First fill up

I filled up today with 149.8 miles on the trip odometer. It took 2.85 gallons so I got about 52 1/3 mpg in 80% plus city riding. I did get on the interstate to cross over a major intersection and it was maybe 3/4 mile to the next exit. I did some riding on the frontage road getting up to 55-60 indicated at times but with traffic lights to stop for along the way.

There were two hash marks showing on the fuel gauge but it had been a while since the third one went off so I suspect I was very close to having just one hash mark left. I am very pleased with the mileage since it's a brand new bike. I hope it will improve at least a little as the miles add up.

I took my first longer trip (250 miles total) on my new 2012 Silver Wing this past weekend. The portion I measured was 2.59 gallons for 145 miles, so right around 56MPG, which I am very pleased with. Most of the riding was highway (the measured portion was all 2-lane, mostly 40-60MPH riding). I was filling up with non-ethanol gas (I found two stations on my route that carried it, one was found on pure-gas.org and the other I just happened to spot in a small Mississippi town I was passing through). I didn't measure the 70-75MPH Interstate portion of my ride this time around. On my other scooters, the mileage usually is sometimes slightly better on around town than on Interstate.

The only issue I had (and I've had it happen once or twice before) was that the brakes seemed locked after I filled up (the parking brake was off and engaging and releasing it didn't help) and I had to squeeze the brake handles hard a few times and rock it back and forth to get them to release.

I wish I could get pure gasoline but it would take a tank full just to get to the nearest place that has any. I'd expect to get a few more mpg with pure than with the ethanol junk we're forced to use.

We currently pay about £1.30 per litre for the 95 octane unleaded petrol/gas that we use. That's $2.20 per litre in US money and about $11.00 per gallon. So whether you have to use ethanol junk or not, I think you have very little to complain about.   

I believe 1.30 pounds is about $2.20 U.S. times 3.8 liters to a gallon is about $8.40 a gallon which is much better than $11 but much worse than the $4 a gallon national average and $3.40 or so we have locally. So financially, I have zero to complain about compared to Europeans who are taxed far more insanely on fuel than we. I might complain a little about the fact that fuel prices have doubled since the current moron was elected and also that we are burning food as fuel, raising the price of both while accomplishing nothing.

LDB wrote:

I wish I could get pure gasoline but it would take a tank full just to get to the nearest place that has any. I'd expect to get a few more mpg with pure than with the ethanol junk we're forced to use.

By "pure" I assume that you mean ethanol-free gas. I've had the opportunity to try two consecutive tanks full of ethanol-free 87 octane gas in my SW, and it didn't seem to make any difference. Small improvement in fuel economy, but not enough to justify the additional 75¢/gallon, and no performance improvement.

If you are really set on trying non-ethanol fuel try running a tankfull  of Coleman fuel. Sure, it will be more expensive than pump fuel, but it's only a one-tank experiment, and you'll have your curiousity satisfied.

Please let us know how things work out.

Tim

Meldrew wrote:

We currently pay about £1.30 per litre 

Unless you live outside a major conurbation, or use a motorway service station. Then it can cost UK£1.38. I've seen it at 1.40+.

This is now. Thanks to "Iraq", prices are set to rise rapidly by at least 3p a litre.