View Full Version : DRZ400SM bad mileage?
enth
29th March 2015, 09:03
Hi All,
Picked up a 2010 DRZ400SM the other week. The bike is supposed to be getting roughly 170-220km to a tank but I'm only getting around 60-70km before I need to turn it to reserve.
Has FMF pipe, 3x3 airbox mod and a rejet. I've been trying to do some research online as to why it's getting bad mileage but nothing solid comes up. Still feels great to ride, powerful and torquey. I've checked the spark plug to see if it's running hot but it looks normal.
Any ideas as to why I'm getting such low mileage with it?
Scubbo
29th March 2015, 11:55
errrr... petcock not leaking :O
mossy1200
29th March 2015, 12:09
A few years ago there was someone who could sniff the exhaust and tune a bike. I cant recall who it was though.
mossy1200
29th March 2015, 12:12
Should have sold my CB as a CB400RRRRRRRRRRRRZRTR because it's been re jetted and makes 908638hp at the front wheel, I tuned it by sniffing the exhaust.
Honest.
Found it. :banana:
enth
29th March 2015, 14:34
errrr... petcock not leaking :O
I don't think anything is leaking. No fuel smell and no fuel around the petcock/hose/tank area.
awayatc
29th March 2015, 14:39
Take a spare can of fuel with you....
mark odometer reading/trip counter and run the thing empty...
how many km to the tank .?
or how many liters does it take when you fill up after you done your 70 km ?
enth
29th March 2015, 14:49
Take a spare can of fuel with you....
mark odometer reading/trip counter and run the thing empty...
how many km to the tank .?
or how many liters does it take when you fill up after you done your 70 km ?
Takes roughly 7 litres after I've done 70km. It's about $15 or so to fill so $2/l = 7 or so litres. This is after I've turned it to reserve tank and found the closest gas station.
mossy1200
29th March 2015, 14:54
Takes roughly 7 litres after I've done 70km. It's about $15 or so to fill so $2/l = 7 or so litres. This is after I've turned it to reserve tank and found the closest gas station.
That's bad. One litre is 20km on my 1400 on open road.
The only bike I have owned with millage similar to yours is a SP1. Surely its running very rich or has a hole in a valve.
enth
29th March 2015, 15:01
That's bad. One litre is 20km on my 1400 on open road.
The only bike I have owned with millage similar to yours is a SP1. Surely its running very rich or has a hole in a valve.
Yea I would have thought the same.
Just figured out why I think it's getting bad mileage. Went for a ride to the Riverhead Pub this afternoon and it's roughly a 40km round trip for me. I reset the trip before I left and it's only reading 18.5 kms.
Now to figure out why....
mossy1200
29th March 2015, 15:09
Yea I would have thought the same.
Just figured out why I think it's getting bad mileage. Went for a ride to the Riverhead Pub this afternoon and it's roughly a 40km round trip for me. I reset the trip before I left and it's only reading 18.5 kms.
Now to figure out why....
If its running an after market speedo or a magnetic pulse style speedo with 2 magnets on the rim your likely to have only one magnet left but your speedo would be reading half speed also.
Grashopper
29th March 2015, 15:17
Are you sure it is reading in km not miles? Wouldn't be the first DRZ400SM in NZ that reads in miles.
Although 40 km would be roughly 25 miles....Hm...
What Mossy just said seems to make more sense.
Maybe go for another ride with your phone measuring the distance at the same time.
enth
29th March 2015, 16:58
Are you sure it is reading in km not miles? Wouldn't be the first DRZ400SM in NZ that reads in miles.
Although 40 km would be roughly 25 miles....Hm...
What Mossy just said seems to make more sense.
Maybe go for another ride with your phone measuring the distance at the same time.
I don't think I can change the A or B trip to miles. The speedo / km/h I can change to miles and it doesn't effect the trips or overall trip distance. It's been reading in kms the whole time.
There is a compensation function but the max it'll compensate the reading to is 35km from the original 18 which isn't enough.
awayatc
29th March 2015, 21:19
carburetor?
if so , check floatlevel.....
stuck choke/ fuel enrichment device?
gwynfryn
30th March 2015, 08:28
Did you wheelie most of the way to Riverhead?
strandedinnz
31st March 2015, 13:24
Dumb question .. not riding with the choke out are you ? :-)
My DRZ400SM does 175km till reserve regardless if I ride gentle or cane it everywhere :-)
carver
28th April 2015, 18:20
Sounds like my old DRZ-SM
does it look like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQhvFTJGbOA
I used to get about the same mileage to a tank, but I raped it everywhere
Phil.T.Tipp
8th May 2015, 15:53
I know mine's running a bit rich and the inline fuel filter is due for replacement (it leaks if you wiggle it, oooerr) and I get 150kms-ish til reserve, or more accurately 150kms-ish til squeaky bum time cos reserve is a mere pre-metric thimbleful, more commonly referred to as 9/10ths of fuck all. I have the 3x3 hack, full FMF Powerbomb pipe and can, and haven't checked the jetting [cos I is lazy].
But I digress. Sounds like you're losing fuel via the overflow in the carb, could be a poorly-adjusted float or a stuck needle valve due to crap in the fuel or sticky evapped fuel deposits.
Which carb do you have on the bike? I take it, it's the Mikuni? Apparently the o-ring in the valve seat goes bad too, maybe worth a looky-see.
Good luck O Brother of Braaaap.
biketimus_prime
13th May 2015, 11:17
Mine gets about 150km to a tank before switching to reserve.
Definitely speedo issue as mossy has said. The compensation function should be 100% (obviously).
