I Guess the Super Ténéré is just a Warm Weather Bike

[KSH]

I have noticed that my mileage goes down as with lower temps. Now with some really low temps my mileage has tanked.

This morning it was 25 degrees, I gave the bike lots of warm up time and headed the seven miles to work. My normal running temp is 167 to 175. I started at 169 and by the time I got to work it was down to 141.

I get to thinking does the bike have a thermostat and is it working correctly or do I have a sensor problem. So with a lot of windshield time to the first job, I decided to call the local dealership's service department and ask them.

Dealership "This is Tim, how can I help you?"
Me "I have a Super Ténéré and I was wondering if it has a thermostat?"
Tim "You have a what?"
Me "I have a XT1200Z"
Tim "What year is it?"
Me "2012"
Tim "So it's new ?"
Me "Ah, yes"
Tim "Let me ask the service manager................yes it has a thermostat, why do you want to know"

I explain my poor mileage in cold weather

Tim "What does it matter, how much longer are you planning on riding it this year ?"
Me "Until the roads get icy"
Tim, long pause then "Well, if your next tank's mileage is bad, bring the bike in and we will check the sensors"

I hope they don't let this guy work on the bikes.

So, now I just have to move to a desert so I can ride the bike. ::022::

 

[hojo in sc]

I haven't had my bike long enough, nor in cold enough weather, to know what the normal engine temperature readings should be. I know on the Honda Gold Wing GL1800 and ST1300 has their gauge stay right at the mid-line (not digital) and will not move unless there is a problem. The ST1300 was known for thermostat problems and the first sign was a drop in MPG, you didn't mention what changes you saw in the MPG, oh, I hear a lot that the MPG will drop in winter months due to the changes in the additives in the fuel.

 

[KSH]

As for mileage

Last Friday temps 75 to 80 48.1 mpg my best so far.
Friday evening 55 to 65 temps 43.6 mpg

The tank before this one 45.3 mpg

This tank so far, I usually loose my top bar in the 80's range, this tank 52 miles and went to half tank in the 90's

And we are nowhere near getting winter time fuels.

 

[Koinz]

I haven't had my bike long enough, nor in cold enough weather, to know what the normal engine temperature readings should be. I know on the Honda Gold Wing GL1800 and ST1300 has their gauge stay right at the mid-line (not digital) and will not move unless there is a problem. The ST1300 was known for thermostat problems and the first sign was a drop in MPG, you didn't mention what changes you saw in the MPG, oh, I hear a lot that the MPG will drop in winter months due to the changes in the additives in the fuel.

The air temperature sensor also affects fuel economy in colder months. It sends a signal to the computer to richen the fuel.

See the link below. This booster plug is actually used to richen the fuel on bmw models like a power commander, but all it's doing is sending the ecu a false signal...
http://www.boosterplug.com/shop/cms-21.html

 

[Combo]

As for mileage

Last Friday temps 75 to 80 48.1 mpg my best so far.
Friday evening 55 to 65 temps 43.6 mpg

The tank before this one 45.3 mpg

This tank so far, I usually loose my top bar in the 80's range, this tank 52 miles and went to half tank in the 90's

And we are nowhere near getting winter time fuels.

My avg right now is right at 44 and I am good with that. ;D I noticed if I run a lot of freeway at a true 70-75mph it will go way down. It will suck the fuel at 75 MPH as apposed to 60. I am good with what I am getting on this 1200cc bike. I get 45-50 with my KLR with almost 1/2 the motor. ::014::

 

[KSH]

My avg right now is right at 44 and I am good with that. ;D I noticed if I run a lot of freeway at a true 70-75mph it will go way down. It will suck the fuel at 75 MPH as apposed to 60. I am good with what I am getting on this 1200cc bike. I get 45-50 with my KLR with almost 1/2 the motor. ::014::

One thing I want to be clear, I am comparing the same roads and same speeds "65 mph max".
I dismiss tanks where I do some different riding.

I don't care if the bikes average is 35,45 or 50 mpg, I'm just wondering why I have a big drop in mpg's and the only change is the outside temperature.

 

[Koinz]

See my post above regarding the air temperature sensor.

 

[KSH]

See my post above regarding the air temperature sensor.

Thanks for that, I'm reading it.
I was responding to another post.

 

[Jim]

One thing I want to be clear, I am comparing the same roads and same speeds "65 mph max".
I dismiss tanks where I do some different riding.

I don't care if the bikes average is 35,45 or 50 mpg, I'm just wondering why I have a big drop in mpg's and the only change is the outside temperature.

I see your point. Good for the rest of us that dwell in warmer states. But, if this bike is so great and "all around" it will show up in good fuel mileages anywhere. Out of curiosity, what does your '99 DR650 get in fuel mileage with lower temps ?

