Mileage Bump

[harveyrawn]

I pulled my bike's tank yesterday in preparation for removing the starter motor to check my clutch free play. In the process, I cleaned the air filter with compressed air. That blew out dust and removed some dark deposits, but it didn't seem excessively dirty.

I rode it about 250 miles today, including a fair amount of semi-agressive canyon riding and 80 mph stretches. My low fuel light usually comes on at 150 to 160 miles into a tank, but not today. As the miles climbed past 180 with no light, I thought I had broken a wire somewhere. It finally came on at 183 miles and when I filled the tank, that mileage been 47.6 miles/gallon. Normally, I get 41-43. The air cleaner blowout was the only performance-related thing I had done to the bike. The moral is: Clean your air filter for better mileage.

BTW, the clutch free play was about 3/32", which seems to be a normal amount for the 41,000 miles on the bike. I have decided not to worry about clutch spline failure.

[jeepinbanditrider]

That's cool. I need to get in there and pull mine and clean it or replace with a K&N

I don't even want to think about clutch spline failure lol. I have the mechanical know how to do it I just don't want to take the time when I could be riding lol.

[sweatmark]

It finally came on at 183 miles and when I filled the tank, that mileage been 47.6 miles/gallon. Normally, I get 41-43.

That's great mileage. I struggle to get better than low 40s, and sometimes wish the Rockster had a tall 6th gear.

Will take a look at old filter when doing tune-up later this month.

[boxermania]

harveyrawn

Good catch......a dirty air filter is a major contrubutor to reduced fuel economy.

[Daryl.Stamp]

I had a similar experience on a long trip; mileage went over 190 before light came on; gradually worked back down & stabilized @ around 40 mpg. I'll be cleaning or replacing that air filter right after I'm done w/ that rear brake bleeder.

I just went over 41K a little while ago; CSF hasn't gotten me yet, nor FDF, but what do you mean by 'clutch free-play'? Are you referring to backlash in the spline fit measured @ the fly-wheel?

DLS

[harveyrawn]

I just went over 41K a little while ago; CSF hasn't gotten me yet, nor FDF, but what do you mean by 'clutch free-play'? Are you referring to backlash in the spline fit measured @ the fly-wheel?

DLS

Yes. Mine had unrestricted movement of about half the width of the screwdriver blade I was pushing it with, later measured at about 3/32". Very scientific.

[Airman]

Speaking of mileage. I had a bump myself on the last tank. Usually I run midgrade 76, Chevron or Shell. This day I was in a hurry so I bought it from Arco, whom I don't like very much. I put in Premium because it had been Very Hot, and my bike tends to ping a bit on midgrade in conditions like that. Normally the fuel light comes on at about 140 miles. Last night it lit at 168 and it took just short of 4 gallons, which translated into about 42 mpg. I had been getting as little as 35. I am at a loss to explain it. The only deviations were the temperature and the Arco fuel.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Sometimes you can get shady fuel from some suppliers. Either that or the tanks may have been recently filled.

And temperature can also play a part in it.

[CycleRob]

Compressed air should never be used to clean a dirty air filter. It embeds the dirt and damages the paper filter media. It's especially destructive to cleaning or drying K&N filters.

Clean the paper OilHead filter by tapping the gasket surface flatly, parallel to the floor, about a dozen times from a 3" (76mm) height. Do it on a clean surface and you won't believe what comes out!! Then flip it over and do the other gasket end for the final holdouts.

.

[harveyrawn]

Compressed air should never be used to clean a dirty air filter. It embeds the dirt and damages the paper filter media. It's especially destructive to cleaning or drying K&N filters.

Clean the paper OilHead filter by tapping the gasket surface flatly, parallel to the floor, about a dozen times from a 3" (76mm) height. Do it on a clean surface and you won't believe what comes out!! Then flip it over and do the other gasket end for the final holdouts.

.

I hear you. Filed for future implementation.