NC750S Fuel Issues or bad fuel economy?

[Guest japanfan]

Hi there,

 

I've recently acquired a 2016 NC750 S and overall I love it. It's a great commuter bike and I specifically decided on it for the promised fuel economy. Now I know that the 81mpg stated by Honda is never going to be obtainable in most normal conditions, and city riding will give a lot less. However I seem to be getting about an ave 57mpg at the moment. Is this normal? I'm sure I got more out of my FZ6! I'm keeping the tyres at the right pressure and I don't thrash it around.

 

Another thing I've noticed is that below half, the fuel seems to drop quicker. I get to the reserve quite a bit sooner than I was expecting. I've even taken it back to the dealer for a check on it, but they found nothing wrong with either the fuel gauge arm or the fuel pump. 

Just wondering what other people are getting mpg wise on their commutes?

 

Thanks all!

[Andy m 23,505]

I've averaged 74 mpg since getting the bike in March. Highest 89 that was all touring, lowest 70 that was all commuting. Anything below 65 would suggest statistically (Don't ask I have software at work it would be rude not to use) that something was wrong.

 

How are you working out the number? Fuelly and similar apps are congenitally conditioned to the septic gallon which gives a smaller number.

 

Andy 

[Tex 36,817]

Hello Mr Japanfan. And welcome to the forum. 57 sounds low to me I must say.

 

Lots of folks on here regularly get 20 mpg more than that. Some do get into the 80's at times. How, exactly, are you measuring your consumption?

[Guest japanfan]

Thanks for the replies Andy and Tex! My suspicion was that was that others would be getting a better mpg than me. I guess I'll phone the dealer back  

 

As to how I've worked it out, well firstly the dash display states my average as 57 mpg. But I've also done a rough calculation based on the mileage readings between fills. I got about 140 miles from a full tank before the reserve bar started flashing. I think the reserve starts to go when I get down to 4L of fuel left, so that would be 140 miles on 10 L. A bit of conversion on that gives me 63.5 mpg (is that right? My maths isn't great )

[rjp996 1,091]

i get 77 - 82 on avg depending on how i feel. I do however ride a DCT that changes up for fuel economy - riding around in 4th, where im in 6th when above 40mph would hit the economy im guessing.

[Guest bonekicker]

Do you ride in D mode or S mode ??? It does make a big difference--and thats really the worst about working out mpg--to get the highest mpg you have to ride the bike very carefully and correctly--and it can get a little boring--slap is in S 3 bars and give it some stick---and just enjoy yourself--call at the petrol station when required--don't look how much it costs--watch someone else at the pumps--then off again --S mode 3 bars--give it some wellie --get the blood racing round your body 

[Andy m 23,505]

The display is generally accurate, as is your maths assuming you started full and bought 10 litres to get the tank back to full. The reserve is 0.7 gal, but you should be pushing 250 miles before pushing the bike.

 

Petrol is still relatively cheap to me, look how much the trains charge to go the same distance. I can't be bothered riding carefully to get the extra 10 mpg, but getting 75 when you just ride is nice. Mine is manual BTW.

 

Andy

[suffolk58 2,286]

It also depends on how you ride the bike and the journeys you are making.

During the summer months, when I do a bit of motorcycle training and pleasure rides, I'm getting well over 70 mpg (sometimes almost 80) and that's in S mode.

However at the moment, I'm getting just over 60 mpg, as I'm making short commuter journeys in heavily congested traffic, where the engine doesn't reach proper working temperature.

In similar conditions, my previous bike gave around 55 mpg touring, but fell to around 40 mpg winter commuting. 

[Guest forbushman]

I get about 62 mpg on my usual short commute and have averaged 66 mpg overall including long trips with pillion and luggage. Full tank to reserve is consistantly 155 miles.

[matt28 401]

I'm having around 82mpg, so yours 57mpg is quite unusual.

Reserve starts flashing at 190 miles.

Edited October 31, 2016 by matt28

[larryblag 14,236]

I'm averaging around the mid 70's mostly two-up. I've noticed it doesn't drop that much if I go a bit "hooligan" occasionally but having said that, if I'm in that "mode" it's solo so the two probably even each other out.

 

DCT btw

[Grumpy old man 4,673]

On a 330 mile ride  in the Borders this weekend on a lot of single track roads and nice twisties sticking around the 3000 rev mark ( speedo reading low 60s) i got an average of 80.7 mpg dash reading.

[PoppetM 16,835]

Weekly commute I get low eighties, that's a mix of motorway and filtering in slow traffic and I can get 200 miles before it flashes.

[outrunner 4,457]

I tend to average in the region of 67/72 Mpg but I ride in sport 3 manual almost all the time and tend to give it some stick. Lowest I ever got when checking was 64 and the best was 79 but fuel consumtion is not a worry for me as the bike is just used for fun riding.

