Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge
The Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge is a motorcycle fuel efficiency contest created in 1980 by motorcycle fairing inventor Craig Vetter. The contest was cited in Vetter's Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction.
The contest initially ran from 1980 to 1985, with the inaugural run from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek, Colorado. After a 25-year break, the contest resumed from 2011 with revised Vetter Fuel Challenge rules allowing for alternative fuel categories and requiring street usability including goods-carrying capability. This is considered a particularly important future need for electric motorcycles like the Zero, where battery constraints limit usable range, and the need for lengthy recharging cycles at public electrical points punctuates journeys and necessitates careful trip planning.
A streamlined motorcycle designed by Charly Perethian with a 185 cc Yamaha motor achieved at the 1983 challenge, and is now displayed in the Smithsonian Institution.
Results
Winners by year are tabulated below. Data as published by Craig Vetter at the contest website. All vehicles are full faired streamliners unless noted.| Year | Location | Winner | Fuel economy | Model | Notes |
| 1980 | Colorado Springs–Cripple Creek, Colorado | 1000 cc Harley-Davidson | |||
| 1981 | Templeton–Cambria, California | Honda Passport | Matt Guzzetta/Don Vesco "Project 200" streamliner entered, disqualified | ||
| 1982 | San Luis Obispo–Monterey, California | 185 cc 1982 Yamaha | Vehicle now in Smithsonian | ||
| 1983 | Carmel–Carmel, California | 185 cc 1982 Yamaha | Vehicle now in Smithsonian | ||
| 1984 | Carmel–Carmel | Honda XL 125 | Record achieved by Dan Hannebrink on first stage | ||
| 1985 | Carmel–Big Sur–Laguna Seca | 1980 Honda XL 80 |
Results from the 2010s can not be directly compared as there was a major rule change that required a minimum cargo capacity and minimum top speed. Additionally, winners were declared by cost spent on pump gas, not strictly mileage, significant as there is a mix of motor types.
Craig Vetter hit a deer while riding his stream-lined Honda Helix on August 14, 2015. To help him stay focused on his recovery, volunteers helped coordinate and document the 2015 and 2016 Vetter Challenge Rides in Ohio.
| Year | Location | Winner | Fuel economy | Model | Notes |
| San Luis Obispo | Winner /Second place | Hayes Diesel motorcycle | First public demonstration; bio-diesel | ||
| San Luis Obispo | Winner | Custom Ninja 250-engined trike | |||
| Carmel | Fred Hayes | Hayes MD670F2 Diesel motorcycle | |||
| Lexington, Ohio | Max Perethian | 1989 Honda NX250 | 1982–1983 winner Charly Perethian designed; son rode machine Stock bike got 86 mpg on tests before streamlining | ||
| Las Vegas to Barstow | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | Achieved second place with 143.53 mpg at prior contest | ||
| Carmel | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | |||
| Lexington, Ohio | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | Electric motorcycle entrant had lower cost per mile but did not meet cargo requirement. | ||
| Las Vegas to Barstow | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | |||
| Carmel | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | |||
| Lexington, Ohio | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | |||
| Lexington, Ohio | Alan Smith | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | |||
| Wendover to Tooele, Utah | Terry Hershner | 116.5 Watt Hours/Mile | Zero Motorcycles electric customized with 20 kW-Hr of batteries, and Vetter Fairing | 80 mph speed limits. 171 Mile Ride This was the first time an electric motorcycle was able to complete a Vetter Challenge with the liquid fuel bikes. At all other events, the electric motorcycles lacked range to complete the course with the group and were disqualified from winning the Overall lowest fuel cost per mile. Hershner $.017/Mile Fuel Cost Hayes $.023/Mile Fuel Cost Smith $.026/Mile Fuel Cost | |
| Wendover to Tooele, Utah | Alan Smith | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | 80 mph speed limits. 171 Mile Ride This was the first time an electric motorcycle was able to complete a Vetter Challenge with the liquid fuel bikes. At all other events, the electric motorcycles lacked range to complete the course with the group and were disqualified from winning the Overall lowest fuel cost per mile. Hershner $.017/Mile Fuel Cost Hayes $.023/Mile Fuel Cost Smith $.026/Mile Fuel Cost | ||
| Wendover to Tooele, Utah | Fred Hayes | Diesel streamliner | 80 mph speed limits. 171 Mile Ride This was the first time an electric motorcycle was able to complete a Vetter Challenge with the liquid fuel bikes. At all other events, the electric motorcycles lacked range to complete the course with the group and were disqualified from winning the Overall lowest fuel cost per mile. Hershner $.017/Mile Fuel Cost Hayes $.023/Mile Fuel Cost Smith $.026/Mile Fuel Cost | ||
| San Luis Obispo to Salinas, California | Vic Valdes | 187.0 mpg-US | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | $.0176 / Mile | |
| San Luis Obispo to Salinas, California | Terry Hershner | 138 Watt-Hours/Mile | Zero Motorcycles electric. | $.0225 / Mile | |
| July 2015 | Mike Corbin Appreciation Ride, California | Alan Smith | 177.0 mpg-US | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | $.0203 / Mile |
| July 2015 | Mike Corbin Appreciation Ride, California | Terry Hershner | 125.4 Watt-Hours/Mile | Zero Motorcycle Electric | $.0219 / Mile |
| July 2015 | Lexington, Ohio | Alan Smith | 161 mpg - US | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | $.0174 / Mile |
| July 2016 | Lexington, Ohio | Vic Valdes | 187 mpg - US | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | $.0110 / Mile |
| July 2016 | Lexington, Ohio | Kraig Schultz | 92 Watt-Hours/Mile | Custom Built Electric with Vetter Fairing from the 1980's with Airplane Canopy | $.0126 / Mile |
| July 2017 | Lexington, Ohio | Vic Valdes | 236 mpg - US | Kawasaki Ninja 250 | $.0097 / Mile |
| July 2017 | Lexington, Ohio | Virginia Tech | 101.9 Watt-Hours/Mile | Zero Motorcycles Electric | $.0134 / Mile |
Pictures of Winning Vehicles: