5,000 RPM on your Harley? Really?
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 17,008
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From: in a cave at the foothills
5,000 RPM on your Harley? Really?
Couple folks posted here that if you aren't running 5K on your bike you are missing out. I have to ask, what kind of person buys a Harley and regularly rides, maintains 5K RPM? This has to be some sort of kill my bike as fast as I can mentality.
I took my old Road King out for about a 150 mile ride today. On my way home I hit the interstate which was wide open, next to no traffic. The fastest I have ever taken any of my Harley's was 115 MPH and TBH I never noticed the tach. So today I took it (5 speed) to 105 MPH and the tach hit about 4,200 RPM.
So I have to question the 5K folk, just what kind of abuse are you putting your bike through to reach those revs? And this was coming from people with an M8!!! Seriously? I have been riding all my life, been through plenty of Harley's but again, never took notice of the tach at high speed until today. Maybe I am missing out on something and if so please edjimicate me.
I took my old Road King out for about a 150 mile ride today. On my way home I hit the interstate which was wide open, next to no traffic. The fastest I have ever taken any of my Harley's was 115 MPH and TBH I never noticed the tach. So today I took it (5 speed) to 105 MPH and the tach hit about 4,200 RPM.
So I have to question the 5K folk, just what kind of abuse are you putting your bike through to reach those revs? And this was coming from people with an M8!!! Seriously? I have been riding all my life, been through plenty of Harley's but again, never took notice of the tach at high speed until today. Maybe I am missing out on something and if so please edjimicate me.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,530
Likes: 546
From: Wayne County, PA
Seems to me most people ride the torque curve. When do you shift on your bike? Plenty of bikes(especially twin cams and m8s) are able to rev up pretty high, and if the engine is tuned or built to really make use of it riding up there in revs it is pretty fun. People who shift before 4k are really missing out on what a Harley has to offer. Even my 22 year old evo likes to run between 2.5k and 5k and thats with a stock cam.
To each his own. Some hotrod around and some drag their feet up til around 40 mph. Literally, I've seen a guy leave his feet dragging on the ground until 40mph...
To each his own. Some hotrod around and some drag their feet up til around 40 mph. Literally, I've seen a guy leave his feet dragging on the ground until 40mph...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 35,774
Likes: 38,460
From: Post Falls, ID
I seldom look at my tach since it's a bunch of tiny numbers on my odometer. My tactile tach tends to be a "seat of the pants" feel and that is generally 2500-3000 rpm under most riding situations.
The last time I routinely hit the rev limiter was back when I was riding FLHP's. Hard riding didn't seem to affect the reliability of the bike.
The last time I routinely hit the rev limiter was back when I was riding FLHP's. Hard riding didn't seem to affect the reliability of the bike.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 22,999
Likes: 11,439
Find no reasons to run my M8 that high. However the 750 Street does hit 8,000 rpm snow and then. I hear with a tune and little tweaking it will hit 10,000.
Let out the clutch on the M8 RGU hit a couple gears at around 4,000 and you are well above the speed limit and moving pretty good already.
I think have not hit limiter but I think it kicks in around 5400 RPM.
Let out the clutch on the M8 RGU hit a couple gears at around 4,000 and you are well above the speed limit and moving pretty good already.
I think have not hit limiter but I think it kicks in around 5400 RPM.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,599
Likes: 5,175
From: SWMO
On my old twinkie I have the limiter set at 6500. It works, I hit it on occasion. Not all the time but when I'm in a playful mood.
Hasn't disintegrated yet.
Hasn't disintegrated yet.
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