How much did your MPG drop after the CSC conversion?

[NJMike]

My brother (ironhorse54) and I both got the Encore conversion on identical 2021 DCT Tours. We were told by various sources prior to the conversion that our fuel mileage would drop 3-5 mpg. Our initial findings indicates a loss of 10 mpg! Although we are happy with the conversion and are looking forward to our first full season of triking, I’m curious as to what the rest of you found. One added piece of info - we are very conservative in our riding so we aren’t losing extra mpg by riding aggressively.

Thanks,

NJMike

 

[BigMick]

My brother (ironhorse54) and I both got the Encore conversion on identical 2021 DCT Tours. We were told by various sources prior to the conversion that our fuel mileage would drop 3-5 mpg. Our initial findings indicates a loss of 10 mpg! Although we are happy with the conversion and are looking forward to our first full season of triking, I’m curious as to what the rest of you found. One added piece of info - we are very conservative in our riding so we aren’t losing extra mpg by riding aggressively.

Thanks,

NJMike

I'm getting about 36-38 MPG with my 2022 DCT CSC Encore......Had it converted right out of the crate, so not sure what this particular bike would get as a 2-wheeler.

My 2019 DCT Tour 2-wheeler got about 45 MPG.

I'm very happy with the mileage on my Encore.......better than I expected. The smiles outweigh any loss in MPG!

With the CSC Aux fuel tank I get better range than a stock 2-wheeler Goldwing.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

On one of our rides @ Rockies Gold, we averaged right around 40 somewhere in there.

Had some wind at our backs, so that had to help.

On the next ride, we had a crazy head wind and then a crazy side wind, we averaged a little over 30 to 32. Of course that day we were pushing the speed 70-80 at times. Those big fenders catch a ton of air and that hurts the mileage big time.

For us if we get in the low to mid 30's, I am happy. Anything else is a bonus. We didn't buy it for the mileage and the auxillary tank really helps also.

 

[Ironhorse54]

Thanks for the replies, Guys. NJ Mike and I are averaging right at 37 MPG’s. We were averaging 50+ MPG‘s on two wheels. Knew we would lose some gas mileage, but didn’t think it would be this much? What PSI’s are you guys using? We are using 28 psi. Question: would increasing the PSI’s also increase the gas mileage? Thanks for the help.

 

[NJMike]

IH54 and I BOTH were getting 50mpg on an open road ride prior to the conversion. (On one trip I actually got over 53!). Eddie (my pre-fore-mentioned brother) and I were talking this morning and are now wondering if we are getting less mpg because we are running 28psi on trike tires with a max psi of 51? Everyone knows that you get the best tire wear (mpg?) with max psi, right?

 

[NJMike]

Nice looking trike, BigMick!

 

[BigMick]

I run 25 PSI rears (Goodyear ComfortTred) and 36 PSI front (Avon Cobra trike).......

Much more than that and you sacrifice ride quality.

I never got hung up on fuel mileage with my CSC Trike......I just enjoy riding to much to even give it a thought.

More pressure might give you a tad better mileage, but not worth the harsher ride quality IMHO.

A trike kit adds 300 lbs weight, more rolling resistance with fat rear tires and kills any aerodynamics a 2-wheeler has.

Ride on......:clapping:

 

[RoadRunner18]

I'm getting about 36-38 MPG with my 2022 DCT CSC Encore......Had it converted right out of the crate, so not sure what this particular bike would get as a 2-wheeler.

My 2019 DCT Tour 2-wheeler got about 45 MPG.

I'm very happy with the mileage on my Encore.......better than I expected. The smiles outweigh any loss in MPG!

With the CSC Aux fuel tank I get better range than a stock 2-wheeler Goldwing.

View attachment 117126

I totally agree with Big Mick

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Forgot to mention added weight

We run 24# in the rear trike tires.

My prior response above is with me on it @ 250 and my bride @ 130. Plus our heavy clothes and what we have in the trunks. Also had a hitch luggage rack with a duffel and some jackets in there. So don't really know how much extra weight besides the trike kit.

Don't worry about mileage. Just go out and ride and enjoy your Trike and nature!

 

[Papa Zook]

IH54 and I BOTH were getting 50mpg on an open road ride prior to the conversion. (On one trip I actually got over 53!). Eddie (my pre-fore-mentioned brother) and I were talking this morning and are now wondering if we are getting less mpg because we are running 28psi on trike tires with a max psi of 51? Everyone knows that you get the best tire wear (mpg?) with max psi, right?

Mike, what brand of tire are you running and where are you getting a max psi of 51 psi? Max psi on your front tire should be 42 psi (Avon Cobra Trike Tire) and it is reccomended that you run 42 psi in the front tire. Nowhere on the tire does it state any reccomended tire pressure less than 42 psi.

I stock the Cobra Chrome tires and just re-cechecked the specs. Running 42 psi in the front is known to increase tire life and prevent cupping of the front tire. Most of us run 24 psi on the rear tires.

 

[NJMike]

51 psi is the max on rear trike tires, Papa Z.

