostly city/expressway riding with 250cc, carbureted.

[polarelf2003]

I used to have a one lung, 60 cc moped that got 100 mpg! She could only go about 30 mph downhill with a tailwind, but I was 16 and flat broke. Ahhh, that was the life. . . especially when gas was a whopping $0.89/gal.

I get about 40 mpg on my CB550F, mixed highway and city.

[oldnslo]

It seems like newer bikes get worse gas mileage than some old ones. My '83, in period tests, got 53, which included time at the drag strip. My experience with the thing is that with brisk back road riding in the 65-75mph range, it does about 55. If I am cruising and just smelling the flowers, it will do 60. Not bad for 853cc and 85 hp, I think.