4/21/13 Earth Day Ride and Fuel Economy Challenge

[greenaero]

ALan Smith and I are hosting an Earth Ride ride :

Earth Day Motorcycle Fun Ride & Fuel Economy Competition, Sunday, April 21, 2013

No Entry Fee No Prizes Just a fun ride Bragging Rights



Motorcyclists, Let’s do our part to demonstrate how motorcycles can help reduce fuel usage, reduce roadway crowding, use less natural resources and help save our planet.



Motorcycle Classes:

Electric- electric motorcycles may turn back at “The Junction”

Unlimited Streamliner

Under 700 cc

Over 701 cc

Worst Gas Mileage?



We’ll depart at 10:30 AM from Unlimited Motorsports, 7899 South Front Road, Livermore, CA 94551. There is a 76 gas station across the street to top off your fuel tank.


We’ll ride as a group to “The Junction” on Mines Road for a something to eat and drink. Then we’ll ride to Patterson. At Patterson we will take the I-5 freeway back to our starting point at Unlimited Motorsports. Freeway speeds will be at least 70 MPH. Total miles traveled are approximately 114 miles.

At the end of the ride we fill up our fuel tanks and calculate our MPG to find out who used the least amount of fuel.

[greenaero]

Bump. We may get Terry Hershner and his coast-to-coast crossing Zero electric motorcycle riding with us on the first leg. Its gonna a lot of fun, hope you can make it.

[tfkrocks]

Ugh, I wish I could but I don't have anything to ride at the moment

[greenaero]

Sorry to hear that, I hope you get your bike running soon.

[rojoracing53]

Oh earth day ride, I though you were saying birthday ride

My time would probably be better spent getting all my stuff ready to move at the end of the month so I don't think ill make it.

[greenaero]

hmmm, moving or going for a ride to the Junction? I'll going with the ride

[rojoracing53]

Yeah but moving gets me like 4X the garage space to mod the ninja so its still a motorcycle related event

The whole reason I'm moving is for the extra garage space to be able to work on my babies, how that for priorities

[choneofakind]

Jason, I don't think anyone's ever questioned your priorities when it comes to motorcycling. Just look at your bike and the sheer amount of time you've spent making it what you want.

[Xoulrath]

I'll be sure to ride a lot of tight twisties that day, using only first to do so.

That's economical, right?

[greenaero]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Yeah but moving gets me like 4X the garage space to mod the ninja so its still a motorcycle related event

The whole reason I'm moving is for the extra garage space to be able to work on my babies, how that for priorities

Ok, you get a pass

[greenaero]

2013 SF Bay Area Earth Day Ride & Fuel Economy Challenge


It was a beautiful day for our first Bay Area fuel economy competition. It was warm and windy in spots but all in all, an awesome day for some great motorcycle riding. Alan and I didn’t know what to expect for a turnout but we had a great response; 16 motorcycles with 17 riders.
We embarked from the Union 76 Gas Station on South Front Rd and rode out in formation to Mines Rd for our first stop at the Junction. There we had lunch, bench raced and visited with the other motorcyclists out enjoying the Livermore back roads. We had a couple of mishaps while there; the wind blew Alan’s streamliner over and one of competitors slipped and tipped over. Fortunately no one was hurt and the damage was minor and repairable. We left on the next leg down Del Puerto Canyon Rd to Patterson, and then on to Westley.
At Wesley we stopped for a shop tour of noted vintage race car restorer Butch? who showed us some of his incredible machines. After a great visit we regrouped and rode Hwy 5 to Patterson Pass Rd and then proceeded back to our starting point. On the run down HWY 5 part of the skin on my tailsection blew off. At the 76 Station, we topped off our fuel tanks and calculated our fuel economy. The route was approximately 119.6 miles.
The preliminary results are:

