Fridgitator

I hear ya. When I first got my Reb, I did everything I could to see how good the mileage could be for the first few tanks. I got 84 mpg on my third tank. After that, I started riding on the highway, and having more fun in general while riding. I currently average about 65 mpg for a mix of highway and city riding. I often accelerate faster than necessary, but mostly to avoid being in a clump of traffic in town. I'm more comfortable having an empty space on at least one side when I can. and since it's been cold lately, my bike spends a lot more time at idle than it does in the summer. I go fast when I want to, but I ride because I enjoy the ride.

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Shadow Shack

Well, what's considered "puttering" on a 600 is about the same as "moving out" on a 250

Seriously, without having to work the motor as hard, you can literally ride a 600 in a manner that a 250 would be working a little harder to match. Consider that a single pin V2 pumps out more torque at lower RPMs (compared to a parallel twin that revs more to access the powerband), you can ride it more "leisurely" and yield similar results.

Also, shift patterns determine fuel efficiency more than anything. If you're winding your gears out more, your fuel economy will be smaller than if you shift sooner. While a VLX can run up to 40mph in first gear/60-65 in second/80-85 in third, the optimum shift pattern is at 20/30/40mph, which will allow the bike to use much less fuel yet actually still move well with traffic.

Ditto on the Rebel, if you're winding it up to the hash marks on the speedo every time, you won't likely see those coveted 70-80mpg returns. Shift at 15/25/35/45mph regularly and you're more apt to see such returns...but you may or may not be moving as fast as the flow of traffic either.

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JunkyardDog

I didn't buy any of my bikes for mileage, other than the fact that all bikes get better mileage than cars, at least any car I would drive (I'm not the Hyundai Accent type). I ride all my bikes pretty much for fun, and don't use them for transportation. The fact that they get good mileage just means that much more fun for less money. I ride my Rebel hard. I rarely ever exceed 65 mph, but I give it a good workout getting there. It still gets great gas mileage, at least good enough for me, especially when compared to my truck, which averages 8-10 MPG. Jerry.

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Shadow Shack

I'm pretty much the other way around these days, what with the wife having lost interest in riding the fun runs dwindled so now it's mostly a commute thing for me. Which is to say I ride regularly to work, and it's a pretty rare day when I show up with a cage --- like this week, I'm bouncing back from a cold...and next week is National Ameteur Drunk Driving Weekend a.k.a. New Years Eve so I'll be caging it then (geez, that'll probably be the longest I've gone without a ride).

That said, I find both bikes to be good for such a cause. If I had to pick, stock bike versus stock bike, the VLX would be it. My ride to work is 8 miles, and that stock Rebel seat just kills me on that short hop. I've found the stock seat on the VLX to go as far as 75 miles before I start getting numb-butt.

Failing that, I also have to admit that I am more prone to wringing out the Rebel. Not so much as to keep up with traffic, but it's simply more fun to ride as such (without actually breaking any traffic laws). And despite its tiny suspension on both ends, I'm also more prone to exceeding any posted speed limits in the curves as well. That said, I can pretty much take any curve with the VLX at about the same speed as the Rebel, but the Rebel is just more fun to do so with because it feels like it's really hustling by comparison.

Just because it's more fun to do so with...the shorter wheelbase, taller ground clearance, and more responsive frame geometry (let's not forget less weight too) just makes it easier to slip into hooligan mode as well.

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JunkyardDog

75 miles? You should consider a Vulcan 750. I have ridden over 1000 miles at the time on mine, only getting off for a few minutes ever couple hundred miles. I do get tired, but do not wind up hurting all over like with some bikes. The Rebel is way less comfortable, especially for someone my size. But I don't doubt my ability to put a 500 mile day on it, without too much pain. It would be a long day, with frequent rest breaks, But I think I could still get enough sleep to do it for several days in a row. Actually, a cross country trip on the Rebel sounds like fun, if only I had enough time. I have put over 20,000 miles on mopeds, on long road trips, but I was a lot younger. Jerry.

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regularman

My record was 1040 miles on the 454, going from Alamagordo,NM to Little Rock,AR. I did the other 600 miles on to NC the next day. Went back in two days as well. Did that trip and return twice. Lots of fun but I did get sore. Just the wind fatigue over that much interstate.

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JunkyardDog

I have ridden from Phoenix, AZ to Star City, AR (south of Little Rock) and back several times, and have also ridden from Phoenix to Portland, OR and back a couple of times on my Vulcan 750. Aside from being tired, and slightly sore, I had no problems. I wore a full face helmet, and had a sleeping bag strapped to the passenger part of the seat to lean back against. Jerry.

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flitecontrol

What was the attraction in Star City, Jerry? Been through there often on my way to NW Arkansas.

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I'm keepin' all the left over parts. I'm gonna use 'em to build another bike!

2001 Rebel 250, 1989 Vulcan 750
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