How do Harleys get such good gas mileage?

[SaltyNuts]

Their new 114 ci M8 engines, hell, even their 117 ci M8 engines, are listed at 49 mpg. Is that legit? They supposedly have 100 horsepower, and waaaaay over 100 ft/lbs tork, so its not like they are wimpy little motors. And those 114/117 volumes in their cylinders are HUGE. So how are they getting such good mileage? I can't remember seeing any japanese bike with that much HP and tork getting that good mileage.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

What you say may be true -- dunno. I've always wanted to have a chopper, but a Harley out of the factory would do.

But, a couple things. I'm 74, and beginning to lose my balance and coordination. And my cousin, who is 60 and having ridden dirt bikes all his life (he has a Kawasaki), tells me that Harleys can get you killed. Maybe it won't get you killed as a younger person, but I'm no longer ashamed to avoid taking any chances. Some mornings, I wake up feeling half past dead . . . Riding a Harley might revive my youth, or make me feel more alive, but I'd rather wake up just feeling half past dead rather than simply be splattered all over the asphalt.

 

[crashtech]

Good engine management, low drag rings, low engine RPMs, and not riding like you stole it is how those figures get achieved.

 

[Vic]

All else being equal, undersquare, low rpm engines get better mpg than oversquare, high rpm engines.

 

[Tsinni Dave]

Their new 114 ci M8 engines, hell, even their 117 ci M8 engines, are listed at 49 mpg. Is that legit? They supposedly have 100 horsepower, and waaaaay over 100 ft/lbs tork, so its not like they are wimpy little motors. And those 114/117 volumes in their cylinders are HUGE. So how are they getting such good mileage? I can't remember seeing any japanese bike with that much HP and tork getting that good mileage.

My dual 750 watt two wheel drive electric bicycle has 120 ft/lbs of torque and weighs about 70 lbs.. Just sayin'.

 

[WhiteNoise]

My Harley has a 96 with a big bore kit to 104, cams, intake, etc and it still gets 42 mpg. Fuel injection helps a lot I'm sure and like @crashtech stated, not riding it like you stole it, helps greatly.

 

[Greenman]

I only ever managed around 32 on my V-Rod. It was near stock, just pipes and adjusted the AFR down to 13.5 to 1.

 

[Heartbreaker]

Their new 114 ci M8 engines, hell, even their 117 ci M8 engines, are listed at 49 mpg. Is that legit? They supposedly have 100 horsepower, and waaaaay over 100 ft/lbs tork, so its not like they are wimpy little motors. And those 114/117 volumes in their cylinders are HUGE. So how are they getting such good mileage? I can't remember seeing any japanese bike with that much HP and tork getting that good mileage.

Motorcycles don't have to do standard EPA fuel economy testing like cars, so manufacturers can just report any number they like.

Also they only weighs about 1/4 the weight of a car, have much smaller engines, so they should get much better fuel economy. In town they do, but on the highway the numbers are similar to a small car, so really not so impressive.

 

[cardiac]

My 2000 Road King has the 88 cu in Twin Cam, and it has 73 horsepower and 86 lb/ft torque and I average around 46mpg combined. And it does run pretty strong.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I had a 650cc Suzuki with a liquid cooled L-twin motor that made 75hp and it averaged around 50mpg with fairly aggressive riding. I heard of people getting 60mpg with them but I never saw mileage like that with mine. My 2014 Ducati Multistrada had a liquid cooled 1198cc motor making 150hp and over 90ft-lbs of torque. I used to average in the mid 30s mpg. It was way lighter than a Harley and faster than a Harley, handled better too. Never owned motorcycles for their fuel economy though. They tend to go through consumables like tires and brakes and they need more frequent maintenance than cars do which offsets some of the fuel economy, especially with a Ducati. I don’t know what maintenance is like on a Harley as I have never owned one. Just not my thing, too heavy, too slow, and they don’t handle well. They are archaic compared to most bikes.

 

[Heartbreaker]

If you want a low cost to run, efficient commuter, look no further than the most popular bike in history. The Honda Supercub. Easy to get over 100 MPG in the real world, in modern dark grey, I think it even looks kind of cool:

SuperCub - Mini Motorcycle - Honda

The Super Cub may be a small motorbike, but it’s a giant when it comes to how it’s mobilized the world. One ride and you'll see why.

powersports.honda.com

 

[sdifox]

And these kids will show you how cool a cub is

Super Cub

Koguma, a reserved second-year high school student, has nothing—no parents, hobbies, friends, or goals. On her way home one afternoon, she visits a vehicle shop in hopes of acquiring a motor scooter. With only enough money to make ends meet, she is disheartened by the price tags and prepares to...

myanimelist.net