When Do you Shift?
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 517
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland
I have no tach (as yet) so I don't know when I shift.
I've read in several posts that lugging these motors is bad for them?
I run in 5th, around town. I hit 6th about 50 m.p.h. The bike does not seem to complain? If I run 4th around town the motor sounds awful and vibrates, all over the place. I could ignore 6th gear, no problem. It runs great in 5th, at highway speeds.
I've only had the dyna about 3 weeks - no time, as yet, to get a "tuner" or change anything in the fuel mapping department. I'm gonna have to do some learning and research that! In the meantime, I don't want to do any damage to the bike...?
I've read in several posts that lugging these motors is bad for them?
I run in 5th, around town. I hit 6th about 50 m.p.h. The bike does not seem to complain? If I run 4th around town the motor sounds awful and vibrates, all over the place. I could ignore 6th gear, no problem. It runs great in 5th, at highway speeds.
I've only had the dyna about 3 weeks - no time, as yet, to get a "tuner" or change anything in the fuel mapping department. I'm gonna have to do some learning and research that! In the meantime, I don't want to do any damage to the bike...?
Really? 5th gear around town? Your probably lugging your engine...I rarely hit 5th and almost never hit 6th...You say you don't want to do any damage but you are!
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 23
From: Olathe KS
You can fix it now by loosening and re torquing the exhaust mounting hardware. Most people will tell you the vibration is bad on the Switchbacks, but it's been my experience it's pretty well all of the Dyna's I've had my hands on.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 218
Likes: 7
From: Indiana
I don't hit 5th until 40 mph. The bike seems happy the way I do it. When I get my tach going I'll know.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 539
Likes: 5
From: Harleyland, USA
I agree. People who say they are shifting at 4,000 rpm are fooling themselves. First off, speed limits in this country preclude running at that rpm in anything except 1st or at most 2nd gear. Next, any HD feels and sounds like a paint shaker about to self destruct over 4,000. My '04 FXDL has a tach so it's easy to see what rpm's I'm running at. I spend most of my time around 2,000-2,500 unless on a four lane and no I'm not lugging it. I ran my last bike around 5,500 but that was a triple with a 9,500 redline. As far as when to shift, it's simply a feel based on how fast you want to accelerate, load, grade, etc.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 506
Likes: 37
From: Broadway, VA
Anywhere between 2k and 4500 is my guess, depending on how hard I'm riding. Usually though I think it's between 2 and 2500. It seems to like it then from what i can remember from my little digital tach readout when i have it on the gear/rpm selection. I usually leave it on the "miles remaining" readout though. That's the only important thing when I'm riding.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 658
Likes: 3
From: +^
I agree. People who say they are shifting at 4,000 rpm are fooling themselves. First off, speed limits in this country preclude running at that rpm in anything except 1st or at most 2nd gear. Next, any HD feels and sounds like a paint shaker about to self destruct over 4,000. My '04 FXDL has a tach so it's easy to see what rpm's I'm running at. I spend most of my time around 2,000-2,500 unless on a four lane and no I'm not lugging it. I ran my last bike around 5,500 but that was a triple with a 9,500 redline. As far as when to shift, it's simply a feel based on how fast you want to accelerate, load, grade, etc.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
I agree. People who say they are shifting at 4,000 rpm are fooling themselves. First off, speed limits in this country preclude running at that rpm in anything except 1st or at most 2nd gear. Next, any HD feels and sounds like a paint shaker about to self destruct over 4,000.
My bike feels fine at 4000+ rpms, not sure what is wrong with yours
