rpm/mpg
#11
06-06-2012 | 10:02 PM
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 4
From: pittsburgh, pa
Here's the secret to mpg. Pick a speed and rpm. Twist the throttle. Not hard and not like a little old lady. Someplace in between. If you accelerate smoothly, keep dropping rpm until you twist the throttle and you DON'T accelerate smoothly. Raise your rpm a couple hundred, and twist the throttle....... if you accelerate smoothly, you're close to your good mpg range.
Low back pressure is the enemy of low end torque. If you opened up your airflow, you lowered your low end torque. Harley's are not sport bikes, they are tractors. If at a given rpm range, you can twist the throttle, and accelerate smoothly, you are NOT lugging the motor.
The above also depends on your weight, the terrain, and if you are riding solo, or hauling a BBW on your rear fender.
I weigh 190, ride solo (wife has her own bike) and run 2200 rpm a lot. I get really good mpg.
If you're hauling weight, you will have to modify the rpm until you can accelerate with a smooth twist of your wrist. If it chugs, your rpm is too low. If it straightens your arms, your rpms are to high.
Lots of variables, and trial and error.
Good mpg also means..... don't get off the bike for a beer every 30 miles. Keep going, keep your rpm constant, USE THE CRUISE CONTROL.
I got 54 mpg labor day weekend. I average 50.
Low back pressure is the enemy of low end torque. If you opened up your airflow, you lowered your low end torque. Harley's are not sport bikes, they are tractors. If at a given rpm range, you can twist the throttle, and accelerate smoothly, you are NOT lugging the motor.
The above also depends on your weight, the terrain, and if you are riding solo, or hauling a BBW on your rear fender.
I weigh 190, ride solo (wife has her own bike) and run 2200 rpm a lot. I get really good mpg.
If you're hauling weight, you will have to modify the rpm until you can accelerate with a smooth twist of your wrist. If it chugs, your rpm is too low. If it straightens your arms, your rpms are to high.
Lots of variables, and trial and error.
Good mpg also means..... don't get off the bike for a beer every 30 miles. Keep going, keep your rpm constant, USE THE CRUISE CONTROL.
I got 54 mpg labor day weekend. I average 50.
#12
06-06-2012 | 10:08 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 30
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
At 50 mph you should be able to run 5th gear...... UNLESS, you are carrying weight or are in hill country. In the flats, 5th at 50 is about right FOR YOUR GEAR RATIO.
Last edited by shooter5074; 06-06-2012 at 10:12 PM.
#13
06-06-2012 | 10:11 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 30
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
Your gearing is a lot different than mine.... you are running taller gearing. That makes a huge difference.
#14
06-07-2012 | 11:40 AM
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 4
From: pittsburgh, pa
Try dropping it down a couple hundred, and do the twist the throttle test. If you don't chug, you're good.
At 50 mph you should be able to run 5th gear...... UNLESS, you are carrying weight or are in hill country. In the flats, 5th at 50 is about right FOR YOUR GEAR RATIO.
At 50 mph you should be able to run 5th gear...... UNLESS, you are carrying weight or are in hill country. In the flats, 5th at 50 is about right FOR YOUR GEAR RATIO.
#15
06-07-2012 | 01:12 PM
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: MS
Good thread, I was getting 40 MPG on a 2010 SG driving conservatively (traded in on RGU). On my 2012 RGU I’m getting about the same however this is during break in with constant shifting, change in RPM, and speed. I can’t wait until I do the 1,000 mile service and have a chance to really figure out what my MPG will be.
#16
06-07-2012 | 04:22 PM
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 932
From: Illinois
On my 12 RGC at 3,000 miles is running 52 mpg. I didn't qualify my last post about the 50 mpg on the Ultra. I run the speed limit locally which is 55. I do ride it in 6th gear and it will pull a hill with ease.
I run both with 12.1 to 1 AFR which will result in a much cooler running motor and a little stronger with the cooler charge.
