Range and consumption

[NorthernBoy]

There are often questions asked about he range and consumption of the GS, so why not have a thread for people's data? Here's some to start it off.

I rode from London to Northumberland today, and decided to do it in controlled conditions (as much as possible. At the start of the main roads, I put the bike on the centre stand, and filled it very full (which took some time spent dribbling the last bits in). I also bought a container of petrol, stuck it in the side box, and set off.

The bike is a 2008 1200GS, 3,000 miles on the clock, full vario luggage, with both panniers expanded, and with enough stuff for four nights away.

I maintained an 80-90mph indicated cruise (75-85mph real speed), and the combination of miles travelled and indicated range remaining started at 200 miles, and grew to 240 over the next 90 miles. It then started to drop back, until the fuel warning light came on at 148 miles, with an indicated 42 miles to go to empty. The sum of range and distance the stayed reasonably stable, until the dispplay ticked from 1 mile left to empty at 187 miles. The bike was indicating that it had done 50mpg at this point (this had been as high as 63 as I left town on the A12 at 50mph, but steadily fell afterwards).

So with the tank showing empty, I ploughed on. I was concerned, as I was on the A1M by this point, with seven miles of motorway left. I should not have been so concerned, as 200 miles came and went with everything still fine. Unfortunately, at this point, I started to enter some roadworks, and Northbound was being directed onto the opposite carriageway. I would have no place to stop if I ran out, so puled over at the 200 mile mark, and used hte petrol in the tank.

I'll try again on the way back down, and see if this 13 miles is close to out, or if there is much more.

Has anyone else done this yet, and, if so, how much did they get past "empty"?

 

[Wapping]

I find my average range (walking) to the pub is about a mile. Further, if I go by public transport.

Consumption? Varies according to assorted parameters. These include: Time available, company, cash flow, air temperature. Standing or sitting also has an effect.

My range is greatly increased if I go by motorbike or car, though it badly reduces my consumption.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I've ridden my GSA 20 miles past empty then put 35 litres in a supposedly 33 litre tank

 

[madmax]

2006 GSA with 17000 on clock.
Full to brim tank, zero'd avg speed and avg mileage.
Travelled from Blackpool (lancs) to Woolacombe (devon) 2 up with full luggage, tent, sleeping bags, air beds, clothes for 3 days and the other half toileteries.
Door to Door 320miles on 1 tank filled up when we got to woolacombe with fuel light on and gauge showing 35miles left.
Avg speed read 70 avg mileage 46.8.
I worked it out at 32 litres 320 miles = 44.5 to the gallon.
Seems ok to me or should i be getting more?

 

[JJH]

sounds ok to me 09gsa 45-46 mpg

 

[Engineer]

I typically get 50mpg on my standard 1200GS; last tank full was 53mpg - I will now start a controversy I get about 7% more mpg with BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax - they must have more calories per litre.

 

[r16ksw]

Consumption

I have the 1200gs on a 55 plate. I did a run the other day and at various speeds and the amber warning light came on at 183 miles with a range of 37miles remaining. I didnt chance it past the remaining 37 but am confident in getting around 220 miles from a tank full.

Also i have noticed that i get better mpg if i use proper garage forecourt fuels instead of supermarket derived brands. My neighbour who drives tankers for a living informs me that the supermarkets keep cost lower by not using all of the additives available to them at the refinery. One of which is an octain booster. I think this might be the answer so while we often pay a little less on supermarket forecourts i dont beleive we get value for money.

Just my tenpenneth

Rick

 

[NorthernBoy]

I typically get 50mpg on my standard 1200GS; last tank full was 53mpg - I will now start a controversy I get about 7% more mpg with BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax - they must have more calories per litre.

I forgot to mention, I filled up at the start on Texaco's bog standard unleaded, from a supposedly empty tank.

 

[RickG]

Clearly there are many factors but there have been quite a few threads on this is the past. Some of the generalisations are:

The typical fuel consumption of a GS/A is around 50-55 mpg.

If you load it up like a barge and do 80-90mph on the motorway the consumption will increase and you'll get nearer 45mpg

When the fuel light comes on you can get somewhere from 40-45mpg to dry and even when the trip shows 0.0 you may have a handful of miles left.

With all the GS's I've had, they do better milage when it's hot rather than in winter

 

[NorthernBoy]

When the fuel light comes on you can get somewhere from 40-45mpg to dry and even when the trip shows 0.0 you may have a handful of miles left.