Did you say you changed the compensation to 100? Hence why it read 18km and now 35?
If you double your current mileage then you'd get round 140km
That's your issue solved right there! Was just speedo compensation.
Or am I missing something
neels
13th May 2015, 13:46
I'll add another vote for 150k to reserve, on a 400e, haven't been brave enough to find out how far it goes on reserve
biketimus_prime
13th May 2015, 21:56
I'll add another vote for 150k to reserve, on a 400e, haven't been brave enough to find out how far it goes on reserve
I will find out for us :p
If I'm in my neighbourhood next time and low on fuel I'll keep going till I run out and see. Hopefully it's only flat ground and/or downhills when I do stop!
to change from kms to miles or vice versa, hold down the select button for at least 7 secs.
Mine is default mph and I change it to KMS. It resets when I disconnect the battery. I don't trust the accuracy of the speedo though, and get the true mileage off the GPS
400sm
20th May 2015, 15:48
Hi All,
Picked up a 2010 DRZ400SM the other week. The bike is supposed to be getting roughly 170-220km to a tank but I'm only getting around 60-70km before I need to turn it to reserve.
Has FMF pipe, 3x3 airbox mod and a rejet. I've been trying to do some research online as to why it's getting bad mileage but nothing solid comes up. Still feels great to ride, powerful and torquey. I've checked the spark plug to see if it's running hot but it looks normal.
Any ideas as to why I'm getting such low mileage with it?
Stink Bro :weep:
Modified 400SMs usually have better economy than clogged up stock ones.
1. You need to meet someone with a correct odometer and go for a comparison fang with this person.
2. Tell us the jet sizes in your carb.
... And check the model of the carb.
Dr z-tard
31st May 2015, 22:42
I have a 2013 sm and get 120ks before reserve and havn't run the reserve dry, it's modified and it only uses that much gas because I ride like a dick....
I had the compensation set to the max 130% and the reading was still out, setting it to 100% made it even worse. But it doesn't matter any more because the bike has since been stolen.
I got myself another one, '06 with 20,000 KM and the odo reads perfect. Filled it up and reset the odo, rode home and checked on Google maps and it gave me the same distance I travelled on the bike.
biketimus_prime
3rd June 2015, 12:15
I had the compensation set to the max 130% and the reading was still out, setting it to 100% made it even worse. But it doesn't matter any more because the bike has since been stolen.
I got myself another one, '06 with 20,000 KM and the odo reads perfect. Filled it up and reset the odo, rode home and checked on Google maps and it gave me the same distance I travelled on the bike.
Did you buy that one in browns bay with all the mods?
You cheeky shit, he made us think it went in for a warrant hahaha
400sm
5th June 2015, 21:07
I had the compensation set to the max 130% and the reading was still out, setting it to 100% made it even worse. But it doesn't matter any more because the bike has since been stolen.
I got myself another one, '06 with 20,000 KM and the odo reads perfect. Filled it up and reset the odo, rode home and checked on Google maps and it gave me the same distance I travelled on the bike.
That's quite a novel approach to get better fuel mileage !
The boys (me 400sm 10.5L, Jny drz250 11.5L) once rode from Te Awamutu to Napier (283km on odo) on a tank.
We both conked out, outside Napier airport.
That's approx 27km per litre of super for the 400.
Your bike should get similar, but we were TRYING.:scooter:
TheDemonLord
8th June 2015, 21:44
Have you tried changing out of First gear when going for a ride? :bleh::bleh:
I find my 'Busa does the best mileage when in 6th ;)
mossy1200
8th June 2015, 21:57
Have you tried changing out of First gear when going for a ride? :bleh::bleh:
I find my 'Busa does the best mileage when in 6th ;)
I have done 500km on my bike now.:rolleyes: Only issue is I have filled it 4 times:( Its got a full tank now though so its really 3 times:rolleyes: Wait it came with a full tank :( I know where theres more service stations though :rolleyes:
Big Dog
8th June 2015, 23:34
Have you tried changing out of First gear when going for a ride? :bleh::bleh:
I find my 'Busa does the best mileage when in 6th ;)
So... You just wanted to casually tell us you have a busa? Haven't got past the honeymoon yet eh?
Lol I had nine for nine years, sold it over a year ago and I still like to name drop.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
Big Dog
8th June 2015, 23:35
I have done 500km on my bike now.:rolleyes: Only issue is I have filled it 4 times:( Its got a full tank now though so its really 3 times:rolleyes: Wait it came with a full tank :( I know where theres more service stations though :rolleyes:
Jeebus, did it come with a 3l tank or something? :crazy:
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
mossy1200
9th June 2015, 06:06
Jeebus, did it come with a 3l tank or something? :crazy:
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
Instructions were find a windy road and vary the revs. Avoid constant revs or labouring the engine during run in. Must not deviate from the plan.
TheDemonLord
9th June 2015, 09:55
Haven't got past the honeymoon yet eh?
Yeaaaah...
Nah....
It's been my dream bike to own since I was younger....
Big Dog
9th June 2015, 12:31
Yeaaaah...
Nah....
It's been my dream bike to own since I was younger....
Yeah, if I hadn't been strapped and in need of a bike with a cheaper maintenance schedule ( one I can do 99% myself with minimum fuss ) I would never have sold her.
I reckon I would have died owning her.
When sunnier skies return to my bank account I'll be buying another. But as a toy, not a main ride.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
Dr ZSM
5th November 2015, 12:32
Might sound stupid but what profile front tyre are you running? Mine is lower profile than stock which means that my speedo says I'm doing 130kph but I'm really doing 119 according to the cop radar gun (twice).
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.