The average motorcycle gets about 40-80 MPG, which means that many of them have a very good fuel range. The most fuel-efficient motorcycles are lightweight 50-125cc bikes, as they can even reach 90-150 MPG. In contrast, 600-1300cc sportbikes may offer an amazing performance and top speed, but these benefits also result in poor fuel consumption. In most cases, you can expect to get 30-50 MPG on these types of motorcycles.
But as you will see, aside from engine displacement, how much fuel a motorcycle consumes depends on many other factors like its engine type, weight, and design.
If you would like to find out more about motorcycle fuel economy, this post is for you.
We at PowerSportsGuide have done the research and gathered the basics on this topic, as well as the average motorcycle MPG numbers into one chart!
How Much Fuel Does a Motorcycle Use?
The fuel consumption of a motorcycle depends on several factors, but the most important ones are as follows:
- The type, features, and condition of the motorcycle
- Engine type (2-stroke/4-stroke), displacement, and performance
- Carburetion type (carbureted/fuel injected)
- Cooling system (air-cooled/liquid-cooled)
- The features of the transmission and drivetrain
- The size and type of its tires
- The curb weight and load of the bike
- Your riding style
- Where you ride (city/highway/off-road)
- Environmental conditions (temperature, wind, altitude, humidity, etc.)
As you see, many of these factors can vary from one ride to the next. Therefore, it’s impossible to give exact fuel economy numbers for each motorcycle.
However, if we compare the MPG figures of different models head-to-head, it’s clear that their fuel economy strongly depends on its displacement and performance.
The general rule is that the performance of a motorcycle is inversely proportional to its fuel consumption. This means that the more power a motorcycle has the less fuel-efficient it is.
Besides the displacement, the cooling system and type of engine also matter. Many lightweight motorcycles and dirt bikes are still powered with 2-stroke engines, which are far less fuel-efficient compared to their 4-stroke siblings.
For example, 4-stroke 125cc street motorcycles typically get 80-120 MPG, while you can expect about 30-50 MPG on a 125cc, 2-stroke dirt bike.
But as dirt bikes are usually ridden or trails instead of long distances, their fuel consumption is measured in GPH (gallons per hour) instead of MPG.
Because of this, in this article, we’re going to focus on the fuel economy of street motorcycles. Without further ado, let’s compare the average motorcycle MPG figures by category of the engine!
Motorcycle MPG Chart
For your convenience, we’ve gathered the most popular engine categories into one motorcycle MPG chart. Keep in mind that the chart only refers to street motorcycles, as the fuel economy of dirt bikes is typically measured in GPH.
| Motorcycle category (cc) | Average MPG |
| 50 | 100-150 |
| 125 | 90-130 |
| 250 | 50-100 |
| 300-500 | 50-80 |
| 600 | 30-50 |
| 750 | 30-80 |
| 1000 | 30-50 |
These numbers are for general informational purposes only!
Since there are so many different bikes out there, you may find some with better or even worse MPG numbers in any given category.
However, we’ve done extensive research and found that the majority of motorcycles fall into these MPG ranges.
So, if you are looking for some hard numbers for motorcycle fuel economy by engine category, this chart can be a good starting point for you.
Let’s move on and take a closer look at the average MPG figures of the most popular motorcycle categories!
How Many MPG Does a Motorcycle Get?
How Many MPG Does a 125cc Bike Get?
As a rule of thumb, 125cc motorcycles get 90-130 MPG depending on the make and model. Thanks to their small-displacement, motorcycles with single-cylinder engines are much more fuel-efficient than their more powerful brothers. On the other hand, they are less powerful as this class typically only offers 10-15 HP.
As a reference, here are some MPG numbers in the 125cc category:
- Honda Grom: 134 MPG
- Benelli Tornado Naked T 125: 110 MPG
- Honda CBF125: 100-120 MPG
- Yamaha YZF-R125: 100-110 MPG
How Many MPG Does a 250cc Motorcycle Get?
250cc motorcycles typically get 50-100 MPG, meaning that these models are significantly less fuel-efficient than the 125cc class. According to Cycleworld, you can expect about 70 MPG on average with a 250cc sportbike and 63 MPG on average with a dual-sport bike in the same class.
