I went riding with a new friend the other day. He's got a new HD Sporty 883. I told him before we left ""I'll beat ya off the lights, but you'll probably wind her out past me over 100 km/hr (62 mph). It was all talk because I had only read (on here mostly) that was the case. Anyway, I was surprised ... I smoked him from a standing start!

Then, up around 100 km/hr (62 mph) I still had plenty of pull to keep up with him (keep in mind I've only been riding for about a year). He had a gear or two on me, but it made zero difference. At one point we may have hit 140 km/hr (86 mph) - overtaking traffic - no problem (and me, with my 'square-ish' saddlebags)

Anyway, it got me thinking about a common complaint I've heard about the LS650 - "It needs another gear." And, that got me thinking further ...

When I was tuning my carb, I installed a tach - I have access to a space where I can test ride the bike, so I wound her out to find out what she could do. That was 150 km/hr (93 mph) at around 6000 rpm. At that speed my open faced helmet almost blows off my head, but the bike absolutely purrs.

I really think people get so used to the torque of this bike, and commuting at low revs, so anything above 4000 rpm feels weird. But honestly, after an hours trip in the 100km/hr + range, commuting feels strange to me.

I've started to think of my bike as a four speed (with a token 5th). It's really changed the way I appreciate what she can do.

Tell me I'm wrong!

The front pulley works very well, I have it on my '09 S40.  I just wish that Suzuki had seen fit to apply the gearing change to the 5th gear only and leave the first 4 as they are.

LANCER wrote on 08/29/17 at 04:20:32:



I have read about the Kawa pulley mod. I like the idea of the taller top gear. But, I like the setup on the other 4 - although first gear could be a little taller (If I nit-pick). The highest speed limit anywhere here in Aus is 110 km/h so I'm not really that worried about the top end. I certainly wouldn't sacrifice anything of 1-3 to cruise at lower rpm in 5th.  I love the pull in the first three gears ... good enough for me  

I guess I'll have to be the contrarian.  When cruising some of the mountain passes around here,  dropping down to forth is just about right for accelerating quickly from 55 to 70 without winding the engine up too far.  Of course, the fact that I weigh about 270 in full gear, and some of the grade is 10 percent, doesn't help.

SALB wrote on 08/29/17 at 10:23:50:


I believe that most motorcycles (cruisers, sport touring, touring) with more than 400cc and some reserve HP and torque should have high gear as an overdrive.  Smaller engines just don't have enough reserve power to need one - sport bikes that can go 125 mph already have plenty of gearing.

The high overdrive gear is there for those times when the roads are flat, the winds is calm, and you can enjoy relaxed feel that a lower rpm provides.  When you are climbing the steep mountain roads and enjoying the curves and scenery, when you need to pass in a hurry - you don't need to be in high gear and will get more benefit from using a lower gear.

Badwolf and I currently are running double Kawasaki pulleys (front and back), and MMRanch does occasionally.........I don't shift into high gear until I get over 60 mph - and it works really well for me on the light Cafe' bike.

How many folks that ride a 10 - 24 speed bicycle can ride everywhere in high gear?

IslandRoad wrote on 08/29/17 at 05:04:39:


I have the Kaw. pulley on my S40 since it is the more sedate of the 2 Suzuki's and I find the the slightly taller gearing does not hamper the coming off the line at all.  The engines torque does the job just fine and you get a few more mph in 1st gear before shifting to 2nd which I like.  The normal 1st gear is just too short anyway.

Badwolf and I currently are running double Kawasaki pulleys (front and back), and MMRanch does occasionally.........I don't shift into high gear until I get over 60 mph - and it works really well for me on the light Cafe' bike.  

I'm the one who hunted up the Kawasaki pulley idea because I really like having a Super-Slab gear .   The 140/90-15 Commander II and the front pulley together make for about 15% overdrive. GPS/Standard speedometer difference.
So.  I don't need to shift in the middle of big intersections anymore .
      I can pull out into 30 mph zones and make the limit by time I'm going to second.
      If I do a power take-off , it takes a sports bike to keep up !  
      My motor sounds like its Idling at 50
      I don't do "Wheelies" anymore ...
      I can go to Lancers house on the Super Slab running 75 + mph and be relaxed while doing it !  

I only ran the rear Kawasaki pulley for a test period . I've got a standard motor and don't have the power to run that tall of a gear.  
But !
I use a GPS all the time ... w/ both Kawasaki pulleys on my bike ran 80 mph in second gear !  

Six
6 gears is perfect for almost all bikes ?