I have to shift at 4K, that sucks.... but only another 400 miles to go.... then woohoo, i get to shift at 5K for another 400 miles.... and then it's on!!!
So far I have no reading as to what my MPG is...... have to wait for the bike to break in.. but the numbers you guys are posting are great!!!

 

hmm, no comment

edit: Ok, that road looks like a good suspension tool. lol

 

On my first highway trip to NYC w/my '91 EX500 I went 180 miles before having to switch to the reserve but that was riding pretty hard and fast most of the way. That was after cleaning the carbs and adjusting the jets. I've closed the jets a little since then trying to find the best setting for efficiency w/out getting the mixture too lean. I haven't been back out on the highway since but I'm going back to NYC in a couple weeks. I'll post my results then. Meanwhile, does anyone know what is the quantity of fuel held in reserve on the older EX models?

 

I am right at 50 mpg with city driving on a daily commute....no time for blasting through the hills.

 

These numbers sound higher than what I'm getting and I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong/something is wrong with my bike. I'm a new rider (a little over a week and a little over 400 miles) and my mpg calculations are between 40 and 50 on a 2006. I shift between 6/7k rpm and only go above 7k when passing on highway roads or accelerating to speed on the freeway onramp. I try to be conscious of fuel efficiency, I use the brakes as little as possible and I don't race between stoplights. I'm also tall, I don't know if that matters, but a coupleof times I tried leaning downto get my headwithin the windscreens protection and I seemed togo up about 10 mph on the same rpm, so maybe the added wind resistance of my body hurts me.

Are there any newbie mistakes that could be killing my efficiency? I got the bike with 3k miles and the previous owner said the best it gets is 50, so maybe it's the bike? I'm running 89 octane right now.
Anyway, I'd love to be averaging above 50 if anyone has suggestions.

 

its a 4.8 gallon tank with .8 gallon reserve.

 

I consistently get exactly 50mpg on my 2006 500R. I too wonder if I am doing something systematically wrong.
[ul][*]I use the bike mainly for commuting/city driving.[*]I usually shift at 4000-4500 RPM.[*]most of my driving is at 30-45 mph.[*]I am 6' 2" and I notice a lot of wind resistance too. If I duck behind the shield it's like I've entered a different world.[*]I've taken short trips where I was doing 60-70 mph on twisty roads (varying speed a lot) and got exactly the same mileage I always get.[/ul]

 

You're getting 50mpg and want to know what you're doing wrong?
I average almost exactly 51 every tankful too. The day when I got 64.7, I looked at a map and realized I was in a part of the country that had no gas-stations. (Humboldt County). So I was loping along at about 40-45 mph in 6th gear for most of that tankful. Fortunately the roads were nice and twisty so it was still fun.
Show me a Hybrid Prius that will roost a BMW 7-series while getting 50mpg!
Peace!
-CCinC

 

Yes Chris, if most of the posters are getting 55 typically, and I typically get 10% les than that, I am wondering if I am doing something wrong. That's the difference between going 200 miles and going 220 miles. Where does my other half gallon or so of gas go? I'd appreciate any inputs. thanks!

 

The other half gallon is at the bottom of your fuel tank, but because the petcock is sticking up a little too high it cannot reach your carbs. When my back heals enough and I have time, I'll do a practice one on my smashed-up '02's petcock, then do it for real on my '06 and report in here exactly how to do it.
It might not even be a matter of cutting the petcock shorter, but of enlarging the reserve-hole in the petcock.
Until then, just use your tripmeter as a gas gauge.
And be grateful that your bike has such steady mileage. I've had bikes (notably a POS Honda Superhawk) that would sometimes run out at 160miles, then at 110 miles other times.
Peace!
-CCinC