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Stage 1 mpg losses?

gadzooks

gadzooks

Member
What kind of decline in mpg can I expect for a stage 1 conversion -- pipes, rejetting & a/c for an 04 XL883?
 
I don't know if anyone has actually measured any official loss, based upon controlled testing where identical conditions are repeated between stock and stage 1.

In reality, stage 1 tuning requires (in your case) a re-jet of the carburator to richen up the mixture. Opening up the exhaust and the air cleaner allows more air, hence the need for more fuel or you'll burn up the engine from running too lean.

The other thing that can affect your gas mileage is the pure fun of additional horsepower and the inabbility to not run your bike like you stole it! There goes gas mileage!

My 2006 XL1200C has the stage 1 upgrades (SE II pipes and SE air cleaner) and I still get 50-52 on the highway, and around 45-48 in town running around. Provided I keep out of the throttle!
 
On my E/G I lost about 10 mpg. I did both jets, the needle, the emulsion tube, the spring and drilled the vac piston and installed EZ-just screw.

I went back to stock needle and stock vac piston and stock spring, to get some milage back.
 
8 to 10 is pretty drastic ... does anyone know if this conversion is harder on the engine? Someone told me that you are cutting down the lifespan of the engine by doing this ... does this put more work on the engine, or are you just restoring it to its true performance level?
 
Hey Hobbit -- that's what I thought, too -- You are just getting it to perform to the engine's potential -- not trying to tweak it to overperform or push it beyond its designed capabilities. Thanx.
 
The MPG losses are mostly due to the twisting of the right wrist after the installations.

A properly tuned engine with a good AFR can be just as efficient as a stock mapped engine if it is driven the same way.
 
glider said:
The MPG losses are mostly due to the twisting of the right wrist after the installations.

A properly tuned engine with a good AFR can be just as efficient as a stock mapped engine if it is driven the same way.
Click to expand...

easier said than done.....in my case anyway:D :rider
 
glider said:
The MPG losses are mostly due to the twisting of the right wrist after the installations.

A properly tuned engine with a good AFR can be just as efficient as a stock mapped engine if it is driven the same way.
Click to expand...
You mean that's not a defect with the bike? :D My bike can't seem to help itself at times, mostly immediately when I leave the house, after the poor bike has been cooped up for a bit. :D It can't be me.....
 
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