How to improve MPG in my 2009?

a power commander is exactly what you need to get better fuel economy out of your bike. having the fueling proper results in more power, meaning it takes less power to get to the same speeds, meaning less fuel is actually used, even if on the fueling map, fuel is added. since it's being use efficiently, you end up gaining mpg, not losing it. the trick is, you gotta get a power commander, it has the highest tuning resolution, and you have to have it dyno tuned with a custom fuel map made for your bike.
 
I get a solid 43 mpg on a stock setup with moderate, not insane, riding. Once you start twisting the grip, often for no apparent reason, the mileage will suffer quickly. I consider gas $$ as just an entertainment expense, it's not going to blow a hole in my budget whether I get 43 mpg or 33 mpg. Have fun and don't worry about the gas cost.
 
jared p said:
a power commander is exactly what you need to get better fuel economy out of your bike. having the fueling proper results in more power, meaning it takes less power to get to the same speeds, meaning less fuel is actually used, even if on the fueling map, fuel is added. since it's being use efficiently, you end up gaining mpg, not losing it. the trick is, you gotta get a power commander, it has the highest tuning resolution, and you have to have it dyno tuned with a custom fuel map made for your bike.
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I was wondering that and I guess the mechanic that is at GoAZ motorcycles by me is one of the top dynotuners in the country, when he does a custom map it is down to 500 rpm's (the guy said an average tuner will do it around 1000 rpm's).

Evitzee said:
I get a solid 43 mpg on a stock setup with moderate, not insane, riding. Once you start twisting the grip, often for no apparent reason, the mileage will suffer quickly. I consider gas $$ as just an entertainment expense, it's not going to blow a hole in my budget whether I get 43 mpg or 33 mpg. Have fun and don't worry about the gas cost.
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I see you have the 2010 which they started to fix the mpg issue compared to the 2009. I had already ordered my bike otherwise I would have kept looking for a 2007 or 2010 when I found out about the mpg.

The money isn't a big issue to me it's the variability in performance. I'm used to my cars which if there was changes in fuel mileage or poor fuel mileage it usually meant something wasn't running properly. I've been keeping the RPM betwen 3000-4500 when riding and not doing any rabbit starts like I would in the past. I mean the best I've got is 33 and the worst is 23. My Fz6 was a steady 40-43 mpg without much variability. I ordered a Carbtune from the UK to see if maybe getting the timing adjusted for a smoother running engine may help and I'll probably do an oil change and start using full synthetic.
 
Oh, and an FYI for those that do not have corrected speedos... your MPG is off. I *thought* I was getting 33 - 35 mpg until I corrected the bike with the SpeedoDRD. :eek5: Not as good when you take away the built-in speedo error. ;)
 
Cobalt, I believe the odometer is correct on the stock bike. While the speedometer does read high from the factory, the odometer is correct within 1%. This is intentional and I have understood this to be the standard way of doing things.

I recently verified my 919 to read speed 10% high and mileage within 1%. My SV650 was much the same. I never did GPS verify the gen 1 FZ1 but I'm sure it was the same.
 
Dustin said:
Cobalt, I believe the odometer is correct on the stock bike. While the speedometer does read high from the factory, the odometer is correct within 1%. This is intentional and I have understood this to be the standard way of doing things.

I recently verified my 919 to read speed 10% high and mileage within 1%. My SV650 was much the same. I never did GPS verify the gen 1 FZ1 but I'm sure it was the same.
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I don't know if it is intended or not but what I can verify is that when my wife and I take our FZ1s out for a tour, we fill up, set the trip meter and ride off. Her bike is not corrected and she always comes back with more miles on the trip meter than my corrected bike. Seems to be right in that 6-7% spot too. ;)
 
The odo is much more precise than the speed. I verified this with GPS and tracking, I guess your healer makes a mistake in the odo? I do not know how Yamaha does it internally but with my GPS I see the speed being of by about 5% and the odo less than 1%.

MPG well, I got about 40-41 in good touring speed and even when excessive sport riding it was never below 38. However adding the PCV changed it to 37mpg and now in the cold temperature the ECU overcompensates without the O2 sensor and I get something like 35mpg maybe even lower. I will try to make a switch for the O2 sensor and the map so I can run a special winter map with the O2 sensor connected and a smoother and less lean map (compared to stock) in the summer.
 
Cobalt said:
I don't know if it is intended or not but what I can verify is that when my wife and I take our FZ1s out for a tour, we fill up, set the trip meter and ride off. Her bike is not corrected and she always comes back with more miles on the trip meter than my corrected bike. Seems to be right in that 6-7% spot too. ;)
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Interesting. The only way to know for sure is with a GPS I guess

Are your bikes identical? Same size rear tire, same sprockets, etc?
 
Cobalt said:
Oh, and an FYI for those that do not have corrected speedos... your MPG is off. I *thought* I was getting 33 - 35 mpg until I corrected the bike with the SpeedoDRD. :eek5: Not as good when you take away the built-in speedo error. ;)
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How do you like the SpeedoDRD? I was looking at the Speedohealer but that is like $40 more.
 
