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Top 20 Longest Range Motorcycles

So Africa Twin and 1250 GS both get 577 km on a tank. Nice, very respectful for 100+ horsepower, 500+ pound beasts. And KTM with few bikes on the list. But, well, actually. :D
Honda CB125F has 11 liter tank and sips only 1.5 per 100 km. That gives it 665 km range. And it only takes half the amount of fuel to fill the tank, so you get 1330 km for the same money. You and 7 of your friends, if consider the purchase price of the bike.

This is nice to know even if these numbers are theoretical. At a higher speed, in a great headwind, uphill all the way, the distance is halved. Going slow, with tailwind and downhill you can go twice as far.
Reminds me of something a friend said long time ago, after having been almost 500 km from home with a large tear in the rear tire, having to be at work early next morning, the tear being held together with the last of the glue and slowly leaking. "When you really baby the throttle, the mileage on a CBR 1000 RR is incredible."

But the thing is that no one rides their bike until it runs out of fuel, and then starts to look for fuel station. Most modern bikes have fuel gauges and low fuel lights. These come on when 1/4 to 1/3 is left in the tank. I consider that the practical range. My CRF Rally, with a 12 liter tank, only takes 8 liters if I fill it up right after the fuel light comes on. Since it uses over 3 liters per 100 km I consider the practical range only 250 km instead of almost 400 km. Unless I fill the Camel tank too.
 
Not sure why our 125 market is so limited. My gen3 can get 62 mpg and has 6 gallons. Probably the longest range bike I have owned.
 
Fuel weight is IMO your enemy and where that big old 500+ mile tank sits traditional, is where i would rather have a 250 mile tank and tank bag/ bags .
Just fill up at gas stations , i need to urinate eat and fart about every 250 miles . and if i ever found myself with more than 250 miles between available fuel then i might A review if i really wanted/ needed to be in that place / area of the world at all, or B at that point i would look at carrying fuel which i would not like doing but necessity is the mother of invention as they say.
I think the weight of four or five gallon is enough to have sat over the top tube of a bike frame, and if i must do 500+ miles then i would look into more economy like run a small cc bike say a 125 or 200 perhaps. one other aspect i firmly believe the bike world has seriously missed out on is Diesel and more important turbo diesel.
In ADV bikes you got torque longevity and good MPG and i for one would opt for any loss in ultimate hp any day given diesels positive aspects. In my opinion of course. YOMV
 
6 gallons is alot of fuel. But I can keep the tank half full and still ride 180 miles. I thought most diesel builds were in Europe. I have messed with the idea. We can get cheap industrial diesels. And backyard builders use diesel for offroad projects. My atv tire bikes really sip fuel per hour vs mileage. Also horizontals are the best in the states. Honda or clone for street use.
 
I think I can knock out a hair over 200 miles on my DR.

Harley has me trained that after 100 to start looking for a gas station, heh.
 
Danno said:
Not sure why our 125 market is so limited. My gen3 can get 62 mpg and has 6 gallons. Probably the longest range bike I have owned.
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I'm not talking smack against smaller cc bikes because if they're light that is a big advantage. But my XR400, XL500S both got 65ish mpg is dual sport/zipping down the highway mode. Giving up big bore power to go 125 is a hard sell on fuel mileage.
 
Shinyribs said:
I'm not talking smack against smaller cc bikes because if they're light that is a big advantage. But my XR400, XL500S both got 65ish mpg is dual sport/zipping down the highway mode. Giving up big bore power to go 125 is a hard sell on fuel mileage.
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My vino, some scooters and stock clone would get 130mpg without stop signs. My xt225 ridden light, my modded clone 90mpg plus. My vino in traffic could drop to 60. But my efi klr on backroads with 2up and gear is a touch over 60mpg. While replicating a gravelwing tourbike. My 2 stroke 50s were 60 to 80mpg. A cm200 was 60 but it sounded great wringing it. The clone ct70 was 125mpg till slight mods..then 100mpg but cruise was an easy 45 plus. My current stock tw200 seems to be over 70 but gearing and jetting could boost either way. My fz6r was kinda stable around 50mpg even at 75mph but gearing would help. When I got a 2017 hyundai elantra 6 speed manual knocking back 50mpg at 80 mph...it obsoleted half my bikes! The worst was my rxv550 around 35mpg but well worth it! My 883 sporty romping..35mpg but could almost get 55mpg plus riding normal. Vstar1300...same bit!
 