To add to that I have the good fortune to be near a station with no alcohol gas in the 91 octane put with it's own hose. Can't get any better than that.
They both have Stage I breathers and stock mufflers which results in keeping the torque numbers higher at low to mid rpms.
I think that I have found the perfect set up to run the TC's for touring. I have pulled up the Rockies many times in 6th. Only one time did I need to use 5th.
Never a ping. The Ultra did beautiful through Death Valley in the summer in the afternoon. 120 degree weather did not phase it.
God Bless America - God Bless Harley Davidson.
I run both with 12.1 to 1 AFR which will result in a much cooler running motor and a little stronger with the cooler charge.
To add to that I have the good fortune to be near a station with no alcohol gas in the 91 octane put with it's own hose. Can't get any better than that.
They both have Stage I breathers and stock mufflers which results in keeping the torque numbers higher at low to mid rpms.
I think that I have found the perfect set up to run the TC's for touring. I have pulled up the Rockies many times in 6th. Only one time did I need to use 5th.
Never a ping. The Ultra did beautiful through Death Valley in the summer in the afternoon. 120 degree weather did not phase it.
God Bless America - God Bless Harley Davidson.
#18
06-07-2012 | 07:04 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 178
Likes: 5
From: Topeka, KS
Good thread. I have only put 3500 miles on my o6 Ultra since I got it in Feb. At about 50 mph and around 2200-2500 rpm, I get around 40 on the back roads. That is ususally the best I can get no matter what. Thats with premium gas with 10% ethenol. (thats all I can get.) I got 44 once going from OKC to Topeka with a 15-20 mpg tailwind riding solo at 70 mph with real gas. My next learning experience is trying to get the bike to run cooler, I don't want loud pipes and I don't want to drop a big wad of money I would rather spend my money on highway pegs and maybe more confortable seat and some type of bars that will reduce my reach. Left shoulder starts hurting after 100 miles.
#20
06-07-2012 | 07:27 PM
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,845
Likes: 171
From: Simi Valley, CA
On my 12 RGC at 3,000 miles is running 52 mpg. I didn't qualify my last post about the 50 mpg on the Ultra. I run the speed limit locally which is 55. I do ride it in 6th gear and it will pull a hill with ease.
I run both with 12.1 to 1 AFR which will result in a much cooler running motor and a little stronger with the cooler charge.
To add to that I have the good fortune to be near a station with no alcohol gas in the 91 octane put with it's own hose. Can't get any better than that.
They both have Stage I breathers and stock mufflers which results in keeping the torque numbers higher at low to mid rpms.
I think that I have found the perfect set up to run the TC's for touring. I have pulled up the Rockies many times in 6th. Only one time did I need to use 5th.
Never a ping. The Ultra did beautiful through Death Valley in the summer in the afternoon. 120 degree weather did not phase it.
God Bless America - God Bless Harley Davidson.
I run both with 12.1 to 1 AFR which will result in a much cooler running motor and a little stronger with the cooler charge.
To add to that I have the good fortune to be near a station with no alcohol gas in the 91 octane put with it's own hose. Can't get any better than that.
They both have Stage I breathers and stock mufflers which results in keeping the torque numbers higher at low to mid rpms.
I think that I have found the perfect set up to run the TC's for touring. I have pulled up the Rockies many times in 6th. Only one time did I need to use 5th.
Never a ping. The Ultra did beautiful through Death Valley in the summer in the afternoon. 120 degree weather did not phase it.
God Bless America - God Bless Harley Davidson.
I'll never know if it's true or not because I could never ride my bike far enough at 55 MPH in 6th gear to find out what kind of fuel mileage that will produce.
But I did recently complete a little experiment on the effects that AFRs have on fuel economy and your claims of 50+ MPG with an AFR of 12/1 are completely contradictory to what my experiment shows, although my experiment was at 75 MPH, not 55MPH, and AFRs between 13.4/1 and 14.2/1.