Okay okay okay okay, I apologize to the linguistic perfectionists. I do have a concept of the term lugging. Mea culpa (look it up).

But lugging the engine on this FatBoy would be vastly different from lugging on my old shovelhead, or my Triumph Daytona, or my old BMW 533i.

The Triumph wouldnt get comfortable until above 5 or 6k. The FatBoy would just explode at those revs.

So to rephrase my original for all the English professors,

In your experience with the 2011 softail engine and gearing, what would you consider the average shift points and cruising RPMs?

And Thank you to those that gave me some useful answers. Just trying to keep her running smooth.
Michael

 

2500 rpm is the minimum I try to shift/cruise at. I am sure it's about the same for a 96".

 

That's interesting... Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but by "compression braking" I'm thinking what you mean is by slowing the bike with a lower gear before using your brakes. I was always taught that's the proper way to brake.

Did I misunderstand you or have I been taught incorrectly?

 

These bikes like to be at higher RPM's than there predecessors. An old Harley you could take off in second if you wanted to and so could my Triumph but these one's like there legs to get stretched out. Dont have an RPM gauge so I ride by feel.

 

that's how i do it...clutch, downshift, let out slowly

 

1st to 2nd at 20-25mph, 2nd to 3rd at 30-35, 4th over 40. is what I do for relaxed cruising.

 

That's interesting... Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but by "compression braking" I'm thinking what you mean is by slowing the bike with a lower gear before using your brakes. I was always taught that's the proper way to brake.

Nonononono...brake pads are much cheaper than crankshafts.

 

It would be nice to hear a Harley engineer comment on this, because there are tons of threads on "lugging" on all kinds of vehicle forums, and it never seems to get sorted out.

I suspect that that the term had more relevance in the days before computer controls, when a combination of low engine speed and high throttle opening was likely to cause engine-damaging detonation. Now, timing and fueling can be easily put wherever the manufacturer or tuner wants it, at any rpm and throttle opening, and it's common to have cars geared to run at extremely low rpms for fuel economy reasons. For instance, one of my cars is only turning 1500 rpm at 75mph, and is set up from the factory to skip gears, skipping from 1st to 4th when pulling away from a stop under normal driving conditions. This can leave the car accelerating in 4th gear at about 900 rpm. In another car, the auto trans starts out in second under normal driving conditions. In spite of these things, engine longevity is better than it's ever been.

So I'm thinkin' that concerns about running at low rpms are overblown and from a different era. But this area is crawling with auto engineers, auto manufacturer tech centers, proving grounds, and even the main EPA vehicle test center, so I'll ask around some more.
But Harley's computer mangagement systems aren't as complex and sophisticated as those on most cars, so that may make a difference.

 

Lugging motors has been talked about for yrs..

IMO there is no one answer that fits all Harley motors.

Too many variables, on if the motor is stock or built with Low rpm tq cams or cam that come on in Mid - High rpms. then piston compression will make a diff also as to how low U can run it and still be smooth.

Then it also make a diff what gear Ur in.

With the cams I have I've found that in 1st-2nd-3rd It pulls easy and smooth at 10-20-30 mph.
Thats right at 2k rpms..

in 4th -5th- 6th she smooths out and pulls easy at 40-50-60 mph and thats about 2200-2300 rpm..

I can accelerate (part throttle, not full throttle) from any of the above speed easy, if U need to pass on the road in a hurry then it would be better to drop a gear and then go.





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You transfer the entire weight of the bike plus it's momentum to the crankshaft when you brake like that. There are times you need to use the compression such as when braking on a steep incline, however it's generally frowned upon as a regular braking technique.