Why do new bikes have less mileage?

When a bike is new, the internal parts of the engine are not used to running and are therefore not used to friction. These parts take some time and some distance to get lubricated properly and run smoothly without excess friction. In order to ensure that the internal parts have more than enough lubrication, the manufacturers do not tune the bike finely.

That means that the fuel injection is kept loose on purpose so that the engine gets more petrol and everything is extra lubricated. 

This helps avoid the cylinder getting scratched from the pistons and reduces chances of missing strokes.

This loose tuning is the cause of low bike mileage on new bikes. Once the bike is driven for about 500 to 1000 kms, it is recommended that you get the new bike serviced. During this first service, the mechanics tune the bike more finely, thus increasing the bike mileage.

Furthermore, when parts are newly fitted into the engine, they may have some surface impurities that remain in the engine for some time. Once the bike is used for a while, the engine oil cleans out these impurities and the parts start moving smoothly.

This too helps in increasing the bike average. Apart from this, new bike owners often ride bikes at lower speeds, either because they are advised to do so, or because they are still getting used to the new bike. This is why, in the first few months, bike mileage can be a bit low.

However, after some while, once the bike is ridden with proper speeds, mileage should increase a bit. Thus, a combination of factors cause the bike mileage of new bikes to be low, but it generally picks up after the first servicing. 

Why do bikes offer low mileage in the city and high mileage on the highway?

When the brake is applied, the bike takes more fuel to start the engine and regain speed. When there is constant stopping and starting of the engine, like in the city, more and more fuel is used up and therefore bike mileage suffers.

This question applies not only to bikes, but also to other vehicles like cars, trucks, or any vehicle with an internal combustion engine. When driving in the city, a rider has to constantly slow down and stop the bike due to traffic and signals. Furthermore, there is also a lot of sudden acceleration and switching between speeds and gears.

All this takes up fuel. On the other hand, a highway allows bike riders to cruise at constant speeds. The roads are smoother and there is less braking or accelerating. Since the bike does not need to start and stop again, it gains momentum and fuel is required only to retain the momentum.

This is why very less fuel is used on the highways, at constant speeds. This will increase the bike’s mileage and you can go greater distances on a small quantity of fuel. 

Which season is best for high bike mileage?

According to the laws of physics, when temperature falls, the volume of a liquid also falls, making the density rise.

However, mass remains the same despite temperature. When petrol is filled up in bikes, it is filled based on volume in litres. Thus, when temperature falls, you get the same amount of mass in a lower volume of petrol, which means that a lower volume of petrol will last longer and give more energy.

The opposite is true of summer, when the volume rises but mass remains the same and therefore, a lower amount of energy is received per litre. This automatically means that fuel economy or bike mileage will be higher in winters than in summers for any vehicle.

Furthermore, heat can cause fuel in the tank to evaporate, which can further reduce bike mileage. 

What are the causes of low bike mileage?

There are various causes of low bike mileage.

Firstly, the make and model of the bike determines its mileage. High end bikes will give higher mileage as compared to lower-end models.

Furthermore, the age of the vehicle inevitably reduces mileage and hence that too, is a factor to be considered. Apart from these, there are certain important factors that can affect bike mileage. A person’s riding habits can affect mileage, since braking and accelerating excessively can cause more fuel to be used up, as opposed to driving at moderate speeds.

Improper tyre pressure can cause the bike to drag, using up more fuel, which reduces mileage. Furthermore, issues with internal parts also reduce mileage. Clogged air filters, damaged spark plugs, worn out piston rings, and poor maintenance can all be causes of low mileage. The load on the bike i.e. the weight the bike carries, also determines the mileage it gets.

Furthermore, the circumstances in which the bike is ridden is also important. For instance, if a bike is ridden on very dusty, dirt-filled roads then mileage will be lower when compared to smooth tar roads.