GAS Budgeting for Rally?

[bob204bc]

I'm enjoying this.

Okay, now I'll make a positive suggestion to the original problem (which has no solution).

Get a siphon hose and shop at night

[Polarbear]

This has happened, from some word I've heard around the USA. Diesel rigs owners are especially concerned about theft of fuels on board. Us bikers are ammune from this, of course. We're respectable. Randy13233

[AZ-J]

This has happened, from some word I've heard around the USA. Diesel rigs owners are especially concerned about theft of fuels on board. Us bikers are ammune from this, of course. We're respectable. Randy13233

And we have locking gas caps.

By the way, fuel thefts are rampant here, too. They are knocking over pumps and siphoning it off the lines with special equipment. A special task force has been assigned to this, but no arrests, yet.

[zekezeller]

I did a little experiment the other day on a moderately hilly New Hampshire 4 lane. I set the cruise on my R1200RT at about 63 and over a 40 mile ride including about 10 miles of 2 lane with a few stop signs I got 63 MPG riding solo with no gear. I normally get 55 MPG riding 2 up with a variety of country/town riding.

Sooo, it may be a slower ride to Gillette but I hope to see significant fuel savings

[wackettrw]

I did a little experiment the other day on a moderately hilly New Hampshire 4 lane. I set the cruise on my R1200RT at about 63 and over a 40 mile ride including about 10 miles of 2 lane with a few stop signs I got 63 MPG riding solo with no gear. I normally get 55 MPG riding 2 up with a variety of country/town riding.

Sooo, it may be a slower ride to Gillette but I hope to see significant fuel savings

Bill,
I agree that reduced speed yields increased gasoline mileage. I am amazed that you got 63 MPG riding solo with no gear and 55 MPG riding 2 up with a variety of country/town riding. Please report what gasoline mileage you get over several concecutive tankfuls. I would be very interested in the average MPG for the R1200RT.

On my 1999 R1100RT, while traveling for an entire summer (solo with lots & lots of camping gear), I would average 50 MPG on the open road at moderate speeds (but fast through the curves), and 45 MPG around town. On my 2004 R1150RT, I average 40 MPG around town with regular gasoline and 45 MPG on long trips on premium gasoline over many consecutive tankfuls.

I will be traveling all summer 2008 (from May 21st to August 21st) on my 2004 R1150RT solo & fully loaded with camping gear, mostly on backroads in Southwestern USA instead of Interstates, and will report to this forum periodically on my MPG. I will state an accurate consecutive tanksfull MPG and also state the type of riding & when I use either regular, mid-Grade & premium gasoline (based upon which is the "best value" at the time of purchase based upon the "price differentials").

Please do the same on your R1200RT. I'd be interested in the MPG on the newer model RT. Please state if you use regular, mid-Grade or premium gasoline. I'd welcome others' comments and experiences on gasoline consumption.

Thanks,
Rich

[milo]

I agree with you about the high gasoline prices. I am traveling through the USA Southwest all summer on my 2004 R1150RT, expect to travel 13,000 miles this summer, and I have budgeted $1,300 for gasoline for the summer. I suggest a seminar at the Gillette National Rally seminar on how we can cut our gasoline consumption on our BMW motorcycles........

We may need to change from actual, to "virtual rally's" :-)

It could be worse, think of the Airstream people that have to go to their rallies!

[SHERIDESABEEMER]

I did a little experiment the other day on a moderately hilly New Hampshire 4 lane. I set the cruise on my R1200RT at about 63 and over a 40 mile ride including about 10 miles of 2 lane with a few stop signs I got 63 MPG riding solo with no gear. I normally get 55 MPG riding 2 up with a variety of country/town riding.

Sooo, it may be a slower ride to Gillette but I hope to see significant fuel savings

OMG 63 MPH on the wide open highways out west? Not worth the fuel savings in my book.

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

Gas prices are not only putting a damper on rallies, but it is affecting the entire economy, or what's left of it . I make a living fishing and using gas is a big part of running a boat. I have seen a drastic drop in my business due to fuel cost...I will ride this summer, come hell or high water, but I will cut on many 'extras' I used to do in the past. My GS gets nearly 50 MPG when ridden less aggressively and that has saved my hide at the gas pump. I only use my truck for towing the boat and that is it. I see more bikes on the roads down here, as gas is 20 $ Ct's over state average in the FL Keys. Can you say RIP-OFF??

