New thermostat in hand

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Fuel mileage in the mid-30's and more are for primarily highway riding in top gear 90% of the time or more. There can be a huge difference between city and highway fuel economy. All I'm saying is that I was left with the impression that most of your riding is in 2nd and 3rd gear in the city, and I assume a lot of stop and go traffic. If I got that right, then my contention is that you're already getting excellent fuel economy. If I missed the mark on your riding conditions, etc. then I stand corrected. Doing the cooling system and (I assume) a coolant flush, was a very good idea. Since you spoke of wear marks on the thermostat, replacing it while the radiator was removed was a good preventive maintenance step, but I am still dubious about it having any positive effects on your fuel consumption. Do you ever have the opportunity to ride a 300-400 mile day ride out on the open road? That will give you a more representative indication of its fuel consumption capabilities.
 
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DavidR8

DavidR8

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Thanks Don yes I have done a longer ride were I managed 48.8 mpg.

My city mileage is far worse than the lowest of all the bikes recording mileage on Fuelly.com meaning my bike is a statistical outlier. If 22 mpg is excellent city fuel economy then I can hardly afford to ride it unless on the highway.

If I really am resigned to low 20’s around town then maybe I’ll keep my Tiger 955i which did a best of 48 mpg and averaged 37 mpg.


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My city mileage is far worse than the lowest of all the bikes recording mileage on Fuelly.com meaning my bike is a statistical outlier.
Of course its a statistical outlier, who buys a 1300cc touring bike to ride it around an urban jungle in 2nd gear? I suspect your definition of 'city' riding is worst-case compared to others, so the fact that your mileage is worse is disappointing, but not unbelievable. Your 48.8mpg figure on open roads seems reasonable, and would put you well into the normal range of that same database.

We still have the question as to whether you have been riding it one gear too high at low speeds, so not using 3rd gear might help. If neither the t-stat, nor riding style produces any city mileage benefits, then I suspect you're just stuck with lousy mileage given your usage model.
 
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DavidR8

DavidR8

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Of course its a statistical outlier, who buys a 1300cc touring bike to ride it around an urban jungle in 2nd gear? I suspect your definition of 'city' riding is worst-case compared to others, so the fact that your mileage is worse is disappointing, but not unbelievable. Your 48.8mpg figure on open roads seems reasonable, and would put you well into the normal range of that same database.

We still have the question as to whether you have been riding it one gear too high at low speeds, so not using 3rd gear might help. If neither the t-stat, nor riding style produces any city mileage benefits, then I suspect you're just stuck with lousy mileage given your usage model.
As I'm a quick study (or so I've been told) I have been consciously not shifting into third gear around town. And I am seeing higher instantaneously mileage figures. So time will tell.
 

dduelin

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Since you removed the radiator after you drained it, what were you siphoning out the coolant from? Did you not remove the lower hose to drain it? That's the quickest and easiest way, you just need a large drain pan and lots of old newspaper on the garage floor under the radiator when you do it, since you're likely to spill a few ounces in the process of draining and removing it.
You'll notice the lower radiator hose fitting is actually about halfway up from the bottom of the radiator. Removing the lower hose leaves a lot to belch and spill out and then spill out when the radiator is pulled off. It seems like a small thing but if you siphon the radiator dry before removing the lower hose it is much less hassle cleaning up what does spill out of the radiator, both when the lower hose is pulled off and when the radiator is pulled off the locating pin. I use a length of small vinyl hose.
 
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DavidR8

DavidR8

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You'll notice the lower radiator hose fitting is actually about halfway up from the bottom of the radiator. Removing the lower hose leaves a lot to belch and spill out and then spill out when the radiator is pulled off. It seems like a small thing but if you siphon the radiator dry before removing the lower hose it is much less hassle cleaning up what does spill out of the radiator, both when the lower hose is pulled off and when the radiator is pulled off the locating pin. I use a length of small vinyl hose.
I used a length of tubing for drip irrigation. I tried to guide it into the outlet as I fed it in but wasn't terribly successful. Thus I drained the rad first and then the hose. Worked like a charm.

