Gas Mileage

Do they call it kilomerage in the rest of the world?? Asking for a friend
The rest of the world focuses on the fuel economy rather than mileage.

It's an inversion of approach. Here we ask how much distance can I cover for a given volume of fuel. The rest of the world asks how much fuel will I use to cover a given distance. In the US, we use Miles per gallon (MPG), while the rest of the world uses Liters per 100km.

Although I grew up in the US, I think the rest of the world's approach makes more sense. Especially if you consider normal highway speeds are about 100KPH, it essentially tells you how many liters you use per hour. So if my economy is 5.3liters per 100km and I have a 16 liter tank (cruiser R18 models). I know I'm empty after 3 hours (~300km) at highway speeds. So I might plan to stop every 2.5 hours to have some buffer.
 
There are two kinds of countries in this world. Those that are metric, and those that put a man on the moon. 😂
Actually NASA did use the metric system for the calculations in the Apollo Guidance Computer used in the moon landings. Though they did convert to imperial units for display to the pilots.

So in actuality we put a man on the moon with metric, we just pretended it was with imperial.
 
I have always preferred the French metric system to the British gravitational system, but my brother says we have an advantage with our odd British system because it resists one world government.
 
The rest of the world focuses on the fuel economy rather than mileage.

It's an inversion of approach. Here we ask how much distance can I cover for a given volume of fuel. The rest of the world asks how much fuel will I use to cover a given distance. In the US, we use Miles per gallon (MPG), while the rest of the world uses Liters per 100km.

Although I grew up in the US, I think the rest of the world's approach makes more sense. Especially if you consider normal highway speeds are about 100KPH, it essentially tells you how many liters you use per hour. So if my economy is 5.3liters per 100km and I have a 16 liter tank (cruiser R18 models). I know I'm empty after 3 hours (~300km) at highway speeds. So I might plan to stop every 2.5 hours to have some buffer.
It’s MPG here in the UK too but our measure of a gallon is different to the US. Approx 4.5 litres for a UK gallon and approx 3.8 for a US gallon. I haven’t reset mine since I’ve had the bike but averaging 51/52mpg with mixed riding.
 
My last fill netted me 53 MPG, US gallons that is ! ! !
Due to the Speedo being off significantly as per all BMW’s (runs fast, whole other thread) the odometer is also not accurate. I expect the computer uses the same data.

If you want to know what MPG you are getting, slap on a gps for a couple tanks and get true mileage with your purchased gallons.
 
I ride with the flow of the traffic on my FE. No cruise control and I probably wouldn't use it if I had it.

I'm mostly concerned with tank range with that small tank and have had a range of 112-132 miles before the reserve indicator came on.

Tank is rated for 4.2 gallons and reserve comes on with 1 gallon remaining which is 3.2 gallons

35-41.25 MPG
 
I ride with the flow of the traffic on my FE. No cruise control and I probably wouldn't use it if I had it.

I'm mostly concerned with tank range with that small tank and have had a range of 112-132 miles before the reserve indicator came on.

Tank is rated for 4.2 gallons and reserve comes on with 1 gallon remaining which is 3.2 gallons

35-41.25 MPG
That's more in line with what I've been gettin'.
 
My R18TC is getting 42-43 mpg on average. I expect it to improve as it only has 1,200 miles on it.
 
Due to the Speedo being off significantly as per all BMW’s (runs fast, whole other thread) the odometer is also not accurate. I expect the computer uses the same data.

If you want to know what MPG you are getting, slap on a gps for a couple tanks and get true mileage with your purchased gallons.
I hope you're wrong because no manufacturer can afford to pull a prank like that, willingly or not. The speedometer can be off and that's true for most of the motorcycles I've owned through the years. But not the odometer, whether the recorded traveled miles are more or less than the actual miles. If BMW does that to its motorcycles and get away with it, than what would stop them to do the same thing with their cars?
It is an impossibility, at least that's what I think or hope. Or maybe I'm just a stupid fork that believes in unicorns.
 
We all know that the odometer indications of our motorcycles indicate a slightly higher distance than that actually traveled on the road.
I believe that this difference is around 1.16%.
Ok, that's one thing....that doesn't really matter.
What is important in my opinion is knowing how to interpret the indications so as to have a more precise idea of the number of kilometers that can be traveled after the reserve warning light has come on, driving the same way of course.
 
One reasonably accurate way to determine reserve distance would be to carry a bit of fuel and run the reserve down to empty. Although it may not be accurate mile wise, it would provide a reasonably accurate measure for remaining as indicated on your instruments. Perhaps also could mark the run to empty course, and check with gps or another vehicle.
 
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MPG will rise as she breaks in. There have been lawsuits many years past where odometer accuracy came into play as to impacting value, e.g., trading your car with 75,000 miles was worth considerably more than having 80,000+ miles as there was a common negative applied at certain intervals. Not sure that means anything other than showing this isn't a new concern.

The old gear driven speedometer and odometers were at a set ratio, but the plastic drive gear was easily replaced so when a vehicle was sold with 15" rims and there were optional sizes either OEM or aftermarket installed one could swap the drive gear for the appropriate size to maintain the mileage and MPH displayed. Now with everything being electronic I think the ECU can handle a buffer % for the speed and also be more accurate on the odometer given all the other much more complex data they continually juggle.

In the end as long as you are seeing reasonably consistent results the "X" doesn't really matter as it just isn't that far off if at all. We are talking MPH, KPH, quantities per gallon in the UK v. U.S. as well as anecdotal observed mileage with reports from 30s-50+ MPG for different riders and conditions. If you do the math at each fill up to confirm Your MPG or Liters/100ks or whatever your math shows just plan on making it to a petrol station with what your reserve amount would carry you or you'll be trying to wean her off Dino juice.
 
We all know that the odometer indications of our motorcycles indicate a slightly higher distance than that actually traveled on the road.
I believe that this difference is around 1.16%.
Ok, that's one thing....that doesn't really matter.
What is important in my opinion is knowing how to interpret the indications so as to have a more precise idea of the number of kilometers that can be traveled after the reserve warning light has come on, driving the same way of course.
It is roughly 1 US gallon remaining at reserve or about 4 liters. So, depending on your average fuel economy you can calculate your expected reserve range. On my bike, I assume 40 miles per gallon, so I aim to refill after about 20-25 miles after reserve turns on. The tank I used the most of was early in my history with the bike. I completed 157 miles and filled 3.743 gallons into the 4.2 gallon tank, so I had just under 1/2 gallon remaining and achieved 42MPG. A more recent tank with many highway miles was 166 miles and I put in 3.445 gallons achieving 48MPG.

I find assuming 40 miles on reserve is reasonable and if anything conservative. The worst tank I had was 39 MPG and the 48MPG was my best. So I know my reserve range is 39-48 miles. I don’t want to run the tank dry with the negative impact on the fuel pump, so I aim to refill no more than 20-25 miles after reserve comes on.
 
I agree with 40 miles on reserve as a reasonable number, no desire to run the fuel system dry either! although it would be the only way to know the exact capacity of the tank....
 
What is the common understanding on this forum as to the % error in mph on the R18 bikes?
The reason I ask is the mph/rpm is the same for my other bike. Example: both bikes show 70 mph at 2,500 rpm in 6th gear.
(1802 cc vs 1752 cc)
 
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