Guys,
When I started riding for the first time in my life about 6 months ago, my '06 shadow spirit 750 would do MAYBE 90 miles on a full tank before I had to switch to reserve. That's if I was lucky. That was 6 months ago.
Since then I got better, and I'm not afraid of the bike like I was at first. What I was afraid of was over revving and damaging the engine, so I would very often ride way below optimum RPM, bike would almost choke half the time. Don't ask...
So what changed? I ride more, well, dynamically I guess you could say, I shift later than I used to, few times I even bounced off of rev limiter
Come this month. I filled up a week ago, 2.5 gallons exactly in the tank, and I had to flick it on reserve this morning, at exactly 120 miles on the clock (pump started to click, it's a sign it's sucking air). I really topped it off today, put 2.6 gallons in. I expect to get another 120 or so miles.
So what is it? My riding? Can too low RPMs cause worse fuel economy? Or is it ONLY the colder weather we've been enjoying in FL lately? I did notice that on those cold morning, once bike warms up, it's more zippy than I remember it being before.
Basically, for no reason I can explain, my bike went from 90 miles on a 2.5 gallons to 120! On the same exact commute to and from work each day. Same route. Same traffic. Same bike. Same driver. Same speeds. Different RPMs, more aggressive riding in fact, and colder weather.
What say you?
When I started riding for the first time in my life about 6 months ago, my '06 shadow spirit 750 would do MAYBE 90 miles on a full tank before I had to switch to reserve. That's if I was lucky. That was 6 months ago.
Since then I got better, and I'm not afraid of the bike like I was at first. What I was afraid of was over revving and damaging the engine, so I would very often ride way below optimum RPM, bike would almost choke half the time. Don't ask...
So what changed? I ride more, well, dynamically I guess you could say, I shift later than I used to, few times I even bounced off of rev limiter
Come this month. I filled up a week ago, 2.5 gallons exactly in the tank, and I had to flick it on reserve this morning, at exactly 120 miles on the clock (pump started to click, it's a sign it's sucking air). I really topped it off today, put 2.6 gallons in. I expect to get another 120 or so miles.
So what is it? My riding? Can too low RPMs cause worse fuel economy? Or is it ONLY the colder weather we've been enjoying in FL lately? I did notice that on those cold morning, once bike warms up, it's more zippy than I remember it being before.
Basically, for no reason I can explain, my bike went from 90 miles on a 2.5 gallons to 120! On the same exact commute to and from work each day. Same route. Same traffic. Same bike. Same driver. Same speeds. Different RPMs, more aggressive riding in fact, and colder weather.
What say you?