Fuel Mileage GL1800

rhino65

250+ Posts
Aug 14, 2016
264
49
Atwood, IL
Name
Brian
Have run several tanks of gas thru my 02 Wing with 52k miles (thanks to incredible warm winter) 90% on highway 50-65 mph. Lowest was 29 highest was 32 mpg. Solo & with passenger. It's a CSC trike with the gearbox they used on they're earlier conversions. Is this normal? I've read that getting CSC updated driveshaft which does away with the gearbox you will get 2-4 mpg increase. Any truth in that?
 
I have an 07 Goldwing with a 2016 Champion trike kit and I am getting the same mileage as you say that you are getting. I guess this is about average. I do most of my riding 2 up.
Love the bike...not so much the mileage. :0)
 
I have an 07 Goldwing with a 2016 Champion trike kit and I am getting the same mileage as you say that you are getting. I guess this is about average. I do most of my riding 2 up.
Love the bike...not so much the mileage. :0)

Same here. Fuel mileage with added too much tupperware
 
My '06 with '11 Roadsmith kit averages 35 two up riding the local twisties.

On the highway two-up, loaded, and pulling cargo trailer will average about 32 if running 60 -65 per gps.
 
Have run several tanks of gas thru my 02 Wing with 52k miles (thanks to incredible warm winter) 90% on highway 50-65 mph. Lowest was 29 highest was 32 mpg. Solo & with passenger. It's a CSC trike with the gearbox they used on they're earlier conversions. Is this normal? I've read that getting CSC updated driveshaft which does away with the gearbox you will get 2-4 mpg increase. Any truth in that?

I think a 20-25% drop in mpg is pretty normal for a trike.
 
I had a 2004 CSC conversion done in 2011. Mileage was 35-37.. Now ride 2012 Wing with 2014 Hannigan conversion, Mileage 36-38. Most riding 55-60 MPH. Worst I ever got was bucking a high wind, 33 MPH No difference if I ride two up or single.
 
35/36 is mostly what I see on my Road Smith, two up, running 55/60 anyone getting 38/39, that's exceptional. You can an run the upper limits on tire pressure and get a mile or so more, maybe. Some advocate the T6 Rotella synthetic will help, don't know about that, I don't spend the extra bucks to find out.
 
Maybe a reality check is needed.

Just so everyone is on the same page here, lets not forget that from 2001-2009, GL1800 ODMs had an error factor of about 10%. Therefore, comparing MPG from year to year can be like comparing apples and monkeys, especially when we compare year to year and trike to trike.

Also, the 2001-03's were known to get less MPG then the newer ones ... their ECM had different programming.

Because of a class action suite on the automotive side, the ODMs from 2010+ are very accurate.
 
Maybe a reality check is needed.

Just so everyone is on the same page here, lets not forget that from 2001-2009, GL1800 ODMs had an error factor of about 10%. Therefore, comparing MPG from year to year can be like comparing apples and monkeys, especially when we compare year to year and trike to trike.

Also, the 2001-03's were known to get less MPG then the newer ones ... their ECM had different programming.

Because of a class action suite on the automotive side, the ODMs from 2010+ are very accurate.

Interesting info here.. thank you, as I now have a 2010, that I just triked out and actually rode it today for the first time ever.. man O' man i just love my new bike, now with three wheels...

Gregg, thank you for everything!
Ronnie

Ronnie
 
Actual fuel MILAGE

;) My 2003 Goldwing GL 1800 with CSC Cobra kit gets 30-33 MPG @ 70-75 MPH. My speedo reads 5 MPH faster than my GPS at 70 MPH. The trike kit came with 205/60/15 tires. I just changed the tires and installed 205/65/15 and my speedo reads exactly as my GPS now. So I'm assuming my MPG will drop off by 1-2 MPG now. Speedo reading faster before would be showing more miles driven on a tank also. 🤔

Check your speedo miles with your other friends on trips to see if both of you show the same MILAGE? That's how some people get these over inflated MPG. "SPEEDO ERROR"
 
We have a 2006 GW 1800 Motortrike. I normally only ride it when the wife wants to ride. With two of us on the GW at speeds of 50-60 we get 42 MPG +or-. When we are on the expressway at 70-75 we get 38-39 MPG. I wish our GW's had just one more gear for expressway driving. To offer a comparison, I get 42-44 MPG on my 2013 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited and it doesn't seem to make a difference about the speed.

