Gas Mileage
Thanks,
Dave
The tech that road tested the bike when I traded it last year said it was the strongest running Ultra that he tested with stock exhaust.
Last edited by lh4x4; Jan 22, 2016 at 05:09 PM.
The tech that road tested the bike when I traded it last year said it was the strongest running Ultra that he tested with stock exhaust.
300 miles on it and I am getting only about 32mpg. This seems low
compared to what I hear these things get. The bike is completely stock and seems to start and run great. Is this anything I should be concerned about?
Thanks,
I have a bone stock 09 flhtcu w-96" motor and riding very conservative (shifting @ 27,50-2,800rpm) riding 2up in mixed riding cond ( 20-25% city rest 55-60mph in 5th gear)my bike gets 41.5-42mpg.
If i get into the throttle more shifting at higher 3,400-3,500prm fuel mileage quickly dips to 34.5-35mpg again,riding 2 up .( 20-25% city rest 55-60mph in 5th gear)(Same go's for cruising at or above 70mph or higher in 6th gear)
If i ride like the majority of bikers do my bikes fuel mileage is even worse at 32.5-33mpg ,again riding 2up.( 20-25% city rest local open road riding )
So your bikes 32mpg might be fine if your a more aggressive rider thats heavier on the throttle and or cruise at faster speed to.
But if our a conservative ride that isnt into the throttle hard when taking off that doesnt cruise at higher road speed and are getting 32mpg,thats NG which needs to be addressed IMHO.
Few things you can try that when done collectively together (all at the same time ) can in fact improve your bikes fuel mileage.
* SINCE YOUR 6 YR OLD BIKE ONLY HAD 3,500 MILES ON IT WHEN YOU RECENTLY BOUGHT IT THAT SHOWED IT SAT AROUND A LOT WITH NON USED THEREFORE THE FUEL COULD HAVE GONE PARTIALLY BAD AT TIMES EVENTUALLY FOULING UP AN INJECTOR/S (MAKING THEM STICKY & NOT OPERATE PROPERLY) ALONG WITH POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ISSUE WITH EITHER 1 OR BOTH O2 SENSORS TOO,BUT WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE ISSUES WITH CHK ENGINE / ERROR CODES BUT YA NEVER KNOW.
SO WITH THAT SAID BEFORE YOU PROCEED TO DOING ALL THE ITEMS IN SUGGESTED BELOW RUN A HEALTHY DOSE OF CHEVRON " TECHRON " INJECTOR CLEANER (" CONCENTRATED " VERSION! AS STATED ON FRONT LABEL) OF 1.5-1.75 OZ TECHRON PER GAL OF PUMP FUEL .
SO FOR A 6 GAL TANK A HEALTHY / ROBUST DOSE OF TECHRON (CONCENTRATED VERSION!) TO USED WOULD BE WOULD BE APPROX 9-10.5OZ
THEN RUN THAT TANK OF FUEL TREATED WITH THE TECHRON (CONCENTRATED VERSION) THRU THE MOTOR BEFORE MOVING ONTO
THE REST OF NY SUGGESTIONS TO ENSURE IT'S NOT AN ISSUE WITH A DIRTY INJECTOR/S & OR DIRTY 02 SENSOR THATS THE PROBLEM.
* DONT LET THE BIKE WARM UP WHILE YOU GEAR UP TO RIDE WHICH WASTE'S FUEL , REDUCES FUEL MILEAGE & IN SOME CASE CAN ALSO LEAD TO INCREASED CARBON BUILDUP IN COMBUSTION CHAMBERS AND OR ON PLUGS TOO.
TO REDUCE FUEL UES GEAR UP,MOUNT THE BIKE ,THEN FIRE IT UP,LET IDLE FOR 1.5- 2MINS TOPS ,THEN PROCEED ON THE RIDE TAKING IT EASY FOR 1ST 5-6MINS (COLDER TEMPS 8-10MINS) TILL MOTOR & OIL ARE UP OR CLOSE TO NORMAL OP TEMP.
* FOR CONSISTENCY WHEN FUELING UP TRY TO USE SAME GAS PUMP AT SAME GAS STATION ALONG WITH ALSO KEEPING THE BIKE IN SAME POSITION (EITHER SITING ON BIKE OR HAVING IT ON JIFFY/SIDE STAND) WHEN FUELING UP TOO.
