Around how many miles per gallon will a new (less than 500 miles on the bike) K1600GTL be expected to get at freeway speeds? And does it change much after the bike is well broken in?
And is the display for MPG on the bike accurate?
-Don- Reno, NV
Around how many miles per gallon will a new (less than 500 miles on the bike) K1600GTL be expected to get at freeway speeds? And does it change much after the bike is well broken in?
And is the display for MPG on the bike accurate?
-Don- Reno, NV
Original owner of:
1971 BMW R75/5
1984 Yamaha Venture
2002 Suzuki DR200 SE
"freeway speeds" means different things in different parts of the country! As expected, the bike gets a lot better mileage at 55 than at 80.Originally Posted by DonTom
That said, maybe this will help ball park it: My experience is that it is as good as, but not much better than, my K12LTs and R11/12RTs.
Mark Neblett
Fairfax, VA
#32806
I don't have a K1600, but my 2011 K1300S mileage went up approx. 3 or 4 MPG after 5,000 or 6,000 miles.
The only way to know if your display for MPG is accurate, is to manual calculate it and compare. I check my from time to time.
Lee 2011 K1300S
MOA # 30878
Past BMW Bikes, 2003 K1200RS, 1991 K75S, 1987 K75T(bought new in 1988), 1984 R100RT
Thanks all. That seems to answer all my questions about the K1600GTL MPG.
-Don- Reno, NV
Original owner of:
1971 BMW R75/5
1984 Yamaha Venture
2002 Suzuki DR200 SE
I get between 38 and 42 mpg. I find the gauge and trip computer to be incredibly accurate on my GTL. Based on the first 4 fill ups comparing mpg by hand and bike computer they were all within 1 mpg. I haven't bothered with the manual method since the last check.
My riding is mostly urban or twisties and very little highway and I'm getting about 37 mpg on my K16GT. This bike is a torque monster and it's going to be bad on gas and tires and I'm lovin every minute of it.
+1, Gunny; also getting 37 mpg on my K16GT, at 5K miles "Gisele" needs new tires!
Don Stanley; aka Chuy Medina "El Burrito Ballerina"
BMWMOA #24810; www.azbeemers.org/forum #89
+1 on 37mpg. I'd guess if I lose 100lbs I'd be up near 45.
Just put on Michelin pr3's this morning very impressed so far. Fwiw
I weigh about 180 and if I lost 100 lbs I'd be dead. I think if you put it in "rain" mode and pussyfooted around in the clunk zone on the tach, you'd get better gas mileage but the question would be why would you buy a bike like this and ride it like that? The only number on this bike I care about is the one on the odometer and getting enough saddle time to keep it increasing - it's that good. Gas mileage, it never occurred to me to ask about it...
I decided to see what kind of mileage I could get with the GTL. I drove Interstate highway, straight, flat, and boring at 75 mph for the first 200 miles, 37 mpg. Then I came home on the back roads, straight, flat, and boring, at 55 mph, 47 mpg. I think I could have done better if I'd have put it in rain mode. On the two lane back roads I have to go thru quite a few small towns, so much more accelerating than on interstate. I suspect if I drove the interstate at 55 I would get into the 50 mpg range. So if you want to drive it like an idiot you can probably get 50+ mpg. On the other hand if you want to drive like it is meant to be driven you'll probably never see 37!
Hmmmm, I can't seem to get more than 36 on my GTL... but its fun to ride!
Got around 38 looking through the windshield. Started looking over it and started getting just under 45 after lowering it. When raised it goes very verticle and pushes more air.
I use MPG as justification along with other reasons when telling people why I'm riding to work when it's less than a comfortable temp outside or raining, but now I feel like I'm lying. I hope I'm getting 37 but with the tachometer always north of 4K I think its wishful thinking.
2012 K1600GTL
FWIW - just ticked over 14k miles and I'm seeing 41-42mpg pretty regularly . . .unless the testosterone is flowing then I see 38-39. My best tank so far (riding Natchez Trace) was 47mpg.
Only down to 280lbs so far . . .if I get down to 220 I figure I'll be seeing 45-46mpg pretty easily. Biggest thing is speed as near as I can tell ..bike loves to run 70mph + . .but sweet spot for mileage appears to be around 63-64mph. (I'd imagine windscreen height, etc will make a huge difference)
Headed out on Friday for 1400 miles on the flatlands and probably won't be pushing too hard so I'll see what I get then.
I would consider that you see an increase/improvement in mpg after about 10,000 miles. 5 or 6K are not really enough to consider it "broken in".
Here is my update:
5,600 miles almost exclusively two-up.
Good mix of interstate freeway and curvy roads (about 40/60)
42mpg
still original tires
still original water pump
Mike Simon
78 BMW R100S, 90 BMW K1; 99 BMW R1100RT, 12 K1600GT
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