How to improve MPG in my 2009?

[lindy]

Ok, just an update.

like to zip around it as much possible.





edit: just to clarify for what I said about "zipping in traffic" before I get jumped on for being dangerous. I tend to push my way through the crowds to get to the front and maintain a healthy safety cushion. I consider it being aggressive/defensive driving.

Ssky...
You're getting sensitive in your old age!
:jk:

 

[NightTrain]

35 - 36 was the best I ever got on my 09.

That's pretty much where I'm at right now with my '08. Light cruising at lower speeds, all highway and I get about 40mpg. I'm not going to really bother trying to get better than this. It's a 1000cc semi-naked bike, I'll go buy a KLR or DRZ if the day that max mpg becomes my quest. But not one of those cheap, disposable little scooters I see every where. Maybe a Honda Ruckus though, dudes go crazy modding those things!

 

[cshrumfz1]

I have an '09 FZ1 that gets right around the low 30's every fill up. At my full access, I have an '06 Suzuki SV650 (the wife's). It normally gets >50mpg in a tank full.

Guess which one sits, and which one gets on the road?

Her bike still only has 1200 miles on it, and she got it brand new in 2006. Finally convinced her to sell it this spring...

I'll take the low 30's every time for the power, and that's why we all got the bike. I understand your want for mpg's, but you are on the wrong girl if that's what you truly desire.

 

[Ssky0078]

I have an '09 FZ1 that gets right around the low 30's every fill up. At my full access, I have an '06 Suzuki SV650 (the wife's). It normally gets >50mpg in a tank full.

Guess which one sits, and which one gets on the road?

Her bike still only has 1200 miles on it, and she got it brand new in 2006. Finally convinced her to sell it this spring...

I'll take the low 30's every time for the power, and that's why we all got the bike. I understand your want for mpg's, but you are on the wrong girl if that's what you truly desire.

I agree. I got the bike to have fun and still get better mpg than my car which is at 20mpg. I just was originally concerned because I was getting 25-27 mpg and thought something would be off with the bike. A throttle body sync helped a little bit and average on fuelly went from 28 up to 29. I was running 91 octane because it felt like it ran better. But, now I'm going to switch to 87 octane and redo the throttle body sync again to adjust for the octane change. Also I'm due for plugs and an air filter.

Bottom line I love my bike.

 

[loosenut]

Fuel octane will have ZERO effect on the throttle body sync.

 

[Ssky0078]

Fuel octane will have ZERO effect on the throttle body sync.

I wasn't sure but I'm going to mess with it. When I ran my previous test with 87 octane the bike began to idle rough and lag in lower rpm's. My deduction from corrent circumstamces and my memory of physics class and internal combustion engines was that the proper ratio of air to fuel was needed to achieve maximum efficiency from an engine. My previous throttle body sync was done while running 91 octane.

 

[Hail]

After doing my exhaust, airbox mod, PC and flies I started getting some surging. I ended up having my TB synced. That helped but did not totally resolve it. Increasing idle helped get rid of the surge for the most part though I was faintly cognoscente of it.

 

[Littlehg70]

0078:
I ride very gently and get about 40 MPG. Like Whittlebeast said, keep the RPM very low. I have found the following: 1. A slip-on made no appreciable difference in my mileage; 2. A PCM will most likely make the mileage worse. The FZ1 is quite lean, and any leaner mixture will lead to surging and poor throttle response. 3. I expect the AIS would make no difference. 4. For easy riding, to get MPG, the stock air box is not restricting air flow. 5. There might be a tiny bit of improvement with a K&N air filter, however the price would take a llooooonnggg time to pay back. 6. I doubt irridium plugs would help. Ditto on the payback. 7. I tried some very high gears on my bike, using a smaller rear sprocket. For straight highway cruising, it improved the mileage from 40 to about 44 MPG, depending on speed. But in town with the high gearing, mileage got worse, due to the greater torque needed to accelerate the bike. Plus it kills the "fun factor" for the motorcycle. I think it is safe to say that any equipment mod will cost far more than the MPG benefit realized.

I am still puzzeled as to why the Gen I bikes can do better with carburetion than the Gen II with fuel injection. The camshaft duration, compression ratio, gearing, weight, etc. are extremely close to the same.

The best method is to go very gently on the throttle. Keep the RPM down below 3,500. Accelerate slowly. Be shifted into 6th gear by about 40 MPH. Let off the gas as early as possible when approaching a stop. The MPG is the only thing about the FZ1 that is at all disappointing to me. But the performance is superb and that is what the bike was designed for, which it does very well.

That doesn't sound like fun riding at all. I have a Honda shadow cruiser and decided to buy my FZ1 for fun. Been riding my wife's CBR once in a while. She found this bike and I can't stop "giving it the beans". I've learned that riding this is more fun, more maneuverable, and easier to handle than my cruiser. But I ride the FZ1 for thrill. I couldn't imagine shifting to 6th at 40 mph JUST to save fuel consumption. Defeats the whole purpose of riding a sport bike. Just my opinion.