What Kind Of Mpg Do You Get?

[motormike]

The odometer should be accurate.

[30Bones]

I'll check my odo with my gps tmrw on my ~35 mile ride to work. I seem to recall on the long list of extras some sort of speedo healer. I'll check my spreadsheet at my office.

[MadScientist]

Worst 37, best 51, average 44

[vfrcapn]

A check of my records for the past two years shows my '98 delivered tank averages ranging from a low of 45 mpg (during Tmac 2012) up to just under 58, with most tanks falling in the 51-53 mpg range. These results were calculated based on (as far as I know) stock gearing and uncorrected odometer readings. Also, I'm fairly sure my 5th-gen is stock except for a K&N air filter and TBR high-mount.

Of course how much or how little the right wrist is exercised along with average highway cruising (and passing) speeds can make a significant difference as can low tire pressures and unnecessarily tight drive chains .

Based on what other owners have posted I'm also of the opinion that pre-catalyst equipped 5th-gens ('98-'99) may be a bit more fuel-efficient on average in comparison to 5th & 6th gen models produced featuring catalytic converters.

Judging from our recent ride together, I believe TNRabbit may have a tendency to exercise his right wrist a bit more enthusiastically than I.

In any case it was my pleasure to introduce him to some of VA highways 151, 56, 39 and 60 in and around the Blue Ridge last Saturday.

Have you checked your sprocket sizes?

Are any of these reported mpg amounts calculated with a speedo-healer installed?

Does the stock odometer read as optimistic as the speedometer?

I have a healer installed, corrects the odo and leaves the speedo off, just like factory.

[smoothsailin]

So you're saying a speedo healer corrects for odometer errors, but not for speedometer errors? Your statement "...leaves the speedo off" doesn't make sense to me.

No, I haven't checked sprocket sizes. However, engine rpm at 60 mph (per my gps) is ~4.2k which from what I've read in magazine road tests is the same as stock.

Note: I just re-read a copy of the Cycle World road test & review of the '98 VFR800 I had saved as a .pdf. They reported the following mpg results at that time:

40 mpg (high) / 28 mpg (low) / 35 mpg (average)

Speedometer error:

30 mph (indicated) = 28 mph (actual)

60 mph (indicated) = 55 mph (actual)

The editors also were obviously excited about the new & improved VFR! More than 16 years later I'm still loving my "old" viffer. Too bad you can't still pick up a brand-new one for $9,499.

How many 5th gen owners would be willing to pay that for a new one today?

[Mohawk]

So many people talk rot about speedo healer & Ido readings. Here's the facts, the factory sprocket sensor sends ONE sing all only. The Speedo & Odo both use that to display doped & record distance.

The speedo healer modifies that factory signal to be correct for either factory or NEW gearing. Once correctly set, then the speedo & Odo will read correctly.

There is nothing special about the Odo recording on any car or bike. They don't have tyre wear compensation. If your speedo over reads, then your Odo will to.

[30Bones]

No speedo healer on mine.

Interesting a friend that has a 2000 box stock VFR with similar miles (upper 20's to low 30's) sent me a pic today. His trip A +is at 193 and his fuel gauge has 3 bars left. I'd be happy if I ran out at 193. Something has to be up on my bike or I ride much more hooligan like than most others. Which I don't think I do. I cruise at 75 on the interstate and 60 on two lane roads.

[BCmcrider]

Mileage (MPGUS) on the most recent fill ups I recorded.

41.36 38.67 38.67 43.76 43.72 40.41 42.53 39.67 39.67 47.41 42.74 40.39 40.39 44.20 44.20 44.20 41.49 38.50 39.05 40.97 38.08 38.08 47.01 40.93 38.60 40.06 40.06 41.05 40.67 40.23 40.23 44.28

[Rush2112]

So many people talk rot about speedo healer & Ido readings. Here's the facts, the factory sprocket sensor sends ONE sing all only. The Speedo & Odo both use that to display doped & record distance.

The speedo healer modifies that factory signal to be correct for either factory or NEW gearing. Once correctly set, then the speedo & Odo will read correctly.

There is nothing special about the Odo recording on any car or bike. They don't have tyre wear compensation. If your speedo over reads, then your Odo will to.

That was exactly the point I was leading to with my questions... uncorrected signals are likely to give the owners higher mpg calculations, corrected signals should give lower mpg

[30Bones]

GPS was 37 miles home to work. Bike was 33 on the nose. That's 11% right there. So when I get 38 usually I'm really getting 42. Need to research a speedo healer

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[dude]

consistent mid 50's

[smoothsailin]

This seems strange since your results indicate your odometer is pessimistic (reported fewer miles than actual). On the other hand with stock gearing our vfrs' speedometers seem to generally be optimistic (report higher mph than actual).

Does your motorcycle have stock gearing?

It's been a while but I've compared my mileage per my GPS to the motorcycle's trip odometer readings after a fairly long ride and as I recall the difference was fairly small at less than a 1/2 mile over ~ 370 miles. This corresponds to an error of less than .15 % (.5 mile/370 mi = .00135). Contrastingly the speedometer error seems to be considerably higher @ 7-8%.

Note: If 60 mph (observed) = 56 mph (actual), 60 x 7.5% = 4.5, and 60 (observed) - 4.5 (error) = 55.5 (actual).