In hindsight, if I had managed to get the tube into the outlet, the lower half of the rad would have remained full. I likely would have then ceremoniously dumped that my floor/workbench/self.
 
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You'll notice the lower radiator hose fitting is actually about halfway up from the bottom of the radiator. Removing the lower hose leaves a lot to belch and spill out and then spill out when the radiator is pulled off. It seems like a small thing but if you siphon the radiator dry before removing the lower hose it is much less hassle cleaning up what does spill out of the radiator, both when the lower hose is pulled off and when the radiator is pulled off the locating pin. I use a length of small vinyl hose.
IIRC, I've done the same thing before after removing the lower hose to drain all that I could first. It does avoid spills to a minimum and makes cleanup easier.
 
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Wow! I would have thought for sure you be hit with duty Kevin. Perhaps it's because the parts are of US manufacture?

I'll investigate them as I want to get a full set of the plastic button things for the fairing. I noticed that some have tabs missing so I'd rather have a full set.
Anytime you have something shipped from the US with UPS, you will be charged a brokerage fee, GST and also duty, if required, which is often an outrageous total amount. I always avoid UPS whenever possible, having been burned by them before.

Partzilla ships via the US Post Office and once it arrives in Canada, I have found that if you keep the dollar value of the goods below $200, or thereabouts, Canada Post does not charge anything more than GST and a $10 handling fee on the goods. Honda parts made in Japan do not seem to attract any duty charges.
 
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DavidR8

DavidR8

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Anytime you have something shipped from the US with UPS, you will be charged a brokerage fee, GST and also duty, if required, which is often an outrageous total amount. I always avoid UPS whenever possible, having been burned by them before.
I avoid a seller if UPS is my only shipping option. It's just too expensive.
 

Kevcules

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As I'm a quick study (or so I've been told) I have been consciously not shifting into third gear around town. And I am seeing higher instantaneously mileage figures. So time will tell.
Fuel mileage through a city, stop and go traffic ,will never be good. Don't look at your mileage indicator on your bike either. I wasn
t impressed with mine either and shut it off. I checked my mileage 3 times and it's good enough for me at about 48-50 MPG. If your bike is giving you around 48 m/gallon on the highway, then I can't see any problem with your bike. Draining and changing the fluid and thermostat doesn't hurt, your stat looks OK to me....

Are you not shifting into third gear in the city to make sure your bike heats up? Once it hits operating temp, (3 bars) then my advice is to shift into the highest gear you can when ever possible ,giving you the best MPG possible. If you need to accelerate quickly, downshift.

Bush is bang on with UPS. Don't use them unless you want to pay extra duty or what ever else they decide charges!! USPS is our only chance to avoid foolish extra fees just to look at our package as it passes by on a conveyor. The $200 cost rings a bell too. A friend of mine just told me the other day that something happened to him that he hasn't seen before. He said that he made a few orders in a few months and once he climbed over the $200 mark with the total of all the orders, he was hit with a $25 fee of some sort. Buyer beware I guess....
 
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David, back to the mileage, I can only think of these few things that may affect your city riding mileage- upgraded Fuel Regulator, failing spark plugs, winter gas, high idle setting, and a need for injector cleaning. The ST computer takes the signal from the O2 senser to trim the fuel when you are riding at a steady speed, that is why you are getting good mileages on the highway. I just filled up my tank in my car, it is getting better than 22mile/gal in town and it is an all wheel drive. Something is not right.
Kenny
 
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DavidR8

DavidR8

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Are you not shifting into third gear in the city to make sure your bike heats up? Once it hits operating temp, (3 bars) then my advice is to shift into the highest gear you can when ever possible ,giving you the best MPG possible. If you need to accelerate quickly, downshift.
I was shifting into the highest gear possible, usually 3rd. However some advice suggested it was better to stay above 3000 rpm which meant usually staying in 2nd.