 

[Ironhorse54]

OHTSU car tire. 51 PSI max. We have Bridgestone front tire maximum PSI 41.

 

[Ironhorse54]

FYI: I pumped my two back tires up to 50 PSI, and went out for about a 30 mile ride. I was shocked at how smooth and easy the trike was to handle. May even have been smoother than using 28 psi. Handled better all the way around. I am going to run a tank full of gas at 50 PSI to see if there is any significant change in MPG? Will update after I do this.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

FYI: I pumped my two back tires up to 50 PSI, and went out for about a 30 mile ride. I was shocked at how smooth and easy the trike was to handle. May even have been smoother than using 28 psi. Handled better all the way around. I am going to run a tank full of gas at 50 PSI to see if there is any significant change in MPG? Will update after I do this.

I would think running that much air in the rear trike tires would make it ride like a lumber wagon. :Shrug: :gah:

 

[Ironhorse54]

Ha ha ha. I was anticipating feeling more like a dump truck? Again, I was greatly surprised on how smooth it was.

 

[Papa Zook]

Running 51 PSI in any trike's rear tires (these are automotive tires, no such thing as a trike specific rear tire) is not at all recommended by any trike manufacturer or installer. The tires are not carrying the weight of a 3500 lb car, it is carrying the weight if a 1180 lb CSC Goldwing trike.

It is widely agreed that 24 lbs + or - a pound or two is the recommended rear tire pressure. You want to have the tires running the correct pressure for the vehicle's weight it is carrying in order to achieve proper contact patch across the width of the tire for two reasons, one of course being best case traction and control of the vehicle and second, extended tire wear. Overinflation will cause increased wear to the center of the tires.

 

[Ironhorse54]

Thanks for the info, Papa zook. I did not consider the weight difference between car and trike. I will adjust accordingly.

 

[NJMike]

Good comment, Papa Zook. Interesting and logical. As soon as I’m back on my feet and the weather breaks, I’m gonna do this test: ride 100 miles with the rear tires at 28psi (recommended by CSC) and record the avg mpg. Then I will repeat the ride with the two rear tires at 50psi. This one short test will show if the tire pressures make any difference on the fuel mileage.

 

[Gorilla]

Good comment, Papa Zook. Interesting and logical. As soon as I’m back on my feet and the weather breaks, I’m gonna do this test: ride 100 miles with the rear tires at 28psi (recommended by CSC) and record the avg mpg. Then I will repeat the ride with the two rear tires at 50psi. This one short test will show if the tire pressures make any difference on the fuel mileage.

Yes you might save a little gas with the PSI at 50 because the tire contacting the surface will be less.

But the tires will not grip the road as well and would be subject to hydroplaning quicker because of the less contact with the road.

The centers will wear out first and can you imagine the destruction if the tire had a blowout with 50 psi in it.

From a safety stand point I don't think it's worth the little bit of gas saved.

JMHO

 

[Burnerboy]

Roadsmith TRIKE (Honda Goldwing)

24 LBS in rear tires

35 LBS in front Avon tire

Ronnie

2/3/24

 

[Papa Zook]

Yes you might save a little gas with the PSI at 50 because the tire contacting the surface will be less.

But the tires will not grip the road as well and would be subject to hydroplaning quicker because of the less contact with the road.

The centers will wear out first and can you imagine the destruction if the tire had a blowout with 50 psi in it.

From a safety stand point I don't think it's worth the little bit of gas saved.

JMHO

I'm in agreement with you Ted. I doubt there would be any appreciable difference in mpg and even if there was a slight gain, there are more downsides besides safety and extended tire life IMHO. I can tell you for sure the ride quality would be better at 24 or 25 psi than at 50 or 51 psi, especially for the passenger.

Anyone else who wants to join in the conversation and post up your Goldwing trike conversion chosen tire pressures, feel free to do so, as it's still a personal choice.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Get on some concrete and either wet your rear tires or drive through a water puddle, then drive the trike on the concrete to show your tread pattern. Keep adjusting your pressure to get the maximum tire coverage on the concrete.

From there you can adjust for your best ride.

 

[Papa Zook]

Lehman Trikes Article Regarding Air Pressure

WHAT IS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE FOR MY TRIKE?

There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation out there when it comes to tire pressures for trike riders. Most all trikes have a motorcycle tire up front and automotive tires in the rear. The motorcycle compliance label has a recommend pressure for both the front and the rear tires. Now that your motorcycle is a trike are these still the pressures to use? Since we are trying to clear up the confusion and misinformation… the answer is yes and no! Let me explain more fully.

We, Lehman Trikes, have always recommended that you maintain the same pressure the motorcycle manufacturer lists on the compliance label for the front wheel. There is no reason to change this pressure. That’s the “yes”. The “no” is a bit more involved. First of all, the two automotive tires like those installed on the rear of your trike area completely different design than the single motorcycle tire they replace.

Now for some history. Lehman Trikes has been building and riding trikes for 25 years. Our founder, John Lehman, and many of the dedicated trike riders that work here have experimented for years trying to find what air pressure in the rear tires gives you the best ride, handling and tire life. What they found and recommended for years was an air pressure in the 20 to 22 psi range worked best. So why, if you look at a current Lehman Trikes Owner’s Manual or the Owner’s Manual for a H-D Tri Glide, do you see a 26 psi recommendation for the rear tires?

