SuzukiSavage.com - cruising between gears

DrunkenDwarf Senior Member Offline Morning Zombie Posts: 325 Seattle, WA Gender:	cruising between gears - higher or lower? 04/01/10 at 17:35:59 Stupid newb question time. When cruising at a speed that hovers around a shift point, do you favor the higher gear (lower rpm) or lower gear (higher rpm). For example, 40 mph in a stock bike. 3rd or 4th? -Drunken Dwarf p.s. Yay for spring. Pulled my S40 out of storage, threw in the battery and vroom I was off!
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prechermike Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Kalashna Kitty, from Skat Posts: 1190 Ponzer, NC Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #1 - 04/01/10 at 17:48:54 I usually go to the lower gear, I don't like to hear the engine lugging. Of course, I could be wrong Maybe we will both learn something.
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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #2 - 04/01/10 at 18:01:27 In traffic I use the lower gear just cause the bike is in it's power range and can get me out of a tight spot with a quick twist. All alone on the highway I'll use a higher gear just as long as the engine doesn't lug.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #3 - 04/01/10 at 18:48:02 At cruising I would be in 5th at 40 mph,But if you have and open pipe you lose torque so i guess you would need to be in 4th.
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jabman Senior Member Offline Posts: 411 England Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #4 - 04/01/10 at 23:45:53 stock my bike would not take 5th gear at 40 or even 3rd gear at 30 with mods the engine does not lug even at 24 mph in 3rd at thats with a roughly jetted carb
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fascar228 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 34 Islamabad Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #5 - 04/02/10 at 01:00:54 In traffic I keep to the lower gears and on open roads with little traffic or obstructions i keep in high gear, just avoid the lugging feeling.
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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #6 - 04/02/10 at 04:52:53 I'm a lugger, not a fighter. I have found that my Savage will do 35-40 in first gear; and will pull smoothly from 25-30 in fifth gear.
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Routy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2280 Winston Oregon Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #7 - 04/02/10 at 06:37:37 W/ just the spacer mod, 40 in 5th is fine, and can even accelerate slowly w/ no chugging. But 4th would be better over all, especially for a little faster accelerating. W/ no spacer mod, too lean,...it would be jerking more than lugging at 40 in 5th
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #8 - 04/02/10 at 07:52:38 I can hit full on at 35mph with no bucking in high gear,low jet up 1, spacer stock high speed up 2 from stock,No bluing of head pipe and average 63mpg.
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cursal

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Posts: 175
Eugene, OR
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Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower?
Reply #9 - 04/02/10 at 08:02:23

In traffic (HWY) I at ride at 40 in 3rd, but if I make it up over 40 My rpm are at 3500 and that is when I shift up to 4th. Even without the tach you should be able to feel what your engine needs.

If you need to slow up a bit just pull the clutch with out shifting...and blip the throttle to catch up rpm with the gear to keep the speed. That way I still have the power of 4th to handle the flow of traffic.

In Town riding I will stay in 3rd and keep that extra torque at the ready.

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dasch Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1137	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #10 - 04/03/10 at 11:02:04 I'm in high gear, regardless of speed, if I'm just cruising and see no need for sudden changes. Kinda enjoy the thud thud thud sound from the rear. 40mph - 5th. 3rd if I see a need to do something soon.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28387 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #11 - 04/03/10 at 11:06:12 Ed L. wrote on 04/01/10 at 18:01:27: In traffic I use the lower gear just cause the bike is in it's power range and can get me out of a tight spot with a quick twist. All alone on the highway I'll use a higher gear just as long as the engine doesn't lug. ditto... ...
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serenity3743 Serious Thumper Offline Striving to better, oft we mar what's well Posts: 778 Black Mountain, NC Gender:	Re: cruising between gears - higher or lower? Reply #12 - 04/06/10 at 08:50:01 fascar228 wrote on 04/02/10 at 01:00:54: In traffic I keep to the lower gears and on open roads with little traffic or obstructions i keep in high gear, just avoid the lugging feeling. "You've lost that luggin' feelin'......" - The Righteous Brothers (paraphrased)
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