MPG Testing

motokid wrote:

"Octane Ratings" are different across the world. 100 in Europe is not 100 In USofA. There's no apples to apples when talking octane ratings with people outside your own country.

Daamud wrote:

Yamaha requires 91 octane.

Repeat: different countries have different octane ratings.

motokid wrote:

motokid wrote:

"Octane Ratings" are different across the world. 100 in Europe is not 100 In USofA. There's no apples to apples when talking octane ratings with people outside your own country.

Daamud wrote:

Yamaha requires 91 octane.

Repeat: different countries have different octane ratings.

Umm, you guys are both in the US, aren't you? Why argue?

In Canada/US Yamaha recommends 91 octane, commonly called "premium", at least here in Canada. It's also known as 91 (R+M)/2. Look up "octane" online for more info than you probably want

Is "bigg" in North America?

motokid wrote:

Is "bigg" in North America?

In university I went out with a girl whose last name was Biggs. Does that count?

Heck I wish I was doing as good as you all are. I'm in WI and getting around 46.5MPG on premium with an FMF PC4/MB/Programmer/open box? Never hit the Rev limiter but ride it close. I get around 69.5 miles on and the light comes on. This is with most HWY (45/50MPH) and some 30MPH... and it's just now getting cold out.

I see a couple others from WI here. I'm doing all my riding up near Osseo. If the pipe/programmer drops mileage into the 40's, I don't think I'll be upgrading.

I've pretty much decided to look into a DR350S. If nothing else, I'd like to get a test ride on a couple to see what I think. Most of it's issues can be fixed, and it looks like it'll get better mileage as well.

(Part of my reasoning is that I also own an XR350R, and if the DR is comparable with a street title I'd make that trade any day).

My bike is stock. I just filled the WR up again and could put 3.5 liters in it. I did 112.5 km with that so I can get 32 km out of one liter of gas.
That is about 75.63 MPG.

Just made it through a tank with the 11tooth front. Rode it pretty hard, higher RPMs most of the time. Same 12 mile stretch as before. After correcting for the incorrect ODO (65mph indicated is 55GPS), I'm getting 46MPG. Kinda sucky for a 250.

It is more fun to ride (with the 11tooth front)!

11 tooth front??????


That might be a first.


Look - if you're wanting better gas mileage you have to change your riding style. There's a guy here, or there was a guy here, who got over 100 mpg out of his wr250r.

edit to add: click me <-- clicky
Most are getting 50-60mpg, plenty are getting 60+, and some get more.

I'd have to guess a dr350s would be boring as phuck to ride if it gets "much better" gas mileage than our 250. Maybe the decades old technology of the dr makes riding it above 35mph a frightening experience. I don't know.

I do know you can get higher mpg's if that's your goal.

You went the wrong way with the front sprocket if mpg is the goal.

Sorry, that's a 12tooth front. Confused it with something else I was working on.

I rode the thing like a scooter, read post number ONE. I got 70 at best. Suggestions were to try riding in the power (higher RPM), got ~55-60mpg. I switched to the 12tooth just to see what would happen, got 46MPG.

The whole point here is that the reports of 100MPG seem outlandish. Reports of consistent 80mpg seem optimistic. I'm trying to determine the common denominator (tires, riding style, mods, etc.). The only thing I have left to try is tires. Someone knows the secret, then step up and tell me how you're getting 80+MPG (riding style, tires w/inflation pressure, elevation, etc.). Show me any statistical analysis that would allow for the spread we're seeing in MPG (45mpg up to over 100MPG) on the same bike.

It's a great bike, don't take it personally. I'm just trying to find the missing links on MPG (I'd prefer not to buy a larger tank). If I can choose to beat the crap out of it and get 55 or baby it and get 100, that's perfect! Someone tell me how to do it.

Hi All:

The WR is worth a whole lot more than 50 mpg but like someone mentioned early on in this thread, it is all in how you ride it… In my time with the mighty WR both bone stock and with a Yamaha 14/40 F/R sprocket set, it always achieved over 100 mpgUS but that is me.

2010 Yamaha WR250X Adventure Touring Project Bike - X-Country at 100 + MPG

Wayne

That's great. So tell me how to ride mine to get 100MPG. Where do you shift? Lug/Rev? What tires and pressure? Let me repeat you're setup and see what I get.

Hi Drew:

It is all there for the taking. It is up to you to achieve it.

Wayne

motokid wrote:

Is "bigg" in North America?

Nope in Europe.

And as you say octane ratings mean different things in different places. On the EU model it clearly says on the tank to use at least 95 RON/ROZ.


By the way I found that the is a big difference in the fuel between different countries even here in the EU. In my ride thorugh Austria I hit 180 km before light turning on. Thats 30 more km than I manage in Germany on a regular basis.

xcel wrote:

Hi Drew:

It is all there for the taking. It is up to you to achieve it.

Wayne

Wayne,
What does that mean? I'm asking for help achieving your MPG and you basically are saying "Figure it out yourself?" (if I'm understanding you correctly). The idea of this forum is for other WR owners to help each other out so we don't have to figure everything out ourselves.

