870 mile fuel usage

Hello.
I like to use multiple tank fills for calculating fuel usage since it's too easy to make errors with single tank calculations. I think many "outlier" fuel usage claims are due to underfills/overfills/slow riding/fast riding, etc.
Saving fuel receipts for several tanks and using the indicated distances from the odometer, the mileage with 45.2 MPG.
Riding conditions varied from around town to highway. I am happy to keep up with traffic at an indicated 80 - 85 MPH. Occasionally see 90 and bounced off of 100 three times. To offset this however, I generally accelerate slowly and never go much over indicated speed limits off the freeway.
This is very comparable to my Prius. Almost exactly the same under the same conditions. It's like having two Prii, but one is fun!

I'm lazy and I just calculate it every tankful, so I'm sure my numbers are off by a few mpg every time.

But there is a dramatic change in my mpg when driving on the interstate (70 mph) vs highways (55-60 mph) When I rode mostly interstate on a recent trip from Louisville to Nashville I only got around 42-45 MPG, but when I keep the speed down the MPG improves drastically, more like 55-57 MPG. I haven't tried "hypermiling" with the swing because it's not practical or safe to determine real time mileage, but I cannot even get close to that much improvement with my car.

I just round mine up

Don't bother at all now. (Too depressing)

Note, must slow down!!!!!

DB, I know what you're talking about. Lower speed really improves mileage. I own a Prius and the mileage is almost exactly the same as the Swing. At 65-70, both the Prius and Swing get low to mid-50's under good conditions (no long uphill grades, headwinds, etc.) and drops to mid-40's at 75-80.
Aero resistance increases with the square of speed and aero drag seems to really come into play above ~55 MPH (~110 KPH).
The Swing is not very aerodynamic. I would estimate the Cd = 0.65(?), with a frontal area of ~1.2 m^2(?). The Prius Cd = ~0.31 with a frontal area of ~2.5 m^2.
Aero could be greatly improved at the cost of "beauty", which IS in the eye of the beholder... YMMV

I think there was a thread about the larger windshields costing some MPG as well. I imagine if you were around 5'4" and could fit under the stock windshield you would get better mpg and less buffeting, but that doesn't include a lot of people in the US I'm afraid. I'm 5'10 and behind semi trucks on the interstate I feel like I'm in a boxing match.

I am currently using a Laminar Lip that deflects most of the wind over my head (or maybe right at it at 70.) I think the aerodynamics plays a great deal into the MPG also.

DB, I have the large Givi and I can definitely feel wind and coming out from behind trucks, etc. The aero load is very high compared to the original windscreen but I'm willing to pay for it for comfort. I rode with Dimond and tried his adjustable Givi which was a real luxury.

Last 12 tanks of gas for me averaged 52mpg (2008) using ODOMETER reading as my mileage. The riding was about half on freeways (70mph actual) and the rest twisties (50mph actual) along with up/down Sierra mountain passes (10,000 elevation gains). When I go down Route 5 towards LA (70mph posted - 78 mph actual) it is as if there seems to be a tiny hole in my gas tank - don't know what the mpg was - but it was not pretty.

It would be curious to see what the MPG was at max throttle for a full tank.

DuggleBogey wrote:

It would be curious to see what the MPG was at max throttle for a full tank.

Low 40's I reckon, maybe even high 30's!!!!! Won't be a lot thats for sure.

I'm pretty heavy handed and I'm getting about 47 mpg. I did have a sedate month a while back and reckon using the sites general rule of thumb for MPG measurement, ie full tank down to when the first fuel block disappears!!!!. made in excess of 50 mpg.

TBH, I'm not overly bothered, its the fun not the expense, (at the moment).

DuggleBogey wrote:

It would be curious to see what the MPG was at max throttle for a full tank.

Dan Spevack may be able to answer that one

I'd volunteer to check under the right conditions!

Waspie wrote:

TBH, I'm not overly bothered, its the fun not the expense, (at the moment).

Indeed...when I tell people I can get nearly 60mpg if I drive it right they start drooling. Until I tell them that even with my long commute (almost 100 mi per day) I save enough in gas to pay for the insurance or the tires, not both.

Over the 6000 miles since I got my Wing, I've averaged 48.8 miles per gallon

I was a bit heavy handed with the throttle for the first couple of months .
Lately my weekly average has been consistently over 50mpg doing mostly
70 mph on the interstate on my commute back and forth to work.

Just thought i throw in my 2 cents:

On my 2002 SW with the "training wheels" (Danson Trike Conversion Kit), I'm averaging around 44mpg. That's traveling on suburban type roads w/35 & 45 mph speed limits. Sometimes I kick it up a notch or two (50-55-60) to 'burn out the carbon.'

I'll only be checking the mileage every now & again to see if anything may have gone askew. It is what it is - I just LUV driving this machine. I get the same feeling as when I used to run my speedboat on the Sassafras River in MD.

---as an aside: Surlybiker58 - For many, many yrs I would be driving right by Elkton, MD (I95/R40/R213) on my way to & from the Sassafras!

Homer W

From my end, thanks to Mileage+ (since I started tracking),

Average fuel economy: 47.92 mpg
Worst fuel economy: 40.40 mpg
Best fuel economy: 61.59 mpg
Distance Between Fillups
Average Distance: 128.74 mi
Μinimum Distance: 39 mi
Maximum Distance: 207 mi

Btw - I remember that 61.59 mpg day as a trip from near my home with a strong tailwind going to Wisconson. The return trip was the 40.40 mpg reading and was the refuel about 2/3rds of the way back.

Here is what I have observed on my 2005 Silverwing. . .If I watch the RPM
and keep it at 5000 while riding as much as possible, I will average about 52 miles to the U. S. Gallon of gasoline. I use 87 oct. or above and stay away from the enhanced additives. I am 6'2" and with riding gear about 230 lbs. and have the Givi 214 wind screen. I do have the adjustable but don't like cleaning the bugs off of it so don't have it on right now. I have found that the key on MPG is the 5000 RPM
Old Dave in Western Nebraska

I just picked up an 08 in Miami.Rode alligator alley and at 7k really drinks gas.Next time I'll check the milage for that run.I need to open her up to see what belt and rollers she has.I'm 3rd owner and 2nd owner doesn't know other than was told a kevlar belt was put on between 5-10k,now at 13k.

So much great info on this site  

Mudnman, welcome to the best Silverwing site on the web. You really should go to the Introductions page and tell us a little about yourself, here is the link https://www.silverwing600.com/f1-introductions
Here is what it says at the top of the page that you must have missed.
"Welcome to the home for Honda SilverWing and everyone interested. This is a place to ask questions, share, and learn about the SilverWing and its dedicated riders. Please post an introduction when you join as a sign of Courtesy."

Hello!

Just a little observation: the 2nd owner said a Kevlar belt had been fitted. Honda belts have Kevlar in; don't be fooled into fitting non-Honda belts advertised as being better because they are 'Kevlar belts'.
I am of the opinion that most maxiscooter riders get better value - miles per £/$ - from a belt sold by the maker of the scooter than from any other......please nore I said 'most', not 'all'. :-)

Well the last two belts i fitted came from Wemoto.com. One at 16,000mls and changed again at 32,000mls. The first showed little wear but i thought i might as well change. They cost half the price of the Honda dealer belt.