Cobalt said:
I don't know if it is intended or not but what I can verify is that when my wife and I take our FZ1s out for a tour, we fill up, set the trip meter and ride off. Her bike is not corrected and she always comes back with more miles on the trip meter than my corrected bike. Seems to be right in that 6-7% spot too. ;)
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If your bike is corrected, then the odo will read less than stock too as the speedo correction devices affect both speedo and odo. This is pretty well known. According to the GPS I have found my stock ODO to be pretty damn correct and speedo off by 5%
 
Dustin said:
Interesting. The only way to know for sure is with a GPS I guess

Are your bikes identical? Same size rear tire, same sprockets, etc?
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Sounds like an opportunity to setup my Contour +2 and run the GPS map settings on 5hz to get the most accurate timing with the speedo.
 
There have been a few posts suggesting to keep the rev's low and even lugging the engine ..... WRONG, this is damaging to the engine and is NEVER recommended. Keep the revs up for controllability and overall performance. Anyone who has a machine that is well tuned and running well is fretting about nothing and is wasting his time. There are more important things to worry about than the relatively small component of fuel costs in the overall experience of motorcycling.
 
Evitzee said:
There have been a few posts suggesting to keep the rev's low and even lugging the engine ..... WRONG, this is damaging to the engine and is NEVER recommended. Keep the revs up for controllability and overall performance. Anyone who has a machine that is well tuned and running well is fretting about nothing and is wasting his time. There are more important things to worry about than the relatively small component of fuel costs in the overall experience of motorcycling.
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It's not the cost of fuel, After spending more time on my bike and gettting some cold morning starts in I think there might be something to be adjusted in the timing. There are a few I don't know how to describe weak points in the throttle/RPM band that the bike loses a little power or is not as smooth. Also the idle doesn't sound as good as I think it should. It reminds me of an older muscle car that has it's idle set a certain point that is a little low and when the idle drops there is what sounds like maybe an incomplete ignition or weak ignition.

I have ordered a Carbtune and should get it by this weekend and will be able to play around with the Throttle Body adjustments. I think fully warm my idle is sitting right around 1000 rpm, maybe 1100. Cold the RPM is around 1200, mabye 1300.
 
Put the ideal hot to 1200 or 1300, 1000 is too low, the oilpump does not work well below 1200. If the throttle bodies are out of sync the rpm are jumping a bit at ideal, however if it is less than 1000 than this will always be the case.
 
My 2010 chuggs fuel like a mofo.
It's modded a fair bit but even stock it was nothing special.
In comparison, my much more powerful 2006 GSX-R1000 was much better on fuel.
Maybe it's the 5 valve engine in that it makes most of its power after 7K rpm?

Sent from my SG3
 
Well guys I have taken some footage with the Contour +2 with the GPS set at 5hz. It should be the most accurate representation of actual speed. It seems that my speedo is off by about 3-5 mph depending on my speed, or close to 10%.

Any recommendations on a speedometer corrector and why that brand would be helpful.

Contour | Stories | FILE0009
 
Quoting Evitzee:
There have been a few posts suggesting to keep the rev's low and even lugging the engine ..... WRONG, this is damaging to the engine and is NEVER recommended. Keep the revs up for controllability and overall performance. Anyone who has a machine that is well tuned and running well is fretting about nothing and is wasting his time. There are more important things to worry about than the relatively small component of fuel costs in the overall experience of motorcycling.

I agree with the above post. These engines are much happier, and perform mush better when allowed to rev. I also believe that the word LUGGING may not be the proper description of how to get better gas mileage. Imagine slowing down to 30 MPH in 6th gear, turning 2000 RPM. Without downshifting, you open the throttle half way. The engine shudders and vibrates the bike - that is lugging the engine and very bad for it. The thing is - that at low RPM you should just barely open the throttle any more than it takes to just maintain a steady speed. The FZ1 will very slowly accelerate while the engine is still performing smoothly. This - results in improved MPG. But the acceleration is sooooo gradual that it is either boring, or not compatible with traffic conditions, so it is much safer to gear down and let her rev. Gas mileage can best be improved when riding very gently and slowly, on an abandoned road where no outside influences are causing you to accelerate quickly.
 
WABBMW said:
Gas mileage can best be improved when riding very gently and slowly, on an abandoned road where no outside influences are causing you to accelerate quickly.
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Uhhh I tend to not be able to ride on desolate abandoned roads as my brain shifts into full retard and I tend to crash. I get the gently and slowly part but I can't do it. :nothing::dontknow:
 
Ssky0078 said:
Uhhh I tend to not be able to ride on desolate abandoned roads as my brain shifts into full retard and I tend to crash. I get the gently and slowly part but I can't do it. :nothing::dontknow:
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At least you can laugh at yourself!

As for MPG, I don't care much. I want SPG. Smiles Per Gallon. I get plenty! However, my bike runs well and does not lug above 2K RPM with the mods. Not possible when it was stock. I get the best MPG when my wife is ridding with me and that means I'm running with all the luggage. I ride smoother and accelerate lighter and shift around 4.5K RPMs.
 
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