Howdy, just did the intro thingie in the appropriate folder.

Gotta question about "paying taxes" on an 04, 05, or 06. What the average/typical change in MPG after the pipes, rejet, air...? Still in the 40 MPG range city and 50s highway? I do a lot of long distance riding and I want to make sure I could still get close to 150 miles before reserve with a peanut tank.

Kajun, someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't get 150 miles BEFORE taxes with the peanut tank. I have a Custom with the 4.5 gallon tank and I can go 160-180 before I hit reserve--and I've paid my taxes.

Howdy, just did the intro thingie in the appropriate folder.

Gotta question about "paying taxes" on an 04, 05, or 06. What the average/typical change in MPG after the pipes, rejet, air...? Still in the 40 MPG range city and 50s highway? I do a lot of long distance riding and I want to make sure I could still get close to 150 miles before reserve with a peanut tank.

YES...there may be a tad more fuel consumption, but both of my Sportys have done close to 150 before reserve (at least 140)...depending on the state of tune, and driving style... (with a 3.3 gallon tank)

My 05 883 lost about 3 miles to the gallon after taxes, not enough to worry about.

hwy prolly will get 50 mpg,, city around 40-45

My worst mileage, running 80-100mph is 40mpg. Cruising @ 65-70mph = 50-55mpg.

Howdy, just did the intro thingie in the appropriate folder.

Gotta question about "paying taxes" on an 04, 05, or 06. What the average/typical change in MPG after the pipes, rejet, air...? Still in the 40 MPG range city and 50s highway? I do a lot of long distance riding and I want to make sure I could still get close to 150 miles before reserve with a peanut tank.

Are we talking 883 or 1200?

I get anywhere between 37 mpg in town to 49 mpg on the highway.

Are we talking 883 or 1200?

I get anywhere between 37 mpg in town to 49 mpg on the highway.

I should have specified... it would be an 883.

I've never really checked my gas mileage. But, I will say: who cares...it sounds so freakin' good with those CS slip-ons and the Ram-Flo A/C; the added torque is awesome and people can hear me comin'!!!

BW
'05 1200C

Gotcha loud and clear BW, but I'm interested in seeing if I can keep up with a group doing a long-distance without having to make everyone else stop every time I need to fuel up. This would not be a problem with the 883 Custom tank, which is what I might end up with... but if I end up with an 883 Low, that peanut tank gives me concern.

I am (we are) used to stopping at about every 120 to 140 miles on the rice I ride now. Just looking to compare, because I know I'd want to do the taxes... and I was curious how much worse the fuel economy was after the mods.

Thanks everyone!

my gas consumption is controlled by my right hand ;)

It will depend how you rejet. Many rejet way too rich, I did too.
Then I backed off until I still had the same performance with
less gas.

My 1200 with a 45/175/N65C I get on avareage 48 MPG
but will get lower around town and higher on the road at
moderate speeds. Between 42~56 MPG.

But at 48 times 3.3 gal = 156 miles or so, but I start looking
after 120 miles or so just to be safe.

YMMV

Gotcha loud and clear BW, but I'm interested in seeing if I can keep up with a group doing a long-distance without having to make everyone else stop every time I need to fuel up. This would not be a problem with the 883 Custom tank, which is what I might end up with... but if I end up with an 883 Low, that peanut tank gives me concern.

I am (we are) used to stopping at about every 120 to 140 miles on the rice I ride now. Just looking to compare, because I know I'd want to do the taxes... and I was curious how much worse the fuel economy was after the mods.

Thanks everyone!
My last bike was a Royal Star and had a 4.8 gallon tank. I had to stop every 125-140 miles because I couldn't get better than 35-37 MPG. It was supposed to be a touring cruiser, but just didn't have the range.

I expect that even if I do Stage 1 mods to my Sporty, I will be able to get 45 MPG and go at least 150 miles before I hit reserve.

Checked at my latest fill-up for my '05 883C/Stage 1 and got 48.15 MPG :-)

Since I am in Canada I can only give you Km's but you can convert. I have an 883 with 45/170 jetting, stock needle, SE a/c, V&H Straight Shots and I can get 200 km's before hitting reserve on the highway doing 120 kmh (something like 70mph). I can even get better mileage if I put on the 29 tooth pulley that I have now instead of waiting for when I do my conversion. I start looking for gas around 160 kms.

Since I am in Canada I can only give you Km's but you can convert. I have an 883 with 45/170 jetting, stock needle, SE a/c, V&H Straight Shots and I can get 200 km's before hitting reserve on the highway doing 120 kmh (something like 70mph). I can even get better mileage if I put on the 29 tooth pulley that I have now instead of waiting for when I do my conversion. I start looking for gas around 160 kms.

That's only 100 miles!

:spineyes

You got a fuel tank, or a coffee can?!?!?!

:roflblack

That's only 100 miles!

:spineyes

You got a fuel tank, or a coffee can?!?!?!

:roflblack


Actually it is more like 125 miles. Must have of had some weed resin on your fingers when you were typing in the conversion numbers :roflblack . If you don't start looking for gas at 160 or so you could run out here in Ontario on the 401. Stations are about 70 kms apart. You could get off and go into a small town.

