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mpg observations(Re: [ST] Mileage)



On Sat, May 04, 2002 at 08:21:47AM -0500, Eric Mann wrote:
> Just cruious what kind of mileage people are getting that have gone with the
> 18T front sprocket?  And if you are still getting mid-to-high 40's, do you
> use much engine breaking/downshifting when you are stopping or slowing?

I have found that my mileage varies widely, from mid-30's to mid-50's
depending on the type of riding, speed, and wind direction.

I have a 99 ST with 18t front and stock rear.  Also, most of my readings
are with the triumph tall screen and with the topbox on.  I haven't
found that they affect my mileage much--top speed, though, they really
limit you. :b  Oh, and I don't engine brake at all when stopping, do
sometimes when slowing.

I did a trip in February to BigBend that illustrates all this very
well (600 miles from Dallas, 1700 miles in 4 days).  My first tankful
of the trip, I got 45 mpg.  Then, I hit a 30mph wind out of the west
(the direction I was going) and the next tank was only 36.59 mpg, even
though I was cruising the same speed, direction and everything.  I
cruised about 80-90mph indicated.  The next tank was 40mpg, then 36mpg,
and the final of the day was 35, but that included a long, straight,
triple-digit run.

These mileages made me pretty nervous, as this area of west texas is
pretty damn desolate. 

The next day was interesting.  I rode FM170, one of the best roads I've
ever been on, to Presidio, about 100miles, and got 57mpg.  While the
road was nice and some of it was technical, I wasn't wringing the bike
out because there were rocks and gravel in some corners, and I was just
afraid to push the envelope at all on a road I'd never ridden out in
the middle of nowhere.  Then I did a high speed run to Ft. Davis and
got 38mpg.  Then, night fell, and I was over 200miles from the park
and my tent.  I was scared shitless of hitting a deer or animal (I had
seen more roadkill than I could on this trip) at night, so I kept it at
65-70mph indicated.  I got 54mpg one tank and 56mpg the next, and saw 2
coyotes, 2 jackrabbits, and 1 feline that I hoped was just a bobcat (it
was near a deer carcass on the side of the road and slinked away before
my headlights could reveal much of it).

The next day, it was 8am and 26F when I broke camp, so I didn't feel
like going really fast to Ft. Stockton.  I got 49mpg.  The rest of the
trip home, 50mpg, 44mpg, 45mpg, and 47mpg.



Okay, that was pretty long winded.  Basically, I can get 47-50mpg+ if
I'm cruising very slowly 65-75mph indicated.  It physically pains me
to tour this slowy, however, so I usually get 40-45mpg at 80-100mph
indicated.  Throw in a good headwind and things just get worse.

Laters,
Brian
- -- 
'99 ST (black)
Dallas, TX

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