I have taken the harley riding course. I am new to the street bike world. I just wanted to make sure I was doing things right. I have a brand new bike, and I am about 40 miles into the break in period. This is all new to me but I am not quite sure how you got that I am potentially going to hurt myself just by asking a simple question.

 

I thought there were some RPM limits and general rules to follow during the break in period.
Might want to check with your dealer for those.

 

It depends on what gear I'm in and what the speed limit is.

 

I don't want to scare any spotted owls so I keep it at about 1020 rpms.

 

I think it's something like "don't exceed 3.5K rpm for the first 500 miles" or something like that.

In any case, I like to cruise on mine somewhere in the mid 2K to mid 3K range - that's around town kind of thing. I basically like to keep it above the point where you can't really hear each cylinder firing individually any more and the sound kind of blends together.

You'll know it as the bike just feels more responsive above that point. The Twin Cams don't seem to like the lower revs as much as the older bikes do - and you won't get that low RPM "potato, potato" sound either.

 

Brake in... Keep an eye on your tach.
Vary rpm's between a 1/4-1/2 mi intervals to avoid formation of ring groves in cylinder walls for the first 1k mi and stay below 3.5 rpm's for the first 500mi

Crusin at about 65-70 mph in sixth gear is fine. Tach should read around 2.3k rpm's. Just don't crack it to pass. INstead down shift to fifth and go ( ;

 

I never see 6th until I hit the highway. 60+ at least.

 

I found a great article that I found to be on point. Please read... http://www.reddit.com/r/Harley/comme..._lugging_your/

 

I won't hit 6th gear till I reach 75. If I need to pass or go up a steep hill, I will drop it to 5th. Get better gas mileage and better for the engine. I usually cruise on the highway around 70 with cruise locked in at 3000 rpm. I will speed up when the people in the slow lane start passing me

 

I let the bike tell me when, but usually around 3000 or 3500-rev limiter. Rev limiter more often than not usually... I'm heavy handed and like to move.