K11 Owners Group

Jade · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:49 am Post subject:

In mixed mountain riding I see 45-50mpg. I think that I've seen 230-250 miles on a tank while traveling.

On a side note. I've seen 150mph near sea level but could muster only about 140mph above 8k ft.
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Jade
1/93 K1100RS
Tesla > Edison

Paul · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Lincoln, NE

I took mine to yellow stone park 2200 miles with two on and camping gear. Drove 65 always accept a 250 mile stetch on I-80 with a 20mph tail wind. Averaged 49.3 for th whole trip. I have a 140/80 tire on the rear and I ran 91 octane premium fuel.

tmarshall57 · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

I don't ride too hard - mainly around the country roads round here. One up and no luggage. I consistently get 54-62 MPG (UK Gallon). I filled up this week and got 250 miles on 18.25 litres. I made this 62MPG. I think that is pretty good.
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K1100RS Special Edition 1997
Arctic Silver/Black

Paul · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Lincoln, NE

High rpms are the worst thing for any engine. If you want them to last, keep the rpms as low as necessary always. Piston wall and ring wear are an exponential factor relative to rpms. A higher gear ration on all bikes is needed for the top gear for cruising. If you want to go zoom, zoom, zoom then down shift. Too bad we have shaft drives and can't just change sprockets. I've changed sprockets on several bikes and always got better mpg. The economy usually improved about 80% of the gear improvement %. My 250 Honda Rebel (city bike) with the 30 tooth sprocket (instead of 33) gets 90 mpg in down with common sense driving.

Off the grid · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject:

You also have to understand that the German engineered inline 4cyl is vastly overbuilt. It is constructed to handle more abuse than a rider can dish out.

Take for example the "break in" period of the Brick engine.

Most engines you need to take it easy and slowly increase the RPMs so the seals can seat evenly and the engine gets used to operating at high temperatures.

The brick engine however is the exact opposite. You need to wring the crap out of it....hot temps at high RPM s or the engine will never settle in properly.

This is the basis for the theory as to why some brick engines use a vast amount of oil (with no loss in performance) and some use none or next to none. One was broken in properly with the valves being able to seat properly after thousands of miles of high temps and revs, and the others were "babied" during break in like 99% of all bikes are.

The brick engine is a different animal.

Winding out a new engine is the last thing our instincts would tell us to do, but it is exactly what the brick engine was (over)built to do.

Hell, the "life" of a standard jap bike is what? 30k? 40k?
I put on that much mileage in 2 years and my bike is actually faster and runs better now than it did when I got it.

How many hundreds of motobrick riders on this forum? How many thousands of miles have been ridden in all conditions?

How many total engine rebuilds?

1? Maybe 2?

Your advice is spot on.....for other vehicles. It took me a while to operate my K at 6-8k RPM s, but that is what the bike is built for, and in my mind that is what it craves.

The biggest testament to the build quality is simple....how many original, non-rebuilt brick engines aged 9 to 15 years old are still running like new?

If I drove any other 15yr old bike like I ride my K I am quite sure I would experience some catastrophic failures.

The K just begs for more and starts right up the next morning.

Which is why even though I will add bikes to the stable, the brick will never be replaced.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

RobWheatley · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:43 am Post subject:

Just to add to what OTG has said, my brick has 111000 miles on it, i have only had it for a few months but the last owner (had it from new) used it HARD all the time (finally someone honest when selling something) it doesnt burn oil except for if i leave it on the side stand overnight after a fast run but even then it is just for about 3-4 seconds.
I have just had to replace the clutch due to an oil leak and it was the original, the engine has never had any major work done to it.
I love the way it will just pull like a train from 50 to 120 in top without even thinking about it, no drama's, no downshifting no fuss and then just sit there quite happy.

When i first started riding bike I bought from new a water cooled 80cc 2 stroke honda (MBX80) and 2 of my mates bought one each at the same time, after about 50 miles of running it in i got very bored and just thought what the hell and thrashed it, my mates run their's in to the book, mine was 10 mph faster than their's!!!!

Rob
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1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Smile

Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:41 am Post subject:

I get about 140 miles to a tank, less if in town.

Oh, and regarding the oil issue - dodgy valves are dodgy valves. Slapped wrist for BMW in my view.
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1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

hockeyshifter · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject:

i wish to use the term gallonage or literage.. how far on a tank of fuel..
i can get 185 to 195 on a tank when the fuel light comes on.
after i upgraded to the xd7 plugs and hit 30k miles i saw a 3 to 5 mpg increase. on mix road conditions with drag striping stop light to stop light and hitting 100mph fuel econ is mid 40's
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fix the problem not the blame ; fix what is messed up ; NO one is to blame.

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject:

Sorry for reviving the thread, but it looks like my mileage is rubbish, being 140 miles to a tank if I'm lucky.

Any tips? I've searched, but if anyone has any personal experience i'd be grateful to hear it.

Ta.
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1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

Jim · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

Are you actually out at 140??? Or is your light coming on way too early? Stick a litre of petrol in the trunk - take it out and ride it until you run out. Then you will know how far you can actually go before you run out.

If you're running out at 140 your mileage is pretty bad. Are those Imperial miles? How much longer are they than a US mile? Wink

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Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Off the grid · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

I got 37 mpg today and was actually pretty pleased with myself.

I am sure if I drove like a gramma I would be getting 45+, but the fact is that I beat the living piss out of my bike all the time.

The very least I have gotten out of a tank is 140, and the most is 180-190.

The 140 there was about a gallon in there, but I got tired of staring at the light and bogging down off the line.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:03 pm Post subject:

LordGondor · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:25 am Post subject:

I get about 150 miles per tank with about half a gallon fuel left. That's about 36mpg in town. The best I've seen is 185 miles per tank. That was about 48 mpg. I do prefer the high RPM; I don't use 5th gear that often even on the interstate. That might result in my lower MPG.
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93 K1100RS
60K miles now. 30K by me.