HRC Africa Twin 650 MPG ISSUE !!!

[DHealy91]

Hello everyone.
i have bought a Africa Twin 650 about 2 months ago and i have done 3 fuel up's and im getting very bad MPG . i have no idea why, the bike runs perfect, idols perfect, spark plugs are great color . no leak. fuel pump has no issues ..

i have had a deauville 650 before, that got 50+ uk mpg and the engine is very similar to the twin . Also i have done research on the Africa Twin 750 and they average 35 to 40 uk mpg.

has anybody had this bike before or know if the millage im getting is normal ?

Link to FUELLY to see my fuel up's.... http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/hon...healy91/355384

any questions please ask! thanks

Any info would be great

[mollydog]

Yea, you should be doing better on fuel. But I don't know the AT ... just basing on that engine, which Honda used in several Hondas we got here in USA in that era ... we never got the AT but did get various cruisers and the TransAlp which used a similar (or same?) 650cc, 3 valve V-twin engine, IIRC.

25 to 30 MPG is piss poor mate. I believe your motor is a 3 valve motor, right? Must you adjust valve clearance on those or are they hydraulically adjusted?

I would go through everything, system by system. If the bike is new to you, then you either must contact previous owner and find out exactly what mods he made and dig deep to make him reveal the "Real" problems he didn't tell you about. How many miles? Or, dig in yourself and have a close look at .... everything.

1. check to see if electronics are original. Test them all. Consider replacing any weak bits with NEW OEM Honda items. (coils, CDI)
2. Install new, ND Iridium spark plugs.
3. Check air filter. If standard issue, consider a more free flowing one from the aftermarket. Make sure Air Box is CLEAN and unrestricted.
4. Pull Carbs off bike, strip and throughly clean them. Check jetting. Main Jet,
Pilot or any others in there. (I'm assuming they are CV Carbs, yes?) To start, go back to original jet sizes if you find non standard jets in your Carbs.
5. Inspect exhaust/mufflers/headers for any leaks, restrictions or modifications. Consider an after market system ... if you can find one. Freer flowing exhaust will not only improve performance overall, but will also improve fuel economy.
6. Do a leak down type compression test. This one is a biggy, very important. If the valves are worn out or rings (less likely) then fuel economy will never be good ... even though bike runs OK. But compare with a truly "correct" same bike, I think you will see a BIG difference.
7. Oil Use. Have you tracked it yet? If using oil then fuel use will GO UP too!
Change oil, but use a good quality crankcase flush to clean out crank case before adding fresh oil and filter.
Then go to best quality synthetic oil you can afford. I like Mobil One. (bike specific)
8. Check valve clearance (do this FIRST!) Once set, monitor for next 5000 miles, make sure they stay in spec. If they don't, you have a more serious (but fixable) problem.

You could do all this your self if you have the skills and deep knowledge of the AT ... or entrust your AT to an AT Guru and see how it goes. These old gems, IMO, are worth fixing up. Once good and restored properly, should go trouble free for years ... BUT NOTHING LASTS FOREVER WITHOUT TENDER LOVING MAINTENANCE!

[DHealy91]

Hi, Thanks for reply.

the transalp 600 is almost the same as the AT 650.
millage of the transalp, 45mpg +

i bought the bike from a bike dealer, the bake was fully serviced before sale.
it has new spark plugs, air filter , oil and filter.
i checked the oil a few times and its not burning a lot . very good on oil.
it has new cdi's and fuel pump to fit this bike..

I will bring back to the dealer and ask to have the carbs and valves looked at..

the last fuel up i did was 25L and i only did 267km , i was expecting 350km+ as i was driving very efficient and trying to get high mpg.
a diffrence of 100k is crazy .

I want to get the AT fixed, its a great bike : ) or else i will have to sell the bike and buy a transalp.
im doing a RTW trip and need a bike that gets good MPG ! :P

[mollydog]

That's the right move! Give your dealer a chance at fixing the problem before digging in yourself or selling it off. But given all the service they claim they did before they sold it to you ... I'm stumped as to where the problem is.

If it can't be fixed for reasonable cost, perhaps dealer will buy it back off you?

I agree, good fuel economy is critical traveling. My Suzuki DR650 gets 50 MPG and I still struggle and have to watch it closely. (230 mile range)

Don't get hung up on any one bike. There are MANY that can do the job ... and be great travel bikes. Good luck with it ... do post back with any news on solving the problem.

[DHealy91]

When you say 50 mpg do you mean US or UK gallons ? On the HU HUBB most would say mpg but not say witch..

The mechanic is great , he has done a great job with my other bikes and just replaced the CDI on the AT that went 4 months after perchance.. He will do what ever it take to fix it cost free. Or buy it back ..

Im starting to question if the AT is getting normal Millage as I'm using it around the city for short trips , so there is the warming up before you set off and sitting at traffic lights etc ..

The last fuel up I did was a full tank of 25L and I did 267Km . The trips around the city wouldn't be longer than 5k witch is very short .

I will fill the tank tomorrow and do a drive on the highway , 55-60mph and about 5-6000rpm , I will fill the tank and see what Millage I get.
I should get at lest 40mpg US.
My last fuel up was 25mpg US

I know there is 1000 bikes to travel RTW but I'm lucky enough to get a HRC AT so I'd love to keep it


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[DHealy91]

SO i done a test ride on the highway.
50k driving at 80 to 90KPH
Revs from 4500 to 5000

it was windy

here is the millage i got !


I AM AMAZED with the difference between city mpg and highway

[mollydog]

Hey! Now that's more like it! And I'm betting you can do even better once you've gone through and cleaned up a few systems, new Iridium plugs, better air filter, fresh oil.

Also don't forget drive line. A new chain and sprockets, clean and well lubed, also can affect MPG (kms/ltr) Make sure your brakes are not dragging and that wheels both spin freely. Lastly, tire pressure. Higher pressures, better MPG.

Riding less aggressively in the City will help economy. More mild starts from the lights. That's where most of your gas goes to waste. Start in 2nd gear, just ease away, not going beyond 1/2 throttle. It's boring but it works!

My figures above regards my DR650 are US Gallons. We are slowly learning how to convert USA MPG to Kms/Litre.

Good luck with the continued Tuning ... it can only get BETTER!