70-80 MPG!

[bigskydrift]

My 3/4 ton chevy pickup really eats the gas. Gas topped $72 a barrel today. Geez! I went down to the local Suzuki dealership and bought an '05 DR200SE. The man claims it will get between 70-80MPG. What I save in gas commuting will make the payment each month, and I can probably use it 7 months out of the year. I read some reviews on this bike, one guy said he marked one at 88 MPG! This is a dual sport bike (On/Off road, street legal) I really like the bike, and, while I can not pull my boat with it, I can use it for commuting and save tons of gas, enabling me to continue boating! It will make a great camp bike too!

 

[brother chris]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

Cool bike you got there yellowstone. <br />I got myself a 2003 KLR650 (on/off road). It's a blast and traffic stand stills are a breeze. <br />Have fun and drive safely. <br />B.C.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I work at a dealership and there are alot of good lightweight commuter bikes. We even have people equipping the dual purpose bikes with street tires to improve the ride (there is a race class for street race versions called super-moto). If you are happy commuting that way I say go for it. Spend a few extra bucks and get a nice rain suit for when you get trapped at work!

 

[JB]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

Back in the early 60s I bought a Honda Sport 50 in a basket for $5. It had a bad jug and piston. . .wrist pin had been loose and scored the jug.<br /><br />Put a jug and piston from a Trail 55 on it, took .060" off the head and converted it to run on methanol. I used methanol in my racing karts and bought it in 5gal jugs for $.50/gal.<br /><br />Commuted across Memphis (no open hiways) to the University on that li'l bike for 2 years. Got 70-80mpg. I think it would have gotten about 150mpg on gas.<br /><br />It would not be an option today because it made about 50mph at wot, but Yellowstone clearly has the same strategy with the Suzi.

 

[Ron G]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I was actually thinking about getting me an on and off road vehicle.i have to drive about 7 miles to work but its all up a mountain and this bronco im driving now is a pig.80mpg a could drive forever and talking about saving gas.

 

[rwise]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I have been thinking of getting a bike again, the savings sounds really good, but I sure like my air conditioning. The bikes I have had in the past did not get really good fuel mileage, but they ran really good, may have been the extra power they were making,,, ported polished etc etc. What I want now is a bigger street bike, though a street trail would be fun!

 

[bigskydrift]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I have not had the bike on an Interstate highway, and do not really plan to, as I don't need to to get to work. I think this is probably too small of a bike for the highway. I do not know about other states, but this bike was used by the local DMV for testing new riders, they use them for a season and then return it to the dealer for the next years model. When I picked it up it had 153 miles on it. The dealer knocked off around $1000 bucks and still gave me a full warranty. Good way to get a 'new' bike! I also have been without a bike for years now, have always enjoyed bikes - so I think it was the rising cost of fuel that finally convinced me to get back on two wheels, and I am lovin' it! Just have to remember, alot of motorists don't 'see' motorcycles.....defensive driving plus!!

 

[rodbolt]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

whats funny is my late fathers 87 chevy sprint with a carbed 3 cyl suzuki regularly got 60+ miles per gallon on cross country trips. it had 260K on the clock when he sold it and still got 50+ MPG on the highway.<br /> however chevy dropped it in a few years.<br />with EFI it may have gotten a bit more.

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

rodbolt...<br />I had the direct decendant to that...the 3 cylinder Geo Metro hatchback...I got about 45 mpg average. True...it screamed at 80 mph but for a commuter car it could not be beat. I can't beleive that they are all excited about hybrid cars getting 35 mpg!!! Someone needs to start making the 3 cylinder cars again...I would buy one in a minute.<br /><br />-JMW

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

Buy a small turbo diesel... You'll get nearly 50mpg and pretty good performance compared with a commuter car. My g/f gets 48mpg from hers and it's faster than her 1.8litre VW golf was.

 

[JB]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

Europe and Japan have plenty of vehicles that get over 50mpg. Example the SMART Fortwo turbo-Diesel gets about 70mpg.<br /><br />Why? Gas prices. Anywhere from $4 to $8/gallon<br /><br />Draconian regulations wont let them into the US.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

JB,<br /><br />They are killing the planet. Remember when someone starts a diesel in Germany, the temperature in Peoria goes up 2 degrees.

 

[bootle]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

Originally posted by JB:<br /> Europe and Japan have plenty of vehicles that get over 50mpg. Example the SMART Fortwo turbo-Diesel gets about 70mpg.<br /><br />Why? Gas prices. Anywhere from $4 to $8/gallon<br /><br />Draconian regulations wont let them into the US.

With oil now at $75.00 per barrel, as consumers we presently don't have any choices left but to persue the quest for much better MPG with the utmost vigor.

 

[JB]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I tend to agree, Darth.<br /><br />However, we have other ways to deal with it by changing our own behavior. <br /><br />Examples: <br /><br />1. Drive less by planning trips and limit them to what is really necessary, not merely convenient.<br /><br />2. Lighten the foot. I improved the mileage from my ML by 15% by driving like I have raw eggs on the dash and don't "need" to exceed posted limits.<br /><br />3. Forming pools to commute three, four or even five people in one vehicle for most of a commute trip.<br /><br />4. Walk or bicycle when you only need to go a short distance. To me (at 70) that means less than 3 miles round trip walking. I don't have a bike.<br /><br />Since I did 1,2 and 4 my gas bill is less, even though the cost per gallon is 50% higher.<br /><br />Of course, I have the advantage of remembering how people dealt during WWII, when gas was severely rationed.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

JB <br /> its almost 30 miles to get to my job site. a bit far for biking even if I could dodge the crazy caps and blue hairs in their 25MPH buicks that are just as apt to lock up the brakes as take a left from the right lane with a right turn signal. <br /> other than that I rarely drive anywhere.<br /> I stopp at the stores for supplies on my way to and from wanchese/manteo.<br /> the only time I drive is when going to a jobsite.<br /> but my labor rate is gonna jump from 75/hr to 85/hr to cover my skyrocketing fuel bill.<br /> my poor old mazda is drinking about 85 dollars a week now.<br />would look a bit funny trying to balance my tools on a bike.<br />but the energy cost is gonna tank this economy soon.

 

[technostingray]

Re: 70-80 MPG!

I tend to agree with jb.