Hello Team:


Pardon my ignorance but at what RPM's should the upshift from 5th to 6th needs to be done? I am upshifting in all gears around 3,100 to 3.400RPM's but when I upshift from 5th to 6th it feels like I am lugging the engine. Is that normal?

Thank you very much.

 

You're fine. Lugging usually occurs when you shift in the 1000 to 1500 rpm area.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. Computer-controlled automatic transmissions have cars running down the freeway at 1500-2000 rpm, and I don't see why a Harley engine would be any less capable of low rpm operation.

 

I generally stay out of 6th under 60 mph

 

Lugging a motor is not good for any motor. On a Harley 96B motor you also have the compensator to worry about. 6th gear is for over 60 mph on flat ground. 70 mph if you have small hills. I have been riding a lot in Florida and I love 6th gear on I95. Once off the interstate I rarely use 6th gear.
Cars do not have high torque air cooled engines. So not a good reference point.

 

Owners manual states that 6th can be engaged at 55 mph. It is what H-D engineers who designed and built it say that is okay.

I have run every TC from the 88 to the 120's for many years and 100's of thousands of miles with no issue riding on 55 mph speed limit roads in 6th.

Some will argue with that success but it is just their opinion and has no foundation in fact.

6th gear at 55 mph is at 2,000 rpm on H-D cruisers, 5,200 on touring and 5,300 on trikes. Check the H-D torque graphs in the P&A catalog and you will see take the torque at those rpms is fairly high on the curve and does not in any way result in "lugging".

Lugging is a physical manifestation of shaking and bucking when too much throttle is applied at too low of a speed for the engine to be able to accelerate at whatever gear it is in.

My 07 FXSTC purchased in Sept 06 has mostly only seen midwest 55 mph roads in its lifetime. Zero issues. Compensator is as good as the day it was put into service. As is all other internals in the engine. At 55 approaching a steep grade it will pull strong up the grade in 6th.

Some folks just over think some issues. If you don't believe the manual how can you believe anyone else including me?

 

Hey, sorry to go off topic but just wondering, does your M8 manual specify Premium Fuel?

 

Naw, lots of cars have high-torque engines. For example a 91 cubic inch Ford Fusion engine puts out 177 ft-lb of torque, way more than a Harley that size. So I'll ask again, what makes a modern computer-controlled Harley engine any less capable of low-rpm operation?

And what does air cooling have to do with it? Cooling on a Harley has more to do with how fast the air is moving over it (wind generated by road speed), than engine rpm. Higher rpm operation just tends to heat the oil more, from increased viscous friction, increasing the total amount of heat generated.

 

So...what RPM's to maintain while cruising? I am under the idea (based in lot of reading) that this engines need to be rev high for optimum performance and life of the engine.

I just got the bike (2011 model) two weeks ago with 2,300 miles and so far already put 500 miles. Planning to make it my main transportation vehicle for commute to work and for the fun times.

 

I am still in 4th gear when I hit 60MPH. Very seldom engaging 6th gear unless I am getting close to 80MPH.