Fuel Mileage

I have 1100 miles so far and have been averaging over 70 every tank except for the first one. The last ride was 250 miles in mostly paved at 65-70mph indicated, but the rest was dirt roads 45-50mph. First tank got 77mpg, second tank (going faster on the slab) went down to a measly 72mpg. Air temp, 102f. My old XT350 never did that good in any temperature. I would be happy with 65mpg the way this little motor likes to pull. But to do over 70mpg is just outstanding IMO.

SheWolf wrote:

I've found with the 'Tude it's better still. Gotta love awesome fuel economy.

+! on better mileage with the Tude! I got 200 miles on my Aquiline tank today and still had .4 gallons left. I can pull a higher gear on some of the hills I normally run and the torque is much better across the whole RPM range...........good stuff!!

My bone stock 2010 WR-R has yet to pass 500 miles but I'm on my fifth tank. I always check the mileage on my cell phone's calculator cause it only takes a minute.

So far I'm averaging around 56 mpg (first tank riding slowest was 62 mpg). One tank where I was wringing it out just a bit got only 52 mpg.

Should I expect fuel economy to improve significantly with more miles after the motor's broken in? This morning I already almost clicked the "ADD TO CART" button on a Safari tank!

I mean, my F650 Dakar averaged 65 mpg (on 87 octane regular) over the 72K miles I had it. And this thing is 400 fewer cc's and weighs 150 pounds less!

Hmmm...not sure why you're not getting the upper end of the scale with it Dave. I know the first trip I took with it, right out of the crate was 80. The lowest I've had it was 72 and that was riding hard. Mind you, I'm not very big so that's probably part of it. I know some of the bigger riders have been getting good economy. Seems like a mix of size/weight of rider, tire inflation, wind resistance, tire type, type of gas, programmer, pipe all have a part to play. Too many variables.

...I'm right at 200 pounds w/o gear and 6'1"

I've read a number of times that the stock EFI mapping is lean. Maybe they richened it up for the 2010 models??? Haven't looked at the plug yet.

Hopefully it'll get better after the motor's a bit more loose.

One thing, I just can't make myself ride below about 65 indicated on the stock speedo. It's not even breathing hard at that.

From what I was told, nothing was touched on the stock mapping. I know when I ride, I keep it in the mid rev section where it seems to like to be.

David Haynes wrote:

My bone stock 2010 WR-R has yet to pass 500 miles but I'm on my fifth tank. I always check the mileage on my cell phone's calculator cause it only takes a minute.

So far I'm averaging around 56 mpg (first tank riding slowest was 62 mpg). One tank where I was wringing it out just a bit got only 52 mpg.

Should I expect fuel economy to improve significantly with more miles after the motor's broken in? This morning I already almost clicked the "ADD TO CART" button on a Safari tank!

I mean, my F650 Dakar averaged 65 mpg (on 87 octane regular) over the 72K miles I had it. And this thing is 400 fewer cc's and weighs 150 pounds less!

No, you shouldn't expect to get any better than that. These people getting 70-80mpg must ride it like a moped, downhill, with a tail wind.

Every normal human I know that has a WRR gets in the 50-60 range and always has.

Whew,

I was starting to get worried myself. I ride my bike like a normal human~well kinda, and I average 55-60mpg.

Krabill wrote:

No, you shouldn't expect to get any better than that. These people getting 70-80mpg must ride it like a moped, downhill, with a tail wind.

Every normal human I know that has a WRR gets in the 50-60 range and always has.

That is really puzzling to me... that a heavier bike like my Dakar with almost triple the displacement would get that much better mileage! I'd just assumed this one would be a petrol sipper what with EFI and a smaller motor.

Wonder why that is.

The Dakar had a 4 gallon tank under the seat and my low fuel light normally came on around 185-190 miles, meaning I had one gallon remaining.

With the WR-R my low fuel light's coming on at just before or just after 80 miles. Not very far with what I'm used to!

I've seen a dyno run for an F650 getting about 42 hp.

I've seen a dyno run for a WR250R getting about 26 hp.

That works out to .065 hp/cc on the 650 and .104 hp/cc out of the 250. The WRR is a higher performance machine and will use more fuel relative to engine size.

And I agree, the 80 mile gas stops are a pita.

I just put a Safari tank on mine last week I got so fed up with it

I'm getting 60 mpg riding secondary roads, running an average 60-65 mph per gps. I just installed the Safari tank and so far like it big-time, worth every penny to me. I followed ed29 and positioned the fuel sensor a bit lower:

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/oh-those-sweet-mods-f5/larger-fuel-tank-t83-80.htm

Sarah

Hey Sarah ....

Just saw in the tank thread -- congrats on the white !

Larry

greer wrote:

I'm getting 60 mpg riding secondary roads, running an average 60-65 mph per gps. I just installed the Safari tank and so far like it big-time, worth every penny to me. I followed ed29 and positioned the fuel sensor a bit lower:

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/oh-those-sweet-mods-f5/larger-fuel-tank-t83-80.htm

Sarah

Thank you!!

Sarah

Just thought I'd give my 2 cents....I ride only on the trails and get anywhere between 100-135km to 5.5L (~60-80miles to 1.5gallons). Depending on how hard I am trying to pull a gap on my mates, lol. Most of the riding I do is 2nd-4th gear technical single trail, and for the adrenaline and excitement I get out of riding my WRR I wouldn''t care if it only got 20mpg (absurd economy i know), it's that much damn fun! (When it's going! Threw an engine code 12 last weekend - crank angle sensor. Is in at the dealers now, yet to hear back!) Fuel economy is not much to worry about when this bike is just so much bloody fun to ride IMO, unless you are planning on doing long hikes, in which case we have a support 4WD meet us at pre-determined locations with fuel, food and water for our camelbaks. For me, that works out better than the extra weight of a Safari Tank, and a little easier on th ol' hip pocket too! Just my two cents......Max.

