I'm a new Harley pilot. This is my first Harley and the first HD I've ridden.
I have a 2011 Wide Glide and it does not have a tach. I've just reached 500 miles on it and I am curious about what speeds to up shift at. The owner's manual has a table of MPH to up shift at if you do not have a tach.
1st to 2nd - 15 mph
2nd to 3rd - 25 mph
3rd to 4th - 35 mph
4th to 5th - 45 mph
5th to 6th - 55 mph
These speeds seem to be too low. The bike sounds and feels better if I add 5 to 8 mph to these speeds. In riding the first 500 miles, I wanted to avoid lumbering the engine and avoid too high of RPM's. The engine has an RPM region where it shakes more than any other RPM. I don't have a tach, but knowing that idle is 1000 rpm, I'd guess the shakes range to be around 1500 rpm+/-. If I shift at the book recommended speeds, it ends up running with the shakes until I accelerate out of that RPM range.

Since this is the first Harley I've owned and ridden, I have no reference of right and wrong for the beast.

What speeds do you use to upshift?
Is it typical for the 96 cu-in V-twin to have an RPM range where it shakes more?

 

IMO you need to add about 10-15 mph to each shift, you don't want to lug it. Get the rpm's up and the vibs should lessen.

 

If I get the RPM's up, the vibes do lessen significantly. It rins great with a few more RPM pushing it. Are the vibes in a specific RPM band normal?

By the way, what is red-line for these big twins and will the "rev limiter" prevent accidentally exceeding red-line?

 

as i have a 2010 WG I can tell you thats to low (they say that becos they dont want to tell people to speed) After a while you will feel it, there is a distinct feel when you going to slow not a lugging but a vibration going through the bike, You have to at least be going over 60 mph before shifting to 6th, stock redline is 6000 i think mine is 6200 with TTS tuning, then you will here it cutting out and in as it goes into self protection, to hear what its likerun it out all the way in first or second you will hear it when it happens, pretty rare to get it into the redline in top gears as it doesn't have the power

 

Limiter on stock bikes is 5500rpm.

 

I'd get one those super-cheap tach's off eBay whilst you get the hang of things. Zip tie it to the 'bars. They are battery-powered and have just one wire that runs down to and wraps around a plug lead.

 

Let your ear be your guide if you think you have to shift, shift unless you run it against the rev limiter all the time your not going to hurt it,matter of fact they can a like it.ride it the you want and don't be afraid to twist the wick enjoy it and welcome to wonderful world of Harley congrats.

 

When in doubt, drop a gear. The motor will tell you when its happy and when you're running too slow, it'll shake. Lugging causes strain on the bottom end.

 

Foxster - What am I looking for. I'm searching ebay and my searches aren't finding the right thing. Any help would be very appreciated.

 

This is the best smallest tach around


http://www.speedwayinstruments.com/p...microtach.html
and you can plug it in to the diag port