Fuel Consumption Cost Of Open Fenders

[W. WIllie]

Probably based on a percentage of 2% improvement with the aero fenders.
(from my experience in aero with the G1)
Hard to say exactly. Back to back runs in the "wind tunnel" would yield the answer as they are probably using the info obtained from a CAD system.

 

[vietvetx2]

I like the looks of the sport fenders but as you turn those exposed wheels it seems like the body would be exposed to spray and crap in anything but dry sunny weather and I live in Louisville Kentucky not Arizona.

 

[Coss]

I like the looks of the sport fenders but as you turn those exposed wheels it seems like the body would be exposed to spray and crap in anything but dry sunny weather and I live in Louisville Kentucky not Arizona.

Put a mud flap at the end of them, it doesn't have to be very big, but it does have to go down pretty far.
It's kind of like riding a bike in the rain that doesn't have a full fender, you end up with a skunk stripe on you; plus it always manages to go over your collar and down your back.

 

[TEXAS FLASH]

New poster here. I really like the look of the open wheel fenders, but I wonder what the price to pay will be for the privilege, in terms of miles per gallon. It seems that the stock fenders would contribute significantly to the overall fuel efficiency, the open fenders less so.

Any ideas?

DON'T know what the answer, but on a Cessna, no wheel flairs will knock 7 mph off the top airspeed!

 

[Mel]

DON'T know what the answer, but on a Cessna, no wheel flairs will knock 7 mph off the top airspeed!

Only at speeds of over 100 mph. At typical road speeds you would see very little change if any at all.

 

[floydv]

If you want the open wheel look but don't want to lose aerodynamic efficiency, have someone fabricate something like these for your wheels.

Or these

 

[electroken]

Aerodynamic drag increases according to the square of velocity, so the detrimental effect of the open wheel covers will be 4X as apparent at 90 mph as it would be at 45 mph.

My 1984 Honda VF1100S could go 140 mph all day long in 6th gear. It could not reach 155 mph in 5th or 6th. That is where aerodynamic drag caught up with it (and me).

 

[Jim H]

W

New poster here. I really like the look of the open wheel fenders, but I wonder what the price to pay will be for the privilege, in terms of miles per gallon. It seems that the stock fenders would contribute significantly to the overall fuel efficiency, the open fenders less so.

Any ideas?

Welcome from the sunny South West. Glad to have you join us in this journey

 

[Ty]

Put a mud flap at the end of them, it doesn't have to be very big, but it does have to go down pretty far.
It's kind of like riding a bike in the rain that doesn't have a full fender, you end up with a skunk stripe on you; plus it always manages to go over your collar and down your back.

(mental note to self - get a fender for my bicycle) Thanks for the reminder!