3 Fuel Consumption Questions

[JTJersey]

I put a Cobra Power Flow air cleaner on my '21 Free about a year ago. Gas mileage held at an average of 37 mpg. About 5 months back I fit a crankcase breather bypass and fuel mpg stayed the same. Last month I installed Cobra 909 Slip-on mufflers and my fuel mpg has dropped about 4+ mpg. 1 - I guess I'm not running lean and 2 - is this normal?

3 - Keeping in mind the above, I filled the tank a couple days ago. The odometer currently shows 146.2 on the refill. My reserve light (R) shows at the moment 30 miles remaining and LF indicates 11.8. Does this mean I can run 41.8 miles before I'm stone empty? I have yet to figure out the LF indicator. My apologies if this sounds like an algebra question. Let me see, 146.2/30 (-11.8) = x (?)

[Jack Klarich]

That is a good question. All I know for sure I never trust the low fuel light on anything I drive or ride and I have never run out of gas

[rhino 2]

I put a Cobra Power Flow air cleaner on my '21 Free about a year ago. Gas mileage held at an average of 37 mpg. About 5 months back I fit a crankcase breather bypass and fuel mpg stayed the same. Last month I installed Cobra 909 Slip-on mufflers and my fuel mpg has dropped about 4+ mpg. 1 - I guess I'm not running lean and 2 - is this normal?



3 - Keeping in mind the above, I filled the tank a couple days ago. The odometer currently shows 146.2 on the refill. My reserve light (R) shows at the moment 30 miles remaining and LF indicates 11.8. Does this mean I can run 41.8 miles before I'm stone empty? I have yet to figure out the LF indicator. My apologies if this sounds like an algebra question. Let me see, 146.2/30 (-11.8) = x (?)

2).....If you figure in human nature....Some time installing louder pipes makes you want to gas the throttle a little more....Blip---Blip---Blip..

3].....Just going by my triglides (3 of them)....When the 30 gos to about 10 miles and then counts down to 0.....I still have + or - one gal to dry....AKA Walking..

[Old Road Dog]

Forget all that bunk. Its just ballpark anyway. Use the truckers philosophy: never pass a fuel stop ...without stopping. Trying to squeeze another 50 miles will leave you sitiing with hard dick and bubblegum.

[JTJersey]

Ran the fuel tank down 'till the low range indicator came on. LR said 30. Topped it off to max with 5 gals of Sunoco supreme. Math shows me I'm getting only 31 mpg. No long trips, some highway at 70, but more or less local. That's a 6 mpg drop in fuel economy since the Cobra 909 mufflers went on with similar riding. Anyway, apparently if LR says 30 that means 1 gallon of gas left and I should be able to go another 20 something miles. I'm also planning to pull the plugs soon and see what they look like. I'm expecting to see the Freewheeler running richer than it was with the factory mufflers. Better than too lean, I guess.

[Jack Klarich]

Ran the fuel tank down 'till the low range indicator came on. LR said 30. Topped it off to max with 5 gals of Sunoco supreme. Math shows me I'm getting only 31 mpg. No long trips, some highway at 70, but more or less local. That's a 6 mpg drop in fuel economy since the Cobra 909 mufflers went on with similar riding. Anyway, apparently if LR says 30 that means 1 gallon of gas left and I should be able to go another 20 something miles. I'm also planning to pull the plugs soon and see what they look like. I'm expecting to see the Freewheeler running richer than it was with the factory mufflers. Better than too lean, I guess.

Always try for the richer, it helps keep these beasts a bit cooler

The M8 does run richer from the factory than Twin Cams, IMO it is because of the 4 valve heads, better burn in the combustion chamber to please the EPA Gods

[Burnerboy]

When my low fuel light comes on......... I fill up/don't want to take any chances I love to walk, but not when I'm pushing a bike/trike especially a Goldwing..........I just hate to see a Harley ride'rrrrr laughing

Ronnie

11/10/22

[JTJersey]

Checked my mileage again a few days ago and got 35 mpg. Thinking it would be brand of gas related. Was running Wa-Wa premium when I recorded the 31 mpg and Sunoco Premium when I got the current 35 mpg. It's still a drop in mpg, but 35 mpg works for me.

[Blueraven]

My reserve light (R) shows at the moment 30 miles remaining and LF indicates 11.8. Does this mean I can run 41.8 miles before I'm stone empty? I have yet to figure out the LF indicator.

Why not just get a 1 gallon gas can, go to the gas station fill up the tank and then fill up the can and put the can in the trunk?

Then ride until your low fuel light comes on and note how many miles you’ve traveled.

Then ride until you run out of fuel and note how many miles it was since the low fuel light came on.

Then get the 1 gallon gas can out of the trunk put it in your tank and go get fuel.

For me when the low fuel light comes on I generally start looking for fuel but when we’re traveling I do keep a Reda 1 gallon fuel can in the trunk just in case I need fuel.

When not traveling I keep the Reda can in my company vehicle just in case I or someone I run across need some emergency fuel which has happened a few times over the past years.

[JTJersey]

Why not just get a 1 gallon gas can, go to the gas station fill up the tank and then fill up the can and put the can in the trunk? Then ride until your low fuel light comes on and note how many miles you’ve traveled.

Then ride until you run out of fuel and note how many miles it was since the low fuel light came on.

Then get the 1 gallon gas can out of the trunk put it in your tank and go get fuel. For me when the low fuel light comes on I generally start looking for fuel but when we’re traveling I do keep a Reda 1 gallon fuel can in the trunk just in case I need fuel. When not traveling I keep the Reda can in my company vehicle just in case I or someone I run across need some emergency fuel which has happened a few times over the past years.

My info on running your gas tank dry with a fuel injected system is that it can be very bad for the injectors and may result in permanent damage. I have a reasonable idea of when I need to stop for gas so I think I'll just keep that in mind while traveling. I have looked into those sealed 1 gal, or sometimes less, fuel cans you can buy in the store, but my riding usually takes me between NJ and FL and there are typically plenty of gas stations on the route.

[DK Custom Products]

Checked my mileage again a few days ago and got 35 mpg. Thinking it would be brand of gas related. Was running Wa-Wa premium when I recorded the 31 mpg and Sunoco Premium when I got the current 35 mpg. It's still a drop in mpg, but 35 mpg works for me.

You will improve MPG on any free flowing slip-ons if you run some Thunder Torque Inserts™ in them (if you are not already).

Below is a video we did that you may find interesting/useful-



Kevin