Carb vs FI - better mileage

[cksheppard]

All things being equal, do FI bikes get better mileage than carbureted bikes? The logic in my my head is saying that an ECU can continually remap injection patterns for optimal mileage, where a carb doesn't have that technology behind it, so the answer is yes. But I may be missing something w/ carb tech because I only have a basic understanding of how they work.

So if I were looking at bikes with the top priority being mileage, should I only look at FI bikes?

[Cricket1]

Yes, FI is more efficient than carbs. The newest FI bikes have eliminated most of the driveability issues that early FI systems had, the abrupt on/off throttle response at low speeds. Between well sorted carbs and the older FI bikes, take the carbs every time. Newer FI vs carbs, take the FI. And the carbed bikes are getting long in the tooth, so if you want anything slightly newer, you dont have much choice anyway.

[cbsnbiker]

All things being equal, do FI bikes get better mileage than carbureted bikes?

Generally, yes.

So if I were looking at bikes with the top priority being mileage, should I only look at FI bikes?

No.

Many carbureted bikes get good gas mileage. (The Kawasaki Ninja 250 comes immediately to mind.) Many FI bikes get lousy gas mileage.

There are many factors that contribute to gas mileage. FI is one of many.

[UHOH]

my head is saying that an ECU can continually remap injection patterns for optimal mileage
...
So if I were looking at bikes with the top priority being mileage, should I only look at FI bikes?

No.   My totally valid 2nd hand data base (of who says what) says there's no predictable difference for mpg in your question,  
and I also really don't think max mpg was the objective during any FI map developments.


Ask from someone who's owned the carbed FZ1 and then the redone FZ1 about 2006.  Both got/get 'poor' mpg
or the same SV650 switch in 2003, both versions got/get great mpg.

[MK96xj]

My experience:

Carb'ed ZZR 600 50mpg +. Got 60mpg on the Blue Ridge Pkwy tooling around at 45mph
Ducati Multi 620 FI 46-48mpg. With a strong head wind on the highway even less.

IMO it does not make much of a difference.

[Castaway]

No.   My totally valid 2nd hand data base (of who says what) says there's no predictable difference for mpg in your question,  
and I also really don't think max mpg was the objective during any FI map developments.


Ask from someone who's owned the carbed FZ1 and then the redone FZ1 about 2006.  Both got/get 'poor' mpg
or the same SV650 switch in 2003, both versions got/get great mpg.

I've wondered about this issue too, and I've often got caught in the FZ1 mind trap (Which is better, the 1st gen or the 2nd gen?). As well as going to FI, the 2nd gen also has significantly boosted HP, no? That's what I've attributed to the poorer mpg.

[Giaka]

For the ECU to adjust for optimum mixture its going to need a O2 sensor and I don't think all FI bikes have these.  Your mileage may vary. Generally low RPM engine designs get the best mileage. Singles, V Twins or low revving V4s usually win in this area.

[Cricket1]

The most recent issue of BIKE magazine had a very interesting comparision about gas mileage. They took a Ninja 250, Ninja 650 and a GSXR1000 and  ran a series of tests.  (all FI, so not exactly on point to this thread)  The first was riding them all like grannies, about 55-60 mph on back roads. All together at the same time. Obviously the 250 did the best, at about 65mpg, 650 was next at about 55mpg, then the 1K last at about 53mpg.

Then they rode all three on the track, first with the 250 leading the way. Surprise here was that the 650 got better mileage than the 250. Although when you think about it, not too surprising considering the 250 was getting its neck completely rung out.  

Then it was the 650 leading, and here the 1K got better mileage. (250 not on the track anymore)

Last was the 1K being flogged all by itself on the track- mileage was 25mpg.

[02Tac]

As far as I am concerned the primary factor in mileage is you. Be a goon on the throttle and mileage will suck no matter the type of fuel supply.  Ride conservatively and mileage wil be much better. For example, on my 2002 Bandit 1200 (carbed and jetted properly) I can get 54mpg just riding around the back roads at a conservative   pace.  On the other hand, if I get a bit joe racerish mileage can drop into the 30s!

[greasemonkey79]

In my experiance, FI bikes get more consistant mileage but not necessarily better. Carbs tend to vary by a larger margin from tank to tank then EFI bikes but both are capable of knocking down very similar numbers on the open road.

As others have stated, MPG is FAR more dependant on riding style then induction type. Heck, I can max out the mpg gage on my Hayabusa (50mpg+) and yet there are people on the same bike averaging in the low 20's.
I've yet to find a bike I can't get 50mpg out of and that includes the old carb'd GSXR750 I used to own.

[buls4evr]

 
  Not only does EFI give you better performance and mileage but it can adjust for extreme altitudes which a carb cannot do. All the carb guys are just in a "comfort zone" and they know it. The same people still have cord phones and like penny loafers.

[AutoXer]

Carb or FI, I think it all depends on how the manufacturer decides to tune them, nothing more.  They can tune either one of them for power or for fuel economy, but not both.  I had a Yamaha XJ600 Seca  II (600cc carb'd/air cooled 4-cylinder), and a Yamaha FZ6 (600cc FI/liquid-cooled 4-cylinder).  The Seca consistently delivered 48-52mpg locally (mostly 52) and 58-62 cruising country backroads.  The FZ6 was faster (once you rev'd the crap out of it) since it made something like 35-40 more horsepower, but regarding fuel economy it never even got close - 44-46 locally and it NEVER managed 50 miles per gallon on any backroads cruising or highway riding.  In other words, the best MPG's the FZ6 ever delivered were about the same as the worst MPG's out of the Seca.  In fact, my current 1250cc FI Suzuki Bandit almost matches the FZ6's local fuel economy and it BEATS it on cruising MPG's, consistently delivering 50-52 miles per gallon).