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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> speed to gear
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Message started by alcoa on 08/24/08 at 18:46:32

Title: speed to gear
Post by alcoa on 08/24/08 at 18:46:32

In town speed limit is 30 I go through 4 towns to work what gear should I be in. Dose it hurt anything if I stay in 4th or 5th?

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by T Mack 1 on 08/24/08 at 18:56:21

At 30 MPH, 5th may be too low to have reserve power in a emergency. 4th would be ok. You could get away with 3rd too.....

I have a tach, I noticed that the bike seems to want to be above 2000 RPM if you want any power to accelerate.

Sorry...... never really look at what gear / rpm I'm in/at when going 30 mph.....

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by EssForty on 08/24/08 at 19:05:34

I have to drive 30 thru my subdivision for several miles until I hit the highway. I am usually in 3rd at 30, and my RPMs are around 2900-3100. Seems like 4th would be OK, but I am surprised that you're not bogging down a bit in 5th at that slow speed. Doesn't it feel sluggish if you roll on the throttle thru a curve at 30 in 5th?

The issue I would have with being in 4th or 5th at 30 mph is that if I have to accelerate quickly I have to kick down a couple gears real fast and do not want to deal with engine lag.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by thumperclone on 08/24/08 at 19:18:11

i thump uphill in 5th (25 mph zone) up the colorado national monument use 3rd or 4th for the hair pins..if she starts buckin its time to down shift...

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 08/24/08 at 19:20:31

I can juuuust hold speed at 35 in fourth (on my 4-speed) Any slower than that and it starts to lurch on me. At 30 mph, I generally shift out of second into third.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/24/08 at 21:27:46

I would rather have the engine spinning freely, tached up a bit, pumping oil to the cam, than have it just barely turning over, bordering on bogging & lurching./ It Sounds cool, rolling along, just thumping & rolling down the road, but, the potential for oil starvation is too high, IMO. Besides, if I decide I need to GO, right now, I dont need to shift, just twist the throttle & bye-bye. Usually, in traffic, Ill be in 3rd at 30, no traffic, maybe 4th at 30, & 5th at 35, in traffic, 35, 4th gear.Maybe even 3rd, depending on traffic.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by Paladin. on 08/24/08 at 23:20:08

6E6D6C6B6A696867665F0 wrote:

In town speed limit is 30 I go through 4 towns to work what gear should I be in. Dose it hurt anything if I stay in 4th or 5th?

The correct answer is: Depends.

30 mph in 5th is a hair under 2000 rpm, and in my experience the Savage will chug along quite happily. I do it regularly. On the other hand, if something interesting is developing ahead I'll drop a few gears to have maximum scoot power available. 2nd is good to over 50 mph, and 3rd can merge with freeway traffic.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by mick on 08/25/08 at 00:24:45

333031363734353A3B020 wrote:

In town speed limit is 30 I go through 4 towns to work what gear should I be in. Dose it hurt anything if I stay in 4th or 5th?

Please use the brain you were given,if the bike is lugging change down,if it's screaming change up,obviesly you arent at one with your machine,listen to it,it speaks to you all the time,if you don't hear it then change the helmet you are wearing,------ feel through your hands,your feet,the sound,for a moment or two emagen you are the engine,how do you feel? need more gas,need a lower gear,higher, this is a clasic "play it by ear scenerio" if it sounds wrong change it,if it sounds ok,stick with it.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by YonuhAdisi on 08/25/08 at 13:09:38

I actually don't pay that much attention to which gear I'm in in town, I am constantly going up and down depending on engine speed. I try to keep it where the engine is nice and smooth with out chugging or screaming.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by photojoe on 08/25/08 at 13:38:04

The town I live in has a 25 mph speed limit and I'm usually hanging in 2nd before I'm out the gate. When I get on Rt. 71, it's 30 mph. Rt. 33, 40 mph, Garden State Parkway is posted 65mph most stretches, but 80-85 mph seems to be the most popular speed.

Yeah, so I have to take it slow, and rarely hit fourth gear until Rt 33. The bike tells me when to shift. My full face helmet shoud be arriving Wednesday, and that's one of my concerns. You know, not hearing the revs. I guess I'll be looking at the speedo a bit more.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by YonuhAdisi on 08/25/08 at 13:45:05

There are more ways to know when to shift besides just hearing the revs Photo. You can go by the vibrations as well.

Title: Re: speed to gear
Post by ZeroStar on 08/25/08 at 15:36:47

I wear a full face (you never know what kind of sh*t is going to fly up at you on the beautiful backroads of Washington state) and don't have any trouble at all hearing the engine and knowing when to shift.