Suspend your disbelief. I ride a TDM 900 and my average mph when touring is 60mpg. And the amazing thing is that this bike rarely drops below 55mpg even when giving it beans and 70mpg is not uncommon. I think it's probably the most economical big bike out there.

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A ship in the harbour is safe, but that\'s not what ships were built for. Anon

Well Mudlark, that's pretty good for a big bike IMO.
We are getting increasingly further away from the original questions of jex the bug, but, if he is interested in the TDM900, there is a thread here about it:-

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...50-900-a-29374

There isn't too much feedback in there in fact (maybe because it gets lost among the XT info!!), so if you fancy contributing to that thread, others will find that information more easily!
It's one of those bikes that seems to have been manufactured for ever and ever.

Cheers,

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Dave

I ride an F650GS, often two up, and often hard out (but with no load), and the bike stays between 23 and 27 km/l, and has always done so. The average is closer to 25, and it takes a very heavy right hand or two up with head wind to get into the lower range.
Thats 70mpg, no bother. The fuel injected single is the most frugal engine for it's size I have ever used. My F650 Funduro is lucky to make 21km/l.
YMMV of course!

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

..due to cost factor. The F.I. ECU would probably cost' the OEM more than the motor on a 100cc bike.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Hi Patrick. Yes, NZ is metric and has been entirely so since about 1972, so most people use metric measurements (but still say "mileage!"). The older you are the more likely to use both. As my grandmother said way back then "Why don't they wait until all the old people have died"!

I was well aware of the difference between US and "proper" gallons http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s/innocent.gif
but almost all of the posters on this thread, and certainly both maxwell123455 and jex_the_bug who asked the questions, are from the UK, by their profiles, so it seemed pointless and even churlish to use anything else.

Then there is the litres/100km and km/litre debate.... to say nothing of liters/100km and km/liter.... we make it hard for ourselves...

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

Wow Nigel. Can't see a lot of point in litres/100km; that's litres/60 miles just about - so what is significant about 60 miles run?!

Anyway, miles/litres is OK for us with our petrol pumps - that works for some, but I prefer miles run between tank fillups which is what it is all about when you get down to basics - I get around 200 miles between refuel stops on any of my current bikes, at which point the low fuel light has been on for just a small number of miles and there are a few litres of fuel sloshing around in there (maybe as many as 4.545 = a gallon, UK that is!).


ps Hurry up jex_the_bug and get this thread back on theme!

Cheers,

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Dave

Me thinks Jex the Bug has....bugged off......Or should that be "buggered off'?

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Hi
I just read this thread and get a lot of informations for my own trip. I'm in Australia at the moment, wanted to buy a bike to ride around Australia ( and probaply will take some dirt roads) and then want to go back to France with the bike.
Problem : I'm only 1m60 tall.
I'm tented by the KLR 650 or the V-storm but I'm afraid I'll be too short. (I had already some problems driving my 600 Bandit at the beginning)
Any advise ?
Thank you

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Dans un univers infini, tout est possible

we are now in India, riding from Finland 2-up on our DL650, coming thru Europe then Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, some 12.000kms in two months so far.

The battery on this K7 ABS-model died on the way, but that was a freak incident, still dont know what killed it but replacement seems to work 100%. I had an SV650 with the exact same battery for over 4 years with no problems.

The bike's taken all abuse we've given it, like (over)loading it with 3 large bags, very heavy tank-bag, 2 extra tyres (hanging on special modified crashbars on sides of the fuel tank), even luggage bags strapped to the tyres, etc......... and the engine is STILL pulling strong, and going very well, even on the motorways, we would have no problem riding 140-150kms per hour (but we wont do that, not here). In Turkey&Iran we cruised at 120-130 all day. When riding slowly, 60-80kms per hour, sometimes rarely 100, like is normal in Indian traffic, we can ride 450-500kms on one 22 L tank. The K7 model with euro-3 norms seems to be even more fuel-efficient than the previous model.

Taking any fuel they claimed to be petrol in Iran or Pakistan, no problem. Even the cast wheels seem to hold their round shape, even though we've banged them into some very bad potholes several times. Put simply, it just hasnt missed a beat.

I would NOT want to do the same with any 650cc 1-cylinder bike, because it would need to be ridden with 100% throttle most of the time, and still feel very stressed. The engine in this bike is really something, I am very impressed that its doing so well, with all this weight on it. Have yet to ride the 700 Transalp or new 800GS, but so far, this is the benchmark in this category, by far.

Only ground clearance should be better, now the bashplate is touching ground in speed humps everywhere. Stiffer spring(s), especially on the back wouldnt hurt, either.

Hi mudlark, I totaly agree.. i find the 900 an excellent bike for touring or scratching, even two up, range is fantastic with the 20lt tank, as the miles mount up i have to keep looking at the fuel guage in disbelef, even my KLE500 used for comuting 40miles a day with mixed city/dual c/ways and low speed a roads consistantly gives 60mpg!
TDMalcolm

(five valve heads, battery hard to get to...more) Cheap and cheerful.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

and you're pretty much good to go. See my thread "prepping a DR650 for the long haul"

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!