Liking it more and more but...

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mdb
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Location: South Wales

Liking it more and more but...

Post by mdb »

Hello all,
I have been riding the Firestorm quite frequently because of the great weather. I have just fitted a new BT016 and it has given the front end a nicer roll in than the Bt020 (which was ancient). I am still exploring its limits although the brakes could be better. I bought some forks of Fabio and going to fit them but the ones on it seem fine, so far. The only turd in the rose bowl is that the fuel light is coming on at arounf 76 miles. Oww. That's 12 litres. Seroiusly crap mpg. Any suggestions. I have just done (today) a partial bafflectomy. I will see if this improves things a little. I haven't checked the plugs, but it must be rich.

I have a standard filter, 170 dynojet with needles on 4th step.
Anyone have an opinion on lowering ot to the 5th to lean things out a little.

Oh well. It is providing smiles.
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fabiostar
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by fabiostar »

riding at normal speeds thats not great tank range? even for a storm.
the older i get,the faster i was :lol:
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Cadbury64
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by Cadbury64 »

Wow that is poor economy. On the open twisty road (plenty of braking and accelerating) at 70-80 mph I see at least 125 miles before the yellow eye of doom illuminates, sometimes up to 150 miles.. My 1997 bike is stock barring a K&N filter and gutted stock mufflers.

Is your air filter clean? Carbs balanced? Plugs in good shape? Tyres properly inflated? Brakes not dragging? TPS adjusted?
2017 MT-10SP, 2019 Vespa Primavera 150
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KermitLeFrog
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by KermitLeFrog »

Are you filling the tank? Do it with the bike upright and brim it.

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VTRDark
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by VTRDark »

Wow that's bad milage even by my standards. Around town doing lots of stop starts and being a bit ham fisted fuel economy can be real sh1t. Get out and give it some beans on open clear roads and it improves even though faster speeds are involved. One of the only bikes Iv'e ever had where the faster you go the better the fuel economy gets. Go figure. If your filling up fully I'm wondering if you have something else going on. Any leaks anywhere. You could try dropping the needles but you will most likely create more problems. Can you smell fuel. It could be an extremly rich mixture, choke not operating correctly, float needle valves. I'd start with the choke cable (enricher) note it's proper name and your running rich. Remove, clean and re lube. You have to be real careful at the carb end though. Slip the L shape rubber off the groove (like an O ring groove) off the plastic nuts which allows them to spin. Be careful as these break easily, and then undo them to remove. Better to remove the carbs first or at least lift them up out of the rubbers boots so you can spin them over and get access with a 10mm spanner.
==============================Enter the Darkside
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podman
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by podman »

I said similar when I joined the forum and was getitng around 70ish miles to the light, its a lot better now its been serviced and the everything set up, it is running leaner now(confirmed by dyno), so thats the way to go to get the most from your take range.

The other way to get your MPG up is to go out on a ride(no laughing at the back...) with mr Mrs, she keeps to the limit-ish, dwadles almost everywhere and during our recent ride out to Wales, was getting NO LESS than 61MPG from her CBR600..I wouldnt dare repeat her best MPG in public as you'd not believe it.!


Whilst I did fly past her to keep me awake now and again :biggrin , I was getting an unheard of 48MPG from the Storm...
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sirch345
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by sirch345 »

podman wrote: Fri Jun 08, 2018 7:34 pm The other way to get your MPG up is to go out on a ride(no laughing at the back...) with mr Mrs, she keeps to the limit-ish, dwadles almost everywhere and during our recent ride out to Wales, was getting NO LESS than 61MPG from her CBR600..I wouldnt dare repeat her best MPG in public as you'd not believe it.!
Good plan that :lol:

I agree something sounds wrong with the fuel consumption being that high.

Some good advice on things to check have already been posted,

Chris.
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Steve97
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by Steve97 »

There is some variation in how the fuel sensor operates, so fill a 5lt petrol can, strap it on the bike , set the millage to zero, and run it dry, before you start messing with the jets and the choke. :thumbup:
or at least set the thing to zero when the red light of doom comes on and the run it dry
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TaxiDriver
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by TaxiDriver »

I'm not far behind regarding fuel consumption,mind you it doesn't help giving it huge blips on the over run
it sounds so mad......... :D
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mdb
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Location: South Wales

Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by mdb »

Hello all,
I will check the carb balance again. The filter is clean and the sparkies are new. I need to check it again on this run because I realised that I was balancing the carbs ect with the last fuel load, but the previous couple of fills have been similar (which is why I balanced the carbs).

I am calculating by the miles travelled divided by how many litres I am filling at the pump. I am filling on the side stand and using the horizontal bar that runs across across the tank opening as a reference. So I am getting 75 miles for 12 lites. 28.4 mpg. Yuck.

I will post again after this tank full as I have drilled the silencers so it should lean out.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
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mdb
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by mdb »

podman wrote: Fri Jun 08, 2018 7:34 pm

Whilst I did fly past her to keep me awake now and again :biggrin , I was getting an unheard of 48MPG from the Storm...
I would be happy with 38. I was getting around 60mpg on a TDM900 doing similar speeds although that is a particularly frugal bike.
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Stratman
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by Stratman »

I average 42 mpg from the Storm. Carbs are standard and with Scorpion cans. Each to their own, but in standard trim I find the Storm plenty fast enough up to three figures, especially with slightly reduced gearing.
Two bikes, still only four cylinders!

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mdb
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by mdb »

Stratman wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:33 am I average 42 mpg from the Storm. Carbs are standard and with Scorpion cans. Each to their own, but in standard trim I find the Storm plenty fast enough up to three figures, especially with slightly reduced gearing.
Is that with a standard air filter?
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Stratman
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by Stratman »

Yes. Everything stock in that department.
Two bikes, still only four cylinders!

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mdb
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Re: Liking it more and more but...

Post by mdb »

Quick update if anyone is interested. I have drilled the silencers for a partial bafflectomy. It sounds better and seems to run just as well as when standard. The first couple of runs I noted a small improvement in MPG. 88 ish. I have run it like this for a few hundred miles. Checked the MPG over the last two fills and I am getting 115 miles until the light. I have also noticed that the idle speed has increased by 150 revs (now at 1350). So summat has changed/bedded in. Could be the enricher mechanism seating properly. Whatever it is, I am much happier, especially with all this glorious sunshine.

So keep it right side up lads and lasses.
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