NEW 2012 gas mileage

Joined
May 1, 2012
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Bought a NEW 2012 ST 1300 in July 2016. From the first tank it has been getting 25 to 27 miles to the gallon. Now has 3400 miles and Honda won't help me with finding the cause. Dealer agrees there is an issue but no obvious signs of where the problem may originate and Honda won't authorize time to trouble shoot. Have a 2007 ST with 75,000 miles on it that ALWAYS got 37 to 39 MPG round town/freeway and up to 42 highway on cross country trips. Thermostat is good, not throwing any codes, not running rich. Any help would be appreciated. Stonewalled by Honda corp "customer service" dept. While agreeing MPG is not normal they say without a "symptom" being identified they consider the bike to be performing "as designed". My contention, the MPG is the symptom. Basically I have to tell them what is causing it before they will determine if it is covered under warranty.
 

BakerBoy

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

What a shame.

Do you smell gas while it sits in the garage? (is there perhaps a fuel leak?)
Do you see 3 bars on the temperature gage while moving on cool days?
How do you/they know the thermostat is good without pulling it and proving it?
Are the pipes yellowing/browining heat-staining at the round-to-triangular transition below your footpegs?
 
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Email sent, standing by the white courtesy phone :call:
 

Mark

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

T-STats have issues on ST1300s; but, as noted you'll have to pull it to prove it has failed.
 

Mellow

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

As stated above, brakes dragging might be it... obviously, the ST1300's brake system is overly complicated... it's superb when it's working but annoying when it isn't. How much drag is on the rear wheel when on the centerstand and you spin the tire... they don't typically free-spin but you should get at least 6-12 inches of spin before it stops and that's normal.. if it's locked up and won't barely spin at all then that's probably the culprit - the brake system. A full bleed the correct way should eliminate that as an issue.

You don't always have to remove the t-stat to test if it's working but you need temps into the 40s to see if it isn't... if it's cold enough and you start dropping from 3 bars on the dash then it's more than likely bad and WILL definitely affect the mileage. Maybe you can head into the mountains where it's colder and do that test?
 

Nashcat

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Have you personally, called the Honda corporate number, or are you relying on what the dealer told you? I called them once, and when given my VIN, they knew everything about the bike, including repair tickets written by the dealer. You could call to make sure that the dealer has reported your problem.
 
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Let's go back to the beginning. Fill the tank carefully at your fav gas station (I like Shell or Sunoco) with 91 octane gas (if you can get it, higher if not). Take the bike out for a ride on the interstate. Since you are getting only around 25 mpg, drive 25 miles, turn around, and go back to the SAME gas station and use the SAME pump to fillerup. At your stated mpg, you will need close to 2 gallons, if you are getting 35 mpg you will need closer to 1.43 gal.

Recalculate the miles per gallon. If it still checks out at round 25, then yes, you have a problem. Gas pumps may or may not be accurate (usually are). If you mostly fill up at one specific pump, for the purpose of this test, try another gas station.
 
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Sorry, SMSW, but you can't accurately determine average fuel mileage from a 25 mile ride, too many variables for any accuracy. Fill the tank, reset the trip meter, ride as far as you dare before reaching empty, then refill again and calculate mileage the old fashioned way (miles/gallons). I'm confident that the OP knew that already.
 

Byron

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

You purchased a bike that had been sitting for about 4 years. There could be an issue where the rings aren't sealing properly which would show as low compression and manifest as poor mileage. A compression test is something that you can do without the dealer since Honda won't let them investigate. If not poor sealing it could be the injectors sticking or partially fouled. running some injector cleaner through the system could resolve the issue. A fouled injector will not atomize the fuel properly leading to poor combustion and mileage. These are the only two things I could think of but there might be others.
 
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Sorry, SMSW, but you can't accurately determine average fuel mileage from a 25 mile ride, too many variables for any accuracy. Fill the tank, reset the trip meter, ride as far as you dare before reaching empty, then refill again and calculate mileage the old fashioned way (miles/gallons). I'm confident that the OP knew that already.
I agree, but it would give an indication. And a ballpark estimation might show there is no problem. He is, after all, getting approximately 65% of the mileage most of us average*. I've got friends who swear they get mpg numbers in the high 30's in pickups that Consumer Reports says average half that. I've dealt for years with customers who tell me that light bulbs burn out in their house in far shorter than the rated life. Pin these people down, and it turns out that the original logic or methodology was faulty - a buddy checked mpg once years and years ago (I think his procedure was suspect) and my customers regularly think that because they changed the bulb in the bathroom last week, and the kitchen bulb this morning their bulbs exhibit short lifetimes.

An out and back ride on an interstate should give you an idea - a rough guess - of your mileage, and would correct for driving 25 miles straight up the in the Rockies or into the teeth of a tornado on your return path. I omitted discussing checking the odo (mine was around 3 to 4% high before a speedo healer) or even the tires (wear affects circumference affects distance traveled vs. indicated) because i assume the OP has not factored those into his mpg. Most of us just use the reading and gallons to calculate the mpg.


*I've read in other threads that people are reporting between around 38 and mid 40's for 1300's.
 

SupraSabre

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Where in SoCal are you?

I'll be gone this weekend (7th thru 9th), but if you want to come to my place in Murrieta on the 15th or 16th, we could do some comparisons with my 2012, with about 9,900 miles on it.
 
Joined
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

As stated above, brakes dragging might be it... obviously, the ST1300's brake system is overly complicated... it's superb when it's working but annoying when it isn't. How much drag is on the rear wheel when on the centerstand and you spin the tire... they don't typically free-spin but you should get at least 6-12 inches of spin before it stops and that's normal.. if it's locked up and won't barely spin at all then that's probably the culprit - the brake system. A full bleed the correct way should eliminate that as an issue.

You don't always have to remove the t-stat to test if it's working but you need temps into the 40s to see if it isn't... if it's cold enough and you start dropping from 3 bars on the dash then it's more than likely bad and WILL definitely affect the mileage. Maybe you can head into the mountains where it's colder and do that test?
With all due respect, 6 to 12 inches would be incorrect! The rear wheel, when working properly, should turn one to one and a half complete rotations with a simple push of your foot downward from standing at the rear of the bike.
 
Joined
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Why don't you jump on it and ride up to San Jose and pay the ST-Whisperer a visit? We could go through it together and figure out exactly what is wrong and correct it, as well as check everything else out for you.
Igofar
 

Dave.David

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

MeandmyST, SupraSabre, and me, Dave David can make a RTE out of it. Igofar, how do you feel about 3 ST's up for a visit? LOL
 

SupraSabre

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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

MeandmyST, SupraSabre, and me, Dave David can make a RTE out of it. Igofar, how do you feel about 3 ST's up for a visit? LOL
That would be fun, but I'm afraid i'm booked out for trips thru September.

But something local (one day-er) might be do able.
 
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Re: NEW 2012 gas milage

Some one say when and I'll be there.
And Dave's the man. Time on his hands and lots of experience.

Dave, when we were talking mileage, I was a little surprised you were getting 45ish, I think you said. I'm consistently more around 40, but maybe that's just the way I ride. I do sometimes smell gas, but I'm never sure if it's me. We'll talk!
 
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