Gas mileage

Hello,

Historically my bike has gotten around 44 mpg on the highway. My typical cruising speed on an interstate is around 75 mph. I've gotten as bad as the low 30s with a really dirty K&N air filter.

Around the beginning of this summer, I got my bike running after it sitting for almost 2 years with a blown head gasket. I decoked the head, had new exhaust valves and guides installed, and had all four valve seats recut. The rest of the engine has around 40,000 miles on it. I also changed from a Ram Flo foam filter to a stock air filter.

My gas mileage on the Interstate has gone up, averaging about 47 mpg for pretty much the whole summer. A few weeks ago I changed from Thomaselli adjustable clubman bars to a set of clip-ons. My gas mileage on the interstate has averaged 52 mpg for the last 3 tankfuls. With the clip-ons, my hands are about 2 inches lower than with the clubman bars. Could the aerodynamics be that much better? I'd think they might be worth maybe a few tenths of a mile per gallon. Could my gas mileage increase be because the air is denser as it's gotten cooler here in North Carolina? I'd think they're probably starting to put oxygenated gas out now, which I'd expect would hurt my mpg, unless maybe was running too rich before.

Any other data points?

-Eric

It would be my guess that you have found a sweet spot via your new arm position. You can do this too by following someone leading the way you’re unconsciously having to adapt to a speed that is dictated and adjust your distance. Your case is one of being just a little closer to the motor noise so you can hear what your throttle is doing. Pulling ever so little less on the cable and maintaining your selected speed. It would be like having a big vacuum gage in your face and knowing right were it needs to point. My little 750 in third gear staying right at 50 MPH on the side roads gets me 59 MPG. It’s a combination of things not just one.

I ran around the rural roads at 50 mph for distance of approx.78 miles.
I refueled at the same station same pump and same octane rating upon returning home.I computed 49 miles per gallon.
I have a stock set up 72 combat 750.
I sit upright as it is still in roadster regalia. No wind screen
I'm pleased with that.
I look for fuel seriously at around 100 miles into a trip :shock:
Marshal

Not to hi-jack this thread, but how is it that you have Vivian sitting on a yellow combat ?
Photoshop ?

Cheers.