Even I-70 has some gorgeous spots in Utah.
We all know that when you go really fast your gas mileage suffers. How much does it suffer? Seldom have I had as good a chance to test this as when I did this Utah ride with other RMMRC members in May.
I was, of course, on my 2006 Suzuki V-Strom 650, the only bike I own these days. That bike theoretically holds 5.8 gallons. In normal use I tend to get around 45 miles to the gallon, though there have been plenty of times when I have averaged well over 50.
That said, keep in mind that I’m not much of a go-fast guy. On my own on a 65 mph highway I’ll tend to cruise between 60 and 70. I’m in no hurry. I’m out to enjoy myself, not to burn up miles.
It was a little different on this trip. Tom was leading and while he has never struck me as much of a go-fast guy either, for whatever reason, he chose to go quite fast this day. Maybe he just figures if he is forced to take the interstate he might as well go fast and make that part of the trip as quick as possible.
Through Colorado west out of Denver the speed limit on the interstate is nominally 75, although there are stretches, such as through Glenwood Canyon, where the limit is considerably lower. So we blasted along much of the time at 85. Sometimes 90. Of course we did go slower where appropriate.
My 650cc bike can handle 85-90 mph. It’s working but I can keep up. And so I did. But here are the numbers.
The distance from Morrison, where I filled up, to Grand Junction is about 235 miles. With 5.8 gallons, and averaging 45 miles per gallon, that should–and normally does–carry me about 260 miles. Getting to Grand Junction should have been no big deal. But we were in Debeque Canyon and I could see that it was not going to happen.
I passed word up to Tom that I needed to stop for gas and we did stop, in Palisade. How much gas did my bike take? The receipt shows I put in 5.3 gallons. I would not have made it to our planned gas stop on the west side of Junction.
The funny thing, though, is that my decrease in gas mileage turned out not to be anywhere near as great as I expected. In fact, as I sat down to write this I was planning something spelling out a big drop in gas mileage but when I hit the calculator I was surprised at just how small a difference it made. Maybe speed shaved 3 miles per gallon off my gas mileage. I was expecting a lot more.
That’s what happens when you work with facts: you have an expectation and sometimes it bears out and sometimes you are just wrong. Well now I know.
Biker Quote for Today
100 reasons not to date a biker: 81. You’ll have to spend a bunch of money on a jacket, riding boots, helmet, and gloves. If we break up, at least you have a Halloween outfit.