Bill
 
On my '07 GL1800 w/MT Adventure kit.. locally I generally get 32-34 mpg. On our recent trip out west, we averaged 34.7 mpg, one tank came in at 37 mpg... had a good tail wind. :D

All that was at 2800 rpm, actual 68 mph. The one time I was in a hurry from Tucson to Wilcox running 75-80 mph, above 3200 rpm, I only got 29 mpg. The 'Wing will go as far & fast as you want.. you just gotta pay for it.
 
Just checked mine today after running 180 miles in Arkansas twisties, two-up and heavy. Result is 36.6 mpg. That's a lot of gear shifting, turns, and hills.
 
Just checked mine today after running 180 miles in Arkansas twisties, two-up and heavy. Result is 36.6 mpg. That's a lot of gear shifting, turns, and hills.

That sounds like some pretty good mileage for those conditions.ThumbUp

I'm averaging 33.5 mpg on Florida flat roads with no twisties, single rider and light weight.
 
Trike MILAGE

There must be a lot of difference in MILAGE between trike kits as I read some of these outrageous MILAGE claims. My 2003 GL1800 CSC Cobra kit is larger than most kits. 101" long and 60" wide could account for some of my lower MILAGE & we "ALWAYS" ride two up @ 60-75 MPH.
 
My thoughts as well, those rear fenders are like sails, there is nothing aerodynamic about these things. I always think, 36 is good based on the design of the thing. Seems the design engineers could curve the fenders around the tire to make them a little more aerodynamic, but what do I know?
 
Brethern,

Heres my take on gas mileage for motorcycles,be it 2 wheels or 3 after 45 yrs of riding.

Scooters are a pleasure & they cannot be measured by what kind of gas mileage they deliver

I look at my bikes & think its like owning a sports car (corvette,porsch, thunderbird (55-57) or Jaguar

If I'm buying a Kia,I'd be concerned about Mileage,otherwise I stop & fill the tank every 100 miles max,I get off the bike,maybe get a cold beverage,stretch my legs,shoot the bull,etc

That's my take on this thread

;) ;)
 
I look at my bikes & think its like owning a sports car (corvette,porsch, thunderbird (55-57) or Jaguar

That's my take on this thread

;) ;)

To me a GL1800 is very much like an F150 pickup. On any given week, an F150 pu may carry 1 driver to and from work, then on the weekend have a camper put in it's bed, hitched up to a 21' boat, and be loaded with 6 kids and all their other toys. A GL1800 is similar. It can carry a single rider to and from work, or carry 2 very overweight people pulling a 650lb camp trailer. Some do all that after being converted into a trike.

Like an F150 pu, a GL1800 is very versatile.
 
You are right_on

Brethern,

Heres my take on gas mileage for motorcycles,be it 2 wheels or 3 after 45 yrs of riding.

Scooters are a pleasure & they cannot be measured by what kind of gas mileage they deliver

I look at my bikes & think its like owning a sports car (corvette,porsch, thunderbird (55-57) or Jaguar

If I'm buying a Kia,I'd be concerned about Mileage,otherwise I stop & fill the tank every 100 miles max,I get off the bike,maybe get a cold beverage,stretch my legs,shoot the bull,etc

That's my take on this thread

;) ;)

Well you are right on the money if you have to be checking your mileage you are not enjoying the fun you should be having.:):pepper::gah: BIG DENNY
 
Riding from Jacksonville south to The Villages with a strong wind from the South today. Ran 65 MPH. Worse mileage I ever got. 31.5 per gallon. Ugh
 
Maybe a reality check is needed.

Just so everyone is on the same page here, lets not forget that from 2001-2009, GL1800 ODMs had an error factor of about 10%. Therefore, comparing MPG from year to year can be like comparing apples and monkeys, especially when we compare year to year and trike to trike.

Also, the 2001-03's were known to get less MPG then the newer ones ... their ECM had different programming.

Because of a class action suite on the automotive side, the ODMs from 2010+ are very accurate.

Greg, thank you for clearifying this for me as when I drove my 02 wing and now my 10 wing I thought that my bike was off compearing it to my GPS speed..Now I know why!! thanks

Ronnie
 

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