Oh ok, I guess there is no sure-fire magical RPM number at which you should shift???

Thanks.

 

depends on your situation, your mood, and how much you want to save on gas. The more you rev up and full throttle, the more gas you use up. Specially after you hit about 9k, when the 2nd set of injectors kick in.

Also to note, you'll hit your powerband at around 9k too (when your hp starts to spike up rapidly). You hit max hp around 12k or so, can't remember, you can look it up.

 

For optimum gas milage, I usually shift around 4-5k. If it's during the daytime, I usually kick it up to 6-8k. And yeah, it's normal for these bikes to fluctuate the temperature. My fan kicks in right at 220. I've seen it as high as 229 during the summer.

 

Nope. You can shift anytime you feel like it. personally? I shift almost like what the manuel says, nice and easy low acceleration... only i stay in 4th when in town (30mph) and anything above that i use 6th.. which come to think of it was nearly exactly like what the book says. huh... oh well, doesn't bother me. That's just how i roll.

 

Racermike1967:

When I first bought a 600cc cruiser, I asked the dealer when I should shift gear. He simple told me to shift when the bike won't go any faster in a particular gear. Well, this may be fine for a small cruiser, but for a sportbike, you'll get a ticket before you have a chance to shift to second.

knightslugger is right for the most part. I wouldn't rev my bike to high RPM's for no reason. When you're just cruising, take it easy. As long as your engine sounds smooth and responsive, that's a good gear to be in for the speed you are traveling. If you are going too slow for a particular gear, you'll feel your bike struggling and unresponsive to throttle inputs. If you don't know what this feels like, try leaving your bike in 6th gear, let the bike slow down from 40 to 30. When the speed drops to about 30, give some throttle and see how it responds. You'll feel the bike struggling due to lack of torque at such low RPM and high gear.

Sportbikes are made to run at high RPM, but like any machine, when you push them, they will wear out faster.

 

Hehe, I generally do full throttle but shift at like 6k. Sounds like I'm speeding. I think its funny how if you keep the bike in 1st gear and run around town like that, people always assume your speeding. I would be going like 35mph in a 45 zone and people on the sidewalks shaking their first or yelling "slow down". Oh good times.

 

i got that once coming back from the fair. I'm going like maybe 20 mph and a couple j-walk across the street and the man yells at me "Watch where you're going! slow down!!"

meh...

 

Shift whenever you feel comfortable shifting. Just keep in mind when you are in sixth gear doing 40 and you need those 8k rpms they wont be there. I generally keep the tach at around 6k when shifting. Most important thing to make sure though is that the bike is warm before you take off. If your riding at a consistent speed down the road and don't expect to stop for a while there is no sense in riding at 6k rpm because it is just wasting your gas and to me making things rattle more. I hate riding by all of these idiots cruising down the road at 50 or 60 in 1st or second gear and not intending on shifting just because they enjoy........who knows what they enjoy. My cousin does it to his 600rr and it ticks me off. Just because he has a micron exhaust he finds it necessary to ride with the bike revving loud for no reason (I'm 21 and I don't mind noise and I love listening to exhausts it just get really irritating listening to the bike.) I don't know whether this damages the bike but to me whats the point in revving her loud and clear when 3rd gear will still give adequate pull and to me keeps anything from happening to the bike. Sorry my non-sense is sooo long!

 

I ride 5k..on purpose...so that way im closer to the POWAH...7-9k..its called the get up and go..so i would say and i think i already psoeted on this one...Ride your own race...do what makes ya feel good but life begins on my RR at 105...

 

next time you ride...try to stay 8-11k rpm...bike feels more stable and smooth...motor screams til about 8k then gets quieter and your bike will say MORE MORE!!!
and if you're not using ear-plugs...try it...you'll never wanna ride without an ear-plug...try it! you'll know what i'm talking about...