Tips for Enhancing Bike Fuel Efficiency

Posted on: Jun 20, 2022 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Tips for Enhancing Bike Fuel Efficiency

While commuting daily, it becomes a tough challenge to maintain the optimum performance of any bike. The stop-and-go nature of the traffic compels you to rev the engine to the maximum at one moment, and medium to the low-end range, the very next. Such driving practices take a major toll on the overall health and performance of the vehicle, including affecting its mileage. Under the skyrocketing situation of the recent fuel hikes, this becomes very difficult for the daily commuters. Such daily usage bikes offer a mileage ranging between 40 kmpl to 100 kmpl. In this article, we will discuss some easy tips and tricks for enjoying the enhanced performance. However, you must unfailingly insure your bike with proper comprehensive bike insurance. Here are some tips to improve bike mileage:

1. Avoid sharp gear shifts

Constant shifting of gears puts a lot of pressure on the clutch, which eventually gets damaged, and the mileage gets affected. Heavy shifting of gears includes gear shifting at high RPM, rapid gear shifts, and even low gear driving. All these things affect the clutch pad and engine, resulting in poor mileage.

2. Avoid using heavily trafficked roads

While driving through heavy traffic, you need to constantly change gears, causing more fuel burning. In case you get stuck in heavy traffic, try to use slow gear change and kill the engine when not required. During traffic signals too, switch it off, when you are unable to move.

3. Avoid heavy braking and sudden acceleration

Sudden acceleration implies high speed and high RPM, resulting in heavy petrol burn. The experts advise accelerating slowly with proper gear shifting, maintaining the correct RPM. Moreover, sudden, sharp and heavy braking also results in heavy loss of petrol. Under such circumstances, it is best to apply brakes, maintaining a safe distance. This ensures the safety and avoids incidences of sudden braking or any associated accidental circumstances.

4. Maintain bike speed

Most of the bike variants mention the “economy speed” on the speedometer. One tip is that if you are riding your bike above 60 kmph, engage the top gear. This ensures steady and smooth fuel consumption. Try to practice defensive biking techniques. This can be best achieved by riding between 40 and 55 kmph. Try to stay calm in critical situations, avoiding over-speeding.

5. Carburettor issues

While bike driving, ensure that all the components are in perfect working order, especially, the carburettor. In case it is covered with dust and dirt or remains tuned, heavy petrol loss is on the cards. Therefore, you must frequently re-tune the carburettor either manually or electronically, and maintain cleanliness.

6. Check tyre pressure

You must ensure to check the tyre pressure frequently to avoid tyre burst. If the tyre has low pressure, it will consume more power for running. This implies enhanced engine load, thus reducing the resulting mileage of the vehicle concerned.

Maintaining the right tyre pressure is crucial for the overall performance and safety of your two-wheeler. Check out this article to know about the importance of maintaining optimum tyre pressure in two wheelers.

7. Check the fuel quality

The experts always advise checking the fuel quality and using exclusively the recommended variant. Strictly avoid using any sort of adulterated fuel and any type of fuel that is not recommended by the manufacturer. Under such circumstances, the fuel consumption becomes irregular, taking a toll on the health of the engine, resulting in rapid deterioration. Engine malfunction, safety issues, and component failure are some of the common issues that arise due to adulterated fuel. Some typical gases like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and oxides of nitrogen get emitted, resulting in significant air pollution. Try to avoid using multiple petrol stations and stick to one or two tried and tested ones.

8. Shaded parking

Although most of us consider it to be a myth, it is true. India, being a tropical country, the level of heat and humidity varies across the land. In most parts, we experience the scorching sun and clear sky. If you keep your bike parked in the open under the sun for long, a certain percentage of fuel gets evaporated. Although the percentage is meagre, open parking for long 7-8 hours out in the sun, must be strictly avoided. Such open parking, also affects the bike’s paint, resulting in chipping and lifting.

9. Chain lubrication

In case you use any road which is excessively covered with dust, sand, and dirt, you must frequently lubricate the chain. Due to lack of lubrication, the engine consumes more power for rotating the chain, thus absorbing an enhanced amount of petrol.

10. Check engine oil

Poor quality engine oil offers poor performance, reducing the overall mileage of the bike. Therefore, you must ensure to use only standard quality engine oil.

11. Ensure regular servicing of the bike

Punctual bike servicing plays an important role in maintaining the overall health and performance of the vehicle. It not only ensures the improvement of the engine's health, but it even improves the vehicle’s longevity. This eventually results in enjoying the optimum health and performance of the bike, offering optimum mileage. It is best to undergo servicing at least twice or thrice per year. Your mechanic will understand the situation best and implement the latest updates and alterations to achieve the best mileage and performance. The nature of servicing differs with the changing weather conditions. However, certain factors like checking the tyre conditions, air filter, levels of engine oils, chain condition, lubrication level, and clutch settings remains unaltered, irrespective of the season.

12. Alternating the products

Always remember to retain the original body parts of the concerned bike, during any modification. The original spares are exclusively manufactured in perfect sync with the performance of the engine. Altering these spares results in enhanced fuel consumption.

13. Bike modification

Bike modification is done not exclusively because of aesthetic purposes, like, changing the handlebars and seats, wheels or tires. Most of such custom components can either improve or deteriorate the fuel efficiency, affecting the bike’s overall performance. Implementing changes in the engine and the exhaust can impact the mileage. You must think about the long-term implications and then proceed with changing.

14. Keep it light

Weight is one of the vital factors that impact the bike’s mileage. Try to avoid adding additional accessories like saddlebags or chrome bars that increase the overall weight. To enjoy enhanced bike performance, try to keep the vehicle as light as possible.

Conclusion

Under the sky-high rise in fuel prices, it is extremely vital to ensure optimum performance of the bike, offering optimum bike efficiency. The above-mentioned tips and techniques are essential in this regard. However, while practising these steps, you must also ensure the maintenance of bike insurance to enjoy a safe and secured ride.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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