MPG and adding an extra tank?

I have an old memory of riding my Norton Atlas "sidecar riders are NUTS special but NUTS =)

Synchronicity at work! Referring to my sidecar windscreen Some Kraft wrapping paper has just popped up on Amazon Vine reviews perfick =)

   I have considered having a fuel cell made the size of the saddle bag so it fits inside.

I would really like to have 2 gallons more fuel.  Have not done the math on paper but that seems to be about what would put in range of riding with out sidecar .

   I have twice found that the 6 gallon tank can be run down to where 5.7 gallons were needed to fill it.

The miles remaining had long gone to just showing LOW instead of miles left.

Posted by: @miles-ladue

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Fortunately,  87 octane  doesn't  scare us Honda sidecar  pilots, as that is  our octane of  choice,  or....old stale Pepsi, or cans of Red Bull, because  it gives us "wings".

Wait!  What happened to the V8 Juice energy stuff you used to use!?!  Will it alter the Miles we've all become accustomed to?

And what about donut holes?!?

Chuckle =)

Under the guise of at least trying to be helpful and knowing Miles gets confuddled with Brit words i am concerned that when Miles gets to Ireland to paddle his new toy he will struggle with words. i have this picture of Miles in a bar and he is nearly in tears because he cannot get the words out.

Miles try this slowly at first 'Nes a Ginn Nes' then repeat a bit faster =) Miles i think you would enjoy the English canals on a Narrowboat if you are reasonably nimble

Ok back on topic kinda

Going to try and fit my new backrest today.

2, i am going to disconnect the steering damper and yes turn it the other way up if i refit. I will make sure it cannot move if i just release the top end as a tryout. From paperwork the damper was fitted from new.

3, I am also wondering if there is a conflict between the airflow between the sidecar windscreen and the wing screen?Miles i will likely get the trim you suggest for the sidecar screen when i cut it down.

I will remove maybe and find out. 

4 Sidecar Tonneau Cover will likely have to be made to fit when i cut down the screen. Any one you recommend for this?

5,Gas can for the trunk. Boot in English yes simple works for me. i hate the new fangled ones!

6. Do the carbs go out of tune or are they a gem. not checked the history for that so far. Unusual just having to tune one carb. Those Honda people are dashed clever chaps wot!

All done coffee time then maybe i can sleep. Chemo plays havoc with sleep, so glad i am retired and only have to take Sam into consideration =)

A bit of a discussion over on ADV about our GS rigs. Davebig, forget his handle over here, has been talking about it on his Thread over there as he has a new rig. Anyways after the discussion I am trying to keep the RPM up in the sweet spot a bit more. I have been known to lug my rigs more than I should by short shifting up into a higher gear sooner than I need. Any ways I think it is working. Mileage consumption indicator seems to have dropped my average a tad.  I have finally mentally shifted to metric so work in Litres Per hundred Kilometres. I guess it is time as Canada switched to the Metric system back in 1973. My accuracy is not like Drone's either as I am going off what the bike tells me.. On the Beemer, I can have two readings.. one set for over all average and one set for the days trip which resets to zero each day where as the former continues to calculate until I reset it .. One of the few handy things on a Beemer.  

Plus I never worry about grade of fuel, Beemer suggests I use 91 octane but the rig gets what ever is available. A lot of times I am in places where 87 is the only thing there so that is what it gets.. Doesn't seem to care and it might get slightly better mileage on the 87 anyways. That is just perception though cause I go the same distance for less money  

Steve, on item # 3 in your list above, wind flow between the bike's fairing/windshield vs the sidecar body/windshield is a very subjective thing. Some people like a lot of airflow, some people want almost no air flow. However, as I am certain you have already experienced, there is a wind tunnel between the bike, and the sidecar. I was lucky that my very first sidecar rig, a 1986 Goldwing 1200 w/California Friendship lll sidecar, the previous owner not only installed a Unit Leading Link front end on it, but he also fabricated and installed an acrylic wind diverter, and it worked pretty well to keep the wind tunnel air flow away from the bike rider. I removed that, and suddenly realized WHY he had installed it.

There are "wind wings" that can be purchased and installed to manage air flow on the bike's fairing, such as Baker Built Air Wings, and several aftermarket copies of the Baker Built Air Wings. Look them up, see what is shown on WingStuff.com

On item # 4 of your list above, I was fortunate that in cutting down the windshield on my Hannigan Dream sidecar...the BattleWing Galactica rig, the amount I cut off the windshield was "almost" duplicated by the addition of the Saeng TA windshield trim, as it is bulky enough to take up some of the space left by the cutting of the windshield. BUT....to your question.....find a local Boat Canvas shop, and independently owned shop, that makes boat tops, canvas tops for boats, and take your rig to them. They can use your old tonneau cover as a template, take measurements of what needs to be changed, and can make you a new tonneau cover to fit properly.