 

[Twisties]

I always experience lower fuel economy in low temperatures. This is counter intuitive because fuels contain more energy per unit volume, e.g. fuel is more dense, e.g. a gallon has more molecules of fuel than in warmer weather. As well, the theoretical efficiency of the engine goes up as there is a greater difference in temperature between combustion and ambient.

However, as you pointed out, you idled the bike longer, oils are more viscous, and there is a tendency to operate heated grips and gear, daylight is less and auxiliary lighting may be run more. Tires are colder and will run softer with more rolling resistance. Often the weather is worse... plowing through moisture, and wind. Cold air is more dense and offers more wind resistance. You may be more bundled up and presenting more wind resistance yourself. As has already been pointed, out the fueling computer responds differently.

There is a lot going on. Your MPG drop seems well within reason to me based on my RT. I can go from 50+ mpg in summer to 35 mpg in winter. I certainly wouldn't conclude from this that the bike is unsuited to cold weather.

 

[KSH]

I see your point. Good for the rest of us that dwell in warmer states. But, if this bike is so great and "all around" it will show up in good fuel mileages anywhere. Out of curiosity, what does your '99 DR650 get in fuel mileage with lower temps ?

Spring, summer and fall 48 to 51 mpg 16 tooth sprocket

 

[Combo]

One thing I want to be clear, I am comparing the same roads and same speeds "65 mph max".
I dismiss tanks where I do some different riding.

I don't care if the bikes average is 35,45 or 50 mpg, I'm just wondering why I have a big drop in mpg's and the only change is the outside temperature.

I don't Know why :question: Sorry I could not help.

 

[KSH]

I guess some are missing my tongue in cheek first post.

As for cold weather riding, that's why I bought a fuel injected bike and will not accept piss poor mileage.
I will buy a PC V and fix it that way if I have to.

 

[rem]

I bet if we all monitored our vehicles for fuel consumption as closely as we do our bikes, we would find that we get much poorer mileage (kilometerage) in the winter months. I know I do. The colder it gets, the more fuel you burn. Just the way things are. Lots of reasons and influences. I'd say it's pretty normal. R

 

[elizilla]

I have always monitored all of my vehicles and I always get poorer mileage in winter. The only thing worse for mileage, is when it takes six or eight weeks to run through a tank of gas. Which happens to me a lot since I generally have three or four running vehicles here at any one time, and one of them is always the favorite. Right now it's the Super10, so everything else I own is languishing.

 

[DuMar]

I always experience lower fuel economy in low temperatures. This is counter intuitive because fuels contain more energy per unit volume, e.g. fuel is more dense, e.g. a gallon has more molecules of fuel than in warmer weather. As well, the theoretical efficiency of the engine goes up as there is a greater difference in temperature between combustion and ambient.

However, as you pointed out, you idled the bike longer, oils are more viscous, and there is a tendency to operate heated grips and gear, daylight is less and auxiliary lighting may be run more. Tires are colder and will run softer with more rolling resistance. Often the weather is worse... plowing through moisture, and wind. Cold air is more dense and offers more wind resistance. You may be more bundled up and presenting more wind resistance yourself. As has already been pointed, out the fueling computer responds differently.

There is a lot going on. Your MPG drop seems well within reason to me based on my RT. I can go from 50+ mpg in summer to 35 mpg in winter. I certainly wouldn't conclude from this that the bike is unsuited to cold weather.

This is why I love this site ... every once and a while I come across a great post like this one, and I feel like I learned something new today.
Things that make you go hmmmm.
Thanks, Twisties. ::008::

Mike

 

[Combo]

This is why I love this site ... every once and a while I come across a great post like this one, and I feel like I learned something new today.
Things that make you go hmmmm.
Thanks, Twisties. ::008::

Mike

I love it! ::025::

 

[MotorcopBBQ]

Can you guys stop saying "Winter" the more you say it, the quicker it will be here. ::016::
I just change the oil from factory 20w40 to 10w 40 Yamalube. With the factoy oil, I did notice the temp would rise and fall depending on the riding. Now with the new oil, its stays constant around 170ish and is been near 60 degree during the day and almost 38 degrees at night. The last three days. MPG has be steady at 47.5- 48.5 sorry to brag but it 60mph all the way to work.

 

[KSH]

Can you guys stop saying "Winter" the more you say it, the quicker it will be here. ::016::
I just change the oil from factory 20w40 to 10w 40 Yamalube. With the factoy oil, I did notice the temp would rise and fall depending on the riding. Now with the new oil, its stays constant around 170ish and is been near 60 degree during the day and almost 38 degrees at night. The last three days. MPG has be steady at 47.5- 48.5 sorry to brag but it 60mph all the way to work.

I guess your bike is broken, because everybody is saying my bike is normal.

As for vehicles in winter, I have remote start and my mileage only goes down 10 to 15% in -20 to -30 weather.

So I will not put up with a +25% drop in fuel mileage in a fuel injected bike.

 

[ptfjjj]

Funny, but I never seem to have these troubles. Bike pretty much runs the same year round. ;D