I bought my first Harley about 4 years ago. I remember at that time seeing lots of used bikes advertised with 30 to 40K miles and just having the engine upper-end redone. Being a Goldwing guy I wondered what could cause need to rebuild the upper part of the engine (other than performance mods) at only 30 to 40K? I wonder if that is a result of lugging. I sold my Deuce and now have an 07 Electra Glide Ultra. I find it is the smoothest and very responsive at 2500-2800 (and up ) so I try to run it in that range unless the road is flat and no acceleration needed. Sometimes this means 3rd gear at 30-35 mph. It also seems that the tapping (valve?) noise goes away at that rpm as well.

Just my 2 cents.

 

My rule of thumb, or wrist is 10 mph is 1st, 20 2nd, 30 3rd, 40 4th 50 and up 5th.
I don't have a tach on my 2004.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/82264604/28_RatiosMPG-pg28

 

Many Harley do not have a tach. The compensator sprocket by design will make noises in your primary when lugging. We have all heard it and all learn very quickly that we don't want to operate in that zone and the zone varies with the gear you are in.

I like to ride in the lower zones and frequently ride my '03 EG 5 spd at 35 MPH in 5th gear, 1500 RPM. Not lugging, just cruising, if the drivetrain seems to lug I downshift. I ride my '13 EG 6 spd the same in town and sometimes even find myself in 6th gear, the compensator sprocket starts making that clanging noise in the primary as it slides up and down the compensating ramps, again I change gears.

Harley's have 2 large diameter cylinders and are designed for torque, not horsepower. The like the lower RPM ranges Most metric have 4 smaller diameter cylinders and are designed for horspower, not torque. They like the higher RPM ranges.

I have owned 5 Harleys in almost 35 years and they all speak the same language, noise in the primary tells me the gear is too tall for the road codition and speed. No tach required.

 

What he said....

 

Lotta luggers on here.

They talk about shifting into 6th @60 and the like.
You know who you are..

 

If you open the throttle on your bike and the engine starts to buck, stutter, accelerate at a slow and very labored pace or refuse to accelerate at all - you are lugging the engine.
Anything else is simply running along at low rpm's.

 

Thanks for all the replys. Pictures getting clearer.

 

RPM's is one factor. I'm surprised that no one has talked about weight. Someone mentioned lugging is when the engine is bucking and lurching - this is true. Also, when it is strained to accelerate, especially riding 2-up and loaded.

As long as your solo, unloaded and the engine is not bucking it's fine. A rider should be able to feel this in his seat, rather than referring to a tach.

 

very rarely use 6th myself.. only on interstate at 70 plus..

 

Don't know about others, but I can hear a distinct difference in the sound if I accidentally lug the engine. It does not sound cool. You can clearly tell something is off.