MPG on 1300GT

[gwood]

So...Has anyone put enough miles on a 1300GT to get an accurate MPG figure?

I'm about to give up on getting my 07 RT to fit me. I took it in for the 12,000 mile service, and got a 1200GT as a loaner....Sweet! A nice easy lean forward with the bars set to the mid position! I'm seriously thinking of returning to the Dark Side now.

One of the things I would miss about the RT is the great MPG, which normally ranges between 47 to 50 mpg. Just curious what the difference in mileage would be?

[DMilan]

So...Has anyone put enough miles on a 1300GT to get an accurate MPG figure?

I'm about to give up on getting my 07 RT to fit me. I took it in for the 12,000 mile service, and got a 1200GT as a loaner....Sweet! A nice easy lean forward with the bars set to the mid position! I'm seriously thinking of returning to the Dark Side now.

One of the things I would miss about the RT is the great MPG, which normally ranges between 47 to 50 mpg. Just curious what the difference in mileage would be?

My brief ownership experience with an '08 GT yielded low to mid 40s when ridden in my ususal fashion.
Call it 42 43 44ish
The RT achieves better in this regard.
The smaller tank on the GT (a gallonish ,as I recall) conspires with the mpg drop to lessen ones range considerably.

I wouldn't expect that an increase in displacement in combination with zero other applicable driveline changes will improve fuel efficiency on the 1300s.
Maybe engine management sofware, if programmed for the goal, could bring an mpg or 2. Don't think the goal here was fuel efficiency. The
1300s make MORE power than the 1200s.

The (never bonded) departed '08 GT did better than my '04 GT, also departed, in the range per tank of fuel department, but not by much. Maybe achieved 40additional miles per tank of fuel. The 2 GTs seemed to be very similar in the mpg department, the '08 had the larger tank, thus the better range.

DMilan
'05RT

[gwood]

Several magazines in Germany tested the K1300GT. One had a tester ride it from Stuttgart to Rome. The fuel consumption varied from 5.8L/100km to 6.3L/100km, which equates to 44.3 MPG to 37.5 MPG. I think the best mileage in the U.S. will be higher as we usually don't run the engine at constant high rpms.

Although not nearly as good as I had hoped, it's not terrible. I guess overall that's not too bad, considering the displacement and HP it puts out. I've talked to a couple Connie 14 owners who said that they would be happy to break 40 mpg at interstate speeds, so for the class it seems on par.

After I posted I found some info from BMW that claims, if my math is correct, 45 mpg @ 55mph, and 40.5 mpg @ 75mph.

Thanks for the replies! I have travel out of the country for the next two weeks, but when I get back, I'm going to head down to Bentonville BMW and see if I can snag a test ride.

[siberianrunner]

Getting 45 mpg on my K1300GT at 3000 miles and a variety of driving conditions

[DWR302]

40MPG on the new GT. Got 42 on the RT. Both do much better if you keep them under 70 MPH.

[Semper_Fi]

Been as high as 42, last fill up (yesterday) my average calculated to 40.3

[SugarHillCTD]

Don't know if anyone saw the recent MC magazine article comparing the 1300GT and the Kawasaki Concours.

(I get several and at the moment I can't place my hand on it or even remember which magazine it is in)

The comparison wasn't exactly apples to apples since the GT was loaded and the Kaw was not but that isn't important for this forum thread.

Both have 6 speed transmissions. The point that I found interesting is that in 6th gear the GT was running similar revs as the Concours in 4th.

So the BMW is spinning some high engine rpm's just running down the highway. This might account for some of the higher fuel consumption.

But oddly enough the new C1400 does not get great fuel mileage either. Go figure.

[Semper_Fi]

A guy at work has a Concurs and I asked him what would he be doing in 6th gear at 5000 rpm, he told me over 100 and in the GT i'm doing 80-85.

:lurk

[CptnHornblower]

I just bought a new 08 K1200GT and I've been amazed at the milage I'm getting. I averaged 52 mpg during the breakin period when I was going Interstate speed in 3rd and 4th grears. Now with 1400 miles on the bike I'm gettting closer to 54, but I'm milking it for MPGs.

[Semper_Fi]

I just bought a new 08 K1200GT and I've been amazed at the milage I'm getting. I averaged 52 mpg during the breakin period when I was going Interstate speed in 3rd and 4th grears. Now with 1400 miles on the bike I'm gettting closer to 54, but I'm milking it for MPGs.

Wow -- that is great 52!!

I just finished my break in and I am happy with low low 40's?

What's your secret?