Yesterday I read where when the '98 VFR was introduced and tested, one magazine reported the speedometer read optimistic by 5 mph at 60 [60 mph indicated = 55 mph actual], while another one reported the error at 4 mph [60 mph indicated = 56 mph actual]

So if the error factors are different for the speedometer and odometer, does a speedohealer allow you to enter separate correction factors for each?

[vfrcapn]

So many people talk rot about speedo healer & Ido readings. Here's the facts, the factory sprocket sensor sends ONE sing all only. The Speedo & Odo both use that to display doped & record distance.

The speedo healer modifies that factory signal to be correct for either factory or NEW gearing. Once correctly set, then the speedo & Odo will read correctly.

There is nothing special about the Odo recording on any car or bike. They don't have tyre wear compensation. If your speedo over reads, then your Odo will to.

It is one input signal, but the ODO and Speedo are two different software calcs in the 'ol CPU. The ODO is set to calc out fairly accurately while the Speedo calculates consistently low, as written about in every bike review of every bike. There's a few posts on here about why the mfgs do this. The healer just corrects the situation back to stock set up after a gearing change, if that's what you program it for.

[Aimbot9000]

when i first got my bike it was getting 32mpg. after having it 5k miles i get between 39-41mpg in day to day riding. and i hit 47mpg on a road trip that i spent most of my time going 80 to 90.

bike has a K&N, motul 300V 5-40 (if that matters), D&D slip on, and a 275lb rider

[smoothsailin]

The differences in error factors might be explained by concerns over the manufacturers' possible legal liability issues.

If vehicles' speedometers reported pessimistic results (indicated slower speeds than actual), then manufacturers could (and probably would) be sued by drivers who are ticketed for exceeding the posted speed limit when their vehicles' speedometers indicated otherwise. Similarly, if odometers significantly understated a vehicle's true mileage there could be liability issues when after the vehicle is sold the purchaser later discovers the odometer showed less than their true mileage. Also, if odometers significantly overstated vehicles' true mileage there could be legal issues over when the vehicles' mileage-based warranty actually expired.

[30Bones]

Smoothsailin, yeah it's stock gearing. I checked that last October when I got the bike home. The PO gave me a couple sprockets, one being OE and the other -1. He put a new OE on it before I took ownership. he lived in the DC area and wanted more grunt, I live in Iowa so it's straight and boring :)

[vfrcapn]

The differences in error factors might be explained by concerns over the manufacturers' possible legal liability issues.

If vehicles' speedometers reported pessimistic results (indicated slower speeds than actual), then manufacturers could (and probably would) be sued by drivers who are ticketed for exceeding the posted speed limit when their vehicles' speedometers indicated otherwise. Similarly, if odometers significantly understated a vehicle's true mileage there could be liability issues when after the vehicle is sold the purchaser later discovers the odometer showed less than their true mileage. Also, if odometers significantly overstated vehicles' true mileage there could be legal issues over when the vehicles' mileage-based warranty actually expired.

That's the argument I've been reading for years, BUT...why are Honda's car speedos, and every other mfg's, so much more accurate? A corvette can exceed the speed limit too. There's something else going on here...maybe just tradition.

[Rush2112]

The differences in error factors might be explained by concerns over the manufacturers' possible legal liability issues.

If vehicles' speedometers reported pessimistic results (indicated slower speeds than actual), then manufacturers could (and probably would) be sued by drivers who are ticketed for exceeding the posted speed limit when their vehicles' speedometers indicated otherwise. Similarly, if odometers significantly understated a vehicle's true mileage there could be liability issues when after the vehicle is sold the purchaser later discovers the odometer showed less than their true mileage. Also, if odometers significantly overstated vehicles' true mileage there could be legal issues over when the vehicles' mileage-based warranty actually expired.

That's the argument I've been reading for years, BUT...why are Honda's car speedos, and every other mfg's, so much more accurate? A corvette can exceed the speed limit too. There's something else going on here...maybe just tradition.

Guys on motorcycles like to go fast... maybe it's an ego boost thing... add a few mph to make us feel like big men

[30Bones]

Speedometer is off in the wrong direction!

70 on the bike is ~73-74 on the GPS, 75 is 80 on the GPS so it's quite a bit. Probably just live with it and still calc it with Fuelly and know it's a few points higher every fill.

[Rush2112]

Speedometer is off in the wrong direction!

70 on the bike is ~73-74 on the GPS, 75 is 80 on the GPS so it's quite a bit. Probably just live with it and still calc it with Fuelly and know it's a few points higher every fill.

That's a first!!!

Everyone else's 5th gen speedo reads higher than actual speed unless corrected...

[TNRabbit]

Speedometer is off in the wrong direction!

70 on the bike is ~73-74 on the GPS, 75 is 80 on the GPS so it's quite a bit. Probably just live with it and still calc it with Fuelly and know it's a few points higher every fill.

That's a first!!!

Everyone else's 5th gen speedo reads higher than actual speed unless corrected...

OEM sprocket teeth?

[30Bones]

Yes OEM gearing.

[Rush2112]

Check your plastic nut on the speedo take off... it might be rounding off and giving you fewer rpms and lower readings

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[30Bones]

5500rpms @ 70-75. Seems on par with my friends 00.

I'll check it out this weekend if I remember. Thanks

[vfrcapn]

5500rpms @ 70-75. Seems on par with my friends 00.

I'll check it out this weekend if I remember. Thanks

You have to measure the odo reading over a tank or 100 miles or so against the GPS to get the correction, if any. I'd estimate your odo is about 10% off, if my math is right?