a few questions
What does the little B mean on my digital speedometer? Its on the bottom of the screen inside a little square.

What rpm do you normally shift at? (I also asked this in the new member section) My engine feels like its going pretty hard at 7000 rpm but again what do I know.

What type of oil should I use?

 

The B is for your trip odometer. You have two, an A and B, not sure why we have two, I dont use the one I got in the car. lol I really never paid much attention to the tach when I shift, but I only got a few rides under my belt, I just go by feel, probably arond 5 or 6k. I've been drivin stick shifts all my life. (well half of it)lol. As far as oil goes, atlot of people suggest Amsoil, I got some Lucas off eBay, but its my first oil change, but whatever you use make sure its motorcycle oil cause we have a "wet" clutch, which means it uses the oil from the motor, so you cant use car oil cause it will cause the clutch to slip. Cange the plugs too, but they ain't cheap. 40-50 bucks for the set NKG Irridium plugs, dont remember the number, look it up in the manual, which can be downloaded from one of the "stickeys" here. Search the forums, gain as much knowledge as you can, and PLEASE for petes sake DONT pay the STEALership to do anything. Whatever probs you run across are discussed here, just ask. (like you did). Ride safe bro

 

Thanks my man I thought my brakes were in need of service or something like that...

 

That's the tripmeter; there's an "A" and a "B". Toggle the upper button to switch between the two, press & hold lower button to reset.
The manual recommends SAE 10W-40 with an API rating SF or SG. But the viscosity should be based depending on the average temperature range in which you'll be operating the bike in.

These answers to those and more can be found in The Ownwer's Manual or in The Service Manual.

 

I don't have the same bike but if you're really new to riding a couple of things that might help.

When it comes to shifting there is a wide range of what could be called the "right" shift point depending on the circumstance so getting an exact answer like 4,000 could be hard. For example, if you're going for maximum acceleration then letting the engine wind up through the RPM's where it produces the most power is desirable but for normal street riding that's not appropriate.

I'm not sure what others think about this but I've found that for street riding (not highway) you want to be hovering around the RPM's where the power starts to ramp up. The idea being that if you need to make a quick escape from a bad situation it's good be be close to where the power band is handy so a quick twist of the wrist will give you some instant speed. By paying attention to the how the bike sounds and feels when riding at your target RPM's you'll quickly learn when you're over or under revving the engine and shifting is just a matter of staying in the 'sweet spot' for what you're trying to accomplish. It's a good idea to look up and know something about the power curve of your bike - where it starts to make power and where the power curve starts to weenie out and where it red lines.

As for which oil to use - you are going to get different opinions from everyone. First off Some will say use synthetic from mile 0, others say switch after 1k, 2k, 3k,... Everyone has their favorite brand and brands they hate. Your owners manual is your friend on this one but whatever you do, DON'T SKIMP.

Trip meters - I actually use mine. I always reset "A" when I fill the tank so I know how far I've ridden since the last fill-up, and hence how far before I'm likely to need the next one. I got in that habit on my dual-sport bike because I like doing longer rides and tracking fuel use can be a big deal if you're crossing a long stretch with no gas stations. Since my GS only shows usage after you're past the 1/2 full point it can get dicy if you're not on top of it. I use "B" to keep track of my "current" ride.

 

Shift wherever you want dude. The red line is there for a reason so don't go over it. If your having fun take it up to 8k why not as long as you have a clear path in front of you and no possible hazards. Red line it from time to time once you built up that confidence. Red line in first gear will take you to over 50 surprising so there isn't much more to do past there on any normal road. It will help you learn how to handle your bike and make you an overall better rider. For normal casual riding in the city, I shift 4-6k keeping the rpms closer to the higher torque rpms around 4-5k.

Oil, not sure but I'm going to change it in a few weeks. We'll see

Anyone know if buying the Honda oil like my buddy used to do when he had the bike is necessary?

 

I've heard the Rotella-t synthetic Shell oil (am i remembering the name right?) supported by most people on here and thats what I'll be using when my next oil change is due. There's a thread on the topic somewhere around with a lot of good info on the topic, so you can do a search for it.

 

Here's some good oil stuff: Motorcycle Motor Oil, Oil Filters Revealed, Motorcycle Oil & Filters, and Oil Forum.