* SHIFT @ APPROX 2,750-2,800RPM ALONG WITH AT THE SAME TIME USING LIGHT THROTTLE POSITION (NOT BEING HEAVY ON THE THROTTLE WHILE GETTING TO EACH 2,750-2,800 RPM SHIFT POINT) WHEN TAKING OFF GETTING UP TO CRUISE SPEED WHICH CAN INCREASE FUEL MILEAGE.
NOTE,ONCE IN A WHILE I RUN INTO SOMEONE THATS SHIFTING AT TOO LOW OF AN RPM LUGGING THE MOTOR WHICH CAN ALSO REDUCE FUEL MILEAGE SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
* CHECK TO ENSURE TIRE PRESSURE ISN'T TOO LOW WHICH CAN REDUCE FUEL MILEAGE.
* CHECK TO ENSURE AIR FILTER CLEAN AND IF NOT CLEAN & OR REPLACE IT BECAUSE DIRTY AND OR OILY (OFTEN DUE TO CRANKCASE BLOWBY) CAN REDUCE FUEL MILEAGE IF THERE'S ENOUGH OIL AND OR DIRT IN IT.
* CHK THE PLUGS TO ENSURE THEY LOOK GOOD (LIGHT TAN) ALONG WITH ALSO ENSURING GAP IS CORRECT TOO.
IF PLUGS LOOK GOOD JUST CHK GAP AND RE-ADJ IT AS REQUIRED.
BUT IF PLUGS DONT LOOK GOOD (LIGHT TANISH )BEING A DARK BROWN OR EVEN BLACK I'D REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY COULD BE REDUCING FUEL MILEAGE. DON'T FORGET TO CHK / ENSURE YOU GET THE PROPER HEAT RANGE PLUGS FOR THE MOTOR THAT ARE ALSO PROPERLY GAPED PRIOR TO INSTALL TOO.
* IF NOT RUNNING A FULL SYN OIL IN THE MOTOR & TRANS YOU COULD TRY SWAPPING TO A QUALITY MOTOR AND TRANS THAT ARE PROPERLY FORMULATED FOR HD MOTOR AND 6-SPD TRANS THAT CAN INCREASE FUEL MILEAGE A BIT VS STD DINO I MOTOR AND TRANS.
If you do all the above at the same time just like i suggested then go out and run thru a couple tanks of fuel for a mileage test.
And don't forget it's very important you close attention to riding / driving conservative like i suggested above with conservative shift points / rpm & not getting into throttle much while getting up the conservative 2,750-2,800rpm shift points too.
So if your fuel mileage improves after doing all the above just like i suggested thats great.
But if fuel mileage doesnt improve or not by much then as long as your'e not riding too agressive something has got to be off with the motors tune / EFI mapping & or fuel calibration is out to lunch ,maybe even an injector or o2 sensor that not's operating properly too.
Could be an issue with a bad 02 sensor reducing fuel mileage too , but i would think you'd be getting chk engine / error codes if that was the case.
Good luck.
Scott
Last edited by wscott; Jan 22, 2016 at 08:55 PM.
good and check the plugs and make sure they are not white. The rides I have been taking has about half highway at probably 75+ mph with back roads going home. Wii probably have it serviced at the dealer at 5000 miles.
They serviced the bike before they sold it, oil looks clean anyway. This is my
first bike without a carb.
Thanks,
Dave
At 55-60 I get 43
http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/har...izcarmb/379292
This assumes you aren't "beating" on the bike everywhere you go. I've owned 4 of these motorcycles now, and absolutely by far and above the worst one was my 2012 Ultra Limited. It was a "turd" for power production as well. Despite every bolt on device intake/exhaust I put on it and scores of custom tunes with a Power Commander tuner, it was still a turd and sucking tons of fuel no matter how gently you rode it.
I was told by several very pretty smart folks in this industry that the emission cams were the stumbling block and limiting factor for power and mileage. I did upgrade to a PV tuner after all the other upgrades, down pipes, slip ons, SE air cleaner, etc, That certainly helped a LOT, but the engine was still a "turd" compared to the other bikes I've owned.
Anyhow, ended up in the low to mid 40's for MPG's which is the good news. Never was completely happy with that engine or the bike otherwise, so I sold it and bought a 2002 CVO Road King. The RK makes more power than the 2012 ever thought about making, and gets a LOT better fuel economy as well, just like the last Road King that I owned....problem solved.....Cliff
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
I wouldn't worry about Fuel mileage when Gas is at or near or below the $2.oo mark,
and if it keeps going lower it doesn't matter.








