70mph...5th gear or 6th??
Your bike has a 66 tooth rear sprocket, newer bikes 09 and later come with a 68 tooth
rear sprocket. So IMO don't go to far below 70 MPH in sixth gear on the highway. You can change to a 68 tooth by getting an 07 Sportster rear sprocket, it will pull better from
70 MPH in 6th gear.
rear sprocket. So IMO don't go to far below 70 MPH in sixth gear on the highway. You can change to a 68 tooth by getting an 07 Sportster rear sprocket, it will pull better from
70 MPH in 6th gear.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,900
Likes: 12
Staying in 6th doesn't mean better gas mileage.
Your bike will have to work harder if you're lugging along at 60 - 65 mph up hills and in wind. In that event you would be better off staying in 5th gear. That way you would not have to adjust the throttle as much, and stay at a steadier RPM.
Your bike will have to work harder if you're lugging along at 60 - 65 mph up hills and in wind. In that event you would be better off staying in 5th gear. That way you would not have to adjust the throttle as much, and stay at a steadier RPM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,505
Likes: 56
From: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
went out for a nice ride to Greenport,LI yesterday to continue breaking in my '11 SG and was motoring along in the HOV lane at about 70-75mph, was a bit windier than what I like so kept the bike in 5th and was @3k rpms, would upshift to 6th rpms dropped to around 2200-2400 bike would pull but I didn't feel that "aggressiveness" or ability to push through the wind/moving around feeling.
I go through the gears and try not to stay too long of a stretch on one gear, I alternate 4-6 while on the freeways, but what gear should I really be in when doing 70-75mph? I made it up to 85 but that was for a short stint and on 6th gear, still need to break the motor in a bit more before staying at those speeds.
I go through the gears and try not to stay too long of a stretch on one gear, I alternate 4-6 while on the freeways, but what gear should I really be in when doing 70-75mph? I made it up to 85 but that was for a short stint and on 6th gear, still need to break the motor in a bit more before staying at those speeds.
My bike has plenty power and I'm not too worried about the crank, but my general rule is 6th is for 65+mph, I like to keep the engine at 2500rpm + if possible, it just runs and feels better.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 156
From: boston
I usually drop into 6th at 70. I like to run my bike between 2500 - 3100 rpm. Will upshift at 3500 and down at 2200. I love having a tach.
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From: Jayhawk Country
Well for those of us without a tach and a 103 6th gear above 55 mph is just fine. Manual even says so. My 10 EGC with the 96 was a complete dog and there was no way I could do 55 in 6th. My 103 must be strong because it has no problem pulling hills in 6th gear. For the guy that says he is lugging under 70 with the 106 build, maybe you need to rebuild, that's just wrong.