Ok so my Marauder 1600 (Mean Streak) only has 1750 miles on it and the gas mileage is pitiful for a motorcycle IMO. 1st few tanks I have only gotten 30-32mpg. The only thing done to the bike is V&H pipes and the marbling modification. Just did an oil change, fresh tank of high test, and everything else seems to be in order. The bike actually runs great! It's just the gas mileage stinks.

Now this is all city riding with a fair amount of stop and go. Only got on it 1 or 2 times so not riding too hard. I just figured it would be more like 40mpg almost stock as my bike is.

Is this normal fuel mileage or is that way off for my setup?

Thanks!!

Sounds pretty normal. I get 30 around town and can get 49 on the hiway at 70 to 75 mph. If you drive it like grampa you will get better mileage but what fun is that. Ride it like you stole it and enjoy, who cares about fuel mpg when you ride a mean streak. LOL

Cool and good to know. I actually share the same sentiment. These bikes just get almost gas mileage on the highway which seems odd.

Is this mileage based on actual consumption ? Sorry to ask but I have seen people fill up when the light comes on and then figure they just used 4.5 gallons to go 'X' miles. Crazy, I know.

IMO, gas mileage is just an excuse for dudes to get bikes.
after that, they all know this small cash saving is nothing compared to the cost of preventive maintenance.
to OP, the trade off of 30mpg is the powerful torque.

Originally Posted by va3ux

Is this mileage based on actual consumption ? Sorry to ask but I have seen people fill up when the light comes on and then figure they just used 4.5 gallons to go 'X' miles. Crazy, I know.

Nope actual calculation. Last fill-up was at 73.1 miles and I got 2.381 gallons = 30.701 gallons.

...and I was not looking for any cash savings @wildhog or scooter type 100mpg, just new to this particular bike and wanted to make sure I wasn't way off and had something amiss with my bike. I ride with a lot of folks on Harley, Honda, Triumph, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and 30mpg seemed low comparatively to the industry for a mostly stock bike. However, if it is the norm for this bike then I am cool with that because this bike is great!!

Mine only gets like 30 mpg, I only get to 100 miles and the damn fuel light comes on, so yeah there are cars that get better but its a blast to ride! The guy I bought bike from says that the fuel tanks on these were designed bad that almost a gallon of gas sits in tank thats unusable, anyone heard this?

WOW! 30 mpg for some of you? I do not consider that normal perhaps in part because I get over 40mpg average, in fact, using a mileage app on my phone, I'm getting 43.6 on the average.

I ride part city part highway on my daily commute to work. The commute is 20 miles, the highway travel is roughly 9 of those miles. The bike is an '02 and all stock. If I were getting 30 mpg, I would be PO'ed since my car gets an average of 36.1

BTW, my light NEVER comes on before 120 miles. In fact, it's been coming on in the range of 135 to 144 miles. If your bike is stock, I cannot understand why you shouldn't get the same, that is, unless you are doing some serious throttle blipping.

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

Mine only gets like 30 mpg, I only get to 100 miles and the damn fuel light comes on, so yeah there are cars that get better but its a blast to ride! The guy I bought bike from says that the fuel tanks on these were designed bad that almost a gallon of gas sits in tank thats unusable, anyone heard this?

Yes, but a gallon?.... No. The last .5 gallons is reserved for the fuel pump. I have filled up with 4.2 gallons and that was sputtering into the station. Otherwise, I get close to 4 gallons sometimes when I extend my mileage before filling up.

Originally Posted by Meanie

WOW! 30 mpg for some of you? I do not consider that normal perhaps in part because I get over 40mpg average, in fact, using a mileage app on my phone, I'm getting 43.6 on the average.

I ride part city part highway on my daily commute to work. The commute is 20 miles, the highway travel is roughly 9 of those miles. The bike is an '02 and all stock. If I were getting 30 mpg, I would be PO'ed since my car gets an average of 36.1

BTW, my light NEVER comes on before 120 miles. In fact, it's been coming on in the range of 135 to 144 miles. If your bike is stock, I cannot understand why you shouldn't get the same, that is, unless you are doing some serious throttle blipping.

The previous seller said the light comes on at 120 for him but thats bs since its always coming on around 95-100 miles for me, what app do you use? I have Android not Apple though.

My light has always come on at around 90-100 also, maybe a little less. When I got it it wan't stock; it has the V&H exhaust and a PCIII and got maybe 40 - 42MPG. I added the spike air cleaner and am now fiddling with the map. I remapped with 205-017 (I think) after the air cleaner and mileage dropped noticeably. I then leaned out the midrange a little as suggested by PC's site, and gained a few MPG, about back to 40 or just below. I think I'll lean the low end (10% 2500-4000RPM) and maybe put some back in the 40% area for acceleration, then see how it does.

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

The previous seller said the light comes on at 120 for him but thats bs since its always coming on around 95-100 miles for me, what app do you use? I have Android not Apple though.

"MPG for Free" for the iPhone. It's a simple calculator which allows you to input the mileage and fuel amount at each fill-up. It then calculates the MPG and keeps it saved, then averages the overall MPG. It's nothing fancy and has no other features. It simply maintains MPG stats.

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

what app do you use? I have Android not Apple though.

I always just write my mileage on a receipt and record all of it in Excel (for my cars) along with the maintenance. I can then see graphs on gas mileage over time which is kinda cool.

I believe you need to change plugs... When I put my new motor in I was getting @ 100 miles when the light come on and 3 gallons to fill it back up. 33.3 mpg. I changed plugs same heat range etc NGK and know I'm getting 115-118 and I drive it Hard....

Oddly enough and unrelated to reading this, last night just ordered (4) new NGKs off eBay for $12.50 for all shipped just for good maintenance since don't know when changed last. Regardless or not if this makes any difference I would be doing it anyways.