Z1B avg. MPG

on back country roads going between 70 to 80mph, over 250 miles, i averaged about 33mpg.
What do you thing, pretty normal?

Sounds a bit low, but depends a lot on wind resistance and rider weight.

I have a KZ 750 twin and in stock form it got about 60 mpg cruising at 60 mph, but when I avereged 70 - 75 mph, it dropped to 45 mpg. Wind resistance at high speed kills you and it's worse if you have an upright windshield.

That's about what I get on my 1974 Z1A ( 33 mpg ).
My right hand plays into my gas mileage too :whistle:
I have no idea what I could get.
It's like that old Tootsie Roll add, "how many licks does it take to get the the center? ... we may never know"
I like to crank on it too much. I've tried to stop it, honest I have, but I just can't stop myself!!

I avg. 34 mpg on my 1980 550 LTD with saddlebags. Of course, I can't keep my wrist out of it and cruise at around 75mph, about 5500-6000 rpm. When I first got the bike and was still kinda scared, I avg. 50-60 mpg cruising at 55mph with no saddlebags. The saddlebags (huge wind catchers) kill my gas mileage, but I ride 50 miles to work everyday rain or shine and need to carry stuff with me. Still better than driving my truck at 20mpg (and alot more fun).

Mileage in miles per gallon will vary by math alone. In the US a gallon is 4 liters; while here in Canada we see the gallon as 4.5 liters.
Posting in mpg should be qualified by at least stating whether it is a US or Imperial gallon.

If I recall, my 73 Z1 got around 40 mpg. But, in the early 70's, who kept track. Now, my KZ1100's get 38-40 around town and just about an even 50 on the highway......chris3

Not a Z1, but coming back from Americade on my KZ 550 LTD (With Windjammer fairing and bags, plus I'm just a biscuit over hefty...) averaging 60 MPH I got 54 MPG (US) :laugh:

That sounds about right for a Z1B. Newer KZs received leaner jetting. Your bike could benefit from some carb tweaking /jetting if you're really concerned about MPG.

Also jumping to a 16th countershaft sprocket will help the situation and is relatively inexpensive to do.

Wind / weather conditions & the all important right hand position can all play hell with fuel mileage.

no, I don't care that much about gas mileage but my plugs are always very sooty.
I have full power, through a relay going to the coils, the bike run great and i have rebuilt the carbs and the fuel level is spot on.
I have dyna coils and electronic ignition on it.
What I did notice is that i had resistor plugs, caps and wires.
I replaced the plugs by non resistor ones and I have orders some non resistance wires
We will see if that help the sooty issue

Best I can recall my 74 Z1 got in the low 40's. Gas was so cheap then you really didnt care like now. It was the brown & yellow one. I still own 2 73 Z1's. Had to sell it, the thing was trying to kill me going thru a drunken divorce. Maybe it was me tryig to kill me, who knows

luc wrote:

no, I don't care that much about gas mileage but my plugs are always very sooty.
I have full power, through a relay going to the coils, the bike run great and i have rebuilt the carbs and the fuel level is spot on.
I have dyna coils and electronic ignition on it.
What I did notice is that i had resistor plugs, caps and wires.
I replaced the plugs by non resistor ones and I have orders some non resistance wires
We will see if that help the sooty issue

I'm sorry. I thought the original posting was asking gas mileage:dry:
Sounds like you are running too rich. Have you cleaned or adjusted the carbs yet?

luc wrote:

no, I don't care that much about gas mileage but my plugs are always very sooty.
I have full power, through a relay going to the coils, the bike run great and i have rebuilt the carbs and the fuel level is spot on.
I have dyna coils and electronic ignition on it.
What I did notice is that i had resistor plugs, caps and wires.
I replaced the plugs by non resistor ones and I have orders some non resistance wires
We will see if that help the sooty issue

It won't.