Tips for Improving Your Bike’s Mileage

The mileage of a bike is a critical factor in the buying decision and also keeping our running costs low. Many of you think that mileage is just about the cost of fuel, but it is not. A bike which gives a good mileage compared to other similar bikes is a sure indication that the health of the bike is well maintained and the rider is careful enough to get the bike frequently serviced and tuned.

I talked with Sudarshan from Chennai and was surprised to know that his Hero Honda Karizma R gives a mileage of 41 in the city and 49 in highways. His bike is in perfect health. To keep the engine healthy all you have to do is, let the engine warm up before you take it to real performance. Small engines like that of Splendor NXG and Passion Plus have a horizontal engine, so as soon as the bike is started, the oil flows easily into the engine. But bikes with a high bore and stroke find it difficult to circulate the oil throughout the engine as soon as it is started.
Sudarshan recommends bikers to put the choke, self start the engine and leave it for 10-15 seconds so that the oil gets heated up and the luke warn low density oil finds it easy to circulate through upto the top of the engine. Do not leave the choke for too long as it would flood the engine with fuel. Do not open the throttle until it has run for atleast 5 km distance and the engine comes to a normal operating heat range.
If you gun the engine in cold conditions as soon as you start it, there would not be enough lubrication in the engine and it leads to more friction which ultimately damages the piston and the engine and hence your mileage will be low.
If you go to a gym, your coach will ask you to warm up before you do some heavy lifting and iron pumping… this is just like that. Your bike is not much different from your body!
Another good tip worth mentioning is to remove the saree guard if there is no use for it. I am a student and even after I get married I do not expect my wife to sit on the high back seat of Karizma… I would be probably getting a free car as a gift at that time . So I removed the saree guard as soon as I bought it. It reduces dead weight by 4-5 kg and would definitely improve the performance of the engine and increase fuel efficiency.
Some basic fuel efficiency tips that you may have already known are 1. Switch off your engine during signals with long waiting periods. 2. Change your oil according to your manufacturer’s recommendations. 3. Check your tube’s pressure every month… higher pressure than the recommended value would give you more mileage but less friction and stability. So keep it to the optimum value.
I am interested to know what kind of mileage your bike gives. Post your bike model and mileage in the comment below and let us see who reports the highest mileage!