Well, as I wrote above, the bike was still going strong 52 miles after the warning light came on, and thirteen miles after it had counted down to zero, which was why I thought it worthwhile to post. That is very, very useful inormation for me. I'm going to do the same up and down alps, too, to get a good idea of just what I have left when the bike claims it's dry.

 

[Chip]

did the full to empty test last week on 07 standard gs ,got 275 miles with not overfilling tank at start,just a bit above neck,ave mpg was 55 which i also checked against fuel put in and was correct.
ran out and put in 5L , 2 miles to garage and put in 17.7L, i recon my tank must be 22,5 ,definatly worth knowing.oh and did 20 miles after range on empty .

 

[Brian ROSEN]

".....if i use proper garage forecourt fuels instead of supermarket derived brands....." This used to be commonly believed in France -to the extent that many people formed the impression that by buying fuel from a supermarket they were getting a sub standard product. Then 'Carrefour,' one of the major chains advertised that their fuel was IDENTICAL to fuels supplied to 'normal' garages in all respects except price! As far as I can see, the only people who buy from the normal forscourts are those who are running company cars and cannot be bothered to queue! However on the same subject of petrol consumption I was advised to run my 2008 GS on the 98 (rather than 95) octane fuel. That seemed to make sense with a 12:1 compression ratio. In the instruction book it is not too clear - only that the engine management sysyem will adjust for the lower octane. As the 98 is only 2 centimes a litre more expensive I always fill with that now, at the same time pointing out to those that don't know that most cars and bikes will run just as well on the 95......thus the 98 pumps are not so busy! I do sense that the 2008 model is just a little 'rougher' than my 2004 model -but it has only covered 2000 kms.

 

[NorthernBoy]

Then 'Carrefour,' one of the major chains advertised that their fuel was IDENTICAL to fuels supplied to 'normal' garages in all respects except price! As far as I can see, the only people who buy from the normal forscourts are those who are running company cars and cannot be bothered to queue!

Well, them and people like me who run exotic sports cars and can feel very clearly what happens when you put in bog standard fuel.

In the UK, the fuel is most definitely not identical. V power and BP Ultimate make a difference if you have an engine which has been designed to run on the better stuff.

For agricultural machinery, such as our beloved GSs, then yes, you can run it on fermented piss if you like, but for things in a higher state of tune, the octane rating really does matter.

 

[smartbear]

adjustable engine

would a 56 reg gs adjust its engine tune if i used 99ron fuel instead of 95ron?
if so would it be noticable

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Cor, what'll it do,mister?

Whatever is an "exotic sports car..." these days? I have owned plenty of cars that would 'pink' like fury on any fuel obtainable but they certainly were not exotic! - and I remember the days of using two head gaskets to reduce the compression ration & with luck the pinking. I learnt to drive both bikes and cars which required constant use of the ignition control lever as I think it was called. Thus I consider my GS an "exotic" motorcycle because it can run on low grade fuel with a 12:1 CR, thanks no doubt to fuel injection, sodium cooled valves, on board 'computer' etc.

 

[dogman]

Getting 63mpg from mg 08 GS. Obviously need to go faster!

 

[NorthernBoy]

Whatever is an "exotic sports car..." these days? I have owned plenty of cars that would 'pink' like fury on any fuel obtainable but they certainly were not exotic! - and I remember the days of using two head gaskets to reduce the compression ration & with luck the pinking. I learnt to drive both bikes and cars which required constant use of the ignition control lever as I think it was called. Thus I consider my GS an "exotic" motorcycle because it can run on low grade fuel with a 12:1 CR, thanks no doubt to fuel injection, sodium cooled valves, on board 'computer' etc.

I suppose something which makes 100bhp per litre normally aspirated would count. A 430, a Gallardo, or an R8 would definitely count as exotic, but even now that I have a sensible "semi exotic" RS4, I am still running it on the highest grade of unleaded. Yes, it can run on low grade petrol, but it knows that it is on it, and retards the ignition, and cuts the power when is on it. To get the full 414bhp at 8,000rpm, it needs better than cheapest.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

"...To get the full 414bhp at 8,000rpm,....." Where?

 

[Kaybe]

54 plate

run hard c50mpg

taking it a bit easier, two up 56mpg

taken my "fuel reminder" down to 14 miles, had a about 2lt left, based on I refilled back up to same point that it started from, which is the big variable

fuel usually Shell

 

[MKP]

Fuel consumpton

1200gs 56 plate with 18000 miles. Full to the brim to zero on reserve, 174 miles filled up with 18.5 litres = 42.7 mile to the gallon.