Mileage (as in mpg/kmpl)

[JKBC]

Being a street rider (after a 25 yr absence) and buying a KTM RC 390 for reasons I mentioned in my last comment to a thread, I would maybe make a small sign to be seen below, or above?, my license plate saying simply
70 MPG which I'm guessing is a truthful statement/fact. In Canada we went metric almost 40 years ago and we're used to kmph for speed signs and other stuff, but I imagine I'm not the only one who still thinks in mpg instead of kilometres per liter.
But a gallon to us in the British Commonwealth (Australia, NZ, Canada, UK, SA, etc) is an Imperial Gallon which is significantly larger than a US Gallon. Nevertheless I'm thinking the 70 mpg would be about right for a bit of a mix of city and highway driving. I haven't ridden mine enough yet to know what I will get. As for kmpl (<?)....what would that be?

 

[Fasteddy]

55 MPG - commuting / mild thrashing =
88.5 km to 3.78 L =
23.4 kmpl

Best I have got so far is a little over 60MPG that was a ride with very little in town and no commuting.

Fasteddy

 

[My Retro Career]

I'd say 60mpg sounds about right, for normal commuting.

This afternoon I had originally intended to take the bike for a short spin, but ended up doing 2 hrs on her
Started with a near full tank, minus one bar. I had 60 miles on my odometer.

At around 100~120 miles, my instrument panel flashed all kinds of warning low fuel signs - which was good - except that I was in the middle of nowhere familiar and suddenly realized that I stood a very good chance of getting stranded.

Mind you my bike's one week old and haven't yet received my manuals, so I wasn't quite prepared for this.

Luckily I was able to find a place to stop and ask for directions, and the helpful guy at Dunkin Donuts pointed me to the nearest gas station and I putted my way there without running out of fuel.

1.86 gallons was enough to fill the tank, pretty much to the brim.

So, when the "low fuel" light flashes, there's probably approx 0.6 gallons; that's good for 30~35 conservative riding miles.

All this rough math is based on KTM's website that says a full tank of gas is about 2.5 gallons.

Feel free to correct me if any of you fellas have different readings

 

[Fasteddy]

Sounds pretty close, I usually run it down to where it takes over 2 gal. I top it pretty full, I went through all the calculations in liters, 10 liter tank, then worked back to miles, in theory when it goes to low fuel mode there is a calculated 12.5 miles left. I have gone as much as 14.5 did not run out. The manual is available for download on the KTM web site, it explains the low fuel warning / odometer operation. I notice that it will go into that mode sitting uphill, and then switch back going down hill, starting and stopping will some times slosh it into that mode.

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

Over the last 5 tanks I have averaged 59.4 MPG in US gallons. Best being 64 and worst being 57.7.

I am not riding for economy, those would all be spirited road miles. Pulling about 115 miles per tank with about 2 gallons to fill.

 

[reenmachine]

Hmmmm. Having just bought the bike yesterday afternoon I've only put two full tanks through it so far. The first (from the dealer, about 50/50 freeway and canyons, going pretty easy) I got a calculated 68mpg. Today it was a pure canyon/mountain tank, riding as hard as I'm comfortable doing yet, taking it *a little* easy since it's new, and I got a calculated 63.7mpg. That 2nd tank I hit the reserve and went another 10 miles or so, and it took 1.9 gallons.

This assumes that the odo is accurate. My '14 1190 reads about 8% fast.

 

[JKBC]

Thanks people.
An old 750 Norton Commando is capable of 60mpg on the highway (I've got one) and that is to the Imperial Gallon so that might be around 54 mpg US so I was wishfully thinking that a 375cc single cylinder, lighter motorcycle with 6, instead of 4 speeds, could get more than 70mpg on the highway.
I just put about 110 km/70 miles on it for my second ride which is the first with it lowered. I topped off the tank at home before I left and only one bar on the fuel gauge went blank which has me wondering about the accuracy of that gauge or if the bars quickly go blank in the last half or one-third of a tank?

 

[reenmachine]

Yes, it was my experience today that the second half of the gauge goes way faster than the first. 60-some miles into the ride it showed about 2/3 full. This was exactly the half-way mark of the ride. I rolled into the gas station where I started in the reserve.