1.Alan Smith, Kaw. Ninja 250cc Streamliner, 95.7 mpg, 1st Streamliner
2.Vic Valdes, Kaw. Ninja 250cc Streamliner , 86 mpg, 2nd Streamliner
3.Jacqueline Etter, Yam. XT225cc, 79.7 mpg , 1st < 700 cc
4.Bart Beeman, KTM 450cc, 50 mpg, 2nd <700cc
5.David Bright, Suz. DR 650cc, 49.8mpg, 3rd <700cc
6.Matthew Shiroma, Suz. V-Strom 1000cc, 47.8 mpg, 1st >700cc
7.Rick Silverman, Suz. DR 650cc, 44.8 mpg, 4th <700cc
8.John McAllister, BMW 1000cc, 42.7 mpg, 2nd >700cc
9. Chris Huntze, Honda CB750cc Hondamatic, 42.1 mpg, 3rd>700cc
10. Erik Lunn, Yamaha RZ350cc, 32.3 mpg, 5th <700cc, Top Gas Hog


Incomplete Results

11. Ken Visbeck, Honda CFR250cc
12. Terry Seaver, MV Agusta Brutale 910cc
13. John Bushman, Yamaha V-Max 1200 cc
14. Kathy Bushman, HD Dynaglide 1340cc
15. Thomas Bushman, HD V-Rod, 1130 cc
16. Frank Howe, Honda ST1300cc ( with passenger)

Congratulations to all our competitors, when we all participate and work toward a goal together, everyone wins. It was great to ride with some friends and demonstrate the fun and efficiency of motorcycles. Fellow competitors please accept my sincere appreciation; hopefully we can do this again soon.

[Alex]

Nice work!

[greenaero]

Thanks Alex, it was an awesome ride.

[Motofool]

The three first places got spectacular mileage !!!

Kudos to all, organizers and participants !

[choneofakind]

I'm still amazed by your awesome mileage!!! How much of that is EOC? I kinda think that's cheating a little

I just re-installed my air box. I'm interested to see what kind of mileage I get this season with my fuel injection. I got mid-50's with fun riding/commuting on a rich fuel map and a full exhaust with pod filters. I'm hoping that will go up to 60-65 with the air box and the same riding style. I've enjoyed reading about your experiences so much, I might just put the bike into ECO mode for an entire tank and ride with economy in mind. I want to see how much mileage I can get.

[greenaero]

Herman and Chris, thank you!

Chris, The ride was pretty fast paced with Alan as the leader and me as the sweeper. No EOC ( Engine Off Coasting) was used but there was some of off throttle and clutch in coasting on the downhil sectons of the course. Alan and I tried to simulate the Vetter Challenge conditions as much as possible and lots of the participants were surprised at how low their fuel economy was on a fast paced ride through hilly, twisty roads and on the merciless CA autobahn of Hwy 5.
Keep us posted on how your FI works, it sounds very promising.
thank you, Vic

[choneofakind]

Dang. That included twisty time?? Wow. Congrats again. Those numbers are impressive.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

.......Those numbers are impressive.

It is much about how much and how many molecules of air get disturbed as you and your bike quickly go by..........

..... and about how much mechanical energy your engine can transduce from the thermal energy of that combustion.

[choneofakind]

MMMMM Heat transfer and Fluids. Those are both in my next two semesters. Right now I'm in Thermodynamics, which is really just the pre-rec for Heat Tranfer.

[greenaero]

Originally Posted by Motofool

It is much about how much and how many molecules of air get disturbed as you and your bike quickly go by..........

..... and about how much mechanical energy your engine can transduce from the thermal energy of that combustion.

Wow, great post MotoF, thanks for those slides , they explain exactly what I and my fellow Vetter Challengers are trying to accomplish.

[Motofool]

You are welcome

Sorry, you will need to click twice on the last schematic for a better resolution.

Yes, in the best of the cases, only 25 ~ 30% of the energy contained in the fuel reaches the rear contact patch in the form of torque.

What you guys are trying to do is using that reduced percentage of energy the most efficiently possible.......... and you are doing it extremely well !!!

[Xoulrath]

Wwo, crazy good fuel economy! Great job!

Now the next step needs to be how to make a liter bike get half that.

[greenaero]

Thanks! One of the riders on a 1000cc SUzuki V-Strom got 47.8 mpg, not bad either .

[Alex]

I was getting a solid 22 mpg for the first 75 miles leaving Death Valley this morning. But then coming over the Sierras, I was up into the mid 40's.

[greenaero]

Death Valley is great place to ride , enjoy