I don't want to work the mileage question over and over but I have searched the forum for what others are averaging, which seems to be about 50. I'm getting around 38 to 42! I'm not racing the thing and it seems to run fine. It's an 08 with 1700 on it. I want to share my commute to seem if anyone else has anything like it with the same results.

I have about a 10 mile round trip with most of it at 40 and a little at 60. The big thing might be the 3 starts I must make to get from my house to work. I have to cross a ferry. So that is a 10 mile round trip with 6 starts! Am I using so much fuel from the constant starting and stopping?

It's the average of the low varied speeds with the short trip that will bring your mileage down. I think the 50+ guys are doing a lot of easy cruising highway miles. I have a 70 mile round trip commute with 1/3rd traffic and 2/3rds highway and that's enough to bring my average down to 45-46 usually. I've never seen over 48 myself.

I'm also 6'4" and stick up in the wind like a big airbrake :D

Where do you live? You might be running winter gas, which gives less mileage. Sure does for me... I hate it! 41 is a little low for around town, but don't expect 50's/

I hadn't thought about the winter gas aspect, but I have noticed that my mileage has dropped from around 50 to the mid 40s since about October. I was starting to wonder if there really was a difference running regular instead of premium, but the winter gas makes more sense. Thanks

Hmmm....what is this strange "Winter Gas" that you guys speak of? :-)

Is it specific to only places with extreme winter? Would NC qualify? I thought it was me more 'steppin' on it' than anything else....but I've noticed a slight drop too...like 46 - 48 instead of 48 - 50....

I found these links on winter gas, but it appears that it is a combination of the higher air density, the effect of cold on mechanical friction and the formulation of gas.

http://www2.zhome.com:81/ZCMnL/PICS/winterGas/winterGas.html
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/ostp-3.pdf

The only way to accurately compute MPG is to fill you tank every time you get gas and to keep accurate records of how much it takes to fill it and how many miles you rode since that time. One tank gives you an idea, but several tanks is better.

Lots of things involved in MPG. Rider weight and dimensions. Luggage? Headwind? Road surface? Stop lights? Traffic? Riding style?

38-42 doesn't sound great but it's not bad either. If you were regularly getting 30 from speed limit cruising on good roads and calm weather, I would say start scratching your head.

CC

38-44 is about what I'm getting, but I'm having lots of fun getting it. :thumb:

I live in Washington state and I'm 5'8" and 160. I have monitered the mileage since I've had the bike and it is always close to 41. I have yet to try a nice long ride to see it the number comes up.

I wonder if that is going to make any difference as I have a friend riding a BMW and he says his mileage is not much different from riding hard or taking it easy.

With my short commute the bike is never very warm so that must be why the mileage is so low.:confused:

I agree, I think your short commute combined with the cold weather is hurting your mileage. If you were able to do longer rides, your mileage would improve. I've never got better than 48, by the way.

41 seems a little low (maybe) I normally get about 45 with just my daily commute to work. It is only about 8 miles and I usually stop for breakfast on the way. I know on my last summer trip (2,100 mi) I averaged 50-52 almost ever time. I believe the ride and the winter ethanol gas make a big difference.
Tell your boss you need to take a nice long trip to verify that. :yeahsmile:

Thank you! Your 8 mile commute with a breakfest stop sounds like mine with my ferry trip. So the fuel injection eats up the fuel with short runs.

When it warms up I'll try and get out for some long runs :thumb:

Moonrise, You are about the same 5' 8" and was wondering if you have any trouble or have your bike lowered at all. Just took Speedys kit to my dealer to put in my new bike. I am tiptoe otherwise. My Ninja 650 R which was the same motor always got in the 50 range or even a slight bit higher so am hopeing this one does about the same. I do ride all highway miles and no town traffic.

Deano, I have had no trouble at all with the hight of the bike at all. If you are 5'8" I would suggest riding the bike some before installing a lower kit. I can get both balls of my feet down at the same time but mostly I have only one foot down at a time.

At first I was worried about how tall the bike was but not anymore, feels really good to me!:thumb:

I did sit on the bike and could only touch with my tiptoes. Just had the dealer install Speedys lower kit and what a difference. Almost flat footed now. My inseam was only 29". Used to ride GS bmw and KLR's but is too much for me now that i am older. Test rode it with the kit and seemed very good. Snow here so ride more later. thanks

The ethanol they put in the gas puts a major dent in gas mileage.

I'm usually in the 45 range myself. I have huge 40 liter hard bags and handshields that catch the wind. If the wind is just slight and the weather is hot, my mileage goes up, but a head wind, even an angled head wind, my mileage really goes down.

Needless to say, I love tail winds. Some how it seems that 90% of the time the flags show I'm going into a head wind of some sort. Never could figure out why I deserve such bad luck regarding wind.

