bad mpg with heavier riders?
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bad mpg with heavier riders?
I filled up my tank with premium 91 fuel, and decided to go for a cruise with my friend. I am 240lbs and she is 140 pounds. We only went about 80 miles total and we reached the last gas bar on the whole 1.6 gallon tank. That equals almost like 60? Mpg. Would this extra weight cause that much difference in mpg? Unless that last gas bar = 40 miles. Any thoughts? Also, we were going about 55mph.
Re: bad mpg with heavier riders?
You can't accurately assess fuel consumption from just one tankful especially if you don't establish the actual amount consumed by doing a brim to brim fill.
How far can it go on the last bar?
Mine can go thirty miles (ish)
How far can it go on the last bar?
Mine can go thirty miles (ish)
Four decades on two wheels has taught me nothing, all advice given is guaranteed to be wrong
Re: bad mpg with heavier riders?
Based on my experience that last bar is worth about 30-40 miles depending on riding style. 30 miles at 55mph or 40 miles at 30mph. It is my experience that speed effects mpg much more than weight.

Re: bad mpg with heavier riders?
My experience is: weight and drag make a significant difference in mileage. I weigh around 190 and have more "surface area" and weigh than my wife. With a pair of PCX 150s, her mpg are always better than mine. Most of our riding is together (side by side, not together on the same scoot), so throttle use, terrain, and wind are the same. I have had a couple fill-ups that were less than 100 mpg (96 was the least), hers are always about 4 to 8 mpg better.
Two up, with your combined weight greater than the bike, running at 55 most of the time, I would expect the mileage to significantly drop. I notice the last few bars on my fuel gauge are not "linear" - the last quarter of the tank seems to go faster. Until you top off the tank, you will not know for sure.
Be sure to put the bike on the centerstand to fuel, and fill to the same height to get accurate mileage.
Hope that helps.
Captain Jim
Two up, with your combined weight greater than the bike, running at 55 most of the time, I would expect the mileage to significantly drop. I notice the last few bars on my fuel gauge are not "linear" - the last quarter of the tank seems to go faster. Until you top off the tank, you will not know for sure.
Be sure to put the bike on the centerstand to fuel, and fill to the same height to get accurate mileage.
Hope that helps.
Captain Jim
His & Hers Honda PCX 150s
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Re: bad mpg with heavier riders?
Its likely to be more down to the speed you are doing rather than the weight. Travelling at a constant 55mph will be less economical than doing 30mph. I believe the most economical speed for a 125cc scooter is 28mph.strickamania wrote:I filled up my tank with premium 91 fuel, and decided to go for a cruise with my friend. I am 240lbs and she is 140 pounds. We only went about 80 miles total and we reached the last gas bar on the whole 1.6 gallon tank. That equals almost like 60? Mpg. Would this extra weight cause that much difference in mpg? Unless that last gas bar = 40 miles. Any thoughts? Also, we were going about 55mph.
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Re: bad mpg with heavier riders?
Larry David wrote:Its likely to be more down to the speed you are doing rather than the weight. Travelling at a constant 55mph will be less economical than doing 30mph. I believe the most economical speed for a 125cc scooter is 28mph.strickamania wrote:I filled up my tank with premium 91 fuel, and decided to go for a cruise with my friend. I am 240lbs and she is 140 pounds. We only went about 80 miles total and we reached the last gas bar on the whole 1.6 gallon tank. That equals almost like 60? Mpg. Would this extra weight cause that much difference in mpg? Unless that last gas bar = 40 miles. Any thoughts? Also, we were going about 55mph.
Laying off the pies and keeping the speed down is the holy grail of mpg
GN2 is rumoured to have deep fried his PCX