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Pikey
Dec 25, 2004
Its an sv650, a v twin. Just asking because filled up today and my mpg was a little over 30. Just curious if it's because I've been sitting around 5000 rpm or if I need to look at other things. Did motivate me to change out my spark plugs and air filter though

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its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
What year? That's pretty low MPG for an SV if you're just commuting or riding on the highway.

E: You can get anywhere from 20-55/60mpg on that bike depending on how spirited you are with the throttle.

Pikey
Dec 25, 2004
2004. Probably 70% city miles

Slavvy
Dec 11, 2012

Pikey posted:

Its an sv650, a v twin. Just asking because filled up today and my mpg was a little over 30. Just curious if it's because I've been sitting around 5000 rpm or if I need to look at other things. Did motivate me to change out my spark plugs and air filter though

You could probably go lower but experience with my SV leads me to believe that under 3,000 or thereabouts the engine gets uncomfortably rough and choppy in the upper gears. Other from that the engine doesn't give a gently caress what you do rev-wise but lower revs = better economy IIRC.

Renaissance Robot
Oct 10, 2010

Bite my furry metal ass
Mind that if you're in stop start traffic you can probably futz around as low as 2-3k rpm in first/second if all you're doing is a hundred yards or so at a time below 20mph.

In an actual jam you can get away with popping barely above idle to shuffle forwards a few feet, slipping the clutch to smooth out the choppiness. Sure you're probably making nearly no power, but you don't need any power to go at walking pace.


Topic leads on to something I've been meaning to ask, is there a reason it seems like V2 engines are generally less efficient than P2? Is it just that it's a format that enables better power and/or torque production and so they're typically set up to maximise that over efficiency, or is there something else that makes them inherently more thirsty?

Renaissance Robot fucked around with this message at 08:10 on Jan 29, 2016

Slavvy
Dec 11, 2012

Twice the number of cams and associated timing gear leading to more internal losses maybe? But v-twins are usually gruntier than p-twins for the same displacement so it's probably that. Or a bunch of poo poo all together.

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

I'd hazard that parallel twins these days are mostly found in smaller, more commutery bikes, while V-twins are primarily in cruisers and sport bikes, where people are less interested than fuel efficiency than in noise and power.

A V-twin and a parallel twin of identical displacement and compression ratio, making the same power, would probably get similar mileage.

Verge
Nov 26, 2014

Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Marxalot posted:

We'd have to know what bike. Twin, single, i4, v4, parallel twin, weird rear end BMW boxer engine, etc. Generally if you're cruising at <3/4 of your maximum rpm then you're fine. Plenty of bikes are happy to sit at a higher percentage than that without breaking, some aren't

My FZ6 probably makes half a horsepower at 2500, but it's perfectly happy to do 80mph at 7k all day. I think peak hp is ~12500 and rev limiter is ~14500 anyways.

I'd like to know a: how the bike tells you it isn't cool with your treatment (if it does at all) and b: what the consequences are (getting way too hot, engine damage, etc.) All the bikes I've ridden except a '79 CM400T gave the same mileage no matter how I rode it. Maybe a 5-10% variance between hot rodding it and being calm w/ the throttle.

CaptainSarcastic posted:

The Register Guard is still surprisingly decent, but considering it is local to Eugene/Springfield it doesn't surprise me that Portland wouldn't read it.

The Statesman Journal out of Salem still seems to show some signs of life, albeit faint.

I feel the Register Guard's conservative bias is more transparent than most. Of course, that can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.

Verge fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Jan 29, 2016

clutchpuck
Apr 30, 2004
ro-tard
Hey Pikey you'll figure it out. Cruise where the bike is comfortable cruising. You'll find a sweet balance between smooth cruising and enough power to move. I rode a SV650 and if I recall it seemed to like being around 6k.

My Ulysses likes cruising at 3000 but I try to keep it up around 4 for the sake of moving the oil through the cooler and fuel economy (yeah yeah don't ask me I just ride it and buy the gas).

captainOrbital
Jan 23, 2003

Wrathchild!
💢🧒
"Fuel economy is for vegetarians."
-That Australian Dude on Youtube

cursedshitbox
May 20, 2012

Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.



Fun Shoe
I've managed to get the drz into the mid 30s for fuel economy.

as for revs. don't worry about it. ride it. if it doesnt wanna move, go down a gear and give it some love. Moto engines are pretty overbuilt and don't give a poo poo if you wind the piss out of them. You'll get a hang of the powerband.

Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester
Oct 3, 2000

Verge posted:

All the bikes I've ridden except a '79 CM400T gave the same mileage no matter how I rode it. Maybe a 5-10% variance between hot rodding it and being calm w/ the throttle.
Really? I haven't tested a lot of bikes by hammering on them but my Ducati :smug: gets like double the mpg between highway cruising and hammering.