[CptnHornblower]

I don't know what my trick is. Maybe being in Reno at an altitude of 4500 ft it's running leaner that at sea level? I really don't know but I love it. Just got back from an 80 mile ride on Geiger Grade and back; I was running between 40 and 90 mph in 3rd and 4 gear mostly (4 to 6K RPMs) and my computer said I averaged 51 mpg.

I said something to my mechanic when I took it in for its 600 mile service and he commented that they'd gotten much more fuel efficient in the last few years.:brad

[pakyohmeca]

I now have 11,900 miles on my 1300GT. The MPG at home in Florida is 42.6. Recently I took a trip across the country and got as high as 54MPG in Colorado, Utah and Nevada. I must also tell you that a fellow rider on an HD also saw these significantly better MPG's. We didn't see the "Ethanol" signs on the pumps and we wondered if that could be the cause of the improvement. As we headed back East and South the MPG's continued to drop and I am back in my 42+ range.

Don S

[CptnHornblower]

We have ethanol in our gas out here too, so I doubt that's the reason. I bet it is the altitude, Colorado, Utah and Nevada are all three pretty high in elevation. Reno is at 4500, and I usually ride in the moutains where the elevation would be between 4500 and 7000. I used to fly small planes, and I remember I had to lean the mixture more and more the higher I flew; less Os in the air the leaner the mixture.

It will be interesting to see other responses to this thread.

[pakyohmeca]

We have ethanol in our gas out here too, so I doubt that's the reason. I bet it is the altitude, Colorado, Utah and Nevada are all three pretty high in elevation. Reno is at 4500, and I usually ride in the moutains where the elevation would be between 4500 and 7000. I used to fly small planes, and I remember I had to lean the mixture more and more the higher I flew; less Os in the air the leaner the mixture.

It will be interesting to see other responses to this thread.

Capt Bruce
I will agree with you on the altitude being the cause of the improved MPG. I never would of guessed that it would be that much of a change- from 42.6 to 54+ is really significant.

Don S

[CLafkas]

I now have about 3500 miles. City driving I'm averaging minimum mid 40s, and on the highway easily mid 50s.
Of course it's all in your driving style and how itching is your throttle hand.

[alienwolf]

Well, I realize this question originally posted in April, but I only recently discovered this site.
I picked up my 1300GT in April and averaged 35MPG or so during break in. Now at 6000 miles, It reads 39.2MPG. This is mostly city and maybe 10% freeway, and I would have to say that the gain in MPG is probably more contributable to my increased familiarity with this new beast.
It certainly is a different kind of animal and took me some getting use to.

[carockwell]

With ultra powerful cars, the tendency is to drive at close to a steady speed with the throttle on for a hundred yards or so, and then back off to where you are almost coasting for another hundred yards. Your speed doesn't vary much but the throttle is constantly opening and closing. With powerful cars, their mpg will improve quite a bit if you can manage to keep the throttle steady all the time, but it is hard to do! I don't know if this applies to K-Bikes, but it would make sense if it did.

[sprinz]

Seeing 49 MPG with steady mix of highway and city .... driving "sanely" without passion !

Seeing 45 MPG driving with "said Passion"

Lot's of fun - great economy ...... almost feel guilty :0

[Semper_Fi]

with passion 39-42

sanely upto 54!!!

But that was in a controlled 50-55 mph pace........... snoozin'

[2wheelunit]

My last 3 tank average was 44.17 in a mix of city,rural & hiway.

[119240]

I got a K12S - Like Semper - Fi - I'm at 38-42 here in the New England.
The best I got was down & back from Johnson City was 47 MPG doing 70-80 on Rt 81. I have also drilled out my gas collar / neck to add more gas in as well.

[Bullet]

That's 49.5 miles per Imperial gallon.
This equates to 41.2 miles per U.S. gallon.
Or 5.7 liters per 100 kilometers.
The bike is now 5 months old and has 18,000 km
on the odometer (11,200 miles).
I'm pleased with the mpg I'm getting when the performance
aspects of the bike are taken into consideration.
And, of course, the degree to which the throttle is twisted
which, on most occasions, is a considerable amount.

How about tires per season?
Now there's a topic worthy of discussion.
So far: one season, two sets of tires.

[Semper_Fi]

.......I'm pleased with the mpg I'm getting when the performance aspects of the bike are taken into consideration.
And, of course, the degree to which the throttle is twisted
which, on most occasions, is a considerable amount.

I agree with you 100% when you consider the flat out mindboggling acceleration capability of this bike, turning in the mpg it does, it is rather outstanding.