V649HP-Kawasaki's new gravel runner

all three of these bikes have gotten the same fuel mileage at indicated 80, GPS 77mph. all stock motors, stock exhaust, and OEM sprockets/gearing. no surprise there.

i couldn't see any fuel in the tank, and had already been running 18 miles on the fuel light. took 4.74 with the bike leaning over on the too short side stand, and would have taken more if upright. i need to pull the tank for a repaint, i might check it out then.

if i was on pavement all the time, maybe i'd drop a tooth or two on the rear sprocket. since i'm not, the stock gearing works fine.

How many miles did you go on that tank?

4.74x38@80 indicated. Slowed down a little when the light came on.

Only 6, figured you could pull a ton with such a light load

Have you compared the ODO to a measured distance or gps?

the rider is a load, so the GCWR is adjusted accordingly.

80 indicated is 77 GPS actual. all mileage numbers quoted are based on GPS miles.

I don't recall on that particular tank ... I do check my mileage often ... the lowest I've seen is 44 ... the highest was a tich over 55mpg ... I usually hover between 46 and 50mpg ...

Thanks, I was wondering what kind of milage/range you can go on a Versys tank. 250 miles on a tank, that will work.

I love what is being done all across the board with this motor.

given stock gearing. the big variables here are rider weight, naked bike, speed, and riding style. i'm 300# in full armor, and the rat doesn't even make an attempt at an aero package. makes a difference. the last two are self explanatory. remember, this is the cop motor, and it runs differently. at 80MPH i can still accelerate hard in 6th, double overdrive.

lots of discussion among the Versys guys on fuel mileage, and quite a range reported. i can get to 50mpg, but i'm on gravel or being a model citizen on the double nickle limit.

i wouldn't bet the farm on that 250.

agree with ya on the motor...as long as you're talking about the mighty 649HP.

tried these i other day after getting tired of the knee pads in my riding pants always being out of position. i put a high priority on protecting my knees.



these are a different deal, obviously locked right on the knee. wore them all day, worked great.

I understand, but a good 200+ without any worry.

those are the ones I use and they are the best I have tried. comfortable, protective, and adds stability. I notice that I can ride standing up longer with out knee strain when I wear them

agree, another 600 mile day trip coming up and i'll have 'em on.


so are you taking that new bike north?

I haven't been on Adv for awhile. Looks like Baldy went and repainted the place.

Your bikes looking good. Do you like the stopping ability with one rotor when you are on pavement?

We're barely keeping our noses above the water here. The passes "might" be clear of snow when you come out, we'll see what this next couple weeks of warm weather does.

David

you can switch back to the old ADV page by using the pull down menu on the lower right and hit "crash".

two decent runs on consecutive saturdays to get some seat time. 600 miles last week and 500 today, just got home. plenty of gravel. bike runs beautifully. some overgrown and seldom used two track today that was as rough as anything i'm likely to see on this years route.

brakes work fine with single caliper and 300mm rotor. i replaced the OEM DRZ front brake line with an aftermarket ss braided line, and that helps too.

yeah, i hope it dries out. you getting in any riding at all out there?

I think I'm going to roll with Baldy's new style.

I haven't been riding as much as I'd like. Work and needing to clean up some things at the farm have been taking my time. The weather hasn't been very good either. I think we've finaly got summer here, but it rains if you look at the clouds wrong. The roads are pretty soggy and messed up from washouts etc. Lots of water running in the creeks now, water courses that are normally dry.

On the west side of the state there is still lots of snow in the mountians. It doesn't look like GNP will get the GTTS road open on the 4th, probably a week or two late. We are all crossing our fingers and watching how fast it turns to water and fills up our rivers. An interesting year to say it mildly. Don't come over too early. Balance that out with southern Colorado is dry as a bone.

David

still have some time to go before i head west. the COE is taking some big time heat over how they managed those dams on the Missouri.

500 hundred miles saturday, including some little used, overgrown, and washed out rocky two track. bike ran really well, again.

post ride inspection, and i find the same motor mount bracket bolt missing on the right side, while the adjacent bolt was loose. i felt a familiar high frequency vibe on the way home, so i wasn't that surprised. the only time there is any vibration on these bikes is when those bolts are loose.



the right side bolts come loose despite blue, while the pair of left side bolts stay tight. it must have something to do with rotational energy. riding offroad, i'm on and off the gas constantly. the torque must cause the bolts to loosen up. one of these days, i'll learn to check them throughout the ride. i'll pull the remaining three, and then use loctite red to reinstall all four. the next step would be tie wire.


so, an old guy pounding around on those rocky roads, too tall and too heavy a freakin' beast, the 649HP snarlin' away, Big Blocks tossin' the gravel, forget the clutch just pound the shifter, sweat pouring off me 'til i was soaked...all in all, like an insanely adolescent experience.

i think i'll have to build another one.

time for loctyte red, or better yet, drill and lockwire the bugger, it'll stay in then. Cheers-Fred

"post ride inspection, and i find the same motor mount bracket bolt missing on the right side, while the adjacent bolt was loose. i felt a familiar high frequency vibe on the way home, so i wasn't that surprised. the only time there is any vibration on these bikes is when those bolts are loose.


the right side bolts come loose despite blue, while the pair of left side bolts stay tight. it must have something to do with rotational energy. riding offroad, i'm on and off the gas constantly. the torque must cause the bolts to loosen up. one of these days, i'll learn to check them throughout the ride. i'll pull the remaining three, and then use loctite red to reinstall all four. the next step would be tie wire."


Thanks for posting this information I will be looking close at this area. In fact I plan on mounting my skid plate with these 2 bolts.