How to use a tach when riding...

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Apr 5, 2010 | 05:51 AM

#11

howa

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Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 55

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From: NE

Tach isn't all that important

You guys seem to be over analyzing it. My '06 FLHTCI runs most comfortably in 3rd, 4th, and 5th at approximately 2000 rpm. Anything below that and the engine feels like its lugging, but I don't need the tach to tell me that. You either know your bike or you don't. The only thing a tach is good for is reminding you don't to over-rev your engine, although I doubt there's many H-D riders who'd do that.

Apr 5, 2010 | 06:29 AM

#12

Texas Fat Boy

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 10,045

Likes: 36

From: ST. Louis

My car has a tach too...................and it's an automatic.
Just ride the damn thing man. If you are looking at the tach to know when to shift, you ain't lookin at the road.

Become one with the motorcycle Grasshopper.

Apr 5, 2010 | 07:33 AM

#13

SeniorChief56

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 12,578

Likes: 19,791

From: Ramona, Ca

Tack-o-meters are mainly for looks, glad my RKC does not have one....Are there really riders that look at the tack each time they shift and not keep their eyes on the adventure ahead?

Apr 5, 2010 | 07:38 AM

#14

dFREDb

Club Member

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 2,095

Likes: 4

From: Ponchatoula Louisiana

I put a tach on my Dyna cause I thought it would be cool to have. All it did was distract me from enjoying the ride, so off it went.

Apr 5, 2010 | 09:00 AM

#15

rg_dave

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 2,246

Likes: 19

From: Cypress, TX

I go by sound and feel. When you hit the rev limiter you went too far. The tach looks cool though.

Apr 5, 2010 | 09:15 AM

#16

dirtracin23

Road Warrior

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 1,979

Likes: 4

From: Central IL

Shift by ear and the seat of your pants. Keep your eyes on the road. The tach is basically a just a tuning tool and nice to have when trying to pinpint an rpm specific vibration or shimmy/wobble.

Apr 5, 2010 | 09:44 AM

#17

Leftcoaster

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 3,328

Likes: 15

From: Pacific Northwest

Wouldn't have a bike without a tach. Whenever I ride the wife's Heritage I look for it and wish it was there (and one will be, soon). If you rarely rev your bike past 3K rpm you'll likely never find any value in having a tachometer but for me that's where the fun is just starting. It's a useful tool that I wouldn't be without.

Apr 5, 2010 | 12:34 PM

#18

beary

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 4,928

Likes: 285

From: Edmond Oklahoma

Quote:

Originally Posted by todd-67

I only use mine if I am trying to pinpoint some anomoly in the powerband other than that I ignore it.

I used to wish I had a tach with my 02 RKC. Now that I have one, I also only use it to pinpoint some anomoly in the powerband. If my mirrors are vibrating, I'm at 1900 to 2100 rpms and shift up. If I hear my gas tank button rattling, I'm around 2900rpms.

I will say if I wear earplugs iwth my FullFace Helmet, I have to use the tach because I can't hear the engine. Which is why I don't wear plugs very much.

Beary