Originally published at: Motorcycle with modded tank gets 2,599.7 miles on a single 28.5 gallon fueling | Boing Boing
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I’m not sure if it was legal to drive this modded thing through Germany, but I bet someone on the German part of the internet will know and possibly sue.
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Isn’t the 91 miles per gallon significantly less than the 169 miles per gallon? Is it accommodating the larger gas tank that lowers the mileage?
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I see they got a one-armed rider, to further save weig… what’s that? That black V on his helmet is actually him flashing a peace sign? I withdraw my comments.
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Some back of the envelope calculations:
Weight of Motorcycle (Honda Monkey): 231_Lbs.
Max capacity of Motorcycle: +229_Lbs
Weight of 1 gallon of fuel: 6.1_Lbs/gallon
Capacity of stock fuel tank: 1.5_gallons
Weight of fuel in stock tank: 9.2_Lbs
Remain useful weight capacity of motorcycle: 220_Lbs
Weight of new fuel tank (empty): 33.5_Lbs
Capacity of new fuel tank: 30_gallons
Weight of fuel in new tank: 183_Lbs
Weight of new fuel tank (full): 216_Lbs
Remain useful weight capacity of motorcycle: 13_Lbs
Note that the weight of the new tank (with fuel) is nearly equal to the recommended maximum carrying weight of the motorcycle, so the weight of any rider is already exceeding the maximum carrying weight of the vehicle. Hopefully they chose the smallest/lightest team member to drive this journey.
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Could be the larger tank, but I think it has more to do with how much more gas is being lugged around.
The stock Honda Monkey has a 1.506 gallon tank. Gasoline weighs approximately 6 lbs/gallon, so about 9.036 lbs of gas. This all tank model holds 28.5 gallons x 6 lbs = 171 lbs.
A difference of 161.964 lbs
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Maybe Monkey²
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Meself (then young, dumb, and weighing ~160lb | ~75kg) tried riding a 55cc Honda motorbike across the USA. It crapped-out early, and not from lack of fuel or a weight overload.
ProTips: get a bike with a larger engine; suck up the fuel cost; avoid the fast lane; beware pickup trucks with cattle horns as hood ornaments.
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This is why it is a good idea to put some money into the suspension system. In terms of safety and longevity upgrades to your front forks and rear wheel to suit the load is well advised. Fat people, tall people, and very small people often modify their motorcycles and bicycles for this reason.
I was going to say the exact same thing, that’s almost a 50% reduction in mileage.
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It looks like it was German registered.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtYKaVFNgc3/?hl=en-gb
The subframe required to support all that tank is quite substantial.
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Always time to try again!: https://scootercannonball.com/
Friend of a friend just entered on a Vespa. Not sure if he finished or not.
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I hope they put some gas stabilizer in that tank.
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Ride a MoPed, that’s a motorbike with pedals. Switch off the little engine and propel thyself with feet for better fuel mileage.
My first motor scooter in Rome when I was a kid was a moped, a Piaggio. You absolutely cannot pedal them for long, though. You’d get further on that square-wheeled bike that was posted earlier.
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My older cousin rode his Vespa across the USA, west to east. What a perv!
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