Range

[Bernard Smith]

adventure commuting

I just spat coffee all over the bloody keyboard.......... :laugh:

[steve172]

I recently did a Euro trip on my 990 too, with the R engine. On the long motorway hauls across Germany and France I was getting approx. 55mpg at a steady 80mph, and filling up at 150 miles before the fuel light even came on. If your riding solo try using a saddle bag etc rather than panniers to improve aerodynamics.

55 mpg - wow I think I'm getting nearer to 35! ("R" engine too) I did have panniers but even so that's a huge difference. I have swapped the stock pipes for Akra's but I left the map alone as that'd makes it even worse!

I was gobsmacked too, to be honest. That's based on calculations from brim to brim and mileage covered per tank. I think the worst fuel consumption I had the whole trip was about 42mpg, including a lap of the nurburgring.

Town work destroys it, I get 35mpg on my commute if I'm staying with the mrs

[geordy paul]

Turn left in the middle of nowhere until you reach the back of beyond then find a local to ask for directions.

Where is the Boondogs?

200mile range is plenty for me but only if I remember to fill up... :S

[londonwelsh]

Have to agree about the riding in groups / pairs thing, when I had my vfr800 and my mate was on a Triumph ST I'd have to stop for fuel long before he needed to, we'd both fuel up of course but he'd be at least 4 litres better off in a same size tank.
Last year in Spain on the s10 paranoia was definitely an issue that interfered with the full enjoyment of such wonderful roads but a quick search on TomTomhelped

[drdaveboy]

like the look of the africa twin but 150 -180 miles range is ok with me just did 1950 miles in germany last week fuel was no issue but I'm not sure the africa twin will be as good on the nurburgring as my z1000 sx

[minkyhead]

ive never had a problem getting petrol on the road ..off road its a bit different ...mpg sometimes means little its litres per hour of use that is crucial
..on some occasions ive spent three hours to travel maby 25 miles in marroc

even in the lake district and yorkshire the mpg isnt that relavent ..maby six /seven hours running for a day of 120 miles ...my magic number in this situation i around a litre a hour

on the road steady i can get around 230 miles ...mix it with light trails trails it drops to around 200
riding all day off road i can get around 14/15 hours running between fill ups ..but that can equate to silly mpg averages
if done on milage it sounds awful ..if done on hours running it actually quite impressive i typically can go 1.5 days off road with no fill ups but the mpg average is pobably less than 30mpg but a full day mostly off road it slurps around 9 litres about 1.2 lits per hour
.

[WesleyDRZ400]

Re the Africa Twin debate, out of interest and not in any way making mischief, how many here need (not want, need) a range greater than say, 250 miles on a big bike and why? What trips are you planning?

on my first trip to the Stans I had a IMS 17l front and 5L rear tank and a few times I filled up extra water bottles with fuel which I needed.

I never used a GPS or did I plan any exact route so never knew where the next fuel stop would be, sometimes I would also ride at night but the fuels stations would be closed and pulling into small villages to buy fuel would not be a option.

I think it depends where you ride and how you plan your trip, some people I met had GPS routes with every section planed out with hotel/fuel stops so for them it was easy but that kind of travel does not interest me.

I was limited when riding off-road on mountain tracks to how far I could go due to the limitation on fuel I had and then I wished I had more than the 17L front and 5L rear, as with no GPS or map when I used up near half my fuel I would decide to head back which I regretted and as a lone traveller you are on your own if you run out so it could be along walk


I never liked carrying fuel in extra bottles so much prefer fixed tanks all ready fixed and plumed in, I would use the 17L front and then when its near empty I can go on reserve on that with the fuel tap and when that is empty I would turn it off at the fuel tap and turn on the rear which was on a T connection. All this was down whilst riding as the T system was right next to the carb

I saw another bike with a massive 30L front tank high up but not like the ADV 640 as more high and bulged out at the sides, I felt the whole weight distribution was off if this tank was filled right up

I think my ideal fuel is 30L with say 20 on the main front tank & 10 on the rear tanks, you don't have to use them and the weight of them is nothing to worry about but when you do use them they are there and set up to go.


I plan another big trip maybe even a RTW but like most its on the shelf for now as I have other commitments but when I do go I will use one of my two bikes I am currently setting up

My 1997 620 EGS ADV (640 ADV) up the same as the 660 Rally regarding fitting the rear tanks from the 660 rally so that's a massive 55L

My DRZ470 with 17 up the front on the IMS tank and 10 on the rear with a Meca and Yam 450 tank either side

Both are carb bikes so use more fuel than a FI bike so if I used a FI bike and can get away with less.

Really in all its down to traveling/riding styles & planning, for me extra is needed (thumbs)

[OnHellas]

I always thought that it was 'the Boondocks' ?

[CRAIGREVO]

I have a huge tank on my 300 exc but i still run out of fuel more than everyone else. It dont mater how big your tank is if you are to lazy to fill it you are going to run low. (thumbs)

[Mike54]

Re the Africa Twin debate, out of interest and not in any way making mischief, how many here need (not want, need) a range greater than say, 250 miles on a big bike and why? What trips are you planning?

on my first trip to the Stans I had a IMS 17l front and 5L rear tank and a few times I filled up extra water bottles with fuel which I needed.

I never used a GPS or did I plan any exact route so never knew where the next fuel stop would be, sometimes I would also ride at night but the fuels stations would be closed and pulling into small villages to buy fuel would not be a option.

I think it depends where you ride and how you plan your trip, some people I met had GPS routes with every section planed out with hotel/fuel stops so for them it was easy but that kind of travel does not interest me.

I was limited when riding off-road on mountain tracks to how far I could go due to the limitation on fuel I had and then I wished I had more than the 17L front and 5L rear, as with no GPS or map when I used up near half my fuel I would decide to head back which I regretted and as a lone traveller you are on your own if you run out so it could be along walk


I never liked carrying fuel in extra bottles so much prefer fixed tanks all ready fixed and plumed in, I would use the 17L front and then when its near empty I can go on reserve on that with the fuel tap and when that is empty I would turn it off at the fuel tap and turn on the rear which was on a T connection. All this was down whilst riding as the T system was right next to the carb

I saw another bike with a massive 30L front tank high up but not like the ADV 640 as more high and bulged out at the sides, I felt the whole weight distribution was off if this tank was filled right up

I think my ideal fuel is 30L with say 20 on the main front tank & 10 on the rear tanks, you don't have to use them and the weight of them is nothing to worry about but when you do use them they are there and set up to go.


I plan another big trip maybe even a RTW but like most its on the shelf for now as I have other commitments but when I do go I will use one of my two bikes I am currently setting up

My 1997 620 EGS ADV (640 ADV) up the same as the 660 Rally regarding fitting the rear tanks from the 660 rally so that's a massive 55L

My DRZ470 with 17 up the front on the IMS tank and 10 on the rear with a Meca and Yam 450 tank either side

Both are carb bikes so use more fuel than a FI bike so if I used a FI bike and can get away with less.

Really in all its down to traveling/riding styles & planning, for me extra is needed (thumbs)

All interesting points Wes, though the question was really about new big bikes range as standard, rather than building a bike for a specific purpose. We can put big tanks on bikes like drz's TTR's, 650R/L etc as there is a pretty healthy aftermarket but they don't come as standard.

It seems from the majority of answers that people just want security and ease rather than an actual requirement for a big range from a new big bike.