When I was datalogging the 883, riding it around town, lots of WOT, lots of high RPM, some highway, etc., I was getting about mid to low 30's with the same fuel maps that were getting 50 on all highway with normal riding.

Take it out on a stretch of road where you can get it up to cruising speed for a 1/4 mile or so, then hit your kill switch, pull the clutch in and coast to a safe place and pull the plugs, or at least one. What color is it?

 

I thinka Sportster's mileagehas a lot to do with how/where you ride (speed limits, traffic, etc.). I live on an island in the summer that is 5-miles long and where the speed limit is a strict 25-mph. I recently had an electrical problem and I was in fear of leaving the island until I solved that problem. I had already "chewed" up my free tow from H.O.G. because of it.

Anyway, while riding around the island at 25 mph trying to satisfy myself that I had fixed the problem, my mileage dropped off to about 35 mpg. I know this because I hit my reserve at 70 miles, and although I am only supposed to have a .8-gallon reserve, it is well over a gallon (that's a lotfor a 3.3-gallon tank!). Once I was satisfied that the problem was apparently solved, I got back off the island and was doing my usual 50-60 mph-type cruising, my mileage went right back up to about 53-mpg where it'sbeen averaging for quite a while.

 

I don't have any problem doing 8-10 hr days, never had a reason to try to push beyound that. The Sundowner seat does make that possible, I could never do it on the stock seat. I do stop about every hour for a stretch & smoke. I also run a windshield when I'm "on the road" and that helps a lot with fatigue. Cruising 70mph I typically get 50-53 mpg.