Gas Mileage

[RevRider]

To The Owners Of The Best Bike In The World:

I was curious on the various gas mileage our bikes are getting?

On my previous fill up, I got 27.2 mpg...
On this fill up, I got 31.0...

For experiment purposes, & to see how regular worked, I changed to using regular, 87 octane gas - was using the mid grade, which I think is 89... no pings, no difference at all that I can notice, except I saved about 20 cents a gallon...

I also on this last tank where I got 31, I purposely kept the speed at 65 and below.  I take my bike to work, it's about 18 miles freeway, and 2 miles streets...

I am wondering if the increase is the combo of both things, reduced speed and regular gas???

The best mpg I've ever gotten is about 37 on a extended highway run - other than that, I am in the very low 30's...or high 25+

Sure wish the tank was bigger - I have a 01 standard...

Ride safe...

RevRider

['KC']

Your mileage sounds pretty typical. I ususally get about 32-34 to work and back 23 mi. hwy, and about 5 mi. city. On a long hwy run I will get 37-42, but the higher is pretty rare. I find that my mileage stays pretty much the same as long as I keep it under 4,000 rpm. High gear that is about 90 mph. Then it drops off pretty sharply.

Mileage sounds about right.  Running anything more than regular 87 octane is a waste of money and gas.  The Valk will usually perform worse and get worse mileage on higher octane.  I have run the Rockies above 14,000 feet, two up, on regular and have had no problems at all.  This is on a 98 Tourer with 95,000 miles.

[Valker]

My lowest mileage has been 26 and the highest is 53mpg. The 50s have been on several different tanks, but always on slower mountain twisty roads. I usually run 75-85 mph and generally get low 30s. But if I am going for mileage, I ride my 250s instead of the 6 carb Beast!:eek:

[jim oneill]

I,ve used regular since day 1 in my 03 standard, mid 30s mpg, and it runs fine. Keep in mind that this is basically the equivalent to a honda civic motor, not all that complicated, so no need for premium gas. I get a kick out of these Harley guys who run exclusively premium thinking its better for the bike. If that were the case, the owners manual would explissitly call for it!

[ossiningvalkyrie]

My mileage is about the same low 30's when I stay under 75mph
20 miles highway to work and 1 mile local streets
When you guys fill up do you stop when the pump kicks back or take it to the neck of the tank?
I need my glasses to see into the tank myself and have one of those tiny 2inch flashlights to see what Im doin down there:rolleyes:
Id hate to get gas on that beautiful tank now
Today was a great day to ride musta hit 70 degrees and me in chaps and a winter first gear coat

[RevRider]

for the feedback!  

Seems like I am right in the mix of the average.

My new job permits me to ride just about everyday to work, so I am really learning to appreciate the Valk more and more.

On another note, I had a client of mine the other day ask me if I rode a motorcycle - told him yes - he asked, "what kind." - told him a Honda Valkyrie, and he said, "If it's not a Harley, its not a bike."  I then asked him if he had a bike - he said no - so I asked upon what basis was he forming his expert witness???

He then said he rode a Harley for about 5 years, about 8 years ago.  I told  him I think Harleys are nice bikes - I owned one for 11 years and sold it to buy my Valkyrie.  He asked my why, so I said....

1.  Better looking...
2.  More impressive engine styling...
3.  Bigger...
4.  Faster...
5.  More dependable...
6.  Less expensive to buy...
7.  Less expensive to service...
8.  Less expensive to insure...
9.  Uniqueness - it's not yet one more VTwin on the road...
10.  It will whup a HD anytime on any road...
11.  Ride is more comfortable...

At about the 11 reason, he said, "sounds like a nice bike..."

It was fun...

[jim oneill]

my exact sentiments, as I at one time was caught up in

 all that Harley mystique as well! You hit the nail right on the head! Its just a demonstrably better bike

[RevRider]

If one bases the decision on facts, there is no comparison, at all.  The Valk wins hands down...

If one bases a decision on the HD pompus mystique, then have at it...

I have a friend of mine who will only ride a HD.  He has a RoadKing, Twin Cam engine.  

His bike $25k - mine $11k.  He had cam bearings failure within the 1st 10k miles.

We were running the bikes one day - His stock, mine stock.  He lost in a big way, the Road King was not in the same league...

He took his bike in for a Stage 1 Kit - I still spanked him, he's now down another $1k for that upgrade...

He took his bike back in for Stage 2 Kit - another $1k gone, the spanking was the same...

Finally frustrated, he went back in for Stage 3 Kit - another couple of thousand gone.  The mechanic said he would be able to run with me.  On the freeway, both at 55 mph, no downshifting, just roll-on all he saw was my taillights...I let him catch up, he signals me to drop to 3rd gear - he shouldn't have done that, I heard him straining every last rpm from his two jugs, mine sounded (stock exhaust, no mods), like a fighter jet blowing him away in my jet wash --- at 100 mph, I stopped the race, he was perhaps 1/4 mile behind...

We stopped for gas - he came over to me and said, "...the Valk is a machine....what took place was unbelievable..."  I told him, "Cheer up, your bike looks nice..."

It was great fun...

All kidding aside, I like all bikes, but HD arrogance as the only bike to own is said by people who don't know bikes.

Long live the Valk!

RevRider

['KC']

My next door neighbor had a GL1200 when he moved in, I was between bikes.
He sold his Wing, and I bought the Valkyire, and he got into snowmobiles.
Then last year he bought a Harley, I don't know which one but it is almost a Fatboy. He isn't silly enough to ask me to run him.

[RevRider]

Hey KC,

You've got a wise neighbor...

I can ride with any fellow motorcycler, regardless of bike, the only ones that cannot be ridden with are some of the HD riders who ride with their noses stuck up in the air...not all HD folks are like that, I never was when I had mine, but there are some out there.

Here's a true statement....when my Valk is parked along side HD's or any other VTwins - IT IS THE VALK THE DRAWS THE ATTENTION, not the twins...

It's good to be a Valk owner...

RevRider

[hoser]

As per earlier post, Harley does require premium fuel as per manual instructions, I was with a guy on a HD once, who almost ran out of gas getting to a gas stop with premium, rather than take on a dribble of regular!

Sounds like your mileage is about average. I get about the same mileage, somewhere between 28 and 33 MPG.

Beware of reports (I've seen them) that some are getting 50 or more MPG. Quickly discount any such report. The Valk's gearing and multiple carburetors make such mileage only a distant dream.  

My 2000 standard has a bone stock engine and about 16,000 miles. I run Honda recommended 87 octane fuel. Anything higher is just a waste of coins.

FT

Sounds like your mileage is about average. I get about the same mileage, somewhere between 28 and 33 MPG.

Beware of reports (I've seen them) that some are getting 50 or more MPG. Quickly discount any such report. The Valk's gearing and multiple carburetors make such mileage only a distant dream.  

My 2000 standard has a bone stock engine and about 16,000 miles. I run Honda recommended 87 octane fuel. Anything higher is just a waste of coins.

FT

Sounds like your mileage is about average. I get about the same mileage, somewhere between 28 and 33 MPG.

Beware of reports (I've seen them) that some are getting 50 or more MPG. Quickly discount any such report. The Valk's gearing and multiple carburetors make such mileage only a distant dream.  

My 2000 standard has a bone stock engine and about 16,000 miles. I run Honda recommended 87 octane fuel. Anything higher is just a waste of coins.

FT