[Mooremj]

I have never towed a trailer on a wing. How does this impact the MPG?

 

[Pooch]

Yes, how will depend on a lot of things. Your speed, load, 1 or 2up any headwinds, or if you're lucky an tailwind.

 

[BASSNMAN]

2up 72 -75 mph towing my Bushtec I get about 30- 33 mpg, otherwise on the slab w/o the trailer maybe 38mpg, backroads 41mpg..

 

[kwthom]

It drops -as Pooch said, it can vary quite a bit.

A 10% drop (3.5 MPG) to 15% (5.2 MPG) has been my typical value of fuel economy reduction - and corresponding range reduction.

 

[Wild Turkey]

goes from 40 to about 35

 

[Michigan Wing]

I rode 6k miles from Michigan to California and back. My average showing on the bike was 40.3mpg. I was only two up for about 300 miles but always had the trailer. Most of the miles were interstate. I use the cruise and ride in tour mode.

 

[obwan]

2008 wing, 37-40. Fully loaded and 2 up. Anywhere from 70- to 85 mph.

 

[bstroh59]

2up 72 -75 mph towing my Bushtec I get about 30- 33 mpg, otherwise on the slab w/o the trailer maybe 38mpg, backroads 41mpg..

About the same here, but I ride 1 up with a heavy loaded Aspen camper, and get 32 -34. I've gone as low as 30 with headwinds and running 75.

I've gotten as high as 53 - 54 on 2 lanes running at about 60, with few stops without the trailer or bags.

 

[wingman05]

One-up towing a Bushtec over 650 miles recently, traveling the Interstates at 65-75 MPH, I averaged 39 MPG.

 

[DDL]

Mileage difference towing or not depends on the bike, the trailer design, and all of the other items mentioned above. With my 2010 and the ZZ trailer I had for 2 years, my mileage was the same towing or not towing (200-350 lbs. gross). This ended up being the same results towing my Tailwind (same gross weight). Also, the guy that did the e-glass molding for my new Tailwind was very insistent that his bike got a few MPG's better while towing a Tailwind than without (no faring or anything aerodynamic on his bike). Having a fair understanding of aerodynamics, I have no reason to doubt the claim. I cannot answer for my 2018 yet as I have not pulled the Tailwind with it yet. But with a real OD gear finally, I cannot see having a significant drop if any at all while towing my Tailwind. Unable and unwilling to test with a ZZ trailer (mine had a catastrophic failure due to design mistakes; and why I have a Tailwind now).

 

[gravedigger]

A loaded Escapade trailer (heavy) costs me about eight miles per gallon, or roughly 20% fuel cost increase.

Joe

.

 

[gravedigger]

Without a trailer it is difficult to pack enough for a long tour. You end up staying in hotels more often, so the trailer gives you less MPGs, but it also lets you bring camping gear so you can camp in the National Parks and elsewhere. so it is a trade off. What you spend on fuel, you will save on hotel bills.

Joe

.

 

[hojo in SC]

These are the stats from my 2008 Wing;

Without Trailer I had 140 data points (filled up 140 times)
MPG: 39.4


WITH Bushtec Trailer I had 56 data points (filled up 56 times)
MPG: 37.2



So I had a 5.5% loss in mpg but pulling the trailer was with being 2-up and fully loaded. Conversely, a lot of the data points without a trailer I was solo, and out of the 140 rides, only 33 were 2-up (23%).


I haven't gone on a trip with my trailer behind the '18 yet.

 

[JoeHall]

These are the stats from my 2008 Wing;

Without Trailer I had 140 data points (filled up 140 times)
MPG: 39.4


WITH Bushtec Trailer I had 56 data points (filled up 56 times)
MPG: 37.2



So I had a 5.5% loss in mpg but pulling the trailer was with being 2-up and fully loaded. Conversely, a lot of the data points without a trailer I was solo, and out of the 140 rides, only 33 were 2-up (23%).


I haven't gone on a trip with my trailer behind the '18 yet.

What was your average speed, re: the above data?

 

[Roadie]

These are the stats from my 2008 Wing;

Without Trailer I had 140 data points (filled up 140 times)
MPG: 39.4


WITH Bushtec Trailer I had 56 data points (filled up 56 times)
MPG: 37.2



So I had a 5.5% loss in mpg but pulling the trailer was with being 2-up and fully loaded. Conversely, a lot of the data points without a trailer I was solo, and out of the 140 rides, only 33 were 2-up (23%).


I haven't gone on a trip with my trailer behind the '18 yet.

I pretty much had the same results with my 2003 pulling my Bushtec two up at speeds under 70mph..above 70 and the engine really started drinking the fuel. Riding two up never really made a difference with the fuel mileage...my low fuel light would come on most times at 209 miles riding solo or two up on my 03 riding at legal speeds.

This 2018 does much better with or without pulling a trailer. Its easily in the mid 40's and I've seen 50 mpg on some legs of my trip while pulling my Bushtec on the Blue Ridge...the best my 03 ever got pulling my Bushtec on the Blue Ridge was 40mpg. The highest mileage I've seen with my 2018 without the trailer was 54 mpg.

 

[hojo in SC]

What was your average speed, re: the above data?

Pulling a trailer through Yellowstone I was getting 48 mpg, doing 80 mph I only got 32 mpg, going 70 with it being windy enough for me to make a note that it was very high winds, I got 40 mpg.


Most of my solo riding was going to work with most being on the freeway at 70 mph.

 

[laen]

I get 42 mpg without a trailer but ride lively & in SPORT sometimes

 

[JoeHall]

Pulling a trailer through Yellowstone I was getting 48 mpg, doing 80 mph I only got 32 mpg, going 70 with it being windy enough for me to make a note that it was very high winds, I got 40 mpg.


Most of my solo riding was going to work with most being on the freeway at 70 mph.

Thanks, but I was asking about your 2008.

 

[hojo in SC]

Thanks, but I was asking about your 2008.

When I get on the freeway I set the cruise to 70 mph and the '08 speedo is off so it's actually like 66 mph. When I get to twisties I am very aggressive but I don't get to twisties too often.

 

[JoeHall]

When I get on the freeway I set the cruise to 70 mph and the '08 speedo is off so it's actually like 66 mph. When I get to twisties I am very aggressive but I don't get to twisties too often.

At 68-69 MPH, my 2008 will stay just above 40 MPG. At 70-71, it drops to just below 40. As speed goes up from there, the MPG continues to drop proportionately. At 75-80, it drops to 36-37.

Another variable is cold weather and winter blend gas. During winter, the MPG drops to low-mid 30s at best, regardless of speed. I have heard the winter blend involves aeration, and even on cool days with summer gas, it drops a bit.

Thanks