Lugging
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Mississippi
Lugging
So I've had my sporster (08 883) for 2 weeks and have logged about 1200 miles on it. I absolutely love the low end torque on these bikes, and like to hear that incredible chug when cruising in town. My only concern is, if this was a car, I wouldn't want to lug the engine. I generally prefer higher rpms in my 4 wheel vehicles. Does it overstrain the v-twins to run them at a lower rpm? I'm not going so slow that they my bike is stalling or struggling, but I do tend to run it at a lower rpm so I can enjoy that beautiful sound. Is that a bad thing?
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Assuming flat ground and standard gearing/tire sizes, I would NEVER recommend shifting below:
1-2 - 25mph
2-3 - 35mph
3-4 - 45mph
4-5 - 60mph
If you stick to that, you should always be shifting around 3400rpm, no lugging for sure.
If you are chugging the engine in 5th at 45mph, you are going to mess up your bike.
Sportys, more than any other type of HD, like to run high rpms.
Please refer to the following:
1-2 - 25mph
2-3 - 35mph
3-4 - 45mph
4-5 - 60mph
If you stick to that, you should always be shifting around 3400rpm, no lugging for sure.
If you are chugging the engine in 5th at 45mph, you are going to mess up your bike.
Sportys, more than any other type of HD, like to run high rpms.
Please refer to the following:
Last edited by parabellum_9x19; Sep 16, 2011 at 08:46 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Mississippi
Thanks for the info guys. I get decent throttle response, but it doesn't jump when I give it gas at town speeds, so I'll be adjusting my gear selection accordingly. I'll just have to soak up the chugging at the stoplights I guess.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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From: Calgary AB
I finally installed a tach on my '06, too bad they don't all come with one. I'm not very good a judging RPM by ear.
I found that it doesn't like to run below 2500. That's where it gets luggy. It's happiest in the 3000 - 3500 RPM range.
I think we're used to hearing the big cruisers chugging merrily along at 2200 RPM. A Sportster doesn't do that.
On an aside, I was also surprised to see just how quick a Sporty can pop up to 5500/6000.
(And, I've decided to change my 28T 883 sprocket to a 30T - at 75 MPH (highway cruise speed) I'm at 4000RPM, not a comfortable range for me. I thought it was high, I didn't know how high until I put the tach on)
I found that it doesn't like to run below 2500. That's where it gets luggy. It's happiest in the 3000 - 3500 RPM range.
I think we're used to hearing the big cruisers chugging merrily along at 2200 RPM. A Sportster doesn't do that.
On an aside, I was also surprised to see just how quick a Sporty can pop up to 5500/6000.
(And, I've decided to change my 28T 883 sprocket to a 30T - at 75 MPH (highway cruise speed) I'm at 4000RPM, not a comfortable range for me. I thought it was high, I didn't know how high until I put the tach on)
Last edited by dwagar; Sep 17, 2011 at 09:21 AM.