Some popular models in the 250cc engine class:
- Honda CBR250R: 60-80 MPG
- Honda CRF250L: 60-80 MPG
- Yamaha YZF-R25: 60-70 MPG
- Kawasaki KLX250S: 50-70 MPG
Fuel Consumption of 300-500cc Motorcycles
As you can find many different models in this category, the fuel economy of 300-500cc motorcycles varies widely. However, based on our research most of these bikes get an MPG of 50 to 80. One of the most fuel-efficient 300cc motorcycle is the Honda Rebel 300, as it gets a remarkable 70-80 MPG. Its bigger brother with a 500cc engine option can still get 60 MPG.
Other examples:
- KTM 390 Duke: 50-60 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 500: 50-60 MPG
- Honda CBR300R: 60-70 MPG
- BMW G310GS: 65-75 MPG
- Honda CBR500R: 70-80 MPG
How Many MPG Does a 600cc Motorcycle Get?
The general rule is that a 600cc motorcycle gets 30-50 MPG depending on its engine power. The less fuel-efficient 600cc motorcycles are sportbikes with four-cylinder inline engines. The performance of these bikes can reach 80-130 HP, which results in poor fuel economy. Unfortunately, you can’t expect much better MPG figures from 600cc touring or dual-sport motorcycles either.
Examples:
- Suzuki GSX-R600: 30-40 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R: 30-50 MPG
- Benelli TNT 600GT: 40-50 MPG
- Yamaha FZS600: 45-55 MPG
How Many MPG Does a 750cc Motorcycle Get?
If you are looking for a bigger bike that is also fuel-efficient, you should take a look at the 650-950cc category. Many of these bikes are powered by twin-cylinder engines, which means less power and better fuel consumption. For instance, many 750cc motorcycles have a fuel economy of 60-80 MPG. On the other hand, 4-cylinder, 750cc sportbikes have the same MPG figures as the 600cc class, which means about 30-50 MPG.
On the other end of the spectrum, you find the super fuel-efficient Honda NC750X, which can get as much as 80 MPG! Some other MPG figures in this class are as follows:
- BMW F750GS: 60-70 MPG
- Honda NC750X: 70-80 MPG
- Honda X-ADV 750: 60-70 MPG
- Suzuki GSX-R 750: 30-50 MPG
How Many MPG Does a 1000cc Motorcycle Get?
Just like in the 600cc category, many 1000cc motorcycles are powered by 4-cylinder inline engines, which can produce an amazing 120-200 HP. This performance means incredible acceleration and very poor fuel consumption. Although the majority of the 1000cc motorcycles have a fuel economy of 30-50 MPG, if you ride one of these heavy sportbikes hard, it probably won’t get more than 30-35 MPG.
It also has to be mentioned that 1000cc bikes can be even more fuel-efficient than 600cc bikes on highways, thanks to the lower engine load. As a reference we’ve listed some 1000cc motorcycles’ MPG figures:
- Yamaha YZFR1: 30-40 MPG
- Honda CRB1000RR: 30-40 MPG
- Suzuki GSX-S1000F: 35-50 MPG
- BMW S1000XR: 30-50 MPG
MPG of Cruiser Motorcycles
Don’t forget about cruiser motorcycles as these machines are very popular in the US. These bikes are typically powered by 500-1500cc engines, which deliver 80-100 HP. Fuel economy? Simply put, 500-1000cc cruiser motorcycles get around 50-70 MPG, while you can expect to get 30-50 MPG on 1000+cc cruisers.
Some examples of cruiser bike MPG figures:
- Harley-Davidson Street 500: 65 MPG
- Harley-Davidson Iron 883: 50 MPG
- Harley-Davidson Street Rod (750cc): 55 MPG
- Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle (1250cc): 30-40 MPG
Which Motorcycles Get the Best Gas Mileage?
As a rule of thumb, the smaller the engine of the motorcycle the better gas mileage it gets. That’s why the most fuel-efficient motorcycles are the smallest lightweight bikes with 50-125cc engines. Many of these tiny machines can reach an outstanding 100-150 MPG. On the other hand, they lack power as their engines produce no more than 15 HP.