 

[JKBC]

Thanks reenmachine.

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

I have noticed the same thing with the gauge. The first LED indicator goes off around the 60 mile mark then it starts dropping by two or three indicators at a time.

 

[JKBC]

Hmmmm. Having just bought the bike yesterday afternoon I've only put two full tanks through it so far. The first (from the dealer, about 50/50 freeway and canyons, going pretty easy) I got a calculated 68mpg. Today it was a pure canyon/mountain tank, riding as hard as I'm comfortable doing yet, taking it *a little* easy since it's new, and I got a calculated 63.7mpg. That 2nd tank I hit the reserve and went another 10 miles or so, and it took 1.9 gallons.

This assumes that the odo is accurate. My '14 1190 reads about 8% fast.

Hey you're claiming exactly what I was hoping for after converting your US Gallon mpg to Imperial Gallon mpg!
There are several websites to easily do it like Convert US mpg to Imperial mpg, Imperial mpg to US mpg - Fuel Economy Conversion
...so your 68 mpg would be 81.7 mpg for me
and your 63.7 mpg is still a 76.5 miles to the Imperial Gallon so my idea of a RC 390 bumper sticker (in effect) saying 70 MPG would be truthful keeping in mind the intent would be to have ordinary motorists see that and think about that as they cruise along without passengers in their gas guzzling land yachts and even somewhat economical small cars.

 

[Wanderlust]

This is what I've gotten during my break in period (being very very good and keeping mostly to the under-7500 rpm recommendation.... but not entirely). This is both rural highways and city riding.



I've been getting low-fuel lights at around 120 miles, but only needing about 1.7 gallons to fill it... so there's been about .8 or .9 gallons still in the tank when it's giving the low fuel warning.

The miles-til-empty estimate is a hearty joke, IMHO. It says 35 miles when it first lights up, and then 10 miles later it reads 0.

 

[JKBC]

And you're in the USA too I think Wanderlust?
Your numbers are even higher than reenmachines.
Compared to the old Norton, I should have added before, our machines have EFI and being certified/passed for California including having catalytic convertors they must be running as lean a fuel mixture as possible which all put together should make a 70 mpg (CDN) city/hwy combined more than possible.

 

[reenmachine]

This is what I've gotten during my break in period (being very very good and keeping mostly to the under-7500 rpm recommendation.... but not entirely).

Your numbers are even higher than reenmachines.

There's your difference -- I've had total disrespect for the recommended break-in process!

Not that it was random abuse. I followed the "hard break-in" procedure outlined in other threads.

 

[JKBC]

So using the el'cheapo US DOT plastic shit thing we, in the colonies, got as an addition to the license plate mount I made a preliminary mileage sign for our mileage challenged fellow motorists to see and consider.
2nd coat of yellow is coming as well as a final outline touch-up with black.

 

[Formula390]

I've been getting about 55mpg. The last two tanks showed EMPTY on the gauge as well as estimated miles remaining, but filled at 2.2g which means there should have been 0.4 gallons remaining. Pretty annoying really to get a estimate that is then that far off. I'd rather not be any estimate at all if it's THAT worthless.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[My Retro Career]

From now, I'll keep a keen eye whenever the tank gets to one-third.

The fuel tank gauge doesn't regress evenly; the drop is drastic after about half-full.

 

[Formula390]

From now, I'll keep a keen eye whenever the tank gets to one-third.

The fuel tank gauge doesn't regress evenly; the drop is drastic after about half-full.

Drastic? LOL I went from an indicated half tank to indicated empty in like ten miles last time.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[Wanderlust]

So using the el'cheapo US DOT plastic shit thing we, in the colonies, got as an addition to the license plate mount I made a preliminary mileage sign for our mileage challenged fellow motorists to see and consider.
2nd coat of yellow is coming as well as a final outline touch-up with black.
View attachment 626View attachment 627View attachment 628View attachment 629

LMAO. I think your reflector bit had an encounter with a hacksaw there, didn't it?

 

[JKBC]

LMAO. I think your reflector bit had an encounter with a hacksaw there, didn't it?

Might have been tin snips. I was only started...roughed in...looks better/more refined now. Looks better than the cheap garbage it was made out of in its' US DOT mandated form.