When Do you Shift?
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 23
From: Olathe KS
It is if you're running factory exhaust.
Tourer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 1
From: under a rock in the swamp
I'm on an '06 Dyna Wide Glide (no tach, no easy way of getting one, either), I just try to keep her at a rumble, soon as she starts to whine, it's time to shift. I have the 88ci and it's also not happy in 6th until over 75mph, I usually cruise along at 70 near 3500-4000 in 5th depending on the incline.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, UK
Shift down usually when rpms drop to around 2300 - I don't have to look at tacho, I know by the sound of engine and vibrations going through footpegs. Shift up... whenever it's appropriate, which is anything between 2900 and 5500 
I noticed that minimum speed for each gear seems to be: gear+1 x 10, so:
2nd - 30
3rd - 40
4th - 50
5th - 60
6th - 70
But I rarely keep it at low rpms.
I noticed that minimum speed for each gear seems to be: gear+1 x 10, so:
2nd - 30
3rd - 40
4th - 50
5th - 60
6th - 70
But I rarely keep it at low rpms.
I agree with them 'by ear, by feel' method. One thing that helps me is looking in my mirror. There is a point where the bike is in tune so nicely that image in the mirrors is perfectly clear, if i go up or down in RPM's that image becomes jarred from vibration, that is where I shift.
I have a 2010 Fat bob and i recall someone telling me that if I had a tach I would be amazed at what RPM I was actually shifting at, implying that it was very low on the RPM range. I've never cared to set up an aftermarket tach, but interesting thought.
I have a 2010 Fat bob and i recall someone telling me that if I had a tach I would be amazed at what RPM I was actually shifting at, implying that it was very low on the RPM range. I've never cared to set up an aftermarket tach, but interesting thought.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 517
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland
Over on the Sportster threads a conversation started about shift points...and as I was running past the first 500 miles on my 2014 Fat Bob yesterday, I noticed that 6th gear isn't happy unless I am at least doing 70 plus (which I will seldom do now that I have crossed over to cruiser-dom) and even 5th isn't happy until over 50.
So - 103 TC Dyna owners - when do you shift in either speed or RPM?
My earometer says the manual recommended shift points are way too low... what say you?
So - 103 TC Dyna owners - when do you shift in either speed or RPM?
My earometer says the manual recommended shift points are way too low... what say you?
2nd - 25
3rd - 35
4th - 45
5th - 55
6th - 65+
Manual recommendations are way too low!