Collateral Damage
Jun 13, 2009

The Ninja 650 cruises a little over 6k when doing 120km/h in 6th, so I usually ride around that in lower gears as well. I get about 5.5L/100km (43mpg)

its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
I'm going to John Kerry and flip flop back to a naked bike. I've decided I want a round headlight opposed to the transformer.
Do I go with a bullet style or "classic" headlight? Thinking of going for a 7". 5 3/4 seems too small.

HenryJLittlefinger
Jan 31, 2010

stomp clap


Pope Mobile posted:

I'm going to John Kerry and flip flop back to a naked bike. I've decided I want a round headlight opposed to the transformer.
Do I go with a bullet style or "classic" headlight? Thinking of going for a 7". 5 3/4 seems too small.

Round headlight best headlight. 7" is a pleasing size.

its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
I was thinking this headlight. Pretty sure it's the same look as the SV650N .

E: and for an emgo, the reviews are surprisingly positive.

HenryJLittlefinger
Jan 31, 2010

stomp clap


Pope Mobile posted:

I was thinking this headlight. Pretty sure it's the same look as the SV650N .

E: and for an emgo, the reviews are surprisingly positive.

I've got a very similar one on my XJ600. With a good bulb, it's puts out a good bit of light. The reflector is biased a bit to the right, which is nice. For a plastic housing, it's surprisingly beefy. I've put a few thousand miles on mine, some on lovely dirt roads, and no cracks or anything. I did have to silicone the ring after a couple thousand, because it developed an embarassingly loud buzz at about 2500 - 4000 rpm.

Stock 919 or 599 headlights are about the same thing but much nicer construction, but pricey.

edit: Also, 7" is kind of a standard size IIRC, so if you ever slap on an aftermarket flyscreen, it'll probably fit.

Renaissance Robot
Oct 10, 2010

Bite my furry metal ass

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

7" is a pleasing size.

Hur hur

HenryJLittlefinger
Jan 31, 2010

stomp clap



:haw:



This is the one I have. Not available in the US anymore, it seems.

its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
Going with the emgo. Taking advantage of cost +10% while I still can.

Z3n
Jul 21, 2007

I think the point is Z3n is a space cowboy on the edge of a frontier unknown to man, he's out there pushing the limits, trail braking into the abyss. Finding out where the edge of the razor is, turning to face the darkness and revving his 690 into it's vast gaze. You gotta live this to learn it bro.

cursedshitbox posted:

I've managed to get the drz into the mid 30s for fuel economy.

as for revs. don't worry about it. ride it. if it doesnt wanna move, go down a gear and give it some love. Moto engines are pretty overbuilt and don't give a poo poo if you wind the piss out of them. You'll get a hang of the powerband.

RC51 does 7 on the track.

cursedshitbox
May 20, 2012

Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.



Fun Shoe

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

Round headlight best headlight. 7" is a pleasing size.

Says you. P happy with my 9".






Z3n posted:

RC51 does 7 on the track.

Things I aspire to. :kimchi:

builds character
Jan 16, 2008

Keep at it.

cursedshitbox posted:

Says you. P happy with my 9".




Things I aspire to. :kimchi:

Maybe you enjoy it, but it's a bit big for everyone else.

HenryJLittlefinger
Jan 31, 2010

stomp clap


PENIS JOKE!

That headlight is awesome though.

VERTiG0
Jul 11, 2001

go move over bro
Back to the fuel economy thing, over the first 8600km on my FZ07 and riding the poo poo out of it, the computer says the lifetime average is 4.6L/100km, or about 51 US MPG.

hit the bricks pal!
Jan 12, 2009
I'm trying to swap handlebars on my sv650. Currently there's aftermarket one on it with heated grips that were installed by a dealer and the clutch side grip seems to be pretty stuck on there. Is there a way to get it off without cutting it or ruining the heating element? I was otherwise thinking of just leaving them on the old bars and buying new grips but it looks like the clutch assembly has to slide off.

Basically is it worth messing with a glued grip or is it stuck on there?

500excf type r
Mar 7, 2013

I'm as annoying as the high-pitched whine of my motorcycle, desperately compensating for the lack of substance in my life.
Being able to remove it kinda depends on what the dealer used to put it on but my suggestion is just to cut it off because generally its not worth the hassle, especially if you are okay with replacing them with 10 dollar grips.

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

Best way of both removing and installing grips: first, use a heat gun to get the rubber stretchy and flexible. Then take a compressed air hose with a narrow fitting on the end, stick it under the grip wherever you can, and pulse air inside while pushing the grip off. The burst of air swells the grip temporarily and loosens it up so it pops right off. It's magic.

If you don't have compressed air, you can just use the heat gun and once the rubber's stretchy enough, just twist and push and roll it off. A hair dryer may work if you spend long enough.

