fuel consumption and performance

[MikeN]

I was thinking. In the 50's and 60's a typical medium size family car,like an Austin Cambridge or Cortina or something would trundle along and return about 25-30mpg (imperial gallons).A smaller car like a Morris minor or A35 maybe 35-40ish mpg. A typical high performance motorcycle of the period like an BSATri/Norton etc twin would easily out perform these cars and still average 60-70mpg.
 Nowadays with improvemnts in design a typical medium size car can do 40-50mpg and a small one can do 50-60mpg or even more.
With this in mind, i would expect a modern sports bike ,(whatwhat ever the present day Japanese equivelent of the Road Rocket or Bonnie is), to be returning around 100mpg.
I dont know anything about modern bikes,but I suspect this is not the case.if not .Why?
Mike

[Triton Thrasher]

.if not .Why?
Mike

Because fuel economy is not a big selling point for sports bikes.

[MikeN]

Im sure, but then I doubt anyone bought a Bonneville with economy in mind either.
And yet it would still have been way faster and considerably more economical than a car of the time.

[Triton Thrasher]

Ride a Bonneville fast and it will do about 40mpg. That's not fantastic economy.

A modern bike doing "fast Bonneville" speeds might manage 40mpg too.

[MikeN]

Ride a Bonneville fast and it will do about 40mpg. That's not fantastic economy.

A modern bike doing "fast Bonneville" speeds might manage 40mpg too.

OK ,Thats the point im trying to make. You say an old Bonneville has similar fuel consumption to a modern bike ridden at Bonnie speeds.
Whereas im pretty sure a modern car will use a lot less fuel than an equivelent car from the 50's at similar speeds .
Or, it can also go considerably faster and still be using less fuel than the old car.