Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: jqram35 on April 05, 2012, 01:27:53 PM

Title: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 05, 2012, 01:27:53 PM
Previously in normal mode I'd make it 170-180 miles til fuel light came on. 195 miles today til it came on. Averaging about 75 mph I'd say so it does help. I was skeptical.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: momo65 on April 05, 2012, 02:37:40 PM
That's nice, i will probably upgrade to a 2011 or 2012 in a year or so, i think the economy mode would be great on long trips and long strips of highway thanks for doing some research for the rest of us.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 05, 2012, 03:19:32 PM
330 miles and used 6.7 gallons. 49 MPG. Some speedo error but not too bad actually.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: cablebandit on April 05, 2012, 06:28:37 PM
330 miles and used 6.7 gallons. 49 MPG. Some speedo error but not too bad actually.

Aux tank?

Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 05, 2012, 06:30:39 PM
No I filled twice and kept track of both...
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: AZ-ZG on April 06, 2012, 12:58:33 AM
Previously in normal mode I'd make it 170-180 miles til fuel light came on. 195 miles today til it came on. Averaging about 75 mph I'd say so it does help. I was skeptical.
  170-180 Sounds like my city mileage on an '09. Depending on how I abuse the twistie...
 Averaging 75mph, 200 miles on the highway is pretty casual.
 All hail Eco Mode?!  :) :)

Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: Tim on April 06, 2012, 01:08:28 AM
  170-180 Sounds like my city mileage on an '09. Depending on how I abuse the twistie...
 Averaging 75mph, 200 miles on the highway is pretty casual.
 All hail Eco Mode?!  :) :)


My 09 does about the same......
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 06, 2012, 07:28:56 AM
330 miles and used 6.7 gallons. 49 MPG. Some speedo error but not too bad actually.

This was wrong my math skills suck. 270 miles 6.7 gal= 40.3 MPG
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: CigarSki® on April 06, 2012, 07:52:15 AM
My indicated avg. is usually around 44-45 and as high as 52, using mostly eco mode. On those occasions when I run in normal for "fun", I've been as low as a 35 avg for the tank. Uses a lot of fuel up at 10k rpm. ;)
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: wally_games on April 06, 2012, 08:11:24 AM
The first thing I do when I fire up the bike is to put it in Economy mode. When I want to get spirited and hammer the throttle open, it doesn't affect anything anyway.

It's completely disengaged when you're above 6,000 rpm, or the throttle is over 30% open, or your speed is over 80 mph (per the speedo, not actual). So, highway cruising at 75, I get pretty good mileage. Backroads or in the Hill Country, not so much. Unless I'm in that "spirited" mode, I'm close to 200 miles per tank on my '11. I'm sure I could squeeze a little more out of it if I knew that I really had a long way between gas stations.

In my mind, there's no reason NOT to run in it Economy mode all the time. I just wish the bike "remembered" the last setting on startup.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 06, 2012, 08:28:50 AM
Most of my riding was back roads but I took it easy. I could have done better for sure. I too wish it had a memory for the last state cause I always turn off traction control.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: Mister Tee on April 06, 2012, 08:38:02 AM
The first thing I do when I fire up the bike is to put it in Economy mode. When I want to get spirited and hammer the throttle open, it doesn't affect anything anyway.

It's completely disengaged when you're above 6,000 rpm, or the throttle is over 30% open, or your speed is over 80 mph (per the speedo, not actual). So, highway cruising at 75, I get pretty good mileage. Backroads or in the Hill Country, not so much. Unless I'm in that "spirited" mode, I'm close to 200 miles per tank on my '11. I'm sure I could squeeze a little more out of it if I knew that I really had a long way between gas stations.

In my mind, there's no reason NOT to run in it Economy mode all the time. I just wish the bike "remembered" the last setting on startup.

My thoughts exactly.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: Elfmaze on April 06, 2012, 09:27:51 AM
I'm guessing on a hot day the leaner fuel map could cause some extra heat for the engine to dissipate. 
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: Mister Tee on April 06, 2012, 12:28:39 PM
I'm guessing on a hot day the leaner fuel map could cause some extra heat for the engine to dissipate.

Possibly on the C14 because it runs a pig rich map to begin with.  Most economy cars though are mapped to run lean of stoichometric, which is actually a better operating condition for the engine.  Air cools the cylinders vs. fuel.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: wally_games on April 06, 2012, 02:32:28 PM
Just went out and finished off a tank that had been totally run on economy mode. Got gas in town before heading home the other day, back into town today to pick up some stuff, then back home. Got 209 miles out of that tank, warning started flashing at exactly 200 miles. Most of the trip was highway, running 70-80 mph. Took 4.75 gallons to fill back up. I guess I could have got another 20-30 miles if I had to.
Title: Re: Testing Economy mode today for first time
Post by: jqram35 on April 06, 2012, 02:35:29 PM
Seems like every time my fuel light comes on it takes at least 5 gal to fill her up..I went 205 miles and it took 5.2 gal with economy mode..