This being my first HD, I'm having trouble shifting by "ear" since I don't have a tach yet. I'm not used to the low loping sound of the HD motor. My last ride was an 1100 Yamaha VStar and it sure let me know when I needed to shift. My troubles are mostly with 5th and 6th gear. I've been putting off shifting into 6th till I hit about 70 mph. If I shift at 65 it sounds like I'm lugging the motor. I can stay in 5th till 75 but I'm worried I'm over revving. It also doesn't help that I've found that I've gone 60 mph in 4th gear a few times when I wasn't paying attention to what gear I was in.

My question is, what speed should I shift into 6th gear while cruising or slightly accelerating? Also what are my rpm's at that point?

 

I wouldn't use 6th gear for anything but cruising down the highway, or a very long flat stretch of road where you won't need to accelerate. I think your owners manual should say 6th gear @ 60mph is safe.

And who needs a tach? Thats the whole point of shifting by ear!

 

At 80mph I am turning right around 3000 rpm if that helps at all.

 

Hey Jon,

you are totally in tune with your bike. while the bike will run 6th on level ground at 65 or even 60, higher revs is better all around incl. oil pressure and volume.

Oil is part of the cooling system, removing heat from the internals and moving it where it'll disipate

charging system output is also dependent on RPM

70 is a good place for 6th.

FYI the bike will run up to about 75 in 3rd before hitting the rev limiter...up to about 105 in 4th.

here's a chart that'll give you an idea of revs at various mph, check the chart for your model bike.

www.andrewsproducts.com/PDF_files/.../28_RatiosMPG-pg28.pdf

it would be expected to downshift for rapid acceleration and grades.

--many riders are newer to Harleys and air cooled 45º v twins- treating them right results in a long service life

 

anything under 70 stay out of 6th gear.

 

I'm on my 2nd Harley. Both had tachs. (09 EG Classic & now 103 Ltd Ultra.) Both at 2500 RPMs, at 55 mph, in 5th. I use 6th as much as I can.
To actually answer your question:
-- On a 2 lane at about 62, 6th will be around 2100 - 2300 RPMs. If it's flat & you could use cruise, I'd say 6th is OK as long as you're OVER 60 mph.
-- At 72 to 75 on the highway, 6th is at about 2800 RPMs on mine.
-- At under 60, I'll probably use 5th because my tach is under 2000 & I usually shift down, under 2000.
-- Seems like I go into 4th at 45 or 50.
-- Coming into town at 35 to 40, 3rd.
-- Cruising up Main St at 25, it almost sounds like I should shift up to 3rd, but my tach would be below 2000, so if I were to do it by ear (knowing what I know now) don't shift up to the next gear until it sounds like almost too many RPMs in the lower gear.

Just my opinion. See what other people say. Some guys on here will say that the bike should run at ALOT higher RPMs on the highway --- like as high as 3500 -- 4000 (?), but like I said, at 75, mine's only at about 2800 in 6th. 4000 seems WAY too high on mine. (Maybe 4000 is on a bike with only 5 gears, at 75 MPH.)

 

I shift into 6th on my 2010 Street Glide 96'' at 60 MPH. I even let it drift down to 55 MPH. The engine rpm is at about 2,000 at 55 mph - much lower than 2,000 (or 55 mph) and it begins to lug.

My $0.02

 

I shift 1st to 2nd at around 15, 3rd at 25, 4th at 35-40, fifth at 50, and sixth at 55 or more, keeps my rpms above 2000, at 70 I'm at about 2500 rpms.

 

Ditto on that. From what I've read here, the sweet spot for the TC motors is 2500-3000 RPM. To stay in that sweet spot, you need to be running 70 before you shift into 6th gear. Downshift for hills.

 

Keep in mind any changes to the air cleaner, exhaust, EFI tuning can have an affect on the appropriate RPMs per gear. I changed the A/C, exhaust and EFI tuner on my '07 Ultra and it pulls without lugging in 6th at just above 60.

mkguitar: what have you learned about referencing facts on this forum???? Members are looking for opinions HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Great info. I've had my '07 Ultra since it was new and I'm making a copy of this chart to save. Thank you.