Low MPGs, '06 Kat 600

[stonefry]

I know that there are plenty of threads on MPGs here and I have read a lot of them, but I am a complete noob and need specific advice on where to start here.

I have never ridden a motorcycle before my kat, and I have been riding her for about 3 weeks now. My commute is 13 miles of which 6-7 miles are basically highway. I thought it was strange when I had to fuel up the first time at about 80 miles. This would be considered pretty conservative riding since I am just basically learning to ride. After the next fill up I started to calculate that I was getting about 22 MPG. I did some freeway riding and got a little over 25 MPG. I know this is abysmal for a kat so I want some advice on the next step.

The guy I bought the bike from is a dealer that buys repos, fixes them up and resells them. The only thing he did to this bike was put new tires on it and change the oil. As far as I know it runs great, but I AM a noob.

When I take this thing apart, what should I do first? Check the plugs I assume. How can I tell if it has a jet kit installed? The main theme of bad MPGs that I have seen here is bad emulsion tubes. Is that something that I can change myself if they look bad? How much do they cost and where can I get them. The bike does seem to smoke a lot when it's warming up, but I didn't notice it until it got a little colder. Very hot here in the Valley these days.

[mammut89]

from the information youre giving its running rich for some reason. im sure the others on the forum will tell you to clean the carbs and resync without changing any parts ( not on a 06 model ). there shouldnt be any parts to change. im guessing either its because its been sitting for too long or that someone messed up the mixture screws.

[Suzukirider09]

are you filling it up when it starts to enter the red area, or waiting till its almost to E?

[stonefry]

...clean the carbs and resync without changing any parts ( not on a 06 model ). there shouldnt be any parts to change.

What do you mean "not on a '06 model?" Just that the parts are too new to need changing? And actually it's an '05, sorry about that. Also, it only has 9,000 miles on it.

are you filling it up when it starts to enter the red area, or waiting till its almost to E?

Well, I'm not basing the MPG on that, but I am refueling just after I hit the reserve or just before. About 3.5 gallons. So it's not like I'm only getting 80 miles out of the whole tank, but it is still really bad.

[travg]

Yes there's gotta be something wrong. I'm sure someone will chime in that knows, but when my mpg's are "bad" I get around 40 and good is around 50. So 25mpg's that you're getting seems to me that something isn't right. Hopefully someone will help ya out soon.

[mammut89]

yes its too new to need any major carb rebuild , it most likely needs a cleaning and resync. but as suzukirider09 is getting into, I will skip ahead for him empty the gas tank and unscrew the petcock. check if there are any debris in the bottomn of the tank or clinging onto the petcock. its a simple way to start off with only the left fearing needs to be unmounted and two screws for the petcock. He might also be refering to the fact that you might have old gas in there mixed with new gas ( if you didnt wait till the tank was almost empty before refill ) that will surely give you bad milage

[stonefry]

Ok, well then I have some riding to do because I don't really feel like syphoning 4 gallons of fuel. Luckily, it gets crappy mileage.

[Vandil]

My tactic is syphon fuel into the 2 cycle can. Add 2 cycle oil and walla gas for the string trimmers and chain saws for the season.

[stonefry]

My tactic is syphon fuel into the 2 cycle can. Add 2 cycle oil and walla gas for the string trimmers and chain saws for the season.

Well, I live in a condo. No 2 cycle engines around here . I guess I could give it to the gardeners.

[Pyro18t]

Throwing a can of seafoam in the tank wouldn't hurt anything either

[1990gsx 600]

someone could have used that crappy tank liner in it whats it called umm...... anyone remember what that one that turns into sludge in your tank kreyln knows what im talking about

[chris216]

Thats not good MPG's at all. Seems like the bike could be jetted and running a tad on the rich side to be loseing that much milage

[phil823]

not even.... with my jetkit and my big *** i get 36mpg in town riding hard, and 43 mpg on highway...(im taller than windscreen so i make alot of drag lol)

for me thats fine.


tell me about your bikes performance! how does it pull, say past 7-8K+? does the bike start easy? is there alot of sooting around the exhaust?

do you SMELL excess gas when sitting? or while driving?

whats your air filter like?

[stonefry]

I have nothing to compare this bike to except for the Nighthawk 250 that I rode for the MSF. Having said that, the bike runs like a Katana should (from what I've read). A little weak in the low RPMs and really pulls above 8k. It starts easily and runs at low idle until it warms up. I don't really use the choke, but it's warm/hot here. I just give it a little throttle and it grumbles at a little under 1k until it gets warm. Idles at about 1,500 after it warms up. There is not a lot of soot around the exhaust, but I have only ridden it for 3 weeks. I don't smell gas at all. It warms up in a car port, so I can smell the exhaust, but I don't think I smell any gas. Haven't looked at the air filter yet.

[Sasquatch]

I rode 719.5 miles this past weekend for the rally. I have a 2006 kat 600 with a jet kit, full exhaust and advancer (its running rich here, and much more so in the mountains) and I still averaged 36mpg.

I know the mileage sucks, but its better then my truck