[advenbob]

You just got to love those HD people. From a weekly newsletter I receive:


It's rare when a company not only understands its brand, but knows when it is in desperate need of shoring it up and reaffirming its reason for being. Harley-Davidson, which is facing the big cool down in sales after years of explosive growth, is just such a company. In a print ad that ran last Thursday (May 1) in USA Today, Harley let it all hang out with the following copy, which gets at the very essence of what makes the brand unique and special: "We don't do fear. Over the last 105 years in the saddle, we've seen wars, conflicts, depression, recession, resistance, and revolutions. We've watched a thousand hand-wringing pundits disappear in our rear-view mirror. But every time, this country has come out stronger than before. Because chrome and asphalt put distance between you and whatever the world can throw at you. Freedom and wind outlast hard times. And the rumble of an engine drowns out all the spin on the evening news. If 105 years have proved one thing, it's that fear sucks and it doesn't last long. So screw it, let's ride." If you want to read more, go to www.harleydavidson.com/screwit. Congratulations to all involved at Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, and here's to Mark-Hans Richer, for making it happen. - PMD

Sorry if this offends anyone. Just pretty good marketing on the part of a company that knows what it is all about.

bob

[Mar]

I don't budget anything. It is what it is, and I am pretty conservative. I am retired and the thing I wanted to do in retirement is ride. That's what I am doing. That said, I don't take too many day rides anymore--just long ones to rallies. If I go out for a day ride, it's usually to run errands using the bike instead of the car.

I don't use my car as much as I used to. There are many places I just don't go anymore, if it's not necessary. And I plan my errands; I save up trips in different directions in town and run them all at once. In a way, I guess that could be called budgeting the amount of gas I use.

[BMorleyW]

Ouch! Hadn't thought about what gas would really cost on my 4,500 mile trip to Gillette. (Steamboat Springs, CO to Juneau AK, Yukon, Northern BC and Alberta, Wyoming and home again.) My 1150 RT gets about 50 mpg, let's say 45 mpg to be safe - Hmm.. 100 gallons of gas. I understand Canadian gas prices are very high - $5 per gallon - that's $500. I will be camping a lot though so that should save some. Another way to look at it is in my FourRunner I'd be paying over a $1000 for gas. Any way you slice it, the key is to enjoy each mile! Steve

[Visian]

... fear sucks and it doesn't last long. So screw it, let's ride."

...and for guts in advertising.

ian

[zekezeller]

Rich, I have never done it over an extended period but do check it on every tank fill-up. Never have I been below 50 and almost always 55 at the least so this would be a consertive average (55 mpg) 90% 2-up.
Gail, I do push it now and then, my gps registered a top speed of 110 in Florida this past winter but that was just for fun and a short distance. I just started wearing ear plugs and realize it is hard to keep it below 70. I will test it a bit more I am sure on the way to Gellette.

Just getting my 12,000 service at Max BMW in NH now.

See some of you there,
Bill Zeller

[Polarbear]

I love the '07 GSA 1200, but its mpg's really suck wind, compared to the RT's! My new GSA is at 9000 miles now and its only hit 40+ mpg twice and is 36-38mpg most of the time. I'm told it may get better, but I'm starting to have concerns if it will indeed. I've tried all the speeds, per tank and nothing seems to change it, slow or fast riding. Weird? The bike computer is accurate, as I've checked it mathematically myself and get the same result as the bike computer. Disappointed. My diesel pickup F350 is 15 mpg's and it has hit near 5$ a gallon here in CA., so it gets driven very little to do horse errands/hay etcetc...The faired RT's may just have the advantage here. My last KLT1200 did the same at 50+mpg's. Randy13233

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

I love the '07 GSA 1200, but its mpg's really suck wind, compared to the RT's! My new GSA is at 9000 miles now and its only hit 40+ mpg twice and is 36-38mpg most of the time. I'm told it may get better, but I'm starting to have concerns if it will indeed. I've tried all the speeds, per tank and nothing seems to change it, slow or fast riding. Weird? The bike computer is accurate, as I've checked it mathematically myself and get the same result as the bike computer. Disappointed. My diesel pickup F350 is 15 mpg's and it has hit near 5$ a gallon here in CA., so it gets driven very little to do horse errands/hay etcetc...The faired RT's may just have the advantage here. My last KLT1200 did the same at 50+mpg's. Randy13233

You are not alone in the bad milage dept with a 1200GSA.. A friend of mine had an accident with his 1150 GSA and bought a new 1200 GSA and has a similar experience. His 1150 was much better..
My 1150 gets 45-50MPG depending on load, speed and wind. I never ever saw less than 42 MPG.
I have no idea why that is, but if newer bikes are supposed to be better than the 'older' ones I wonder why milage is worse....