FLHTK getting 47mpg!

[rossn2]

So, coming back from San Antonio this morning, after refueling. reseting trip odometer, and coming home the odometer reads 108.2 miles with 175 miles remaining till empty and over half tank left on fuel gauge. Basically means 283 miles on a single tank of gas? Didn't think pipes, and stage stage 1 upgrade and Dino Tune would help mileage that much. Equates to roughly 47 mpg on a FLHTK. Dino results from Friday show bike now at 74.5 hp and 91.03 ftpound torque from stock..Running a lot cooler without those darn cat's and more power...

Upgrade to stock 2011 FLHTK included: V&H Monster Slip-on Twin slash mufflers, V&H Power Duals Head pipes, Screamin Eagle Eliminator Air Cleaner Assemble, and SE Power Tuner.

 

[docster]

Great milage! Lots of variables though. I never trust my gas guage, or odometer miles/remaining, so I always compute after fill-up. I never fill the same, either. So I usually figure my milage at +/- 2.

 

[rossn2]

Forgot to post 60-65 mpg with cruise set, some 70mph for a couple of miles and lots of up and down hills ( Hwy 281 from SA to Lampasas). Previous best was 39-40mpg prior to upgrades.

 

[Hoople]

Forgot to post 60-65 mpg with cruise set,

60 MPG? If that is true, you have to be too lean. I would check it ASAP.

 

[rossn2]

My bag, dang computers..meant 60-65mph...

 

[judgeman6970]

my buddy is averaging 46 mpg's on his '01 RKC(all stock)....daily commute with a mix of hwy/local roads....

 

[BikeSAG]

I agree with Docster that the only accurate way to determine MPG is to record the miles divided by the gallons it takes to fill up. Anything else is just guessing. For me I average 39-42 hwy depending if one up or two up. 47 mpg is great.

Curious though I wonder if mpg could be an "indicator" of being too "lean" or to "rich"? Any thoughts here?

 

[sgt_1230]

I seriously doubt you are getting 47 MPG. The best I have gotten with my 2010 model is 40 mpg once. I generally get between 33-36 mpg driving conservatively. I am not saying it is not possible, but if I believed my gas gauge and mile estimator, it would show I still have 50 miles to go when I am out of gas and walking. I had mine into the dealer and they actually emptied the tank, then put 3 gallons in it so it was half full and adjusted the guage to read 1/2 tank instead of 1/4 tank like it did from the factory. When my gas light comes on now I have 5 miles and I am empty and walking. Like the others that responded said, you really need to rely on your odomoter to know what you really have for range, rather than what I call the lie-o-meter which is your digital calculator showing the range you have left.

 

[flhrrider]

Here in the Nevada desert mileage depends on the weather. It'll just depend and it's unpredictable. Both my bikes, an '09 FLHT, '11FLHRC do about the same. Headwinds knock mileage down into the 30's. Last week I got 49 running Badwater Road to Furnace Creek on the road king. That's below sea level and 110 degrees air temperature. (Death Valley). I usually average 43-45 around town. flhrrider

 

[Hoople]

Curious though I wonder if mpg could be an "indicator" of being too "lean" or to "rich"? Any thoughts here?

If you have a pre-O2 sensor bike, MPG can be looked at "as a rough gauge" to A/F ratio. But if you have O2 sensors running a factory Delphi system, your closed loop while running at steady highway speeds. So you can think your mixture is fat & happy but your mixture really could be right on the edge.

If you have a late model bike, changing your A/F ratio during steady state 50 Kpa intake manifold pressures, requires having a piggy such as the TFI, or forcing the firmware to "open loop" using a SEST tuner.

Of course we can't include things like having a mechanical issue such as an intake leak. For example having a bone stock 2010 and getting 54 MPG while everyone else is getting 43,, I would be very concerned