So Dissapointed

[Smoken'JOE]

When I triked my VTX 1800 I was getting about 35-40 mpg. Now I'm lucky to get 20. I'm getting the hang of the ride and doing a lot better and feel more and more comfortable. Have about 600 miles on the bike as a trike. Don't think there is anything wrong with the bike but who knows for sure. It still has tons of power and launch.
Any ideas or suck it up and go down the road.

 

[Gorilla]

Joe I'm not very familiar with the VTX1800, but does it have a tach? If so is the RPM about the same as it was when it was a 2 wheeler? I'm wondering with the different rear wheels could it be possible that you are turning more RPM's at the same road speed. If so then maybe you could lower your RPM's with a tire size change and get the fuel mileage to come up.

 

[Smoken'JOE]

Joe I'm not very familiar with the VTX1800, but does it have a tach? If so is the RPM about the same as it was when it was a 2 wheeler? I'm wondering with the different rear wheels could it be possible that you are turning more RPM's at the same road speed. If so then maybe you could lower your RPM's with a tire size change and get the fuel mileage to come up.

No tach, unless I install one. But the R's are definitely higher. I knew I would lose some but never figured this much. Oh well.

 

[katfish16]

Joe I am not sure U did not answer ur own question... I think as all of us get more used to our trikes we push them a little harder.. I try to stay within a safe range when driving but every now and then I don"t :yes:
Good luck...
Drive Safe

 

[Yogisan]

Have you checked your odometer accuracy since the trike conversion? Unless the rear wheels outer diameter and rear end drive gear ratios are the same as stock, both your odometer and speedometer accuracy will be thrown off. You're going to lose gas mileage anyway simply because of the extra weight and wind resistance of the trike rear end. Some kits modify the final drive components to help compensate for this.

I thought my trike's gas mileage was way bad until I checked my odometer against a GPS over a 300 mile trip. I had a significant error on the odo. I installed a compensator device (SpeedoHealer) and adjusted it to bring the odo accuracy right on. Yeah, I still didn't have the same gas mileage as stock, but it was a lot more reasonable.

Just throwing in my experience....

 

[Smoken'JOE]

Have you checked your odometer accuracy since the trike conversion? Unless the rear wheels outer diameter and rear end drive gear ratios are the same as stock, both your odometer and speedometer accuracy will be thrown off. You're going to lose gas mileage anyway simply because of the extra weight and wind resistance of the trike rear end. Some kits modify the final drive components to help compensate for this.

I thought my trike's gas mileage was way bad until I checked my odometer against a GPS over a 300 mile trip. I had a significant error on the odo. I installed a compensator device (SpeedoHealer) and adjusted it to bring the odo accuracy right on. Yeah, I still didn't have the same gas mileage as stock, but it was a lot more reasonable.

Just throwing in my experience....

Appreciate the thoughts and input. I have the speedo healer in place as of last fill-up. I'll do a few tanks and see what happens. I was 10 mph off because I set it up incorrectly. Damn instructions didn't smack me in the face.

 

[meredog]

If you happen to remember , about the first post i made here was about the fuel mileage i got on my new 1800 wih Champion trike , i was at or just under 20 MPG.
In order not to be upset and not enjoy my new trike i just blew the mileage checking aside,
Well, i think perhaps my mileage is not as bad now and will again check it and let you know where i am.



t

 

[Gorilla]

Joe if the revs are higher along with the speedo error I think we have resolved the issue. You can investigate on drive gearing changes or try changing the tire diameter to bring it more in line with the original. Reset the speedo and you should be good to go. Or if the current mileage is acceptable when you find out with the speedo corrected then you got it done now.

 

[Baz]

Joe if the revs are higher along with the speedo error I think we have resolved the issue. You can investigate on drive gearing changes or try changing the tire diameter to bring it more in line with the original. Reset the speedo and you should be good to go. Or if the current mileage is acceptable when you find out with the speedo corrected then you got it done now.

In my opinion you will need a lower final drive ratio to cope with the increased weight , increased rolling resistance and drag . There is a fantastic little device called a Speedo Healer ( www.speedohealer.com ) which lets you dial out any speedo error . You will probably find your speedo was out by approx 7% ex factory + the error introduced due to the change in drive ratio. The speedo healer lets you correct to +/- 1%. Another added benefit is that corrects the oddometer. Baz.

 

[Yogisan]

Since you have the Speedohealer there's one other wrinkle you need to be aware of. Check the error difference between your odometer and speedometer. I think the steps are either in the Speedohealer instructions or on the website. Anyway, unless you have a digital readout for both, there's probably an error between the two. This puts you in the postion of having either your speedo spot on and an error with the odometer or vice versa. In that case you have to make a decision about which one you want to be accurate.

I set my Speedohealer so the odometer is accurate for two reasons. I use the trip meters on the odometer for gas mileage and trip length. Also, you probably want an accurate mileage readout if you ever sell the vehicle. You don't want an odometer reading of 10K when you have only actually driven 8K. Yeah, I live with a speedo error but it's only 3-5 mph off, depending on how fast I'm going so I just compensate when I read the speedo. You do this for a while and you don't even think about it.

 

[Smoken'JOE]

In my opinion you will need a lower final drive ratio to cope with the increased weight , increased rolling resistance and drag . There is a fantastic little device called a Speedo Healer ( www.speedohealer.com ) which lets you dial out any speedo error . You will probably find your speedo was out by approx 7% ex factory + the error introduced due to the change in drive ratio. The speedo healer lets you correct to +/- 1%. Another added benefit is that corrects the oddometer. Baz.

Thanks, Got the Speedo Healer installed with proper settings. Got it with the Roadsmith kit. I didn't finish reading the instructions so I missed the correct setting the first time I installed it. It's now set correctly, checked with GPS, so I'll see what it is now. What bothered me most was only getting 80 miles to a tank. That meant I would have to stop for gas before anyone else on the ride. So, I'll see on the next fill-up. Raining today so....................

 

[jim peacock]

I have a 96se 1500 with a 06 lehman trike.
Before we had it triked two up and we were not light weights consstanetly got 40 to 42 mpg.just riding around and on trips.
On interstates got 36 to 38.
Now with the trike kit we were getting around 36 just riding around.
Pullind a escapade trailer two up on the interstate around 32.
When I tell people that alot of people do not beleve me ,at first some of the people I ride with did not beleve me,but after I let them check it they beleved me.
A lot of the people I ride with still have 1500,and I have always got better fuel miliage then they do.
Do not know why,it just seems to be on of thoses 1500s that get good fuel miliage,and I am not really a conseritive driver.

 

[John Luciano]

I also have a 1500 GW 1997 with a DFT ( DFT uses the original rear end from the the Honda 2 wheeler so ratio is the same ) the best ever MPG was 38 to 40 that was following a few Harleys on back roads under 45 MPH, worst was 2 up ( our total weight is less than 300 lb ) pulling a trailer following 2 other wings on a Highway doing about 80 for 100 miles . got 28 MPG. GW suck gas over 3,000 RPM's U may find the same true with your ride. the difference between 2,500 and 3,200 is about 6 to 8 MPG

 

[BlueTrinity]

the best ever MPG was 38 to 40 that was following a few Harleys on back roads under 45 MPH

They was just ridin slow so you wingers could keep up.

 

[John Luciano]

Actually I think I was sucking up all the unused gas fumes and burning it . Don't know y they re muffler and don't rejet.