recent purchase, 1998 v-max 500xtc , 1999 v-max 500. both stock, good condition, 3000 and 4000 miles. I cleaned carbs twice. removed and cleaned up clutches on one, other one good. Main problem, 7 miles per gallon. any ideas appreciated.
sleddineinar
VIP Member
Those aren't known for the best mileage, especially the 500s.
A couple of bucks
VIP Member
somewhere around 7 on both sleds ?
My 96 600 average's 8.5 mpg,but I thought I saw somewere the 500's were worse than the 600's
thanks. so I think I'm saving up for a four stroke
peisnowguy
New member
About all you can do is make sure your float level in your carbs is set right. Another thing I found is to make sure the oil injection is set right. That is much worse than mine though, but have seen some around that. I'm still trying to get mine to a manageable level too, but so far have not found the secret. A clutch setup change might help too. The better it performs the more likely it will be easier on gas. I've slated mine for some clutching changes over the Summer.
rx1jim
New member
OK, you say you have cleaned the clutches but have you checked all the components for wear? If the bushings in the rollers or weigths have a lot of clearance, the clutch system will be inefficient. How is the track alignment and tension? A poorly aligned and tight track will hurt gas mileage. i suggest you check over all the service points covered in the manual, often it is the combination of items that result in poor performance and poor mileage.