MPG question
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
I have 80,88's, 96 and 103 engined softails and have consistently gotten 50 mpg over the years.
No engine work though. But of the 25 H-D's that I have had all of he gas gauges were pretty much spot on.
I by habit formed during 60 years of riding go by the trip odometer to decide when to pull in.
One of the techs at my dealer is good with pushing/pulling on the float rod to bring them in closer. You just tell him which way it needs to go to be more accurate.
No engine work though. But of the 25 H-D's that I have had all of he gas gauges were pretty much spot on.
I by habit formed during 60 years of riding go by the trip odometer to decide when to pull in.
One of the techs at my dealer is good with pushing/pulling on the float rod to bring them in closer. You just tell him which way it needs to go to be more accurate.
Last edited by lh4x4; Jun 14, 2016 at 06:18 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 520
From: VA
The stock jetting on a 42 Mikuni is fairly rich from the factory. I had one on a built 95 and still changed out the pilot jet to a size smaller and lowered the needle one position. Worth trying as your mileage sounds a tad low to me. With my 95ci bike I could get close to 50 on a good day.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
Your mpg is low. Reaper's engine has been built up to 98ci, 10.5:1 compression, cams, head work etc... and she'll regularly get 45 - 48 mpg highway @ 75 mph, and 40 mpg city/mixed. She's got the stock CV40 carb, rejetted with a custom needle. I'm guessing that, as mentioned above, your jetting is rich.
As for the fuel gauge; I find they aren't that accurate. I use one of my trip odometers as a fuel gauge, and will usually start looking for gas at around 160 - 170 miles, unless I'm somewhere in the boonies where there is lots of distance between gas stations. In those cases I start looking around at 140 miles.
Cheers!
As for the fuel gauge; I find they aren't that accurate. I use one of my trip odometers as a fuel gauge, and will usually start looking for gas at around 160 - 170 miles, unless I'm somewhere in the boonies where there is lots of distance between gas stations. In those cases I start looking around at 140 miles.
Cheers!
thank you for the replies. I thought it was low. I'll take it to my wrench and him check out my carb. I adjusted the float rod today and seem to have a more accurate reading now.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
+1 agree. My float rod was off, I just bent it back where I thought it should be and it's pretty accurate now.
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VirtualNorm
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