Fuel efficient riding

High mileage means, maximum kilometers to a liter of fuel - be it diesel or petrol. Maximum kilometers to a liter means, sticking to reasonable speeds of about 50 kph for 100cc bikes and about 80 kph for cars. Why the speed limits? When we stick to those speeds, the engine rotates at a fewer rpm that it does when we travel at 150 kph, for example. And a lower rpm will consume less fuel. So, here’s how I ride my bike when I am in the mood to conserve that last drop of my bike’s diet.

I let the engine idle for about 30 seconds after it starts, for the lube oil to reach all the parts of the engine. This will help cut down friction that which saps mileage.

I keep the engine rpm below around about 4500 rpm, which my engine does when I ride the bike at 50 kph in the top gear.

I crack open the throttle by the millimeter. The opening is so small that even when I depress the clutch while riding, the rpm struggles to shoot above 2500 rpm. Of course, the incredibly torquey nature of my bike’s engine lets me ride the torque wave so well.

I try not to brake at the nth minute that will require me to accelerate again, suddenly, which robs fuel efficiency. When I see the need for braking, I just close the throttle a bit earlier and try and reduce the bike to a safe speed to negotiate. I brake only if it is so demanded.