Question: I was hearing somewhere that to low RPMs can do more damage to a bike. Is this true?
For example when I ride ,I will be a gear higher than normal (let's sayI will be in 4th when 3rd gear would be suffice) because it A. lowers the RPMs and lowers the sound coming from the exhaust. Am I hurting the bike by doing this or just causing more work for me?

Also, is there anywhere I could find information (not have the greatest of luck for research on this).

Thank you,

Shrek

 

Unless you are 'lugging' the engine you are fine. I think that theory was true for old muscle cars with high compression and high octane gasthat easy city driving or stop/startno redline would form deposits in the head the following article points to detonation and other problems.

http://www.buelletinboard.com/forums...ead.php?t=2856

What I have heard about bikes is that riding where torque is high but revs are still low (but not lugging)can punish transmissions although I don't know exactly why since I am clueless about transmissions.

 

NO, you are not hurting the bike. During an average commute to work I rarely get my bike above 6K....No need to run it any harder than is necessary. The problem with a 600 is that if you want to move NOW, you have to beat the hell out of it to get any power so people tend to ride in a gear lower so the power is available if they need it........with a liter bike you dont have to do that but no......you are not hurting it by running it at a lower RPM.

 

Commuting I run around 7k which gives a good mix of low sound and power on tap.

 

Great...thank you kindly for the info!

 

i try to never get the bike below 4k RPM. That's lugging range in 3rd gear and above in my opinion. Anyone else feel that way?

 

I try and stay above 5k.

 

funny my 600 will out power 99% of its car counter parts at any rpm. So I dont know why some ppl think you have to ring the snot out of a 600 to get power n go. I guess the want a rocket.

 

Lol, I had a Honda Prelude all tricked out pull up next to me downtown on my way home from a buddies house. He revved his engine and flew off the line, I just kind of let him go then decided I wasn't gonna let a high school kid think he beat a bike and go back to school sayin in. I beat him by a mile never leaving 3rd gear from a 25 mph or so start.

I guess I was that age once : /

 

No.