XTR MPG/economy Feedback?
 

Q re economy...

I recently bought an 04 XTR which is virtually standard tuning but has some good extras for luggage etc. Lots of varied bike experience and moving "down" for big BM's such as GS's...

My only bugbear at the mo is the mpg side of things. I had done my homework and mentions of 60-70+ were quite common. I have mainly been in the low or mid 50�s up until now with one trip in the low 60's. I hoped you wouldn�t have to drive like a saint to get this and honestly don�t thrash it (well not too often:)).

It is often pretty windy in Shetland which may affect lower power bikes more, especially at higher speeds?

The 04�s with original 00 ECU�s (recently uprated TPS) don�t cut it for economy??

You have to ride like a saint to get the big mpg?

The bike is fully serviced, on a paper filter with standard cans and no snorkel (PO removed this and didn�t come with the bike). It runs pretty well but has the odd injection moments but no more that other brands. The plug is fine and there is no excess carbon on the silencer pipes. XT�s in general seem to be well thought out and reliable singles which is why I bought one:)

My experience of tuning different bikes is that it can release power but usually at the expense of economy. Perhaps the XT bucks the trend and a �KevMod� would make it more useable?

I am also going to stick a Q in the �Ask Kev� section:)

Ta

The XT engine is a strange beast, big on torque and not so high on power, so your have to play with its strengths and flick gears or keep the momentum going. Ive seen 78mpg on my 06 XTR when fully loaded and did a non stop 70mph on the motorway with a 3 tooth lower rear sprocket (stg1 and 2 filter, CCC cans and kev mod) before this the best i had seen was around 70-75mpg.

It really does all depend on what way you drive and the conditions. I would first check with kev if your ECU is not one of the unlucky few which need changed under warrenty, then possibly fit a stg2 and kev mod, this should open up a bit more power but more importantly allow the engine to breath, which the XT range has a problem with. As its designed for off road a snorkle is fitted under the seat and its baiscally suffercating the engine from breathing proper and making the most of the fuel its burning

You will find with a stage 2 air filter & a fuel mod your bike will get better fuel ecomoy, it will have better power to weight ratio. You will need less throttle opening to maintain the same speed.

You should see around the 55 to 60 mpg.

Info on ECU's

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=8546

I've got K&N and fuel mod. Commute 60miles/day and get 60mpg. I sit on the motorway at 80 in the mornings and thrash 30 miles home in the evenings on back lanes.
Could it be your journeys aren't long enough too?
Cheers
Rob

Cheers all! It is a not paint spotted 00 ECU which seems to be one of the 1st batch. Poor mapping could contribute to poor economy. Guess that is a Q for The Oracle, Kev... :)

Also i get the power to weight argument and also the warming up bit as Shetland is a bit cooler and my old K11 BM's didn't warm the oil enough unless you did 30 miles+.

longer run "sooth" next week and possibly a couple of small mods :)

The fuel mod costs about 60p and takes about an hour from scratch. Highly recommended.
Good luck. I'd imagine you feel a bit liberated after the big BMs? Though a lot more pained on the motorway.

Cheers
Rob

I loved my BM GS and it was tooled up with all the practical and non bling bits I could think of.... Fancied a change and no bike is the be all and end all... BM's have a few niggles to sort and if you take a boxer offroad you do so despite the bike:)

I like utilitarian well made bikes and the XTR is a classic simple Yam...

Funny enough it felt better on the new Mitas rear tyre today as it's geared up a bit. More messing to come I expect... Cheers so far!

PS It's got a better riding pos than the GS and I use an Airhawk so every bike can be comfy:)

Quick update...

I managed a trip Sooth for approx 1k miles and apart from two stages of more motorway speed riding into headwinds, I managed over 60mpg. The best was approx 65mpg and that was after a decent ride into the mounts of East coast Scotland.

It is mainly down to a mixed ride with slow bits and quicker bits. Long steady higher speed runs seem to penalise you without the bike being thrashed.

With some good spirited riding going on as well the engine seems to have loosened up a bit... Probably a middle/lower revs commuter scoot before and as with all engines, it needs stretching out a bit as well.

Some tinkering to follow and i will see if this improves or not on what I have.

Today was ended with a 10 mile ride through heavy rain into a ***** of a headwind with a "round the Horn lashed to the tiller" feeling :)

best i done was last year, ona xtr... glasgow to Fort willy at 60mph best i got was 73mpg... but usual riding... some top end speed...some slow... basically a wee bit o everything... usualy 53 ish mpg... not bad really fur a 660 single......to acheive great mpg,, ye have to ride steady wi no long gear changes... an never throttle it... when it comes down to,, thats what Bikings NOT about... do yer stuff an get the 50 mark, ye`l enjoy it more rather than saving a few miles to the gallon...

well Guys over the last 4 days ave been out fur a run every day in the excess of 150 tae 250 miles.. an ave been taking note o ma petrol consumption.. depending on how I ride it... well Mondays trip was a mixture of fast an doodlin... an some inbetween... at one point... i had just filled up.. an went 60 miles all jist plodding stuff down thru the Thornhill pass an down to lochinvar.. where i thought,, better fuel up again when i had the chance...... so it took �6.30,,, an i clocked 61 miles.. so it was 1.38 a ltr... jist under a gallon an no more.. so i was doin speeds of between 50/65... i had further to go..another 45 miles.. but this 45 miles was thru the queen eliz forrest new galaway, down near newton stewart... what a road,,i saw ma self getting faster an faster all the time.. i started fur the first mile,, 50mph,, then as trhe twisties go better.. much better it was hell fur leather.. mainly stayin in 3rd or 4th gear fur punch thru some corners...... so they 45 miles a think took their toll on ma gas consumption....then 125 home...but comming home as it was late,, i took a fast A road home..rather than go back thru the forrest wi ma main light on,, never no what is gonna be attracted tae the light,, an down there,, theres Deer everywhere.. so opted fur the fast main rd.... an a wis gunning it all the way.. 75/80... this returned after ma fuel up 10 miles fae home,,, an ma light on ma dash was on fur 17 mile... i worked it out an was getting 42 to the gallon...

so Hashing on 42 ish to the gallon......taking intae consideration the 45 miles o 3rd n 4th gear stuff.an the 80 ish miles home goin fast... I always quick shift...

jist dodlin.. 60 to the gallon.......

i usualy base ma runs on 50 tae the gallon,, as it always takes in a mixture o riding.. ....