Actually it is more like 125 miles. Must have of had some weed resin on your fingers when you were typing in the conversion numbers :roflblack . If you don't start looking for gas at 160 or so you could run out here in Ontario on the 401. Stations are about 70 kms apart. You could get off and go into a small town.

Well, admittedly, I didn't do the math myself, but I've just tried it on another converter...

100.6668 is what I keep getting....

Someone's bogartin, but it clearly ain't me! :smoke

Well, admittedly, I didn't do the math myself, but I've just tried it on another converter...

100.6668 is what I keep getting....

Someone's bogartin, but it clearly ain't me! :smoke


160 kms = 100 miles
200 kms = 125 miles
roughly

Start looking at 100 miles, can go to 125 miles without hitting reserve, maybe a little further even. I have never hit reserve and it should not be counted in the total mileage for the bike on a tank IMHO. There is always one. :frownthre

Sorry...didn't realize you operated that conservatively...

Even out here in the country, I can COUNT on 5 miles from my reserve....with no concern at all...probably a good deal more...

Assuming a .3 gal. reserve, getting 45 MPG (another conservative estimate), I should get (and have gotten) 15 miles out of my reserve...

100 miles? I'm still smiling and ridin...I've still got 1/3 of a tank...+ reserve...

And yeah, if there's one in every crowd, its probably me....

:laugh



To each his or her own, I suppose...

No worries, it's all in fun and an interesting discussion. My buddy that I ride with a lot has an old V45 Sabre with 130K Kms on it and he gets now and always has gotten the same mileage as I get, so it is nice riding with him because we need gas at the same intervals. He has been coast to coast and to Alaska filling up every 100 miles or so. Like I stated earlier, it is the station spacing that makes in necessay to be conservative here. I have been to the States and your sations are not so far apart.

4.5 gallon 883C
I go 180 before I think about gas. Don't have to use reserve yet (except when I 1st got it and ran out a couple of times until I learned)
Someone's bogartin, but it clearly ain't me!
now that's funny.:roflblack :roflblack I haven't heard that term since my hippie days:D :rolleyes:

gett'in anywhere from 46 to 53 depending on how I'm riding - 1200 with taxes paid!

883C Taxes paid
Stock jets, N65C needle with .020 shim.
Cycle Shack Slip Ons
Ram-Flo 400 AC
49 MPG

Shoot, i might be running it rich then. Mine only gets about 40MPG on Premium (91). My 1200R (peanut tank) hits reserve at just about 100miles. This is mixed driving tho, part city 40%, rest highway (some traffic tho).

I figure that's about 1hr 20 minutes on the highway, before having to look for gas, I'm sure my legs and butt would approve of the break.

I'm glad I read this thread. My 2000 883 has only the K&N replacement air filter, and small windshield. On my trips (130 miles), I was usually getting 50-53 mpg but there was some stop-and-go traffic involved. I think my bike is just now getting broke in at 5,200 miles.

Last weekend, I rode interstate for two, 120 mile legs and got 62 mpg (yes, sixty-two) using 93-octane fuel and dino oil. I was, well, surprised! Speed was 65 - 70 and non-stop. Next week I will begin the 1200 conversion and I anticipate a drop in mileage until it gets broke in.

Even 50's mileage is better than my F-150, 4.6L truck (23 hwy) and won't feel bad until the sporty gets less than 30 mpg.

Just my .02,
sportynube:)

Even 50's mileage is better than my F-150, 4.6L truck (23 hwy) and won't feel bad until the sporty gets less than 30 mpg.

Just my .02,
sportynube:)

Hell, if you get THAT low, she's probably runnin pretty raggedy... :laugh

No worries there....even AFTER your conversion...

cantolina,
I can't agree with you more: mpg in the 30's on the sporty would be raggedy! Owning a truck and owning a Harley have some things in common, one of which is, "I didn't buy it for the mileage (although, the bike's mileage was a major consideration when gasoline was $3.00/gallon)."

The looks, sound, and, quite honestly, the prestige, of owning a Sportster are all reasons for owning the bike. Man, I do like my Sportster!

One other add-on I failed to mention before was the 29-tooth front sprocket I put on. Reduced vibration and probably does contribute to better mileage. Dakota Digital sells the module to allow recalibration of the speed.

sportynube

I'm thinking my MPG is low... 43.76 MPG (averaged over 6 fill-ups, mostly city, but 1 tank was all highway). I'm usually very easy on the throttle, with maybe 1 or 2 hard accelerations for each trip.

Shoot, i might be running it rich then. Mine only gets about 40MPG on Premium (91). My 1200R (peanut tank) hits reserve at just about 100miles. This is mixed driving tho, part city 40%, rest highway (some traffic tho).

I see we have similar mileage. I went for a ride yesterday had 40 miles on it before I started and after mostly highway and 2 lane roads at 100 miles I hit reserve. Went about 5 miles more before getting gas and it took 2.5 gal to fill it up.