"lugging"
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 621
Likes: 3
From: N CA
i agree with this post - my 07 is tall geared - i listen to the engine - headwinds make me down shift - Harleys are low HP dinosaurs - i am still amazed we love them so much - in 50 years of riding Goldwings and BMW's (air cooled) i never had to worry about downshifting like i do on my Harley - but they are what they are - i think there are better choices in touring motorcycles today but i will say HD's are a lot of fun & have killer looks - you really have to love a "Harley" to own one - tom
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 1,165
From: No where near you, OH
Its common courtesy and consideration of other people. Sadly common courtesy is going by the way of the dinosour and is a personal choice. Course if people would teach their proginy to be considerate that would be nice, and that too is woefully lacking.....sign of the times.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 13
From: Sussex, South of England
Shifting into 6th at 60 and twisting the throttle in 6th at 60 are two different things. Nice flat road, 60MPH in 6th should see no problem, but at a steady speed. Need to climb a rise, pass a car, etc., downshift before you roll the throttle. It's really a matter of understanding your bike and what it is capable of. If ever in doubt, go with the 2500 or greater RPM rule, if no tach and in doubt, downshift.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
Some here is scary and if true makes me wish I`d researched vs just trusted modern Harleys were reliable and that by now they`d have the bugs worked out of an old design:
http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.bi...buyharley.html.
Segments 1-5 of this aren`t very encouraging either (I know it`s biased but even if 1/4 is true)...the first four are to do with the engines so I copied them here.
I have however read a few things in that first link (to the James Russell Publishing site), when I branched off to other `advice` he had, and he may indeed be a kook and crazy as a loon. It`s hard to say if he`s a Victory nuthugger or his reasons are sincere and valid, but there`s no doubt that the same guy writing about all these Harley issues loves Victorys. That in itself shouldn`t mean he`s deliberately fabricating or exaggerating issues, but his statements should be checked against those in the Harley camp which I`m doing now. Without evidence to the contrary I`d have to give him the benefit of the doubt for now though. There was also a couple things in the youtube videos I recognized as false, which shot it`s credibility slightly though again much may be factual. I forget what they were now.
Anyway, how many of these concerns are real, and worth trying to address before it`s too late? Hopefully most is either exaggerated or completely untrue. I`m certainly not qualified to judge, but thought some/several here could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGkFPUeNUqc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueK_pyJHJE&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Ld-IK-uNg&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUKKbuibqhs&feature=g-vrec
http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.bi...buyharley.html.
Segments 1-5 of this aren`t very encouraging either (I know it`s biased but even if 1/4 is true)...the first four are to do with the engines so I copied them here.
I have however read a few things in that first link (to the James Russell Publishing site), when I branched off to other `advice` he had, and he may indeed be a kook and crazy as a loon. It`s hard to say if he`s a Victory nuthugger or his reasons are sincere and valid, but there`s no doubt that the same guy writing about all these Harley issues loves Victorys. That in itself shouldn`t mean he`s deliberately fabricating or exaggerating issues, but his statements should be checked against those in the Harley camp which I`m doing now. Without evidence to the contrary I`d have to give him the benefit of the doubt for now though. There was also a couple things in the youtube videos I recognized as false, which shot it`s credibility slightly though again much may be factual. I forget what they were now.
Anyway, how many of these concerns are real, and worth trying to address before it`s too late? Hopefully most is either exaggerated or completely untrue. I`m certainly not qualified to judge, but thought some/several here could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGkFPUeNUqc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueK_pyJHJE&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Ld-IK-uNg&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUKKbuibqhs&feature=g-vrec
Last edited by LastHalf; Jun 24, 2012 at 05:55 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
.....and by extension, the `shifting guidelines` Harley provides are merely that (guidelines to be used with owner discretion). That said, you`d think the Harley tech would have said there are conditions where cruising at 100 kph in 6th could damage your crank....or at least that it can be harmful to the engine in other ways but they simply said it can`t damage anything and in fact is intended for that (100 kph for fuel mileage).
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
Thats what I do also. Unless Im going over 70 for an extended time I just leave it in 5th, theres plenty of power still there and its not winding out. I dont have a tach so I really dont know my exact RPM. What RPM is everyone running at 70mph in 6th gear as well as 60mph in 5th can anyone tell me?
Ive got my timing retarded -1 beginning at 2250rpm to asist with previous pinging issues but from the rpm to mph numbers everyone is stating, It sounds like I need to reconfigure my timing adjustment
ranges.
Ive got my timing retarded -1 beginning at 2250rpm to asist with previous pinging issues but from the rpm to mph numbers everyone is stating, It sounds like I need to reconfigure my timing adjustment
ranges.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
i agree with this post - my 07 is tall geared - i listen to the engine - headwinds make me down shift - Harleys are low HP dinosaurs - i am still amazed we love them so much - in 50 years of riding Goldwings and BMW's (air cooled) i never had to worry about downshifting like i do on my Harley - but they are what they are - i think there are better choices in touring motorcycles today but i will say HD's are a lot of fun & have killer looks - you really have to love a "Harley" to own one - tom
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
Shifting into 6th at 60 and twisting the throttle in 6th at 60 are two different things. Nice flat road, 60MPH in 6th should see no problem, but at a steady speed. Need to climb a rise, pass a car, etc., downshift before you roll the throttle. It's really a matter of understanding your bike and what it is capable of. If ever in doubt, go with the 2500 or greater RPM rule, if no tach and in doubt, downshift.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Atlantic Canada
I`d personally be very careful `coasting along on flat roads` at anywhere near 2000 rpm after my problems and from what my mechanic (and others here) are saying. I did just as you`re saying and it seems that did my motor in top and bottom. Maybe 2400-2500 rpm cruising is fine, but not the 2150-2200 rpm I was running for long distances. Sure my damage may have been due to detonation, except if running too low of rpm`s stresses the motor, it could be causing the heat that lead to the detonation in the first place. Running over 2500 rpm may keep engine temps down which in turn eliminates detonation.
Last edited by LastHalf; Jun 24, 2012 at 02:02 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 621
Likes: 3
From: N CA
Much here is scary and if true makes me wish I`d researched vs just trusted modern Harleys were reliable: http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.bi...buyharley.html
Segments 1-5 of this aren`t very encouraging either (I know it`s biased but even if 1/4 is true): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGkFPUeNUqc
How much of these concerns are real, and worth trying to address before it`s too late? Hopefully most is either exaggerated or completely untrue.
Segments 1-5 of this aren`t very encouraging either (I know it`s biased but even if 1/4 is true): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGkFPUeNUqc
How much of these concerns are real, and worth trying to address before it`s too late? Hopefully most is either exaggerated or completely untrue.