Fuel economy : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

Flying Kaw · 11-18-2007, 09:37 PM

What's the best mileage you observed and at what speed?

I fugured this bike would not get very good mileage but have been surprised so far.

I took it on a 1000 miles quick jog up to Omaha last week to see the grandkids. On the way up I wasn't really watching my speed that closely...running between 80 and 85 and I got 42.

On the way back I rode from Omaha to Kansas City. I tried my best to hold my speed at 77 to 78. There was no wind. I went 148.5 miles on 3.1 gallons for 47.5 MPG. I was surprised to say the least.

Wehn I left KC headed to Wichita I hit a stiff head wind of about 20-25 mph. I had just filled up when a fella blew around me in a new Chevy Duramax doing about 100. So I fell in behind him and rode 95-100 in a 20 mph head wind. I wanted to see just how bad the Mad Kaw would get. I went 110 miles on 3.25 gallons for 33.8 MPG. Not bad considering the circumstances.

Anybody seen MPG north of 48?

Girevik · 11-19-2007, 05:34 AM

46 on the highway has been my best.

concoursefred · 11-19-2007, 07:28 PM

The road south from Kansas City can get a bit windy. With the power this bike has I thought that 40 would be obtainable on an average.

How was the ride overall? Any particulars?

Flying Kaw · 11-19-2007, 09:06 PM

It probably would have gotten 40 if I hadn't been riding 95 mph. The wind was aweful that day...headed southwest out of KC. But the road is good.

reesedp · 11-20-2007, 04:34 AM

Down parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway I got 99.9...

ReaperWales · 11-20-2007, 05:00 AM

Once saw 50mpg, engine rpm kept 4000, short shifting......and then I finished running it in and never saw it again!

GTRPete · 11-24-2007, 04:45 AM

I just covered 2870kms (1771mile) in the last week, only measured 4 tanks and got this:(all include mainly 120/140km cruising (75/86mph).

5.77L/100 (48.9 UK-mpg; 40.7 US-mpg )
5.6L/100 (50 UK; 42 US)
6L/100 (47 UK; 39 US) (this one included lots of bends and some 200kmh (125mph) cruise)
5.52/100 (51 UK; 42 US)

certainly sucks the fuel, but oh what fun

One thing I noticed, when I fill up I get a fuel smell hanging around behind the fairing till atleast one or more bars drop on the fuel gauge, that really bothered me on the trip, sort of made me ill... this can't be normal!!??

( by the way I didn't overfill or spill any on any occasion)

Hitman · 11-25-2007, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRPete

One thing I noticed, when I fill up I get a fuel smell hanging around behind the fairing till atleast one or more bars drop on the fuel gauge, that really bothered me on the trip, sort of made me ill... this can't be normal!!??

( by the way I didn't overfill or spill any on any occasion)

That is an odd one Pete, Don't think anything like that has been mentioned on this forum before. Could be a breather tube problem. It may have come adrift from the tube on the tank so that fumes are hanging around rather than being directed down and out below the bike.

barryjames · 11-25-2007, 06:33 AM

With 1000 miles on it, I am getting around 40 combined local and highway.

Flying Kaw · 11-27-2007, 11:08 PM

Pete

Those are good numbers considering how you ride.

As far as the smell thing...never had it. But I have noticed when the bike is full of gas and sitting in the sun I can hear the fuel vent squeal a little.

GTRPete · 11-28-2007, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Kaw

Pete
Those are good numbers considering how you ride.
As far as the smell thing...never had it. But I have noticed when the bike is full of gas and sitting in the sun I can hear the fuel vent squeal a little.

Yeah, with the smell, it's going in next Friday for the 6000km service, I'll make a note for them to check venting lines etc... I'll meanwhile check through the w/s manual to see if it's an easy re-route or a reposition of an exit line or something?

Yeah, suppose with the economy, I'm a little easy on the throttle most times, with the occasional handful... makes for more fun (for me) instead of handfulls often... we live in a Nazi state here, too much too often means big$$ and time off (if your caught

)
...schmutzige Schweine

Shorty Long · 11-28-2007, 02:42 PM

To my pleasant surprise, on most rides, my C-14's averaged between 38 - 42 mpg.'s. So far I have an average of 46 mpg for it's best. That was while trying to keep good mileage in mind on a slow county highway.(it's hard not to speed on this thing, it's so smooth) I'm sure the bike will do better if I really tried to. I have also gotten 29/low 30's when riding harder on winding roads too. Very happy with the mileage. I hate to be redundent, maybe I'm just reconfirming how efficient this bikes engine is. The mileage is better than expected. Outstanding really, considering it's large displacement and performance bias. Must be the variable valve train at work. Check-out the dyno results from another thread here. More torque at lower R's and good mileage. I like it! Sure the mileage drops, when you drop the hammer, but it can be quite good too. Very nice.
. Oh ya, It doesn't like cheap gas. Once I had no choice but to purchase a lower octane than usual and the gas-mileage went down a bit. It ran about the same. Just to check, I bought the same gas once more later-on and did about the same ride I've done many times on the good stuff. Same lower mileage results.
The bike's a pleasure to ride, and the mileage just makes it even better.
What a wonderfull bike!

. . . . .
Shorty

CRWDDYZ · 11-30-2007, 08:57 AM

With only 32 miles on the clock so far I get reading of 38 - 40 mpg at 65 - 70 mph. See what happens after a few thousand miles. But this is already way better than my Honda VTX 1800 I was riding.....it was a happy day if I saw 35 mpg at 65 mph...using far worse.