I'm just back from a short ride.
I can say that the bike hits three bars much quicker than before. One bar used to take 2 mins at 15 degrees AAT.
After the swap it hit one bar in 1:25 seconds at 16 degrees AAT.

I did see the highest ever instant reading of 25.7 km/l while riding at 60 kmh in 3rd

Can't say much more than that till I ride it more and have a few fills.



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I did see the highest ever instant reading of 25.7 km/l while riding at 60 kmh in 3rd
If you hit a long downhill, shift into neutral and let it coast (very light or no traffic only) with engine idling, you will hit higher mileage figures than 25 KM/L.
 
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DavidR8

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David, back to the mileage, I can only think of these few things that may affect your city riding mileage- upgraded Fuel Regulator, failing spark plugs, winter gas, high idle setting, and a need for injector cleaning. The ST computer takes the signal from the O2 senser to trim the fuel when you are riding at a steady speed, that is why you are getting good mileages on the highway. I just filled up my tank in my car, it is getting better than 22mile/gal in town and it is an all wheel drive. Something is not right.
Kenny
I'm at half a tank indicated. I'll fill up tomorrow morning. I have the balance of the week's commute which is about 80 kms in total plus any other rides around town we might do. We hope to make a highway run on Saturday. I'll top up on our way out of town and fill again on the return.

I'll use those two fills to see how we go.
If it remains low then around town then my next job is starter valve sync. Based on how smoothly she runs now I do not expect that to make much difference.

I might replace sensors if I can find a way to test them.
 
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What speed is your primary city riding? If you are running at 3000 rpm and only going 35 mph you need to go to a higher gear. You can tell when she is in the happy zone. You don't want to lug the engine, but it will tell you when you are. The 1300 has a lot of power, and power burns fuel. If I'm going 40 mph and just rolling along I'm usually in 4th gear. Also tire pressures make a difference. 42 psi rear and 40 psi front for me.
 
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Besides seeing the obvious scrape marks on the body of the unit, look at the top of the valve, its also brown and the little rod may be corroded in this area also, preventing it from opening or fully closing.
 
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I used a length of tubing for drip irrigation. I tried to guide it into the outlet as I fed it in but wasn't terribly successful. Thus I drained the rad first and then the hose. Worked like a charm.

In hindsight, if I had managed to get the tube into the outlet, the lower half of the rad would have remained full. I likely would have then ceremoniously dumped that my floor/workbench/self.
A very simple, clean, and easy way to drain the radiator without spilling a drop would be as follows:
1. A couple drops of PB Blaster on the lower hose attachment point
2. Loosen the 6 mm nut on the hoseclamp
3. Place small stainless steel hotel pan or drain pan under front of engine
4. Take a Plastic gal jug and cut the bottom off, turn it upside down and use the handle to hold it
5. Place said jug up under the hose and the pipe fitting
6. Gently push off radiator hose
7. Coolant enters jug in both directions and directs it downward into your drain pan, no coolant spilled, nothing to clean up other than removing the pan and pouring it into a container.

OCD Garage Method
 

Trapperdog

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A very simple, clean, and easy way to drain the radiator without spilling a drop would be as follows:
1. A couple drops of PB Blaster on the lower hose attachment point
2. Loosen the 6 mm nut on the hoseclamp
3. Place small stainless steel hotel pan or drain pan under front of engine
4. Take a Plastic gal jug and cut the bottom off, turn it upside down and use the handle to hold it
5. Place said jug up under the hose and the pipe fitting
6. Gently push off radiator hose
7. Coolant enters jug in both directions and directs it downward into your drain pan, no coolant spilled, nothing to clean up other than removing the pan and pouring it into a container.

OCD Garage Method
And then accidentally kick the pan while trying to get your old body off the floor and spill half the coolant :)

Rat Barn Method
 
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And then accidentally kick the pan while trying to get your old body off the floor and spill half the coolant :)

Rat Barn Method
Or kick the pan while dancing around with a :sm1: trap attached to your hand :run1: :rofl1:
 
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