When I came to Lehman Trikes several years ago one of the things I was asked to do was to confirm with the manufacturer of our tires that they would support our recommendation of 20 to22 psi air pressures for our application. What I learned is that NO Tire Manufacturer will recommend anything less than 26 psi for standard automotive tires.

LEHMAN TRIKES: Where the 26 psi number came from is an interesting and somewhat involved story. There is a regulatory organization called the Tire and Rim Association (T&RA) which, of course, standardizes specifications for all different applications for tires and wheels (rims). One of the things that they provide is a load carrying capacity for each tire size at different air pressures. In their old reference books they listed load carrying capacities for tire pressures all the way down to 20 psi. I don’t know what year they changed, but in 1999 they still listed load carrying capacities down to 20 psi.

Do any of you remember the big public fight that went on between Firestone and Ford Motor Co a few years ago? As I recall, people were rolling over in their Ford Explorer’s and Ford and Firestone were vigorously pointing the finger at each other. The final outcome was that it was determined that people were reducing the air pressure in their tires to improve ride quality. That would not have been a problem, but they failed to increase the pressure when the vehicle was more heavily loaded. As a result, the T&RA elected to eliminate the lower pressure ratings from their reference books.

In support of the T&RA, the tire manufacturers will not support running their tires at anything less than 26 psi. So how much difference does it make? Why not just run them at a higher pressure? Running the rear tires on your trike at a higher tire pressure has a dramatic impact on how the trike rides and handles. For each additional psi of air pressure you increase the rigidity of the sidewall. At maximum pressure the sidewalls of your tires are quite rigid. Rigid sidewalls will increase the occurrence of the low speed “head shake” inherent in all three wheeled vehicles. They will also transmit more of the bumps in the road to you and your passenger. As you reduce the tire pressure it allows the sidewall to provide additional “cushioning” when riding over irregularities in the road surface. Certainly you do not want to reduce the air pressure too far because that will adversely affect the handling of the trike.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER TIRE PRESSURE (CONT) TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS:

The “cushioning” effect of the sidewalls is, of course, reduced if you are using a tire that has very little sidewall. For example, those 18 or 20 inch rims that look so cool on the back of your trike do all the wrong things for ride comfort and low speed head shake. A standard 15 or 16 inch rim with a properly sized, properly inflated tire will give you the best ride quality and the least amount of head shake.The most commonly used tire on the rear axle of a Lehman Trike is the P205/70R15. As a point of interest, in the 1999 T&RA reference book it lists a load carrying capacity of 1146 lbs for a standard P205/70R15 tire with 20 psi of air.

 

[NJMike]

Papa Zook, that is one of the best posts I have ever seen on a forum. Thanks! BrokenBackJack, I like your idea…

1. start with 51psi,

2. Ride through water

3. look at the tread pattern

4. reduce psi by 5 lbs

5. repeat steps 2-4

6. stop when the pattern shows full contact with the surface

 

[Ironhorse54]

Great conversation, Guys. Thanks for the input and information.

 

[Ironhorse54]

Did my test ride today at 50 PSI. 110 miles at various speeds from interstate to back roads to in town etc. etc. MPG was 35.5. Really surprised at that. Will go back to 28 psi as recommended by CSC.

I agree with all you guys about safety. Thanks again for the info and input.

 

[NJMike]

As soon as my surgery recovery is over I’m gonna do the water test, suggested by BrokenBackJack and outlined above.

 

[Papa Zook]

Did my test ride today at 50 PSI. 110 miles at various speeds from interstate to back roads to in town etc. etc. MPG was 35.5. Really surprised at that. Will go back to 28 psi as recommended by CSC.

I agree with all you guys about safety. Thanks again for the info and input.

Interesting Eddie. So at 28 psi you were getting 37 mpg and at 50 psi it dropped to 35.5?

 

[Ironhorse54]

Yep, I don’t understand it? Went out today for a 42 mile ride at 45 mph or less and got right at 37 in the Econ mode. I did notice that it does in fact have a little bit more vibration and bumpiness at 50 psi. Don’t see any point in going any further on testing. Might as well drop back to 28 PSI.

 

[brianl]

I know that I don’t have one of the newer bikes, mine is a 2017, but I have had experience riding with overinflated rear tires. I run 22 psi in the left tire and 24 in the right. I run higher in the right to help level the bike because the roads tilt to the right for drainage. I brought my trike to a dealer that apparently wasn’t as familiar with trikes as they thought they were.

They took it upon themselves to increase the pressure on the rear tires to 35psi thinking that’s what they should be because they’re car tires. I didn’t realize they did that until I read the work order when I got home. I rode the interstate home at 65-70 mph. I literally thought I was going to bounce right off the road. Worst ride of my life. Not enough tire surface on the road. If someone can ride at 51psi good for them but I’ll stick with the trike manufacturers recommendation.