Motorcycle Explorer Issue 6
MPG and Range
Staying on the move is a big factor and if you’re going to be playing out in far flung places where
you have no clue where the next fuel stop is going to be then you want to know that the bike has
the range. The Rally comes with a 24 litre tank to fuel that 1197cc engine and that should be
enough to see … oh, there is the problem. When going around the fuel indicator (I know, they are
crap on any make of bike and only a rule of thumb guide at best) but it seemed to be dropping
faster than Gary Glitter’s record sales.
I don’t ride like a track star, in fact I ride roadcraft, smooth and steady and playing to the
strengths of the bike. Most of the riding was urban and as we know going up through the gears is
where the mpg takes a hit but still – this was looking at 30mpg as I blew the dust off my GCSE in
maths in the back of my mind. I had a poke about and reports of 25 to 35mpg seemed to be
normal. Make no mistake this is a touring bike first and foremost with some thought and detail
gone into off road or at least gravel and piste so why the hell would it be getting these numbers
on something as vital as range. I’ll admit, I was loving the Rally, gadgets that you could turn off,
cruise control confirming that this baby is for long hauls but then the kick in the nuts of that god
awful mpg just kind of took the edge off of everything she stood for.
How does she stand up to the other main
players?