The 45 the V gives sure is better than 12 my Jeep gave. Then when you figure what 45 vs 50 mpg cost in difference a year for the miles you drove, and then compare that cost to what you pay in all your taxes and interest, it reminds me to just shut up and enjoy the ride; even with a strong head wind.

Put about 350 miles on the V this weekend. Cruising two up, with side cases (not loaded), between 60-70mph.

Averaging 49-51 mpg with 89 octane... Good enough for me! :thumb:

CC

I got 47 and 46 on the two tanks I measured this weekend. I am curious to see what new plugs do for the mileage since I passed 7,100 today!

Make sure you are running minimal octane required by this motor. You will get more heat (energy) from running the lowest octane possible. Running higher octane in a motor not tuned for it results in unburned fuel running out the exhaust.

About 4600 miles on my '08. Got 58 MPG last week, then 51 MPG on a tank that included an A.R.T. (Advanced Riding Techniques) course Saturday. Seems to USUALLY be mid-50s. :clap:
Cheers,
Ed

Congrats on you guys getting such nice mileage. I'll have to see what I can get on a longer ride this spring. I'm sure the next nice WARM day we get I'm going to have a vision problem.... can't see going to work! Will have to see if I can get into the 50's!

Running it real slow doesn't necessarily improve gas mileage. A four stroke motor is most efficient when operating at it's torque peak. You'll want to keep your rpm's there.

My Vs. now has around 450 miles on it and I filled up yesterday. Got 48+ MPG. I was riding it pretty hard the last tank and I expect the MPG to increase as the motor breaks in.

I was averaging exactly 50mpg until the weather cooled off, and now I'm getting about 45. Two weeks ago I took a trip to Houston and back and averaged 39mpg....yikes! However, I rode there against a strong headwind, and of course the wind shifted on my return. Considering that I was also in extreme violation of posted speeds, I actually didn't take as much a hit on mileage as I had expected.

I suspect spring/summer/fall riding will return me to 50mpg, more or less.

It will be interesting to see how much mileage
improves in Spring/Summer as I've only ridden
mine since December. Over 1400 miles I've
averaged about 51 (did a bunch of 6th gear
riding during break-in). Friction/drag increase
with the square of velocity so mileage took a
hit after break-in with higher revs and speeds.

Ethanol sucks; what a rip-off, IMHO...

I went on a 3600 mile trip when the bike was new and treated it like running-in most of the time. I averaged 65miles per UK gallon, which is 54miles per US gallon. I reckon that is probably about as good as it gets. I don't expect to see that again.
Ted.

You UK guys must have bigger ones.
Gallons, I mean...

You UK guys must have bigger ones.
Gallons, I mean...

HAHA, Much Bigger ( price that is ) I often wondered why you got less miles per gallon, Daft me forgot that our Gallons are different,
we have the Imperial gallon ( sounds better TeeHee )
you have the US gallon ( makes sense as its in the US )
Is this another Grassy knoll ( conspiracy )

I am running around 50. Went canyon cruising Thursday, temp in the 30's, some nasty ass winds, around 200 miles and it was right at 50.

Seems pretty consistently right in that area for long rides, commuting, canyoning.

Just for the sake of cotributing to the data pool, I weigh about 190 with gear on. I have 15 miles of 40 to 55 mph stop and go to get to the interstate and I drive up 75 mph on the interstate. I get a consistent 46 - 47 mpg if I'm riding hard or trying to be senisible. I live outside of Houston, TX. I run reg'lar gas. I rarely exceed 50 miles on a give day.
There ya have it.

I went for a spirited ride with Bad-tat Sunday and got 55mpg...I was surprised so I check my math three times. I am not sure if it was because I didn't have my side cases mounted, I got summer instead of winter gas or if the V just like to be run a little harder. Maybe all three!!!

I went for a spirited ride with Bad-tat Sunday and got 55mpg...I was surprised so I check my math three times. I am not sure if it was because I didn't have my side cases mounted, I got summer instead of winter gas or if the V just like to be run a little harder. Maybe all three!!!

I rode mine down to Waco in Oct 08 and w/the bags on I seemed to hover in the mid-upper 40's pushing a headwind. However once I got into Sherman I took the bags off(had a chase truck) and picked up a tailwind-mileage shot up to 60:D
Otherwise I usually get in the 50-54 range localy 15-20 mi highway and state roade cruising at 60-70 mph. I tip the scales at a whopping 140! and usually ahve the bags on

Heres the link:
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1890

I'm also 6'4" and stick up in the wind like a big airbrake :D

That's some airbrake.

The ethanol they put in the gas puts a major dent in gas mileage.
This is very true. On my honda I was riding to Memphis (500 mile trip). I was getting 135 miles before hitting reserve. Bought some gasahol at a LOVES truck stop. I filled the tank the same way, and then rode the same way (75 mph on the freeway) I hit reserve at 125 miles.