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[TheShaggyDA]

I fitted a mini TTO rev counter today, I'll see how close I am to bouncing valves, and see if there's any room to play with. It doesn't rev out in top, so may not be worth the extra tooth.

[jefrs]

Mine will almost rev out in top, certainly hit 5200rpm (Smiths tacho) on Motorway. Have hit limiter in 4th. The limiter is supposed to cut ignition at 5500 but the PCv has this set to 5400 and seems to start cutting sparks earlier. Which is why I've had the PCv's RevExtend shift it to 6000. There's no point over-revving this motor as there's no useful power at high revs. There's some extra power in this one but it's down low, which is why I think it needs longer legs.



Tuning for more power usually improves efficiency as the motor doesn't have to work as hard for the same output, at normal loads you use less throttle. This is not like race machines which are used wide open and are prepared to waste fuel.

[TheShaggyDA]

I'm guessing my TCI doesn't have a limiter, or it's set quite high - the new rev counter recorded a max RPM of 6200. I'm thinking the 19T would be a worthwhile mod now.

[Bullet Whisperer]

There is no rev limiter on the Electra X, unless you count the valve springs, which usually allow the inlet valve to bounce at about 5800 RPM, which makes engine speed hit a brick wall - I once held one flat out in neutral on the centre stand to prove this and 5800 RPM was as far as it went. If you are getting 6200 RPM, that is good and if the machine goes well and feels like it could manage it, I would go up by 1 tooth on the front, you have 5 gears, after all! Regards, Paul.

[TheShaggyDA]

The bike does feel happy - the 6200 was a one off experimental peak on the down ramp joining the motorway Normal riding had me peaking at 5500, cruising is between 3500 & 4000.

[jefrs]

The rev limiter is in the EFI's ECU which I believe from literature is set to 5500. There is another limiter in the Power Commander V which I found from the laptop app to have been set to 5400, that can be changed by getting an unlock code from Dynojet UK. I requested and got 6000rpm on the basis that I see little point revving my motor much over max power ca 5250. There's certainly enough torque to push a higher max speed at lower revs if the gears were longer. However whilst I can, I rarely take this bike over 60 on these roads on account of encroaching scenery. I can and do take it to 5000rpm in lower gears but the power is already tapering off at that point and time to change up.



If you don't have the ECU you won't have this rev limiter.

[Bullet Whisperer]

As I have already said above, there is NO rev limiter on a 2007 [or any other] Electra X, which is what is being discussed in this thread.

[Adrian]

... unless you count the AVL cams, of course! A.

[jefrs]

But but but the subject is "economy", on Bullets which although the OP has an Electra X covers rather a lot of sins.

The OP, TheShaggyDA, cannot rev-out in top and induce valve-bounce (full chat). Otoh the more powerful EFI can exceed max bhp (5250) in top on a suitable stretch of road without slip-streaming a bimmer on the motorway. The horses are dying at those revs so it is unlikely to get to bounce valves at 5800. But I have a feeling that with its extra torque the it might well pull that speed at 4000-4500 (which is where the torque lies) with longer gearing. Which would give better fast cruise economy.

[Thack]

But back to fuel economy. Since this thread started I decided to check mine. It's a 2014 Bullet 500, completely standard UK spec throughout, and for the test I removed my data logger and connected it up to run completely standard closed loop. In this state the bike is exactly as it left the showroom.



From brim to brim I got 70mpg. I perhaps ride the bike a bit harder than some - often cruising at 65-70mph. I don't accelerate especially hard, and can't remember the last time I used full throttle.



The consumption was pretty much what I expected. It's not a particularly sophisticated or efficient engine design, so there's no real reason to expect anything spectacular from it. If anyone really is getting over 100mpg, then they must be riding it VERY strangely indeed.