Just bought a 76 Gold Wing with vetter sidecar......gets 25 mpg. Isn't that fairly crummy mileage?
That sounds a little low to me, but I have not had a sidecar on a GL1000. Make sure you don't have a drag such as wheel bearings or brakes, and make sure the carbs are in good shape and synced well, tires inflated properly. I got 26-30 with my 1500 rig, and get 29-30 with the 1800 rig that I have now. Good luck with it, post some pics when you get a chance, sounds like a interesting rig.
If the bike is properly tuned and the sidecar aligned, you should get about 35 mpg at legal speeds.
I have known a lot of GL 1000s to have carburetor glitches. Anything from worn out carbs to non synchronizing problems, air cleaner dirty etc.
Biker ill - 11/8/2013 4:58 PM
Just bought a 76 Gold Wing with vetter sidecar......gets 25 mpg. Isn't that fairly crummy mileage?
A sidecar will usually cost you a 10 to 15% mileage penalty vs. the bike without the sidecar. Do you have any idea what kind of mileage the bike alone would average?
I got around 35mpg with a GL1000 Vetter rig I owned. I would first check that your alignment is close. You can tell by looking to see if you have even tire wear. I suspect that it is fine and that the real problem is tune and carberation.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
My '99 BMW R1100 w/EZS Summit attached usually gets 26 to 28 mpg on the open high at speed between 60 to 65. Around town, it gets with great regularity 25 mpg.
If that happens to be my old rig, the best I could get was in the neighborhood of 25. I had a blast with it, now have an 82 1100 with a motorvation formula 2, it averages between 28-30. I don't drive it for the gas mileage, I have a Helix scooter that gets 75mpg. I drive it as our old friends from the old Hacked suggested I get more smiles per mile with the sidecar rig.
picture of my old rig
I got 28-33 with my Vulcan 1500/hannigan classic depending on speed, load etc. and with the use of ethanol equalizer which added about 5mpg at interstate speeds. My current rig (BMW r1100/hannigan astro sport) gets about 35 using the equalizer at interstate speeds. 🙂
My GL1500/Oxford outfit returns 30 to32 mpg (that's Imperial gallons). The Oxford is a barn of a sidecar, my friends call it "The Bungalow", so I'm not too disappointed. I didn't buy it for it's economy.
Sid
Eat your hearts out guys, I have an 883 Harley Sportster hooked to a fairly heavy freedom cruiser and get 48 MPG at fifty five to sixty but it goes down a bit at interstate speeds.
What does a freedom cruiser weigh/look like?
I have a 2000 sportster1200 with a screaming eagle stage one kit that does around 40 mpg with my california sidecar.
Well Biker that does sound a little low, I've got a Vetter on my 80 honda 750 f and i get around 35-37 mph in town, and without the car about 45 or so but i always thought those wings were a little thirsty. Pictures?
Noticed in your post you said you have a freedom cruiser. What does that look like? Also you are from NC. Where is Boiling Springs. I am in VA but on the NC line.
Bill D 🙂
