Ok, so I have been ride my St. Bob for a year and still find my self shifting inconsitantly. Sometime I shift when I think I should only to come to find that I am gearing up way to soon. So I started paying attention to my speed and the way the bike rpm's feel. This is where I have found myself shifting now. This is normal speed, not rocketing off the line!
2nd-20mph
3rd-30mph
4th-40mph
5th-50-55mph
6th-60-65mph

Does this seem right or am I shifting to early in the higher gears?

 

for me the sweet spots seem to be around:
up to about 25 in 1st; shift into 2nd around 25
33 in 2nd; shift into 3rd around 35
43 in 3rd; shift into 4th around 45 or better
53 in 4th; shift into 5th around 55-60
63- 75 in 5th; shift into 6th around 75 or better

i know 33 seem like an odd number--but i know this because it sucks travel on roads where 35 is the speed limit--i'm either in high rpms in 2nd or lugging in 3rd. If i know the area (and not worried about small town police ticketing me), I ususally ride in the low 40 mpg's during these times.

i am really thinking about a andrews 30 tooth pulley to help with these "issues".

 

Thats about right, give or take 10mph in each gear.
There are so many variables..
Listen to your bike, it will tell when to shift....

 

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When it sounds like it needs it and when I look down and the green 6 isn't lit up...

 

LOL....that reminds me...it's just about time....2nd cuppa coffee down, 2nd smoke of the morning done..it's time.

Back to shifting....I don't have a tach and rarely glance at the speedo for shifting...I use my ears, combined with my butt (feel the engine).

I'm in New England..so there are more hills/grade than flat. Am I going uphill or downhill?

Wife on the back, or not?

I notice my engine reacts differently with gas from certain gas stations..is my engine happy with the gas from the last stop I made, or not?

So my shifting varies a lot. I don't employ 6th at 60...rarely even 65...unless I'm on a downhill grade. Generally more like 70 or 75 and above.

 

That's about right for me as well. I get better gas mileage this way, and the bike is happier.

 

That's exactly where I shift, at 10 mph increments.

 

About the same for me too, seemed kinda low but it's when the bike tells me to shift.

I see your in Maryland, I'm up at Ft Meade maybe we could get together for a ride sometime.

 

Well I don't shift by speed at all, depends on how hard I ride, whenever I feel like I max out the power at higher rpm, I upshift. On the other hand, I downshift when I feel the motor lugging. Yesterday I rode pretty hard, 2nd gear hits 60mph and shift to 3rd lol. Forget about the speed, riding on a steep hill could make a difference, listen to your engine, you know when to shift.