Poor Gas Mileage

Hello,
I am getting about 23-25mpg on the hwy from a recent trip. I think that this is way on the low side of what I should be getting. I just recently changed the oil, cleaned the air filter (K&N), changed the plugs (OE Kaw.) and ran 2 tanks of prem. fuel with SeaFoam. The bike runs great, just eats gas. Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Rob
2000 Nomad 1500 FI w/ Vance & Hines Baggers w/no baffles

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Merlin

Hello,
I am getting about 23-25mpg on the hwy from a recent trip. I think that this is way on the low side of what I should be getting. I just recently changed the oil, cleaned the air filter (K&N), changed the plugs (OE Kaw.) and ran 2 tanks of prem. fuel with SeaFoam. The bike runs great, just eats gas. Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Rob
2000 Nomad 1500 FI w/ Vance & Hines Baggers w/no baffles

Well, not knowing where you were riding, if it was cold that's going to make your ECU richen the fuel mixture. Most of us get worse gas mileage in the winter.

[ice793]

I have pretty much the same setup and get about the same mileage when riding about 75 or 80 i get better mileage when only cruising at 65 70ish 04 with v&h and thunder air kit and pc3

[ice793]

p.s beautiful bike

Thanks everyone...was here in Florida riding to Daytona....was doing 75-85 in about 65 degree weather. Was riding with some other friends with much larger tanks and was a little frustrating having to stop every 100 miles or so...lol....

[ringadingh]

As well as cold weather having an effect on mileage so does a dirty throttle body. You should clean the throttle body with some spray carb & choke cleaner and a old toothbrush, it does make a noticeable difference in your idle and mileage.

Thanks again! I will clean out the TB when I get home tonight. I will let you know if that makes a difference. I have thought about getting a PowerCommander for it, but have not found anyone with a nomad that has one. Looks like I am in the right place...any feedback, Pro's or Con's on the PCIII?

Ringadingh - Where did you get the fiberglass lowers on mounted on your front crash bars....love those and have not been able to find those...have a fairing that I am going to be painting up this month and would love to get a set of those as well....

[trosco]

Merlin, first welcome from just up the road in Jacksonville.
I have a 07 1600 and am a big guy. Running steady 85 back from Daytona I got 34 +/- 1/2 MPG 3 times last week. Going down in the morning on US 1 at around 60mph those 3 times I got 39 MPG +/- 1 MPG. That is about the way it has been for the last 27,000 miles and my mileage is pretty typical of Nomads I think.

To be in the low 20's even at 80+ MPH you have to be running awfully rich. Did that just start? You might want to check the Air Temp Sensor to see if it went bad. Were your plugs black when you changed them?

Cleaning the throttle body will help drive-ability especially at and near idle but I doubt it will solve that bad a mileage problem. I'd tell you to check your odometer to but if you have to stop every 100 miles and you put 4-41/2 gallons in each time then you are getting mileage that bad! Something is not right!

Trosco,
Thanks for that....I will pull the plugs tonight and check them...I have only owned this nomad for about a year and a half and most of that time it was being redone as it was in poor cosmetic shape (beyond) when I purchased her. She runs great, but the mileage is something that I just dont think is right. Ill post again after I yank the plus and post pics of my findings.
thanks to everyone for the guidance! Its much appreciated!

[ringadingh]

Merlin; The fairing and lowers on my bike are made by Premeux.
They are both very well made with a nice finish, although a bit pricey. But they come to you painted ready to bolt on the bike, and thats a simple job to do yourself.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Merlin

Thanks again! I will clean out the TB when I get home tonight. I will let you know if that makes a difference. I have thought about getting a PowerCommander for it, but have not found anyone with a nomad that has one. Looks like I am in the right place...any feedback, Pro's or Con's on the PCIII?

Here goes...the vast majority of members here with fuel processors use either the Dobeck TFI or the Cobra FI2000R. The Power Commander III would be a distant third. They all perform the same function, but the Dobeck and Cobra units are much simpler. They have 4 (Dobeck) or 3 (Cobra) potentiometers that can be easily adjusted anywhere with a small screwdriver. The PCIII can be adjusted manually, but it's really designed to be used with a PC. Also, the PCIII is usually priced substantially higher than the other 2.

So there you go. If you want the benefit of support from the group here, you would want to go with either a Dobeck or a Cobra unit. It's your bike and your money, so by all means use what makes you happy, but you won't find a lot of shared support for the PCIII here. There's nothing really wrong with them, but they just aren't common among members of this forum.

[ndbigfish]

Just a thought: Weren't folks seeing a drop in mileage with no baffles or just a torque lose? I see a big drop in mileage if I start to cruise at 75-80 mph versus 60-70 mph. I also like to use an UCL with each fuel fill to keep things lubricated and clean. I clean the intake with carb cleaner at each oil change. I like to use a fuel system cleaner like Seafoam in one tank at each oil change interval.

[superduty]

Originally Posted by ice793

p.s beautiful bike

+1, wow that is a beautiful paint job!

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by ndbigfish

Just a thought: Weren't folks seeing a drop in mileage with no baffles or just a torque lose? I see a big drop in mileage if I start to cruise at 75-80 mph versus 60-70 mph. I also like to use an UCL with each fuel fill to keep things lubricated and clean. I clean the intake with carb cleaner at each oil change. I like to use a fuel system cleaner like Seafoam in one tank at each oil change interval.

I think if people who debaffled are seeing a fuel drop, it's because they are getting on the throttle to make the pipes growl.

You're right, though. If I can cruise 65-70 mph, I will usually see 40 MPG or better. Running at 75-80 mph, which are interstate speeds out here, I'm lucky to get 35 or 36 MPG.