Top tips to maximise fuel efficiency of your commuter bike

Introduction

“Kitna deti hai?” is the most asked question before buying any two-wheeler in India. And it is probably the most important question in the world of automobiles in India. While almost all commuter bikes in India come with a claimed fuel efficiency (aka mileage) figure, the real world figures are quite different and mostly far less than the claimed ones. But there are ways to get the maximum fuel efficiency from your bike. Read these tips carefully and apply these techniques wherever you can.  

1: Go easy on the throttle

A lot depends on how you use the throttle. If you are one of those who loves to accelerate hard at every traffic signal, the fuel efficiency of your motorcycle is likely to be lesser than the one who takes off with a gentle throttle. Accelerating harder puts more load on the engine, and for that engine to work as required, it drinks more fuel. So go easy on that throttle. It will help you save a lot of money in the long run.  

2: Maintain the tyre pressure

Make a habit of checking the tyre pressure every time you go for a fill-up. Most of us tend to ignore the tyres, but it’s one of the most important components of the motorcycle. A bike that runs on tyres with less pressure tend to be less fuel efficient. Low air pressure increases the contact patch of the tyres and that means, the engine needs to work harder to get the required momentum. This process leads to decreased mileage. Also, never over inflate the tyres. If you do that, the overall ride quality will be bouncy.  

3: Regular maintenance 

Most of us get the bikes serviced at regular interviews, say once in three or six months. But there are a few maintenance activities that should be done on a regular basis. For example, lubing the chain with the right chain lube. It’s a good habit to do this once every 500kms. Most of the commuter motorcycles come with chain guard, but there are a few which are equipped with open chains, and these required regular chain cleaning and lubing.  

4: Don’t waste fuel

Everyone hates being in long traffic jams or traffic signals for that matter. But most of the time, we keep the engine running and that results in unnecessary wastage of fuel. It’s always better to switch off the bike if the traffic timer shows more than 30 seconds for it to turn green. The same applies for heavy traffic situations. Turn off the engine if you are stuck in a bad traffic jam.