What do you guys use for passing 2nd or third gear? I usually cruise in top gear around 60-75 mph. When I need to pass fast, I get down to 3rd and tach hits approx 7K. I feel lots of thrust there. I could step down to 2nd gear at 60 mph with around 9K rpm but my bike came with fiberglass Erion slip-on exhaust and it gets pretty loud, sometimes I don't want to draw too much attention.
I just wanted to check with you and see what you do.
Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

60-75? Are we talking about the highway or backroads? On the highway I would just stay in top gear and pass, on backroads I usually just go down one gear for a little extra boost.

 

This would be typically a 2 lane road, where you need to hurry up and pass to avoid oncomming traffic.

 

3rd. If you go to 2nd you are gonna have to shift again fairly quick into 3rd, it doesnt take long for 2nd gear to go from 9k to redline.

 

4th or 3rd suffices for me, depending on how much room I have. I don't need to pass extremely fast, plus it takes too long to get into 2nd from 6th.

 

I just go down 2 gears into 4th and it works great for me.

 

in general just down one from what ever gear I am in. When trying to pass and make a gap I go down 2 or 3 gears depending on how fast I am running aready.

 

1 gear down if it needs to be a fast pass. Or, if I want to let them know that they have been camping in the passing lane for way too long I'll drop it way down to 2nd or 3rd. That way they can hear my frustration!

 

haha. hate to threadjack but i need to get me some of that white rim tape M&I has.

 

Just by reading what you posted it really seems you put way too much thought into what your doing and not paying as much attention to the road as you should. Forget watching rpm's or speed.. I just drop a few gears and go watching whats ahead of me.