Poor fuel economy

[cyphertheory]

I am currently getting very poor fuel economy out of my SVSk5, only about 80 miles or so before the warning light begins to flash and maybe 95 before it goes solid.

i work in London and do about 25 miles a day each way i wouldnt say that i ride either agressivly or conservitivly


mods on the bike are SV1000 snorkle, but standard air filter
14T front and 46T rear
did change the TPS sensor to add fuel at 1800rpm, but have changed that back to the factory setting of 3500rpm or so
did the TRE mod, but felt no difference so set it back
i have a stubby dual port exhaust with the baffles outi already have a 15T front that is going on the bike this weekend or next, and i was really considering going back to the original end can to see if that will improve things

dont know if anything else could be affecting it (throttle body balancing, dodgy plugs ect, i have no idea just throwing those out there)

most people report about 120 or so to a tank in town, but i cant seem to get anywhere close and with fuel prices the way they are i need to sort this before im bankrupt!

any ideas

[jambo]

When was the bike last serviced? What was done then?

[plowsie]

Its the 14t front sprocket, i get the same mate.

[plowsie]

Can is better than standard IMO.

[Pedro68]

I'm getting fairly poor economy too ... but then I'm usually either wringing the neck out of it down the motorway or as soon as hit the A-roads its all stop-start as I catch up, then overtake cars on my way to/from work ... it's a pain as there are quite a few stretches that are double solids, and even at 6:30am I won't cross 'em just in case some tractor decides to pull out of some farm on the right.

But I just accept the economy because of the way I ride it ... if I was ar$ed then I'd be pootling down the motorways at about 56mph ;-)

I have a Micron can, and I remember having the original can on last year, but I can't honestly remember it making any difference to my fuel consumption though.

[cyphertheory]

@Jambo

i was serviced in sept, did it myself new oil and filter, chain and sprockets, tyres and filters, checked the plugs

actually it has been using a bit more oil then usual as well

@plowsie and pedro68

hopefully i wont have to lose the end can :D

ill find out if swapping back to the 15T makes a difference soon enough

[Viney]

Add into the equation that the bike will be 'on choke' for longer during the winter. I drop about 10-15 miles to a tank in the winter. So from around 120-110/105 ish.

Running the front sprocket can make a difference as well. Its the need to rag it everywhere that does it.. Also have you ever had the fueling set to the can and mods?

[gettin2dizzy]

How much fuel do you normally put in?

[plowsie]

actually yer i'm puttin a tenner in and gettin the mileage you are mate.

[G]

Add into the equation that the bike will be 'on choke' for longer during the winter. I drop about 10-15 miles to a tank in the winter. So from around 120-110/105 ish.


This is always a massive factor and something i was going to say. I notice it on the bike and the cars when winter comes around, sometime 5/6mpg less or about 50/60 miles a tank less on the car.

If you just doing short journeys its even worse.

[yorkie_chris]

Balance it up and see if it improves things

[fizzwheel]

only about 80 miles or so before the warning light begins to flash and maybe 95 before it goes solid.

I had that out of a completely standard K6 loan bike, mind you I did completely rag it :D

Short town journeys or a lot of town riding kills fuel economy, plus with the colder weather I'd also expect to see the economy fall off to.

[Viney]

My carbed SV does the same milage (As i live in Beckenham and work in london) has a race can and std everything else and is getting approx 110 to tank (1st stage flashing light) To solid its getting 130 still!!

[gettin2dizzy]

If you put a tener in then that's just the sensor going off earlier than on other peoples bike. Every one seems slightly different- remember it's a 17 litre/£ tank.

My cars getting 60-100 miles less per tank in this weather!

[plowsie]

yer 65 and the light came on today, mind you that was pretty much empty tank with £10 in.

[jambo]

yer 65 and the light came on today, mind you that was pretty much empty tank with £10 in.
Unless you're working from full it's fairly meaningless, if I put £4 in I get to reserve so fast you wouldn't believe it :D

[cyphertheory]

always fill the tank to the top, so about £14 if i dont go past the reserve.

i never had the fueling set up for the can and the bigger air intake

im hoping that putting the 15T back on makes the difference

thanks for the ideas guys

how do i balance the throttle bodies?

[yorkie_chris]

The search function.

I think theres a picture tutorial about somewhere :confused:

[ljharmitt]

once the light is solid how long do you have in miles in reality?

[plowsie]

Bout 5 I think it is???? Helpppp

[freddifredfred]

How many miles you done too do you need oyur valv clearances checking, oil could be getting through giving you lower compression, oil getting past (white smoke form the exhaust) and also causing poor fuel consumtion.

I'v got a curvey, and if there dirt in the carbs that can cause bad fuel economy.

I get 137 before light flashes and ride it till 150 before i fill her. That usually costs me about 13 - 14 quid. If I in a rush i run her until the lights steady. Doing this iv had 170 out of her, but have also been afraid she gonna conk out on me, although never has.

[ethariel]

Look i know it sounds stupid BUT, i did the Sv1000 snorkel swap on my 650 and fuel economy dropped. Best part of 20 to the tank less, now i may be going senile but ill swear to it !

Try swapping back to the 650 snorkel and see what happens (i dave not because a) Im lazy and b) I love the induction noise much too much to go back to the throttled teeny weenie ickkle 650 intake)

[Bear]

14t front sprocket made my pointy drop about 10 miles to the tank, factor in the weather and having more choke on, plus the weather meaning that you may be stopping and starting more (I know I do when the weather's crap!) and that may be your answer, although it may be exacerbated by what Jambo was suggesting.

(Can I just say how proud I am of spelling exacerbated correctly the first time? Thank you. I also do children's parties)

[ljharmitt]

(Can I just say how proud I am of spelling exacerbated correctly the first time? Thank you. I also do children's parties)

:smt041 well done my son, you available the 8th :cool:

[yorkie_chris]

1........Bear IS a deviant!

2........You really DON'T want to see his puppies!


hehe