cage/bike fuel economy

[beechfront]

thought i would start a new thread after being inspired from some off-topic discussion in another thread.

ratbyk posted something about a 1957 morris minor getting over 50 mpg.

while this is rather impressive, it is also a bit disturbing to me. I read an article the other day about these new hybrid cars. they say the actual economy is only about 60% of the manufacturer's claims. (claim-55, actual-33).

have we not progressed technologically over the past 50 years? i realize the engine in this morris minor car is probalby smaller than on our motorcycles, but still....

I would love to own something that could get over 50 mpg.

my car is a 97 cutlass. it has a 3.1 liter V6 - the best I have ever gotten with that car is 26 - and that was under ideal conditions.

normally: town = 18mpg, hwy = 21mpg

I'm curious what some of you have gotten for fuel economy in various vehicles you've owned - motorcycle or car. especially those of you who have seen 50+ MPG or metric equivalent.

[Shadow]

Ok, current vehicle 98 Ford Explorer 4.0 litre V6 4WD

5km/L city
7.5km/L highway

A 97 Chrysler Intrepid 3.5 litre V6 I used to own

5.5km/L city
11.75km/L highway

A 95 Ford F150 5.0 litre V8 2WD I used to own

don't remember city mileage
8 km/l Highway

Can't give a reading on the 81XS1100 due to non-funtioning speedometer

I should note I'm a little throttle pedal heavy in town, although I've improved since gas has climbed to 94 cents a litre.

[Pat Kelly]

84 Chevy Suburban with a worn 4-bbl 350, around 16 MPG
68 Ford F100 with 240 straight six, around 13 MPG.

Perspective:
on my xs1100, 32 MPG, with passenger would make for 64 MPG each...
Suburban at 16 MPG with all six of us (we have 4 kids) makes for 96 MPG.
We had a 90 Olds minivan that got 29 MPG hwy. It broke and is gone.
My (forgot the year) Honda CL (scrambler) 175 got about 90 MPG.
My bicycle cost more (in food) to ride.

[Jerry]

1992 Saturn SL2 4-door, DOHC engine, fuel-injected, 5-speed manual transmission. Also has sunroof, A/C, power windows, factory alloy wheels. 153K miles on the odometer. Replaced the ECTS (Engine Control Temperature Sensor) about a month ago and am now getting about 36 mpg commuting, 38 - 40 on interstate trips. Elevation for commute ranges from 5,300 feet to 5,500 feet. Owners are lower elevations and with the 2-door model report higher MPG figures.

Not bad for a 12 year old mass-produced American vehicle. If optimized for fuel economy I've no doubt they could turn 50 mpg.

[jkgrubbs]

98 5.9 Grand Cherokee- 11mpg of Hi Test in town, if I'm lucky, I don't drive it much

98 3.9 Dakota- 16

02 3.4 Chev Venture- 18-21

84 4.2 CJ-7 18

88 2.0 Saab 900 Turbo Conv 20-22

81 XS 38-42

The Bike IS Looking Better and Better

Currently gas is running $1.82/gal for reg/$1.92 for mid, $1.98 for Hi Test, in my neck of the woods.

If I was looking for MPG, the Honda gas/hybrid would be my choice with 4 wheels; with two, most anything else, probably the BMW K bike in a cost no object world.

[strom]

Cage... 93 renault clio 1.4 RT bout 50mpg
Bike... 78E before all the stuff was done to it... 40mpg
Now... who knows....

LP

[TheDjost]

Have a look at what the VW TDI is capable of. You can check out this forum:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=UBB16

The guys on there have contests and brag about the best fuel economy and they routinely break 50MPG sometimes even go up to 60-65MPG and more. And that's while burning rubber and all that!!

-Justin

[mitch]

Fuel

My wifes Saturn SL1, 4 door auto gets 51 mpg highway at a cruising speed of 120 kph, thats a canadian gallon 4.54 liters American gallon is 4 liters. My venture royal got 25 mpg on a hard run , (160 to 190 klm per hr ) and 48 mpg an a eazy run 80 to 100 kph......................MITCH

[Czekus21]

42..50..33 ect

I had an 88 nissan sentra, bought overseas new. broke it in at around 85 mph on the autobahn. average mpg. 35 city 42 hwy. 82 honda 650 nighthawk 40 city 50 hwy. 79 xs11sf sometimes42 hwy but mainly 20 city 33 hwy. all the new fangled computerized gadgetry has not done a thing except make it more difficult and more expensive to work on my oun stuff. I'll stay with the simpler stuff cauz like the old saying goes K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple Stupid.

[chevy45412001]

91 full size s.w. van

1991 short wheel base full size van,17/hwy unk city.188,987 miles,4.3l v-6.But burns 4-gal of oil to the mile.

1982 1100maxim (xj) 48,000 miles ,roughly 31-36 mpg

[graybird78]

mpg

03 pontiac grand am 4cyl. 30mpg hyw 75mph w/a/c on
89 pontiac bonneville sse 200k v-6 21mpg
78 f-250 400 v-8 150k 10mpg (gas hog)
80 xs1100sg fulldress.28k 33-35mpg consistent

[Underdog]

00Taurus 24valve 30mpg highway
72 MGB 1800cc 40mpg highway
00 Heritage 40mpg doesn't seem to mater where
80 1100LG Don't know yet
73 Dodge Camper 8-10mpg depends which way the wind's blowing

[bikerhawk]

My little Suzuki GS400 (1977) would average right at 50 mpg when I first got it, but it's down to about 45 now with a slipping clutch. My XS750 gets about 35 mpg, and the 1100 averaged between 24.5 (80 mph into the wind, full dress) and 27.5 mpg Sunday on a long ride.

Other 4-wheel vehicles here right now:

2000 F-150 4x4, 5.4L V8: 12-16 mpg
1997 Chevy Venture, 3.4L V6: 17-21 mpg
1994 Dodge Caravan, 3.3L V6: 15-22 mpg
1987 Chevy Suburban, 350 V8: 9-11 mpg

[Geezer]

I'm not going to admit how bad my Bronco is on gas butr my old 1966 1300 VW Bug got 40 mpg on long trips but was also the most gutless car I've ever had. On the other hand I got about 32 mpg on the last trip I took with the Mongrel. I don't check the milage most of the time.

Geezer

[John]

Cages:
1) '99 Chevy Venture Mini Van (Mom mobile)...25mpg
2) '91 Chevy Corsica...25 mpg
3) '69 El Camino...Currently gets about 1000mpg (Parked)
Bikes:
4) '80 XS1100 SG... used to get 34 mpg before The Big Bore Project, 29-30 after
5)SWMBO's(That damn) FJ1100...38-40-mpg