shifting speeds
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 673
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RED9 - go with this as your guidline, can't miss, it's basically where I shift, been riding HDs for over 30 yrs, no lugging, the manual as a guidline is way too conservative for my taste and yours:
1st to 2nd @ 20 mph
2n dto 3rd @ 30 mph
3rd to 4th @ 45 mph
4th to 5th at 55 mph
Your motor will be smiling and so will you!
1st to 2nd @ 20 mph
2n dto 3rd @ 30 mph
3rd to 4th @ 45 mph
4th to 5th at 55 mph
Your motor will be smiling and so will you!
Quite simply a person should be listening to their engine. It will tell you when to shift and when you are lugging. 5th gear at 45 (as Snook quoted from the manual) is gonna cause you to lug your motor. Period. You may not feel it when cruising at a constant speed but as soon as you tap the throttle, the engine is omplaining.
I'm actually wondering if the people who think 45mph in 5th is ok, maybe still have on the stock pipes? They're so damn quiet maybe they are not hearing the engine, though they should still be able to feel it....
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 540
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From: carolina
wtf????
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
Appreciate your guidance Wicked but seriously, you are saying the same thing I posted way up in this thread.
Quite simply a person should be listening to their engine. It will tell you when to shift and when you are lugging. 5th gear at 45 (as Snook quoted from the manual) is gonna cause you to lug your motor. Period. You may not feel it when cruising at a constant speed but as soon as you tap the throttle, the engine is omplaining.
I'm actually wondering if the people who think 45mph in 5th is ok, maybe still have on the stock pipes? They're so damn quiet maybe they are not hearing the engine, though they should still be able to feel it....
Quite simply a person should be listening to their engine. It will tell you when to shift and when you are lugging. 5th gear at 45 (as Snook quoted from the manual) is gonna cause you to lug your motor. Period. You may not feel it when cruising at a constant speed but as soon as you tap the throttle, the engine is omplaining.
I'm actually wondering if the people who think 45mph in 5th is ok, maybe still have on the stock pipes? They're so damn quiet maybe they are not hearing the engine, though they should still be able to feel it....
The thing I most pay attention to is cruising speed. I certainly do cruise in 5th at 45mph. If I wanna go up a serious hill, yeah I might downshift to 4th. And if I'm quickly accelerating, yeah I might wait til 50-55 to shift to 5th. But cruising at an average acceleration, you bet I do shift at 45. 4th is 35, 2nd is 25, and 6th is 55.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 673
Likes: 0
Well it's your ride. You do whatever the hell you want. But lugging any engine is not 'normal' or good for it. The only time it's normal is when someone is making it lug on a 'normal' basis. You can do that to any engine, including a crotch rocket.
They do have lots of low end torque though, and like any engine, sooner or later it'll let you know how it likes how it's been run.
The thing I pay most attention to is the sounds, and 6th at 55 is killing it.
Ride safe and enjoy.
Lee
They do have lots of low end torque though, and like any engine, sooner or later it'll let you know how it likes how it's been run.
The thing I pay most attention to is the sounds, and 6th at 55 is killing it.
Ride safe and enjoy.
Lee
Last edited by Red9; Apr 13, 2010 at 06:19 PM.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 391
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No way you should be in 5th gear at 45 mph, your lugging your motor and starving it for oil... you should be a the top of your 3rd gear at 45 or beginning of 4th, that's when you'll feel the TQ! Twist that throttle man..!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7,217
Likes: 3
From: Southern Ohio
There ya go...
I call it ridin' by the seat of your pants, and wouldn't know how to do it any other way...
A little disturbing that there are people out there riding who apparently have no feel for a bike and can't sense when they need to shift...
What ELSE don't they understand?
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
Dude, it's right out of the manual. But like they say, everyone has their own theories and riding style. Ride on.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,312
Likes: 12
From: Missouri
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Club Member
Joined: May 2007
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From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Here one I found for the 5 speed in another forum...
Easy rule of thumb and close enough is as follows
10 mph in 1st gear is around 2000 rpm
20 mph in 2nd gear is around 2000 rpm
30 mph in 3th gear is around 2000 rpm
40 mph in 4th gear is around 2000 rpm, 50 mph is around 2500 and 60 around 3000
50 mph in 5th gear is around 2000 rpm, 60 mph is around 2500 and 70 around 3000.
The newer 6speed is almost the same..
I cruse at, and shift into at these speeds
30 in 3rd;
40 in 4th;
50 in 5ht;
and 60 in 6th.
Easy rule of thumb and close enough is as follows
10 mph in 1st gear is around 2000 rpm
20 mph in 2nd gear is around 2000 rpm
30 mph in 3th gear is around 2000 rpm
40 mph in 4th gear is around 2000 rpm, 50 mph is around 2500 and 60 around 3000
50 mph in 5th gear is around 2000 rpm, 60 mph is around 2500 and 70 around 3000.
The newer 6speed is almost the same..
I cruse at, and shift into at these speeds
30 in 3rd;
40 in 4th;
50 in 5ht;
and 60 in 6th.