Do You Ride at Interstate Speeds?

Every day when I have the chance to ride to work (the speed limits being 65 mph and 75 mph) I feel that my bike is wound out too tight.

65mph = 4K rpm
75 mph = 5K rpm (i think)

I dont get good mileage and wondered if it wasn't due to the speeds I am riding.
Seems the national speed limit was 55 mph back when these bikes were made.

I guess my question is: does anyone have experience riding distance at different hiway speeds and its affect on mileage.

My bike runs GREAT! and I get about 40 mpg at the speeds I ride at.

 

Looking back on previous posts 40 mpg at that speed is about right for a carb bike. They will sit at 5,000 rpm all day if you keep the gas up to them, XJs like to rev.

EFI on your XJ could bump you up another 15 mpg but I'm just showing off now, yes it can make that much of a difference!

 

My '82 gets about 50 mpg (Imperial gallon) and as the Canuk gallon is 25% larger than the US gallon........

 

On my XJ650J 70 mph = 6K rpm. Must be nice to have a low revving bike :!:

I get about 40 MPG on the freeway.

 

At 65, My xj700 gets right around 46 mpg give or take a mpg. At 75 I dont really know. Theoreticall if you can fint a rear tire that is taller, not wider, then the rpm's will go down and with that the mpg should go up. I am going to do this when my rear tire needs replacing. Now I just need to find a taller rear tire.

 

My '81 650 gets about 45 mpg (converted to US figures) average. I spend about 50% of my riding at higher speeds. Oh, and my bike has been jetted.

 

My 550 gets at least 50mpg (that's US gallons)... I regularly cruise on the highway at 70-75MPH. In 6th gear, 75MPH is around 6.5K RPM. This is an all-stock setup, set a tad on the rich side.

 

I usually get about 40 mpg on long trips, but the speed limit is 70 here so I'm usually running about 75-80 (around 4k rpm's) to keep up with traffic.

 

Stereomind, what's your gearing? I've got the same with RPMs/speed: 10mph for 1k RPM in 5th, 6.5k RPM for 75mph in 6th, but on a recent road trip I got 45 mpg, and have been trying to coax more out of her for a while. I do run with a spitfire windshield and soft saddlebags...

 

There must be something seriously wrong with my bike. I've got an XJ700N and at 4k rpm in 5th gear I'm only doing 50mph. I know it's running rich, but it's riding great.

 

you must have one heck of a large sprocket on that 550. Either that or a non stock tire. Maybe speedo problems. This is the first I have head of a 550 runing at 75 mph at 4000 rpm.
Wow , I have to get me some of those gears.

 

The gas mileage on my 650 drops off at those speeds as well, but the bike is perfectly happy to cruise for hours at that speed. Try playing with it up towards the redline a bit and it won't feel "wound too tight" when you cruise at your current rpm anymore.

 

I ain't even paying attention to my gas mileage. It's good; though. Whatever it is.

Wherever I decide to go; I have to run fast with them.
93S into Boston = 75~80
93N into NH = 80 (During rush hour)
3S into Burlington = 70ish
3N into NH = 70-ish (until you hit the NH Line) 80-ish
95N into Maine = NASCAR
495 to the Ocean = F1 with Plastic Wrappers wizzing by in a blur.

I've been running High Test all season
Changing Oil at 2000
Changing Oil and Filter at the next 2000

I got a DYNA 300 Rev Limiter and the Resistors needed for an XJ-Bike.
I'm putting a 7,250 Ceiling on the Max this weekend!

 

I rode my XJ700 on I-5 from Canby to Corvallis, Oregon for four weeks to attend chemistry class this summer. I prefer to ride 10-15 mph faster than traffic, which ended up to be 80-85 mph. R's were around 6.5 -7 and I averaged 45 mpg.

I also prefer 80 mph to 75 mph because the mirrors stop vibrating and I can watch for cops better. ;-)

 

lol