Mileage Matters

On a recent trip west, I filled up three consecutive times (in Utah and Colorado) with fuel where the pump said “no alcohol premium.” On those three tanks of fuel, my mileage was 25 percent higher than the average for the previous 42,000 miles on my bike (2016 Yamaha Super Ténéré).

From competing and training for Iron Butt Rallies, I formed the habit of recording my mileage on my gas receipts. I then started keying them into a spreadsheet to calculate fuel mileage. This has been interesting and rarely useful, but it does make me very aware of fuel mileage. I am aware, probably more than most, of the many reasons for variance in mileage from tank to tank.

The most common reason—the difference in how full the tank is—is pretty much eliminated in the above experience because there were three fill ups. Riding conditions and speed are also factors, and some of them were present in this ride but these variables have never amounted to a difference approaching 25 percent.

Has there ever been a controlled study of fuel mileage with and without alcohol in the fuel? It is hard to imagine who would finance such a study. The fuel companies wouldn’t be interested if alcohol increases fuel consumption. Maybe the car companies to help with the government fuel mileage rules, unless they are already allowed to use pure gasoline for their testing. Is alcohol in fuel another boondoggle?

Al Holtsberry | AMA Charter Life Member

Groveport, Ohio

 

The Need To Read

I really like American Motorcyclist. There is always a lot of interesting information in it each month. One thing that bothers me, however, is coverage of favorite rides.

The maps are always way too small to follow with the story, and the captions are almost microscopic.

The last month (July) has a caption in white letters on an almost white background. It would seem like you really don’t want us to read it.

Please bring the quality of these articles up to match the quality of the rest of the magazine. Thank you.

Nick Weber | Royal Oak, Mich.

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Road Safety

Here’s my rant on self-driving vehicles.

We’ll probably never get them perfect, but they will no doubt cause fewer accidents than the human driving population. Self-driving vehicles don’t use hand-held devices, drink alcohol, take drugs, talk to people, tune the radio, fall asleep, have heart attacks and strokes or simply not know the rules of the road.

I guess the intent of car manufacturers was to expand the human range of existence and travel while selling lots of cars. The manufacturers probably now want people to be free to surf the internet and shop while being in what we used to call buses, trains and cabs.

As far as our safety goes, I think that, rather than getting manufacturers to install features so the new cars can detect motorcycles and scooters, we should reverse our thinking. Let’s develop a handlebar-mounted sensor that sees approaching self-driving vehicles and sends a signal back to the vehicle that we are headed across their path, causing them to stop dead in their tracks. And then, we can keep the signal radiating until we are a certain distance away from them. The auto lobby will pay our legislators to never allow this, but all you software/hardware designers out there could certainly, “build it and we will come.”

Then again, I’ve been motorcycling and bicycling for 54 years, and I always see other drivers as being both blind, texting and drunk all the time, especially when they’re staring right at me!

Gary Lowe | Portsmouth, N.H.

Watch Your Back

I agree with most of what Vic Moss writes in his letter in the July issue (“Keep Your Eyes Open”), but the advice “don’t be there,” with “there” being where a car is going is not always controllable.

For example, finding myself needing fuel as I headed out of town for a ride, I decide to pull into the same gas station I always use. It’s on the right, and I put on my signal and cover my rear brake to activate the light. As I’m slowing, I put up my left hand to signal a right turn.

As I start turning in, I hear tires squealing. In my mirror, I see an F250 just miss hitting me. I don’t know what else I could have done to convey my intention to turn.

I ride like nobody can see me, and this habit has saved my bacon more than once, but I cannot control the cars behind me, especially when they are staring at their cell phones.

Douglas Teply | Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Park At Your Own Risk

I feel you need to expand the “Ask the MSF” article about parking in the July issue. The directions on parking two bikes were good, but you need to add, “where legal and allowed!”

I have been the recipient of a parking ticket in Tennessee while parking two bikes in one spot, just as the picture shows. Seems it is not legal in some communities to park two in a single parking spot.

To add insult to injury, we both were ticketed because the issuing officer couldn’t decide which of our bikes was the second bike in.

Know the local rules and regulations before parking two to a spot!

Dan Bowles | Lake City, Mich.

In Memoriam

Jeffrey Gough, 75 years old, rode up to the great beyond on April 5. Jeff was living in Newark, Ohio. Jeff’s father, Harry Gough, owned Harry’s Cycle Center in Heath, Ohio.

Jeff started racing at age 12. After graduation, he traveled the world racing and set a world record in 1969 at the Bonneville Salt Flats of 169.33 mph on a Triumph 750 Trident. The class record stood for over 30 years.

Jeff had a creative, mechanical mind. He built custom choppers and three-wheelers in California during the ’60s and ’70s. Some fond memories were riding with The Fossils (his riding friends) to get chili dogs and root beer floats.

The memorial welcomed family and more than 65 bikers to share stories and a meal at the Heath Methodist Church.

Bonny Diver | Pittsburgh, Pa.