Renaissance Robot
Oct 10, 2010

Bite my furry metal ass
Or if your hairdryer is 2kW :supaburn:

(bought my current one like a decade ago before anyone started talking about power limits/bans, it's great for heatshrink tubing when I do electronics, and I point it at my head every morning :downs:)

hit the bricks pal!
Jan 12, 2009
Well they turned out not to be glued. I think accidentally turning on the heated grips helped loosen them. I think my only concern now is making sure no cables are too tight at full lock.
Looks nice though!

its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
Nice clutch lever there.

hit the bricks pal!
Jan 12, 2009

Pope Mobile posted:

Nice clutch lever there.

Poor man's insulation

Wokrider
Dec 4, 2012
Do we have a general maintenance thread for new bikers?
I just got a FZ6R and I'll need to do an oil change soon enough, which looks easy enough.
I'm curious about what other things I have to do to maintain my motorcycle and keep it in good condition.

Collateral Damage
Jun 13, 2009

Changing the oil on a bike is pretty much the same as on a car. Run the engine for a bit to get the oil warm, drain the old oil, replace the oil plug washer, replace the oil filter, add new oil according to the manual, run the engine for a little bit, check the level, top up if necessary, done. Use whatever 10W40 is cheapest which doesn't have friction modifiers. Video instruction (basically the same for any bike): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft1IkFZkJts

Pour the leftover fresh oil into an oil can and use it to lube the chain every other week. When the chain looks too dirty (or every couple of months) wash it with kerosene and a stiff plastic brush. After the kerosene has evaporated, lube it again.

Check your tire pressure every now and then. Riding at too low pressure makes the bike squirrelly and is bad for the tires. Also check your wheel, swing arm and steering head bearings every couple of months.

Apart from that, follow the maintenance schedule in the manual. If you're new to wrenching, let a shop handle the tricky bits like valve adjustments.

OMGMYSPLEEN
Jul 12, 2009

Rawwwwhiiiiide
College Slice

Collateral Damage posted:

Use whatever 10W40 is cheapest which doesn't have friction modifiers.

This goes against everything I've been told. Why?
EDIT: Never mind me, I completely read your statement wrong. Continue on!

OMGMYSPLEEN fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Feb 1, 2016

Marxalot
Dec 24, 2008

Appropriator of
Dan Crenshaw's Eyepatch

Wokrider posted:

Do we have a general maintenance thread for new bikers?
I just got a FZ6R and I'll need to do an oil change soon enough, which looks easy enough.
I'm curious about what other things I have to do to maintain my motorcycle and keep it in good condition.

If the 6R is anything like my 6, you just have 2 bolts to remove on the bottom and the side. Replace the oil filter with one of those amazing K&N ones that have a nut on the end.

prukinski
Dec 25, 2011

Sure why not

Collateral Damage posted:

Changing the oil on a bike is pretty much the same as on a car.

KTM owner here. Obviously Collateral Damage isn't talking all bikes. Let me tell you about my four filters and official Blood of Christ lubricant now for the low low price of one kidney per bottle. :shepicide:

FZ6R should be a snap though, yeah.

its all nice on rice
Nov 12, 2006

Sweet, Salty Goodness.



Buglord
Do you have to remove the lower fairings for the change on a FZ6R? If so, that'll be the most annoying part.
Along witch lubing the chain, make sure to check the tension.

Make sure to check your owner's manual for maintenance intervals. It's usually near the back. If you don't have one go here: http://www.yamahapubs.com/ to pick it up.
Keep an eye on the bike's mileage and check back on the manual every 5,000 miles or so. I completely missed checking the bearings on my wheels for about 15,000 miles past due.

its all nice on rice fucked around with this message at 04:38 on Feb 1, 2016

Marxalot
Dec 24, 2008

Appropriator of
Dan Crenshaw's Eyepatch

Pope Mobile posted:

Do you have to remove the lower fairings for the change on a FZ6R? If so, that'll be the most annoying part.
Along witch lubing the chain, make sure to check the tension.

Make sure to check your owner's manual for maintenance intervals. It's usually near the back. If you don't have one go here: http://www.yamahapubs.com/ to pick it up.
Keep an eye on the bike's mileage and check back on the manual every 5,000 miles or so. I completely missed checking the bearings on my wheels for about 15,000 miles past due.

Aren't bearing checks just a "Does this thing roll freely?" thing? You should probably do that every time you get the tires changed.


Assuming you're saving yourself ~$75/tire change by taking the wheels into a shop.

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Collateral Damage
Jun 13, 2009

Marxalot posted:

Aren't bearing checks just a "Does this thing roll freely?" thing? You should probably do that every time you get the tires changed.
Yes, make sure it rolls smoothly with no noticeable bumps or uneven resistance. You also want to check so there's no side to side play. Grip the tire and try to twist it sideways, it should not move at all.

And I completely forgot the chain tension, which you should check every time you lube it.

Collateral Damage fucked around with this message at 09:56 on Feb 1, 2016

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