Pulled into the gas station on fumes yesterday. The Safari took 3.63 gallons and the GPS said 228 mi, so 62.7 mpg. A little over halfway through that tank of gas I put new sprockets and chain on, went to 13-48 gearing from 12-44. 50% highway, 10% city, 10% jeep trail, 30% gravel road. It's good to get out.

My WR250R 2010, 235km for now... all stock.

Near freezing point... +4 deg celcius..

On the trail I get 4l per 100km... Fuel light came at 145km, go to 180km and I put 6.8 litres to a 7 litres tank.

Maybe on a hotter day I get near 3.5 l/100km...

Jus gonna chime in - over first 3 tanks ive averaged about 180km till reserve. It is not wholly accurate as only 2 tanks were right on reserve but i was at 540km at reserve on the 3rd tank.

I will point out that is mostly on road and riding like a granny at no more than 85kph with some stop-start traffic - so thats roughly 3l/100km which is like 78mpg us.
Im sure my mpg will start to suck when i start going serious offroad, but for commuting its awesome. :)
Oh btw for comparison my 250 2 smoke averages 11l/100km 21mpg, and i have to pay for synthetic oil too!

This bike is capable of awesome mileage. Best I've had was 83, and that was the fourth day out of the crate.

Krabill wrote:

No, you shouldn't expect to get any better than that. These people getting 70-80mpg must ride it like a moped, downhill, with a tail wind.

Every normal human I know that has a WRR gets in the 50-60 range and always has.

If you want to propose that anyone who gets better mileage than you isn't normal, then I say screw you.

If you want to say everybody who rides like you gets no better than 50-60 mpg, then I'd say you are probably making a very good observation.

I've been getting high 60's and over 70 (which would be around 80 - 85 mpg for those using the Imperial gallon) on occasion on leisurely slab rides ever since I got my WR. It's completely stock except for protective gear, I weigh around 220 ready to ride so I put up a fair amount of wind resistance, and most of my rides are very close to 50/50. I did a short little ride around here today, pretty much 50/50, and in this part of Montana, you might be riding downhill, but you had to climb some pretty good mountains to get that downhill. And if you do have a tailwind, enjoy it, because there's enough turns in the roads around here that half the time any tailwind is going to be a headwind. I don't see how fast I can get from Point A to Point B, but then again I don't "ride it like a moped" either.

I have no idea what anyone should expect out of a modded bike, or once they start riding aggressively most of the time. But it is pretty obvious to me that when a bigger guy my size can regularly get 66/80 mpg (depending on your gallon of choice) riding around here in the mountains of Montana and SE BC, Yamaha's claimed mileage figures of 71/85 mpg are very much in reach for a stock WR250R. If you like to ride like your hair is on fire, then you shouldn't be surprised you get nowhere near that mileage - and I suspect those who ride like that probably really don't care.

Good to hear you are also getting great mileage out of your bike. You must be just about due for some new skins, no?

I just went thru my first couple of tanks of gas after modding my WRR.I did the Q4 full exhaust,K+N airfilter,ais and exup removal,47 tooth rear sprocket, FMF fuel progammer,air box modded.......I'm getting 60 mpg..I'm 6'2" and 250lbs, so I'm happy to get 60mpg.

Hi Jager:

Great post regarding Fuel Economy and especially from a non-modded (wrt the engine) and reasonably clean emitting 250R right off the show room floor… Keep up the great work as I love to see the WR's taking you and others to places where no other non-rider will ever see while consuming the least amount of liquid gold possible.

One addition. Yamaha does not claim 71 mpg, the bike earned it. The non-adjusted 71 mpgUS “is” what the bike achieved on the EPA test cycle while on a dynamometer (Yamaha’s or somebody else’s) when it was being run through its emission certification tests. The bagged emissions were collected and analyzed for CO2 concentration which was then converted back to its actual fuel economy.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG

The First thing I did when I got my wrr (at the time it was otherwise stock) was remove that stupid air thing, i didn't even buy a kit, I cut a piece of sheet metal to make a block off plate. there was a noticeable power increase. Its also a must do if you remove the spark arrester or install aftermarket exhaust. it will eliminate a lot of the popping. I just removed my cylinder to put on the athena kit after 3000 miles (the first thousand with the stock exhaust probebly second thousand with fmf, and the third finaly with the programmer). other then the normal carbon build up, everything looked perfect inside. oh did I mentino that I removed the flapper pretty early on too? don't fiddle around with just removing the little plate ither. Jam a screw driver in there and the whole section of the airbox tht holds the flapper on will break off at the plastic spot welds.

I'm getting 65MPG and have 300 miles now on odometer running on 100% pavement on my WRR. A lot of idling and low gear riding mixed in trying to compensate for high speed passes as I "break-in" this puppy.

best I have gotten out of my '10 model was 62mpg, and that was running 55mph on highways and gravel. That is some fairly gentle riding for this bike. My bike is bone stock, and only has 500 miles on it. Maybe it will improve as it breaks in, maybe not. I average 55mpg overall so far. I don't ride very aggressively. I had an 08 XT250 and got 65-70 mpg. I traded the gas mileage for more power, better suspension, taller seat. Fair enough trade for me, you would have to fight me to get me to trade back.