The xt225 at 75mph still got 65mpg or better. And more than the klr
 
ZoomerP said:
This seems to be forgotten during discussions about oversized tanks. I don't fill the 5 gallon tank unless I think having that much fuel on board makes sense at the time. Otherwise, the extra weight of the tank isn't very significant, and I don't have to bother with fuel bottles & bags when I want more range.
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The gen3 klr is a pig. The only way to decrease weight easily is ride below half a tank. It matters most juat pushing the bike aound. I think the s model might be impressive. I am only 5'9" on a 2022. There was some rake trail with wheelbase changes...kawi was kinda swift in adressing this. I haven't ridden an s model..but the specs do seem to address some issues while the ergos might even be more ideal. The bars stayed the same but pegs and seat dropped. So xt225 seat height and 6 gallon tank! I think tank size led to fuel pump failures. And I use twc3 because of refresh! Half a tank is three 2up 50 mile rides. And that is the purpose of the bike. Ha..it worked. She loves the klr. But we never ride over 150 miles in a day.
 
Danno said:
6 gallons is alot of fuel. But I can keep the tank half full and still ride 180 miles. I thought most diesel builds were in Europe. I have messed with the idea. We can get cheap industrial diesels. And backyard builders use diesel for offroad projects. My atv tire bikes really sip fuel per hour vs mileage. Also horizontals are the best in the states. Honda or clone for street use.
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Seen some euro diesels VW19 TDI and XUD 19 citroen fours, Good engines but heavy.
The 3 cylinder PD 1422 TDI is a bit lighter its like a 19 four with a pot sawn off weight wise but its still heavy enough in a bike.
Enfield made a few diesels had a HATZ engine in them, was ok but possibly a bit underpowered for two up.
I very nearly got a diesel bike built in the mid 90s it was a 30s/40s girder forked rigid rear 125/150/ 200( Villiers type motors) exselsior frame wheelsc and tank with a farryman single cylinder diesel running through a pre unit bsa box , i acctualy had it built running in the frame had a seat rear brake and only needed exhaust some air filteration making and detail stuff which needed more time than i wanted to spend on it, i bunged it in an auction at a local fam i often regret not finishing it it rode quite well up the lane. :lol2.
 
matty said:
Seen some euro diesels VW19 TDI and XUD 19 citroen fours, Good engines but heavy.
The 3 cylinder PD 1422 TDI is a bit lighter its like a 19 four with a pot sawn off weight wise but its still heavy enough in a bike.
Enfield made a few diesels had a HATZ engine in them, was ok but possibly a bit underpowered for two up.
I very nearly got a diesel bike built in the mid 90s it was a 30s/40s girder forked rigid rear 125/150/ 200( Villiers type motors) exselsior frame wheelsc and tank with a farryman single cylinder diesel running through a pre unit bsa box , i acctualy had it built running in the frame had a seat rear brake and only needed exhaust some air filteration making and detail stuff which needed more time than i wanted to spend on it, i bunged it in an auction at a local fam i often regret not finishing it it rode quite well up the lane. :lol2.
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Cool! I.have a 6 speed gearbox and softail chassis but our diesel selection is limited. It makes more sense for atv tire bike for offroad. Either jackshaft or cvt would work. The enfield and bsa parts bikes always looked nice. There are a few full size bikes in the US but it has been years since I have seen a pic. I think Kubota and the John Deer twin were used. But gokarts and minibike builders use the small engines.


Seems to work ok..there were a few others
 
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Mileage also depends on fuel quality. If I run non-ethanol in my GSA I get 50+ mpg's whereas if I put corn on the cob in the tank, I get 42-44 mpg's. In Europe there is less ethanol, if any, in the gas although it is rearing it ugly head there too...
I personally do ride 250-300 miles at a clip or else I am perpetually stuck in Florida.. :lol3 So for me having an 8 gallon tank is bliss as I have a choice wether to fill it up all the way or not depending on where I ride..
 
FLrider said:
Mileage also depends on fuel quality. If I run non-ethanol in my GSA I get 50+ mpg's whereas if I put corn on the cob in the tank, I get 42-44 mpg's. In Europe there is less ethanol, if any, in the gas although it is rearing it ugly head there too...
I personally do ride 250-300 miles at a clip or else I am perpetually stuck in Florida.. :lol3 So for me having an 8 gallon tank is bliss as I have a choice wether to fill it up all the way or not depending on where I ride..
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You get the same fuel just the shit loads of ethinol is there to pad out to the gallon in volume in the lame excuse as an octaine boostering elimentaly. in reallity your finds tell the real story you get less because they simply gave you less, only bit you did get was the volume nothing else worthwhile. I dethanolise pump fuel for trials two strokes and it works out expensive for a real gallon of proper fuel. so annoying.
 
I wouldn't mind one of these
SommerDieselmotorrad-2011-02.jpg
 
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