I did a 600 mile ride today that started out with temps at 40F (BRRRR...) and the highest it got was around 56F. I usually can get around 250 miles(I start looking for gas station after 200 miles) out of a tank on my stock '10 Ultra, my first tank today was only around 165miles running at 73mph. I can only assume the ECM is richening the fuel mixture because of the cooler,denser air. I thought maybe I didn't get the tank full, but other tanks were only slightly better, probably because it warmed up a little. Bike seemed to run fine, anyone else with newer bikes get the same results?

Another question, been wanting to do a stage 1 getting rid of cat, will this same thing happen even more since fuel mileage will already drop a little after the stage 1?

 

wisconsin change fuel formulations from summer to winter?

we do here- more ethanol= less MPG

oh and headwinds too!

pt 2 free flowing exhaust usually results in increased MPG

Mike

 

Your bike will get better mileage in warmer weather than in cooler temps. It will make more HP in cooler, denser air. You were pretty well spot on with your assessment although I wouldn't think the disparity would be as great as you experienced.

 

In PA it is the opposite, less ethanol in the winter due to the fact ethonol attracts water, and freezes in the fuel lines. I get better fuel economy with the winter mix in all of my vehicles.

 

Well, except for PA, most places have a winter mix of fuel from the pumps and your MPG will go down. Bike will also run a little better in the cooler air and that tends to cause the right hand to twist the grip a little more for the fun factor.

 

I get worse mileage in colder temps but that's only because the thing is crazy fun with the colder denser air. So I'm always cranking on the throttle.

 

After the first tank, all the fuel I bought was supposably no ethanol in the premium 91, at least that was how the pumps were marked. I usually do better for mileage with the gas I can buy in the northern part of the state since they aren't forced to have ethanol in all grades of fuel like in the areas around Milwaukee. Bike did seem to have more snap. This is my first bike with efi, used to carbed bikes where I never really changed them much once adjusted (usually rich enough that I didn't have to change jetting for what little riding I did in colder weather). I know most people just looked at the title of the post and thought, oh not again, but I looked and couldn't find anything concerning this. Thanks for the response.

 

My mileage takes a pretty good size drop when the weather turns cold. Also a stage one won't give you a mileage drop unless you tune it that way, it is up to you what kind of tune you want. I have mine set so it varies a lot. I can get 50 mpg if I do 50 mph all day with very few stops. Or I can jump on it all day and get around 38 mpg. Normal driving I get around 43 mpg +- 1mpg, which is what I got before the stage 1, the only difference is now the bike runs cooler and I have power when I want it.

 

You've got that wrong. Alcohol encapsulates moisture, keeping it mixed with the gas, and PREVENTS gas line freeze. Just check the ingredients of a can of Heet, or ISO-Heet. Heet is wood alcohol (methanol) and ISO is Isopropanol, commonly known as rubbing alcohol.

Minnesota has been an ethanol state for over two decades. We haven't had to use Heet to prevent gas line freeze up for years.

All modern fuel systems are sealed to outside air, preventing your gas from constant exposure to outside air where additional moisture could be absorbed.

 

I thought they added alcohol in the summer to cut down on evaporation of the gas...