How to figure out your miles per gallon

[twoscoots]

I'm going bonkers reading comments like "How do you know when you've used the exact same amount of gas every time?" There is a very simple way to track your mileage over time, and you can also keep track of maintenance on the same log. I bought a teeny composition book-looking notebook at Walgreens for a buck - it lives under my seat in a baggie along with my insurance/registration paperwork.


If I record the odometer reading every time I fill up, as well as the amount I put in it, I can figure out exactly what mileage I get (disregarding the "buddy miles" factor). If I drove 110 miles between the last gas stop and this one, and put in 1.1 gallons of gas, then I just got 100mpg. I don't have to wonder, I *know*. There's probably a minor variance in precisely how many millileters of gas go in my tank from fill to fill, but it's going to be negligible over time.

For the math-challenged, if the goal is phrased as "miles per gallon," then it can also be written as miles/gallon. Now imagine the "/" is a division sign. Subtract your last odometer reading from the current one to get miles traveled, then divide it by the amount of gasoline you just pumped. As long as you faithfully record both numbers every time (you've got the seat open already) you can figure up MPG any time you feel like it. If you miss recording a fill-up, you can start back up again any time once you've got a beginning and ending mileage figure.

eta: If you do miss a fill-up, be sure to note it in your book with a line or something so you don't bridge the missed stop if you're doing a longer-term MPG calculation. I also note if I don't actually fill all the way up in my car, although I doubt that's going to be an issue most of the time with a scooter.