Re: Improving Mileage

[Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,
Why do people worry so much about the quantity of gas which their 20,000
dollar bike uses??? Most people don't do too many miles a year anyway.
I measured the milage on several bikes.
R1100RS uses 4.8 to 5.4 liter per 100 km, mainly depending on speed and
acceleration and this is the case with all bikes and cars. Even with a
smaller engine, you have to accelerate a mass to a given speed which takes
so much energy. To get the energy out of fuel you have to burn a certain
amount of it. Of course the efficient factor of the machine is the only
thing you can play with but we are talking of fractions in milage.
In 2005 October I rode the K75 to L.A. I made some wind protectors out of
flat alu-plates. The K75 uses just about the same as the RS does at even
situation. On that trip at 60 miles an hour I used 4.8 to 5 l/100 km but at
95 the 750 bike used 8.5-9 liter per 100 km, due o the inefficient wind
protectors. Next season will be 10 years that I have my RS and the cheapest
thing I had during 160,000 km was the fuel.

My wife's Honda Helix 250 cc, at 65 mph uses 4.5 liter/100 km.
The CX500 uses 5.0 liter/100,
The Shadow500 uses 4.6 or more, with over-drive.
So I came to the conclusion that if the milage looks fairly reasonable I
will not worry about it.

By the way returning to your question about publishing some pictures, you
may publish anything you find under:
www.robertsilas.com
 under BMW.
Bob Silas