Fuel economy. A challenge.

[Stu in Tokyo]

1997 Honda VTR1000F


Drive like a nutter on a nice twisty mountain road, I'm lucky to see 11 Km/litre, on the expressway, at about 110 km/h, top gear, plodding along, I get 22 km/liter

Cheers!

[Grunt]

You need more than a ham and salad roll to pedal 50km.

I ride 50ks after a fairly big bowl of hi-fibre cereal. Depending on the weather, 2-4 litres of weak cordial and a hand full or two of fruit and nut mix. Maybe a little more that a ham and salad roll.

I do have a bike, I should ride more often except that I have an aversion to being at work stinking and dripping sweat since I can't really change and I can't take a shower.

That's a bugger. Having a shower at work is manditory for me.

That, and ice is slippery stuff.
So summer is shot, winter is shot so I drive more often now.

Also, a bugger. I don't ride when it's icy.

Now, here's the thing Grunt, how long do your chains last and which chains do you use?

I don't actually know. More than 3000ks. I've got Shimano Tiagra crankset, cassette and chain. I service the bike fairly often tho.

I didn't spend a whole lot on the bike when I got it last year. I'm thinking that I need to upgrade as I'm starting to take this bike stuff seriously.

[Daddles]

My old lump (AUll Falcon wagon) runs on LPG and, while there is a noticeable drop in power where you go from petrol to gas, there is only a minor change in fuel economy (hard to pick in city traffic). While this is nice in some ways, it does make one ask questions about the efficiency of the drive train

My father recently sold his '95 Falcon and bought a brand new Fiesta - they'd decided to give up the grey nomad lifestyle and sell the caravan. He's always kept very good records for his cars ... something wrong with him methinks, he's not like his son at all. They made the decision to sell. Chose the new car, and yes, fuel economy was part of the decision (and price, couldn't afford what they really wanted). On the weekend before they sold the Falcon, they had to take a trip up to Renmark and back. By now, Dad had taken out the ton and half of stuff he used to carry in the boot. He didn't work out the figures until a week later, after they'd bought the Fiesta - the old Falcon returned near enough to 40 mpg for the trip :eek: Make him wonder about the new buzz box for a moment, until he allowed himself to remember that this figure was ... um, unusual, though 35 on a long trip without the van wasn't.

Richard

[Schtoo]

Darn you to heck Grunt, I was hoping you didn't know squat so I could jump all over you.

I used to get about 4-5,000km per chain, only SRAM ones though. You can take them off the bike and clean them properly, which makes a big difference. The original Shimano chain was worn out by 1,000km or so.

I changed the gears, rear derailleur, rear shifter and chain after 4 chains, even though the gears have some life left. The derailleur was completely worn out though, would not shift cleanly no matter what I did. Not a bad effort considering I don't go too slow and have enough legs to give it all a hard time.

If yer wondering, the higher grade stuff is worth it, if only for the extra smoothness gained, weight isn't important to me since I am not a lightweight and niether is the bike. I think the better stuff may last a little longer too, but I have no evidence to back that up.

Daddles, the thing we have gets great economy on a long trip, all things considered. Not quite 40mpg, but I don't sit on 100km/h here either and the car isn't really happy (revs wise) over 110 anyways.


Please keep it up. I still don't need fuel for the car yet, since this week has been quiet and I seem to be getting a lot more out of it, but maybe not.

And diesel might be a very viable option too. Not sure if Mrs. Schtoo will be happy with that though...

[Auld Bassoon]

2004 Audi A4 2.4 Multitronic (the CVT one). Melbourne city commute, average around 11.6l/100Km. A longer drive (say to Canberra), the consumption drops to about 7.4l/100Km.

[Wood Butcher]

This is now my daily commuter

Approx 2.4l/100kms. We also have a AU I Falcon which we average 8.5l/100kms

[Andy Mac]

Hi Schtoo,
I have already posted about fuel economy in my Ford Courier (10.5l/100km), and I don't think it'll get much better really. My drive to work involves too many red lights (I should count them) so many runs through the gears and I tend to have a heavy foot. The annoying thing with the gearing in said ute is it doesn't like being put in 4th below 60kph, so if someone ahead is doing 55 I tend to drive along in 3rd!! Not good for economy.
I once fitted a quality vacuum gauge to a Kombi I had (twin Webers, extractors, the works!) and ocassionally drove according to the reading...a very soft foot to keep it below a certain level. Maybe I should try the same.
I am contemplating a couple of things, like trading the ute for something renowned for fuel economy...which usually cost more to buy initially, and prolly means no tray for wood'n'metal:eek giving up work in town and finding something closer (yeah right, in the bush!); or selling up and moving back to the 'burbs.

Cheers,

[ozwinner]

This is now my daily commuter

Approx 2.4l/100kms. We also have a AU I Falcon which we average 8.5l/100kms

Im sure you look pretty sweet on that in your red lycra gear. :eek:

Al

[mic-d]

On the highway in my 2wd 2.7l Hilux, aircon on, averaging probably about 90kmh, I get 10.5l/100km. Our Turbo deisel Prado gets 10l/100km at 110km/h aircon on and damn near gets from Melbourne to Brisbane in one day on one tank! In a couple of years I'll convince SwMBO to fill up on my biodeisel
Cheers
Michael

[Auld Bassoon]

Yonks ago when back in the UK I had a Jaguar XJ-S with a 5.3L V12. At best I got around 16MPG, but when 'playing' this would drop to under 9MPG... Tut, tut...

[weisyboy]

i have a holden rodeo deisel 2000 model and i get 13km/L

[Wood Butcher]

Im sure you look pretty sweet on that in your red lycra gear. :eek:

Al

Least I'd look better than you in your "foil"

[Daddles]

Yonks ago when back in the UK I had a Jaguar XJ-S with a 5.3L V12. At best I got around 16MPG, but when 'playing' this would drop to under 9MPG... Tut, tut...

Question mate, where'd you find a cliff high enough to give you 16mpg:confused:

Richard

[I_wanna_Shed]

5.7L V8 Holden Commodore SS.

I always work out my usage when I fill up, just out of interest to see what little tricks work and what doesn't.

City driving sees about 15L/100km if you take it easy. When its on the highway in 6th gear it sits on around 8-9L/100km.

My weekly trips are about 60/40 Highway/City, and it averages around 12L/100km.

[Auld Bassoon]

Question mate, where'd you find a cliff high enough to give you 16mpg:confused:

Richard

By tailgating trucks on the motorway :eek: :eek: :eek:

Seriously, that thing was a mongrel for fuel, and just about the most unreliable new car I've ever had. I kept it for 7 months, then dumped it for a Porsche 911 (Oh bring back the happy consumerist '80s )