250+ miles to a tank.....can of worms opened

[AyJay]

After eight years of ownership, I've only just started monitoring the fuel consumption on my Fazer and I've been quite surprised at how good it is. There's been the odd track day when it's done a tank in 80 miles, but also the odd long distance jaunt on the continent when I've seen over 200 miles on a tank, but even on my commute it's been getting over 46 to the gallon, and that's whanging it around, revving the nuts off it as well as 30 miles of motorway. Is there no end to the surprises this amazing bike keeps giving us?


I really need to buy another and keep it under a sheet for when mine finally gives up the ghost.

[Fuzzygoth]

At a guess I would say that bikes are built on the basis that you aren't
going to brim the tank. The manuals for my bike (i think) have said you
shouldn't fill the tank past a certian level (which everyone I know ignores)
so I'd guess that extra bit that is supposed to be left unfiled along with
the pipes and tubes might account for the extra? Or maybe the reserve
level is set higher than listed for people who ride thier tanks into the reserve
(which I done only last week).

Fuzzy

[Fuzzygoth]

Haven't heard from locksmith about his gen 2 range  :2fingers  Still, must be difficult juggling computer & forecourt time :pokefun

I was chatting to a gen 2 rider the other day at the biker parking where I work
and he said he generally get 90 to 120 miles till the  fuel light. But I have no idea
what sort of speed/style his riding is.

Fuzzy

[dazza]

Just a little update to irritate certain people   Just beat my old record of 253.3 miles. New record......256.2 and still didn't run out completely. Started to cough and splutter so filled up with 22.4litres. Why do I do this you may ask.....I say, Why not...!

[tomlinscote]

Ooo I thought the tank capacity was 21 litres, how did you get 22.4 in it??

[fireblake]

I get great economy out of my bike, I ride fairly fast but maybe not thrash it through the gears so much. Like someone said earlier this IS the all rounder of bikes. It'll plod along in 6th at 20mph all the way to 150+. I know because I've done it, weekly. I can't see me ever changing it I look at nice shiny new stuff but it's definitely no better but uses way more fuel for the same performance.

[devilsyam]

i have managed 160 before light but no more

[dazza]

I put the nozzle in the tank and just kept squeezing the trigger until all the air in the tank was gone. It takes a while as you think its full but the level drops allowing you to squirt in a bit more. My light came on at 180 miles and from then on I was gentle with the throttle. 76 miles on reserve, for me thats handy to know it can do that. Btw, I agree with you fireblake it certainly would be hard to find a modern replacement.

[pitternator]

well I have managed to get 55 mpg out of my fazer whilst touring ( keeping to legal speeds and gentle throttle use), and that consumption goes skyward on the motorway, especially at 100 mph or more cruising. The engine is fab, its a very efficient  converter of fuel to energy , so gentle use will give much more mpg. As for true tank capacity ...most I have ever put in is 20.5 litres , thats with fuel light on for ages.The range will depend on just how careful you are on the throttle.

as a comparison my latest bike will do 38mpg at 100 mph , 62 mpg at 55 mph....got the chance to test both speeds  on seperate days on my euro tour. In the UK its hard to just potter about if you only ride say once a week!....but on tour you do get the chance to really have a go at getting max fuel consumption.

[manuel32]

When i was researching which bike to buy next, the biggest gripe with Fazer owners was the low MPG from there bikes,

but oddly reading this it goes from 130 miles per tank to 250 , so whats their problem,,if they only get 120 then thats because they are ripping it up,cant do both.

[Falcon 269]

Simple, you've got a Gen 2.  The rest of us talking in this thread have got Gen 1s. 

Can't be them there carbs, cowboy!

[ghostbiker]

Those are gen 1 figures, gen 2 is a diff story

I seem to get around 40 mpg most of the time and for a 140bhp + ltr engine that's not bad
The 1250 bandit was 1 mpg better but nowhere near the fun on the same trips. So much for fi

Really want to test a ZX1000sx for a few days to see its real mpg figures as its the nearest to a well sorted gen 1 I have found.

[Strifae]

Commuting to work on my Gen2 I managed to get 48 mpg out of a tank - 150 miles to nearly empty. Not great but good to know can do it (mix of a roads and motorways sticking to limits more or less)

[manuel32]

I zeroed my milo and filled up with shell super, 109 miles on the clock and started it up at a cafe yesterday and the last black mark on fuel gauge started to flash,,109 i thought,not good,,as i rode looking for fuel the flashing bar stayed constant , when i fefuelled it only took 11.45 litres to the spout neck,,


so if the tank is ,what 18 litres?, then the gauge is set a bit high,and there was loads left in the tank,,
whats the capacity of a gen 2 tank?

[locksmith]

whats the capacity of a gen 2 tank?  -  not enough  :rollin
18 lts according to the manual with a reserve of 3.4 lts

[phil on a fazer]

Just a little update to irritate certain people   Just beat my old record of 253.3 miles. New record......256.2 and still didn't run out completely. Started to cough and splutter so filled up with 22.4litres. Why do I do this you may ask.....I say, Why not...!

How the chuffing hell are you doing this??? i think once i just got over 200 and the light came on...i that was riding like a saint. normally light on at 180ish.

[dazza]

How am I doing it. Well for starters going easy on the throttle but have had a few full throttle moments as well. secondly when I fill up  I absolutely brim it, can take ages But most importantly forget about the natural urge to fill up when the light comes on and keep checking the old fashioned way by looking in the tank  and giving it a little  slosh around . When you think you are dangerously low according to the gauge you'll be amazed at how much is still left in the tank when you look. Give it a try. I find it quite an amusing game to play and would love to see someone beat my record. A measured 1/2 L of fuel carried with you towards the end gives you the confidence to push it that bit further.

[misterjayb1]

Very rarely let the tank run so low... Surely not a good thing suckin the crud that can gather there thru the fuel system?

[Phil TK]

Very rarely let the tank run so low... Surely not a good thing suckin the crud that can gather there thru the fuel system?

This is probably the key to how he manages it! Fine particles of 'crud' have partially blocked his mains jets.
Expect a rather less smug report before long bemoaning fact the engine has gone pop.
:evil

[dazza]

:lol  What is this crud substance you talk of, I have only ever filled mine with petrol but if crud will make it go further, I may give this a try.            My apologies Phil if I come across as smug, not my intention....Thought it may be of interest, that's all.