At Tk89 per litre for Octane- 95 gasoline, riding around with your bike can be hard on your wallet now and as motorbikes in Bangladesh are still only 165cc at max, the ceiling restricts you from going above a certain mileage.
Riding a bike instead of a car is beneficial in many ways and fuel economy is one of the major factors to why most people opt for a two-wheeler, instead of a car.
Bikes on average can tread 30 kilometres with only a litre of fuel, but if you ride more carefully, you can get more from a litre.
Speed is the main factor when it comes to maintaining low fuel consumption. If you speed or rev too much, your bike will naturally consume fuel coherently. So maintaining a steady speed is important. If you drop speed quickly and accelerate really fast, your bike is likely to consume more fuel, and it is definitely not an economical way.
On the other hand, if you can maintain a steady speed, your bike will consume less fuel. Give only as much gas as required for the bike to stay steady at mid-speed. Roads inside the capital call for 40km/h to 70km/h and anything above that should be considered excess. Highways call for a bit more- 80-90 km/h.
Tire pressure is traction. If it is lower than it should be, then the bike will consume more fuel. One should check for the company recommended tire pressure on a weekly basis. A bike with lower tire pressure than recommended will feel heavy and off-balance. The tire will have more grip on the road and the bike will lack torque.
The drive chain also needs to be adjusted so that energy from the engine isn’t lost during transfer. A loose drive chain will miss and damage the sprockets.
Try to maintain low emission levels, and to do this, keep your spark plugs and air filter clean. Make sure the engine oil isn’t more than that which is recommended. And that you are not using adulterated fuel.
Hacks to stop fuel loss
- Try not to run the bike on a lower gear for a long time; the high revs will drain more fuel from the tank.
- Parking under the sun will also vaporize your fuel from the tank. Always look for a shade whenever you’re parking.
- Sometimes we place our foot on top of the brake pedal for emergency braking. However, we may subconsciously press down on the pedal while the bike is moving. This will result in fuel loss.
- Switch off the engine if you’re in traffic for more than 30 seconds and since traffic is inevitable in Dhaka, avoid moving through traffic at high rpm.
- Don’t cover the front of the bike with a kit. This will decrease your bike's chances of cooling, and higher temperature means more fuel consumption.
A bike is the best commuting option for someone who commutes long distances every day. It not only saves money but also saves a lot of time. Bikes consume minimal fuel and can be turned into a much bigger saver if you use some simple hacks and maintenance tricks. Saving fuel and riding economically is easy.
Some important factors play a huge role when it comes to saving fuel. Such as:
Servicing
Bike servicing is important for optimum efficiency from your bike. Tune your bike every month depending on your usage, and you will save your engine from damage and reduce fuel consumption. Make sure the engine oil is changed when required, the chain is lubricated, and the coolants replaced.
Overriding your clutch
Using the clutch too much will cause excessive fuel consumption. Overriding the clutch will decrease the longevity of the clutch. Go smooth on the clutch and engine break every now and then to prevent from using the clutch too much. However, timing is important when your engine breaks. If your downshifts are faulty, it will affect the clutch plates and pressure plates.
Gears
Change gears smoothly and quickly to avoid engine damage. Don’t over-rev the gears, max-out before changing to another gear. Leave some room between the gears with premature shifting. A 150 cc bike can go up to 60 km/h while in third gear. Stretching it beyond that would be considered over-revving.
Look for roads with low traffic
Traffic is a major fuel burner as it also puts stress on your engine and gears. Use GPS to find shortcuts and roads with less traffic. The GPS can not only save time but also save money on fuel.
Saving money doesn’t mean that it is going to ruin your riding experience. There is much pleasure in a smooth economically beneficial ride. Neither is economical riding making you a slow rider. You only need necessary speeding, anything above that would be considered immaturity. This article is intended to help you list and organize the dos of riding economically, and it has served its purpose.