You've essentially made my point for me: Lots of people are claiming great mileage (and MAY be getting it), but NONE are stepping up to inform the rest of us how it's done. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in these high MPG statements. Sounds kind of like an infomercial around here...


Andrew

drew10_31 wrote:

xcel wrote:

Hi Drew:

It is all there for the taking. It is up to you to achieve it.

Wayne

Wayne,
What does that mean? I'm asking for help achieving your MPG and you basically are saying "Figure it out yourself?" (if I'm understanding you correctly). The idea of this forum is for other WR owners to help each other out so we don't have to figure everything out ourselves.

You've essentially made my point for me: Lots of people are claiming great mileage (and MAY be getting it), but NONE are stepping up to inform the rest of us how it's done. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in these high MPG statements. Sounds kind of like an infomercial around here...


Andrew

If I had to guess, I'd say he was telling you to follow the link(s) and read what's there. Lots of info.

sturgeon wrote:

drew10_31 wrote:

xcel wrote:

Hi Drew:

It is all there for the taking. It is up to you to achieve it.

Wayne

Wayne,
What does that mean? I'm asking for help achieving your MPG and you basically are saying "Figure it out yourself?" (if I'm understanding you correctly). The idea of this forum is for other WR owners to help each other out so we don't have to figure everything out ourselves.

You've essentially made my point for me: Lots of people are claiming great mileage (and MAY be getting it), but NONE are stepping up to inform the rest of us how it's done. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in these high MPG statements. Sounds kind of like an infomercial around here...

Andrew

If I had to guess, I'd say he was telling you to follow the link(s) and read what's there. Lots of info.

Here's what I remember from Wayne's past posts on the WR250 forum:

- Gear the bike WAY up (big front sprocket, small back sproket.)
- shift into 6th at 30 mph.
- never pass anybody, even if they are going slower than you want to go.
- shut off bike if you have to stop in traffic (includes stoplights.)
- choose routes that minimize stop signs.

Basically, he gets absurdly high mileage on the WR250X because he rode it focusing ONLY on getting the higest possible mileage. If I wanted that on two wheels I'd buy a scooter.

I think he also got skinnier than stock tires and pumped the psi way up.

If you want better gas mileage than 60-ish mpg you have to work at it. (IMHO)

14 tooth in front, smaller than 42/43 tooth on rear would help a bunch. (of course that would make bike boring as hell - but then riding for gas mileage does that anyway)

Leave everything else as stock as possible.

After that it's all throttle and brake control.

The WORST gas mileage I ever got with the WRR was 67 MPG and that was on a dual-sport ride. The machine is stock down to the tires and tire pressures. I do have a good-sized windscreen which helps a lot at highway speeds. I routinely get 70+ MPG on the street. Who needs a scooter? On the street, I always ride using the highest gear possible. It isn't that tough to get high MPG from this bike.

wow, I've been getting a pretty consistant mid 70s mileage wise, My fuel light comes on right around 114 miles typically. I ride it fairly easy and only weigh 145 lbs. I also just run regular and never had a prob as far as pinging under load.

Even thought, as I understand it, the modern high compression engine will run on regular gas by adjusting the timing why would you use regular gas when you don't have to. It seems to me the difference in cost would not justify the loss in performance and possible long term damage to the engine. I'm no expert here so I would like to hear the opinion of someone who knows more about the subject then me.

bmwrider1946 wrote:

Even thought, as I understand it, the modern high compression engine will run on regular gas by adjusting the timing why would you use regular gas when you don't have to. It seems to me the difference in cost would not justify the loss in performance and possible long term damage to the engine. I'm no expert here so I would like to hear the opinion of someone who knows more about the subject then me.

Dude....octane has nothing to do with performance.

91 octane gas will not make your engine run stronger than 87 octane.


Our engines are not "high compression". Not in stock form.

motokid wrote:

bmwrider1946 wrote:

Even thought, as I understand it, the modern high compression engine will run on regular gas by adjusting the timing why would you use regular gas when you don't have to. It seems to me the difference in cost would not justify the loss in performance and possible long term damage to the engine. I'm no expert here so I would like to hear the opinion of someone who knows more about the subject then me.

Dude....octane has nothing to do with performance.

91 octane gas will not make your engine run stronger than 87 octane.


Our engines are not "high compression". Not in stock form.

First - lets get one thing straight - I'm not a dude I am an old fart.

I guess your definition of high compression and mine are different. In stock form the WR250R has a compression ratio of 11.8:1. Hence the manufacturers recommendation to use premium gas for optimum performance. In comparison, the XT250 has a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and uses regular gasoline. Like I said I'm no expert but I do know that in general the higher the compression ratio of a given size of engine, the better the performance assuming you use the recommended octane level of fuel. Using high octane fuel in a lower compression has no effect and is a waste of money, but in a higher compression engine using a lower grade of fuel can have an effect on performance and, before the days of the newer electronics to adjust the timing to compensate for lower octane fuel in a higher compression engine, it could also do significant damage to the engine.