If you are considering buying something more powerful but still looking for a fuel-efficient bike, you should take a look at lightweight and middleweight models with 250-500cc, single or twin-cylinder engines.
The engines of these motorcycles produce a reasonable 25-60 HP, which is more than enough for the average rider. Despite this, they are light on gas as these bikes get 50-80 MPG. This is why they are considered to be great commuter bikes!
The Least Fuel-Efficient Motorcycles
On the other end of the spectrum, you find the extraordinary cruisers with oversized engines.
The least fuel-efficient motorcycles on the market are Boss-Hoss cruisers, as their fuel economy is as low as 20-30 MPG. These giant bikes are powered by incredible 6000-7500cc, 400-600 HP engines, which is why they are so thirsty! But thanks to their 8.5-gallon fuel tank you don’t have to stop very often to refuel.
Are Motorcycles Fuel Efficient?
Yes, it’s safe to say that motorcycles are very fuel-efficient compared to other vehicles. This is because they are significantly lighter than cars, trucks and other vehicles and have much smaller engines that power them. The low engine power and weight figures result in much better fuel economy. The other key advantage of motorcycles is their narrow body, which greatly reduces air resistance, leading to better fuel economy.
How do You Calculate Fuel Consumption for a Motorcycle?
In the United States, motorcycle’s fuel economy is measured in miles per gallon (MPG). As the name implies, to get the MPG of a motorcycle you have to divide the number of ridden miles by the number of gallons of gas you used to refill the fuel tank. If you want to calculate the fuel consumption of your motorcycle just follow these eight simple steps:
- Fill the fuel tank of your bike all the way up (until the pump shuts off).
- Reset the odometer.
- Ride your bike until you need to refuel.
- Fill the tank up again (until the pump shuts off).
- Record the number of gallons of gas it took to re-fill the tank.
- Record the ridden miles on the odometer.
- Divide the number of miles by the number of gallons.
- To get an average just repeat this process a couple of times.
So again, if you want to calculate a motorcycle’s fuel consumption, all you need are the number of ridden miles and the number of gallons of gas you needed to refill the tank on your bike. The general formula to calculate a motorcycle’s MPG is:
Motorcycle MPG = Traveled Distance (miles) ÷ Amount of Gas Used to Refuel (gallons)
For example, if you’ve ridden 160 miles and it took 4 gallons to refill the fuel tank, this means the fuel economy of your motorcycle is 160 (miles) ÷ 4 (gallons) = 40 MPG (miles per gallon).
Related Questions
How Many MPG Does a Kawasaki Ninja Get?
Kawasaki Ninja motorcycles get 35-90 MPG depending on the model. The fuel economy figures for each Ninja model are as follows:
- Kawasaki Ninja 125: 70-90 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 250: 60-70 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 300: 55-60 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 400: 40-60 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 500: 50-60 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 600: 30-50 MPG
- Kawasaki Ninja 1000: 35-45 MPG
How Many MPG Does a Suzuki GSXR 600 get?
The legendary Suzuki GSX-R600 has a fuel economy of 30-40 MPG. This powerful sportbike features a 4.5-gallon fuel tank, which means you can get around 120-140 miles before you need to refuel.
How many MPG does a Honda Shadow 750 get?
Depending on its year and the exact type, a Honda Shadow 750 gets 45-60 MPG.
Conclusion – What is the Average MPG for a Motorcycle?
Based on our research, the average motorcycle gets 40-80 MPG. The most fuel-efficient bikes on the market are powered with 50-125cc engines and can reach an outstanding 100-150 MPG. In contrast, the least fuel-efficient models are typically the 4-cylinder, 600-1300cc sportbikes as many of them get only 30-50 MPG.
And, we can’t forget to mention the huge cruisers manufactured by Boss-Hoss, as these motorcycles only get 20-30 MPG because of their oversized 6000-7500cc engines!
References:
https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/MotorcycleFuelEconomyGuide/best-scooter-MPG
https://www.cycleworld.com/2013/02/27/small-displacement-motorcycle-mileage
https://tap.fremontmotors.com/trusted-auto-professionals/calculate-gas-mileage#.YASeuHZKjnw
