As probably everyone on this forum knows, motorcycles manufactured from year 2009 onwards must have fuel-injection rather than carburetors. I asked a motorcycle dealer about it, and he says that this was done to improve fuel economy. I’m just wondering if there are any informed opinions out there on whether or not fuel injection really delivers better mileage, and if so, about how much (percentagewise) improvement can we hope to see. I just bought a carburetor bike (Sym 150cc Wild Wolf) a couple of months ago, so I’m not planning on ditching it, but I’m considering getting another bike for my wife. I could still probably get one of the carburetor models (though they are fast disappearing from dealer’s stock), but maybe the fuel-injection is really worthwhile.
I know that FI bikes are more efficient and produce lower emissions. My mate’s just priced up a new scooter and the FI version of the same SYM RX110 is $9000 more expensive. I don’t have any figures to back this up, but I can’t see the FI bike being so much more efficient that the money saved on fuel will add up to $9000 in less than ten years. Given the same choice, I’d take the carb bike every time.
I personally prefer carbs on bikes as I don’t feel that fuel injection quality is all round above a decent enough standard and reliability yet.
On cars its an entirely different thing however. Fuel injection would have to make a dramatic difference to a Wild Wolf to make the average rider aware they were saving even more on fuel than their carburettor version already does over a scooter.
It was inevitable that fuel injection would be the next standard in fuel deliverance to the combustion chamber and we are seeing even more advances in engines in cars now that fuel injection has moved on, resulting in huge gains in fuel efficiency as well as power output due to advancements in how an otto cycle works.
Eventually we may see the same thing happen to average road going bikes, but for the time being basic fuel injection must take hold before further developments.
On a small-bore, low-buck commuter bike? Hell no. No sound engineering reason to do this. Never add complexity to something that already works unless there is a really big payoff in efficiency.
I posted a few months back about this fuel injection thing, and if I remember correctly there was no specific wording in the law about fuel injection or carburetting. Maybe someone can dig out my post because I can’t be bothered, but Taiwan is moving to a stricter emissions standard which effectively rules out some of the current carburetted bikes. However, there is nothing to say that manufacturers could not meet the new standards without fuel injection, and there is nothing that smooths over the testing process better than a nice little red envelope.
Thanks for all the comments. I remember a saying we had in the computer business some years ago: “Never buy low serial numbers.” If I’m going to get a fuel-injected bike, I may hold off a while until the technology matures.
It’d potentially make a big difference to 2-strokes, though.
It probably won’t, because that’s not the way things are going, but FI (potentially combined with “standard” sump-based lubrication), seems to remove most of a 2-strokes disadvantages.
IIRC the Ford Ka was designed round a 2-stroke diesel but they couldn’t meet the emission stds and had to stick an old Kent petrol in. There must therefore still be some downside, I just don’t know what it is.
I bought a KYMCO Jockey G4 FI 'scooter 4 years ago. I specifically asked for and received the FI model rather than the carb’ed one. I had it delivered to a dealer who had the proper equipment and experience to service the FI set-up.
I have absolutely no regrets. Mileage is excellent. It has always started and run very smoothly. Service is simple - they just hook it up to their computer, do a system check and make any required adjustments thru the computer.
My emissions have always been well within(below) the designated range.
This is on a 4 year old model. I would think that the newer ones would be just as reliable and more technologically well-versed.
Just my on the road experience with FI here on Taiwan.
For what its worth - back in the USA, my last 6 autos were FI and my last 2 motorcycles were FI also. So I do have a bit of a longer view of the subject. They are just simpler and more dependable than carbs are now.
And I am an old wrench-twister. Could even sync 3 SU carbs in my youth…ooohhh the humanity!
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]… I do have a bit of a longer view of the subject. They are just simpler and more dependable than carbs are now.[/quote]Redwagon has as deep a view of the subject as you could ever hope for. He once explained to me the basics of why FI isn’t a terribly good idea for small cheap scooters yet. I should have written it down, though, because although it all made sense at the time I’d forgotten it the next day.
Anyway, good to hear that it’s worked well for you.
im a tuner and i hate the new FI systems, hell its not really proper FI, just half a CV carb with a injector inside…
I just bought the latest BWS125, its a little glitchy and to be honest doesnt give much more miles to the gallon over the carb cygnus before it (same engine).
[quote=“joesax”]Redwagon has as deep a view of the subject as you could ever hope for. He once explained to me the basics of why FI isn’t a terribly good idea for small cheap scooters yet. I should have written it down, though, because although it all made sense at the time I’d forgotten it the next day.
Anyway, good to hear that it’s worked well for you.[/quote]
It costs about 10 grand a pop.
Its (locally) new technology in small bikes
It’ll be dificult/impossible to fix yourself.
There’ll be relatively few (main dealer) places that can fix/diagnose it, and they may charge accordingly.
(It seems possible it’ll be subject to, and/or an opportunity for, rapid obsolescence. Its also likely to eventually impact spares availability for carburretted machines.)
I spoke to a bloke in Taoyuan who imports Aprilias at Chinese new year. He told me then that there is no specific law against them but they can’t pass emissions and I suspect that’s the craic with FI also.