On item # 6 in your list above, generally speaking, the carbs on a Goldwing 1500 do NOT need to be fiddled with, adjusted, cleaned, etc....once they are set properly, and I have seen, and experienced, going well over 100,000 miles on a Goldwing 1500 without ever touching the carbs.....as in EVER.  My 1994 Goldwing 1500 was ridden 90,000+ miles in less than one year, and I never touched the carbs on it..,.ran perfect every day. If the bike is starting up good, and running good once it has warmed up, which is generally 1 minute after start-up, then I would suggest leaving the carbs alone.

If you have doubts, or concerns about the carbs on your bike, run 1 can of SeaFoam fuel cleaner through the fuel system on your bike, maybe half a can for a full tank of fuel, or...if you are like me (a Tim Taylor from Home Improvement), I put the entire 16 oz or 20 oz can of SeaFoam in the gas tank all at once, with a full tank of fuel, and then ride that bike like you stole it. That means, ride from Buffalo, Kansas to Thane's house in Central Nebraska, and back to your house in Kansas, in one day, fighting the head winds, the side winds, and the Kansas Two Step police....so you clean out that fuel system and the carbs. Be aware, that unlike our Goldwing 1800's that have no fuel filter we need to replace, your Goldwing 1500 DOES have a replaceable fuel filter. But the OEM Honda one, or something very similar, and replace that fuel filter once a year, or every 90,000 miles, whichever comes sooner.

From @Thane Lewis

Wait!  What happened to the V8 Juice energy stuff you used to use!?!  Will it alter the Miles we've all become accustomed to?

And what about donut holes?!?

Oh, Thane, I would never sacrifice a good can of V8 Energy drink, especially the Peach Mango version, to use in my bike's fuel tank. Frankly, I would rather run out of petrol, have the bike sitting on the shoulder of the road, and walk a mile to the nearest gas station, all the while drinking that can of V8 Energy Peach Mango drink. And yes...I am in fact drinking a can of that right this minute. Much healthier than a can of regular V8, and much better for you that a can of Red Bull.

Oh, the olde donut holes are great for patching holes in tires, so don't put them in the fuel tank.

Thanks Miles

I actually have a set of air wings to put on that came with the bike. need to get a couple of screws and covers maybe i can steal a couple from the sidecar windscreen =)

I need to check, but i think previous owner changed the fuel filter. Yup done by Vern at 131000.

Lots of good info there and for me its all part of understanding what i am riding and getting the best out of it, and myself.

Every servicing base seems to have been covered which is great

Just joined ADV as Energyatwork, every ride is an adventure =)

@mgv8 

91 is not a better grade than 87 . Using US grade standard right now . All 91 octane means is the fuel requires a higher temp to ignite than 87 does.

Once compression hits 10-1 fuel tends to ignite under compression before spark. Higher Compression is used as away to build more power .

Of course there are was to very Timing and compensate but that is another long thread.

    Add to the compression Higher engine heat under load ,that increases the chance of fuel igniting to early. Turn this around run higher octane fuel in lower compression engines and the fuel does not fire correctly.

Now we could get into  a list of what if's of course there is some wiggle room at times. But that is the short version.

The Metric people use a different system to figure octane so the keep that in mind.

Regarding item #5 above, I really like the "No-Spill" gas jugs.  I've been using one for over 10 years in my garage for the lawnmower and other yard tools and it really is spill-proof and doesn't drip or leak even when the sun hits it and the contents expand.

for sale on ebay right now ---> https://www.ebay.com/itm/196286084435

The Rotopax fuel container, of course, has been a long time favorite of sidecarists everywhere ---->

In my experience, keep a rag handy to catch the drips. 🙂 

On my 00 K1200LT with an Astro 2+2 loaded or unloaded I average in the low 40's, I good for 200 miles between fill ups. My 82 Harley I average in the low 30's, That one I could push it 150 miles cruising 75 mph. There were times where I ran to close for comfort but never ran out. It might be just me but if I had an extra tank I would be pushing it even father between stops and might end up with the same problem out of gas.      

Posted by: @smitty901

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     I have twice found that the 6 gallon tank can be run down to where 5.7 gallons were needed to fill it.

Just for grins and giggles I will reply to what @smitty901 said about quantity of fuel needed to refill a tank.

A couple different times whilst riding my 2006 Goldwing 1800, as a 2 wheeled bike before it was turned into a sidecar rig, I ended up riding SO far between gas stops, that I put 6.6 gallons into the tank one time, and 6.7 gallons into the tank a 2nd time....into a 6.6 gallon fuel tank. I was seriously sweating it as I searched for an open gas station, and...I kept those gas receipts for several years....a 6.6 gallon tank, and I put in 6.6 gallons and 6.7 gallons....WHEW !

@miles-ladue 

On our 1996 we ran out once. I had rode home the night before. It coughed ,sputtered reach down turned it to reserve and rode home.

Next morning we rolled out and I forgot about putting it on reserve.

   Walk back to  Gas station buy big bottle of 7up dump it out. rinse bottle shake it out add gas walk back to bike.

As I have said before . Still have that bike,wife and I had way to much fun on it.

@smitty901 Ha!  Us metric people are usually just different no matter what system we use      New emojies. Cool