Best FJR mileage ever

[Big Sky]

Last week I went for a cruise (yes, "cruise" – I rode with a Yamaha Royal Star and a Harley Trike). The day was calm, the road fairly straight two-lane (almost all fifth gear), I was one-up, no bags (well, a tank bag), Cee Baily windshield a little lower than usual, most of the route was at 6,000+ feet, cruising speeds at 60-65 with a little at 70 and 75. The route was 212.9 miles. I filled, bubbling fuel in the filler, at the beginning, then fueled exactly the same at the end, and it took 3.91 gallons. That's 54.45 MPG! I've gotten 49 a few times and I think 50 once. Usually, loaded and two-up yields 42-45. Once in AZ cruising at 85 into a 30-40 mph headwind two-up and loaded, got 32! It's nice to experience "firsts" after 12 years riding FJRs.

 

[hppants]

That's excellent fuel mileage. Over 40,000 miles, I'd say my low was somewhere about 38, and my high around 48 (under similar conditions you describe). I find the range of fuel mileage on the FJR is pretty tight over the much varied riding conditions. Although I can't prove this, my gut feeling is that the big torque of the FJR doesn't cause much variation in the fuel mileage due to "on and off throttle" conditions, such as when riding in the twisties. When I rode smaller Honda nighthawks, I found this to be a huge difference in mileage.

 

[Aasland]

The lowest I've had was 24 mpg. Going west through SoDak (i.e. uphill) on I-90 @ 85mph, a very strong headwind, VStream windshield, an intake cam off by a tooth, and the O2 sensor plugged in. Even my brother on my 2000 VFR was getting MPG in the 30's (we usually get about 50mpg on the VFR).

But my parents were hurting. They were in an F350 (7.3L turbodiesel) hauling a 28-ft 5fth wheel, and they were getting about 5 mpg (they usually get 11-13 mpg). They spent ~$500 on fuel that day.

EDIT: Sorry, don't recall the highest MPG I've seen. I bought the bike @ 20k and the dash said 48 MPG but I've never seen it that high. Interestingly, while running through a tank in the redwoods (hwy 36, 299, 96) in 2/3 gear all day, I still saw ~35 mpg.

 

[Allen_C]

I usually get 42-45mpg. At SEOR I got 45 and 46mpg on my 2 fill ups. Today, after riding some curvy roads I filled up before the 50+ mile ride back home on county roads with stop lights and signs and some interstate, I got 53mpg! I'm loving the fact that I can have fun riding and get great gas mileage.

 

[jim oneill]

I,m getting a consistent 50 mpg on my 2013 going back and forth between the 2 modes

 

[Fred W]

My tired old 1st gen only gets ~40 mpg, 42 on a really good (read: "easy") cruising day.

So, let's see... if I could get 50 mpgs on a new FJR that extra 10 miles per gallon would mean I would spend 20% less on fuel over the same number miles, saving me 50 gallons per 10k miles, or just under $200 at current prices.

Hmmm... I don't think I'm going to be able to justify buying a new FJR to my wife just based on fuel savings...

 

[El Toro Joe]

My average is between 38-39...maybe into the low 40's if I spend time on the slab.

 

[gumba]

Cruise control has really put a hurt on my mpg. The more accurate speedo has also. Cruise at the same indicated but actually going faster.

 

[Mr._Gone]

I average 42 mpg overall.

Just slogging around town, I get 34-35 mpg.

On the interstate, I'll get 47-48 mpg pretty regularly.

The best I ever remember was 53 mpg just cruising around Yellowstone at 45 mph all day, in 3-4 gear.

 

[Big Sky]

Fred, my current FJR is an '05 with 45,000 on it.

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, I know.

I can't get those kind'a fuel mileage numbers you mentioned, but I do have a PCIII on mine squirting in the extra juice, and I'm riding in the heavy air down here closer to sea level.

 

[MartyO]

My best mileage ever is with my wife on the back, 46 MPG. I ride super smooth with the little lady. My 2006 averaged 39 for daily riding. My 2014 was averaging 43 but lately it has dropped to 42. I think I'm twisting the throttle since the new is wearing off a little at 8000 miles. Not sure why the 14 is better than the 06. Different plastic? Maybe the red paint?

 

[russperry]

Day to day if I commute on the FJR here by San Francisco Bay I get in the high 30's which seems pretty common from previous posts in this thread.

But I was shocked how much altitude plays a role in fuel injected mileage though - in Colorado on the long trip last summer I was getting upper 40's with relatively spirited riding, and when I went over Beartooth Pass two years ago I got over 50 that day, think it might have been nearly 54 if I recall correctly.

 

[Fred W]

But I was shocked how much altitude plays a role in fuel injected mileage though - in Colorado on the long trip last summer I was getting upper 40's with relatively spirited riding, and when I went over Beartooth Pass two years ago I got over 50 that day, think it might have been nearly 54 if I recall correctly.

This is very good news. So I'll be able to use the improved fuel mileage logic to convince SWMBO that we need to move to Wyoming/Montana. Hell yeah, honey... we'll be saving $200 every 10k smiles.

 

[Geezer]

My best MPG ever was during initial break-in. If I remember correctly, it was about 50 MPG. That probably is similar to the riding the original poster was doing on the 'cruise'.

Like Fred, my old Gen 1 has a lot of miles on it and it does use a little more fuel than someone on a newer FJR riding at the same pace, but it's less than 10 percent difference. I think any great difference is more about riding style and modifications to the bike, especially a Power Commander or similar device.

Altitude also makes a difference in MPG, with more miles per gallon at higher altitude along with less power.

 

[dpfjr]

I average around 45-46 mpg; about 10+ better than my previous VROD! ....then again, the VROD, Night Rod Special is a looker with lot's of torque......that's about it!

 

[garyahouse]

My tired old 1st gen only gets ~40 mpg, 42 on a really good (read: "easy") cruising day.
So, let's see... if I could get 50 mpgs on a new FJR that extra 10 miles per gallon would mean I would spend 20% less on fuel over the same number miles, saving me 50 gallons per 10k miles, or just under $200 at current prices.

Hmmm... I don't think I'm going to be able to justify buying a new FJR to my wife just based on fuel savings...

I wouldn't call my Gen 1 tired with only 42k on the clock, but it indeed gets 39-41 all the time. Spoze my CT, the Givi and my barn door windshield are factors, but that's how it is.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[RPrice]

On a recent (last week) trip to southern UT, my buddy riding a Yamaha Stratoliner (holy shit those things are big!) and me, on my 2006 FJR averaged 50 mpg on several fairly curvy, long distance stretches of road. For sure, our average cruising speed was lower than normal, over those distances, and the elevations above sea level (ASL)) were fairly high at 5k to 7k .

I'm speculating, like those above, that relatively slow speeds and high elevations helped the mpg??!!

 

[FJRay]

Usually 40+ on the FJR as high as 50 at high altitude. I just spent two days on my Wing and averaged 41 riding two up and pulling a Bushtec. Most was above 4000 feet and 55-65 MPH. Not bad for a barge.