 

 

 

Andy.

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2016 by outrunner

[embee 7,288]

http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/nc750x shows this as the distribution for the 750X (biggest sample, shouldn't be any different for the S), so you're right at the bottom.

It's going to depend a huge amount on the actual journeys you do and how you ride. Short trips in town traffic will be bad news for any vehicle.

Describe your use a bit more, length of journeys etc.

[MikeBike 5,005]

7 hours ago, japanfan said:

I got about 140 miles from a full tank before the reserve bar started flashing. I think the reserve starts to go when I get down to 4L of fuel left, so that would be 140 miles on 10 L. A bit of conversion on that gives me 63.5 mpg (is that right? My maths isn't great )

I fill such that the petrol level is just over the lower side of the baffle plate where you put the nozzle in (bike on sidestand) and generally get  about 170 miles before the reserve light starts flashing, and add about 10.7 litres. (74mpg average since new, best tankful 82, worst tankful 63))

Edited October 31, 2016 by MikeBike

[Tonyj 6,907]

9 hours ago, PoppetM said:

Weekly commute I get low eighties, that's a mix of motorway and filtering in slow traffic and I can get 200 miles before it flashes.

I got 6 months when I flashed :0)

[Tonyj 6,907]

Sorry poppet ,was only joking . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They let me off , being a politician helped as it was my moral compass that became unaligned. ha ha ha

[Tex 36,817]

1 hour ago, Tonyj said:

I got 6 months when I flashed :0)

 

They said it was only a 'small offence' then?

[PoppetM 16,835]

Right this morning the Dash (through the murky fog) told me I still have three bars of fuel left, ridden 135 miles so far on this tank and is displaying MPL at 18.6  - which multiplied by 4.5 to get to UK gallons should be circa 83.70 mpg. 

 

I go a little nutty from a standing stop because I like the pick up on the bike, but after changing up to third I calm it a bit. but that's still doing a comfortable speed (cough) on the M3 for 16 miles in each direction. 

[Guest sykospain]

Another welcome to the forum from me for Japanfan.

There's  d e f i n i t e l y  something wrong with your new bike.

57mpg is a ridiculously wasteful fuel consumption figure for this bike, no matter how you ride it or what traffic..

Get the dealer onto his hind legs....get it sorted.  You should be averaging between 70 & 85 mpg, assuming your Japanese gallon is the same volume of liquid as the Imperial gallon.

[Guest technophebe]

Is it possible that this mpg figure is using US rather than Imperial gallons? Could the display be set to US gallons? I know you can change its settings, I'm not sure off the top of my head whether changing between US/Imperial gallons is actually an option, I'd have to check the manual.

 

The conversion rate is about 0.8 which would put your consumption bang on what you'd expect in Imperial gallons...

Edited November 1, 2016 by technophebe

[Defender 3,837]

If the bike is new then the engine will be tight for a while until completely broken in, that will take a few thousand miles to do, the first few hundred do the majority of it until the oil is changed for the first time, but after that you should see the economy climb. Do you live in a very hilly area or do lots of stop/start traffic light trips?

I didn't have my NC'X from new so don't have that experience to call on, but I have had other bikes from new before the NC'X.

I've always got between 75 and 89 mpg, with my average being around 82 it's dropped slightly, but my commute to work has changed slightly and now has a slow and sometimes congested finish now.

[Guest japanfan]

Thanks for the replies everyone (and the welcomes!)

 

I spoke to the dealership. They suggest that I monitor it a bit more (and as Defender says, they say it could be tight as it's only done 2400 miles) The guy said that Honda recommends the best way of getting an accurate measure of fuel usage is to fill to the brim, ride 100 miles and then fill again and measure how much goes in back to the brim. From that you can work it out fairly accurately. So I'm going to do that a few times and take an average. Luckily I'm still in warranty for another year  

To be honest I am confused about the different Gallon measurements and which I should be using? If Honda state the bike should do 81mpg which are they using? US/Japanese/Imperial? 

To answer the question about my journey/riding. Well it's about 12 miles into central London, so a bit of stop start at traffic lights, a couple of hills on the way in. Takes about 40 mins. And I've got the manual S, not the DCT.

Thanks!

Edited November 2, 2016 by japanfan

[Guest New]

On 10/31/2016 at 16:46, bonekicker said:

Do you ride in D mode or S mode ??? It does make a big difference--and thats really the worst about working out mpg--to get the highest mpg you have to ride the bike very carefully and correctly--and it can get a little boring--slap is in S 3 bars and give it some stick---and just enjoy yourself--call at the petrol station when required--don't look how much it costs--watch someone else at the pumps--then off again --S mode 3 bars--give it some wellie --get the blood racing round your body 

sorry, but I completely disagree.  this is completely the wrong bike to have if you are willing to fill it up with petrol without a care how much it uses.  Might as well have a fun bike.