I’m wondering long term what bikes are there that match or better my ER6-F commuter? I get a good 60mpg out of it, at worst it drops to 50mpg. What other options are there for a faired bike suitable for riding 90-100 miles a day?
I’d love more power from a commuter but suspect it would just cost alot more to run. My RSV costs a fortune :w00t:
couriers use CBF… so must be efficient, no?
The only thing that comes to mind is the F800S or F800ST both by BMW. Otherwise I think you are to be out of luck.
Efficient bikes? Surely that’s an oxymoron alongside “police intellegence”
I have a simple trail bike which suits me and returns 45/55 miles per gallon depending on use. I can live with that.
But it doesn’t stand any comparison with my wifes new coupe that does much the same per gallon despite the fact that it’s lugging around vastly more weight + climate control + sound system + need I go on.
So what’s the difference? Mmm. The grin factor.
If your getting 60 MPG, be happy and enjoy it. You’re not likely to get much better than that.
You can get about 80mpg out of most 400cc maxiscooters. They will do 100mph, loads of protection from the elements, ride in comfort, have loads of storage etc. 
Talking about this with JohnP at the Herts meet.
Can you name a 400cc scooter that has abs and a none rubber band gearbox?
Nice try but I don’t think any of them would be fun doing the fun way home from work. Only 100mph? :hehe:
I was thinking could improve the MPG abit by increasing the front sprocket a tooth or two.
Yup, might work. But only at the expense of the acceleration.
Oh dear. There goes the grin factor.
Just be grateful you get anywhere near 60mpg. Riding gingerly on my gsxr1000, I’m lucky to get more than 38 fecking mpg.
OldGuy - I used to work in Defense Intelligence. Go figure!
sheesh. have a Fazer FZ6S and get around 120 to 140 miles out of a full tank! I would be well chuffed at 60mpg… 
Agreed- how on earth do you get 60mpg out of your 6-F?! Mine’s all town riding but is a LOT less than that got about 100-110 miles out of the last tank! Inc a trip to Reading. Must be doing something wrong!
As a rough estimate I think I get anywhere between 35-45mpg from a GS500 riding in London traffic. Not entirely sure because I have not really paid attention, but filling up once I have done about 100 miles generally takes about a tenner which is about 3 gallons?
It is all very rough estimate though, I will try and make a proper note of it when I next fill up and find out exactly what it does.
I get around 180 out of mine! I think very careful bedding in when it was new helped. I oil changed it every 100 miles to 1k and treated it like a saint. Now I don’t treat it especially nicely as I’m used to riding a bike with almost twice the power and it often spends time cruising at high speeds. Sounds like I’ve got a good one and won’t ever better it!
Spirited riding I get 55mpg out of my tdm900.
Yeah i’d say if you’re getting 60mpg out of a 600 then i’d be chuffed and stick with it.
The best commuter bike I ever had for mpg was about 10 years ago - a GPZ305 which managed 80mpg and was ok grin factor if you pushed it as the skinny tyres would give you a few grins in the corners :w00t:
With the petrol prices at the time (still considered high even then) it took £6 to fill a full tank and it lasted ages.
My mum (yes my mum) had one of them in the early 90’s it was quite quick (speaking as a teenager who was desperately hanging on to stay on the back of it while my dad rode on the motorway - scary) but it blew itself up when the piston when trhough the end of the barrel… apparently a common fault on the 305 which I beleive was a rebored GPz250.
I went to a bikesafe on saturday and the instructor was going on about how he got 70mpg out of his Deauville (not sure if it was the 650 ot 700) despite “not hanging about”. That is a Deauville though - I reckon my 400cc scooter is more exciting.
Giulliano is a bit optimistic about 400cc scooters. I have had two Piaggio 400cc’s and I beleive for economy they’re possibly the best of the 400cc scooter engines (though a lot depends on how you ride). The top speed is actually about 93mph (indicating justover 100mph) but they get there pretty quick. I never got less than 61mpg out of my X8 400 which I had for 1 year 9 months and that was heavy traffic commuting mileage and heavy throttle usage. My best out of the X8 400 was 78mpg on one run round country roads etc. On my New Xevo 400 it looks like it’s going to better the 65mpg average I got outof my X8 as it’s not got less than 68mpg so far and i’ve only run 4 full tanks of fuel through it. 150 miles at least out of a tank. I would expect it to do 80mpg or more on a long run with a 60mph average speed, I know other owners of XEvo 400’s who don’t ride in london or heavy traffic and regularly get high 70’s or 80mpg out of their 400’s.
Hanna
“OldGuy - I used to work in Defense Intelligence. Go figure!”
Hmm. I worked with Naval Inllegence that’s how I got it figured.
I get 25mpg in town…I’d kill for 60mpg…having said that, I’d kill for 40mpg
Not all big bikes are thirsty. In mixed motorway/A-road riding, my ZZR1100D returns more than 50mpg - which gives a tank range of 280 miles plus.
Urban commuting - ie through central London - it drops to 40mpg or 210 miles.
The fuel tank capacity is 25 litres (5.5 gallons).
