Hi All

I have 2 questions for which I am getting mixed answers. So I thought of posting them here to get some answers.

1: is it true that riding a sport bike at a constant speed will damage the engine?

2: riding on the edge of the power band such that a fluctuation of a mile or 2 will kick in the power damages your engine or affects your mileage ?

 

I doubt that riding a sport bike at a constant speed would damage it. People ride long distance all the time on them. Sounds like someone just wanted to sound like they know something. I could be wrong though because I don't know.

I have no idea on the second one though.

 

Geezus. That's. . . ridiculous, all the way around. Who do you hang out with, Wikipedia authors?

What does this even mean? I can't think of a way to even answer this that's not frustrating. Are you asking if driving the bike at 30MPH, instead of jogging between 29 and 31 will damage it? You need to provide the logic as to why this would be the case. The only case where this is true is if your current speed keeps the bike redlining, and even if that's the case, the bike will compensate by blipping you off the line. So, given that THAT'S not even possible, then the only "damage" you're doing is the everyday wear and tear damage you're doing anyway. It's like saying you shouldn't put tires on your bike because it will cause damage to them.

This sentence appears to imply that a "power band" is a physical object, like a gear or marker or something that interacts with other physical components of the bike in such a way as to cause wear. Your "power band" is the RPM range, per gear, that your bike produces the most horsepower or torque or whatever it is you're concerned with. Most people will use it to the range that the bike has the most "pull." "riding the edge of the power band" means you're just at the point in your RPM range where your bike produces the most. After that point, there isn't a "gear" or something that clicks over, or any kind of physical change in the bike. It's just a byproduct of the engineering OF the bike. Thats why so many people change their bikes exhaust, jets, gearing, etc: to change their power band. Hell, changing your OIL will affect your power band. Going in and out of the powerband has no capability of putting undue wear on the engine; you just get a little lul in at certain points.

As far as mileage goes, the more rotations per minute you're asking your engine to perform, the more times it will suck gas into the cylinders, and thus the more gas it will consume. If you cruise at 8k, you will burn way more gas than if you cruise at 4k. Also, as stated above, more RPMs means the engine is moving the parts more, so more wear is being put on it. People who like to accelerate quickly and cruise at high RPMs often say they "ride it hard" because it puts more of a beating per mile on the engine than low-RPM work does. This is why you see some people rebuilding their engines at 15k, and some going on 30k with still no issues.

 

1: No. That's just silly. Slap your friend. Hard.

2: I have no idea what you're even asking... are you talking about redlining it? Or are you asking about riding at really low rpms, below the power band? Redlining for an extended period of time is certainly not good for your bike... riding under the powerband shouldn't harm your bike, though there is an rpm (I'd imagine on the low end, but in, the power band) where you obtain the optimal mpg.

 

No to both questions with a caveat for #1. It is recommended by most manufacturers to vary the RPMs during initial break in. After that the engine is perfectly happy running 5k rpms all day ... or 8k rpms ...

 

Lies!! All lies!!!

 

Wow I just rode from Indianapolis Indiana to Columbus Ohio and back at a constant speed. Wow I didn't realize I hurt my engine so bad. I must go outside right now and apologize to my beautiful 'Cane.

 

Absolute rubbish, both questions................
Slap your friend again..............

 

Thanks for all the responses. The only reason i even bothered to put this on forum was because the guy i heard this from is a certified kawi mechanic (thank god i have CBR).

The way he described it ...
"Sports bike are made with constant acceleration or deceleration in mind as in racing. Riding it at a constant speed will put unexpected wear."

Regarding power band ...
Sports bikes are designed to deliver maximum power when RPM is in power band. In other words your bike is put in overdrive when it hits the power band and consumes more fuel and pistons are suddenly moving at a higher speed than usual. If your power band kicks in at 6000 RPM and if you are riding such that your RPMs are between 5900 to 6100 then you are causing the bike to go in overdrive and come out of it causing the speed of the pistons to vary drastically within few meters of distance. This will cause unexpected wear.

sounded convincing back then

 

The more you explain what he said the more convinced I am that he wouldn't be able to find his own *** with both hands

Use common sense. Don't run it at red line constantly but don't lug it either (25mph in 6th gear up hill). But running at 4k rpms or 7k rpms or 9k rpms for extended periods is fine ....