GSXR250 really thirsty.

[dynamite9585]

My GSXR uses alot of gas. one tank is getting me about 150k down the road (12.7k to the litre)
this is atleast double what my g/f's CBR is getting.

now i understand that not all bikes are created equal, but i did think that 250's would have atleast a similar fuel consumption.

it has new plugs, but i suspect my carbs are in dire need of a clean, before i take it to the shop for a bloody good service (and a bloody big hole in my wallet) if there anything i can try first (fuel additives ect)

[onearmedbandit]

It needs a tune, mainly a carb balancing and tune up. Adding a fuel additive won't do anything beneficial. Spend the money now to save more over the long term.

[dynamite9585]

It needs a tune, mainly a carb balancing and tune up. Adding a fuel additive won't do anything beneficial. Spend the money now to save more over the long term.

thought so, any ideas on how much i should be paying the shop for this (guess-timates)
what about valve clearances?

[onearmedbandit]

Yep valve clearances are a must as well. The biggest part of your bill will be labour, including stripping the fairings off the bike and putting them back on. Save yourself some money by taking the bits and pieces off that you can yourself. For one it will save you money, and secondly it could save any potential damage done to your fairings in their workshop.

[boman]

My GSXR uses alot of gas. one tank is getting me about 150k down the road (12.7k to the litre)
this is atleast double what my g/f's CBR is getting.

now i understand that not all bikes are created equal, but i did think that 250's would have atleast a similar fuel consumption.

it has new plugs, but i suspect my carbs are in dire need of a clean, before i take it to the shop for a bloody good service (and a bloody big hole in my wallet) if there anything i can try first (fuel additives ect)

I had a GSF 250 Bandit. That is about what I was getting. 160km to a tankful. Similar engines I think, Mine was a VVT.

[dynamite9585]

I had a GSF 250 Bandit. That is about what I was getting. 160km to a tankful. Similar engines I think, Mine was a VVT.

gave me a hell of a shock, my 2L car had fuel economy of about that. hence the feeling that something is a miss.

[slofox]

My GSXR uses alot of gas. one tank is getting me about 150k down the road (12.7k to the litre)

Hell, my 600 does better than that - even when it gets the gentle nudge...

[dynamite9585]

so... the real question is, can this be done in the shed by someone with average mechanical ability?? (more than just an oil change in the experience list)

[onearmedbandit]

There might be shortcuts but ideally you will need a carb balancing kit and the ability to use it. Checking valve clearances is easy enough to do with a manual handy if you have the right tools. However, unless the person doing it is competent then save yourself the hassle of taking a bike that won't start at all to the mechanic on the back of a trailer. Then you pay to fix what was stuffed up on top of the tune up.

[boman]

Hell, my 600 does better than that - even when it gets the gentle nudge...

Yea well, the thou does about 240 till empty. And that is riding reasonably quickly too. That took some getting used too. Big bike good fuel economy.

[dynamite9585]

was thinking more the carb clean rather than the balance, will take it down for a balance, just trying to save a penny

[SS90]

I have posted about this several times before, but here it goes again....

ALL (and I mean ALL) 250cc SUZUKI 4 cylinder sports bikes (GSXR and Bandit) have an issue with the carbs.

The slide needles and emulsion tubes (the tubes that the slide needles go up and down in as the slide goes up and down in response to throttle opening) are made of basically cheese..... when these fuel metering needles wear, they let too much fuel in, same as if your jets where too big, or your choke was stuck on......

Over time, the emulsion tubes and needles wear (think of how many times your slides go up and down in 100km), this is, generally an acceptable "wear" thing on high mileage carbed bikes, (100,000km), but with the 250 4 cylinder suzuki carbs, they would only last about, say 20,000 km.

Just now, you get sad gas mileage, but, soon your bike will start running rich, be hard starting, and blow black smoke under acceleration.

This is common on ALL 4 cylinder 4 stroke Suzuki 250cc....... with-out exception, and includes osme of their early LT250 single cylinder 4 wheel farm bikes (they had the same cheese like material used on their slides and emulsion tubes..... it caused such a problem in the early ninties, that federated farmers threatened to take them to court for selling an inferior product..... the fix was to send out stainless steel emulsion tubes and new needles to all the dealers and fit under warranty...... I remember it well.

The fix (as a few on to it bike shops in NZ know) is the same for the GSXR and Bandit 250...... make stainless steel emulsion tubes, and fit new needles.

Contact R1madness on here, he is the owner of "Just Motorcycles" in Christchurch, and they make the stainless emulsion tubes, and can supply new slide needles, you just need to send your carbs to them.

Ask him for a price..... they are not bad, and you only have to remove, send away, then later refit your carbs.

Not hard at all.

[Juzz976]

About the economy of my old FZR250 160k to the 12L Tank.

Just sitting at 100kms uses alot of gas on a 250 as its pumping alot of air and gas to provide a small amount of torque. Round town at low revs your economy improves alot.

Tyre pressure and wrist action makes a big difference too, I even noticed I got a few extra kms when I had the shocks & wheel bearings done on my first 250. Mates bike lost its economy when he put aftermarket exhaust on without re jetting.

[Gibbo89]

as with the aboce comment about the fzr, mine is the naked version and i have got 230k's before the bike wants the reserve turned on, then its time for a top up. (on a 15 litre tank)

in regards to ss90, just motorcycles are a good bunch on guys. ian (R1madness, or whatever it was that ss90 said is a good guy and he'll pm you back with the right info for what you need)

250 iline 4's are not cheap on fuel, but... they are a lot of fun

[Juzz976]

as with the aboce comment about the fzr, mine is the naked version and i have got 230k's before the bike wants the reserve turned on, then its time for a top up. (on a 15 litre tank)

The Zeal is similar to FZR but detuned a bit something like 40hp instead of 45hp.
Of course the way you are riding will affect your economy, my current FZR can do 220k on a tank b4 reserve.
However that was the week I was in auckland (round town riding) and didn't exceed 70k and almost no hard acceleration. The ride up tho was on reserve by 160 km, tauranga to akl following some bigger bikes so was hard on the gas.