Gear selection during city riding

[IanDMacDonald]

Fellas-

Kind of a different question here. I have rode many bikes throughout the years, as well as many manual cars. So, I am accustomed to normal "top" city driving to take me no further than 4th gear.

However, I have noticed (based off my hearing of revs), I am shifting into 5th gear on my bike even at lower speeds (45mph-55mph). Do you guys dissent from this? I have never abided by visual rpm's when shifting, always by hearing. I noticed this is a very high-revving bike! When I WOT from first to second, the bike screams with very little rev difference. Other bikes, there is a noticeable declination in RPM's when going from first to second. Just something I noticed.

Any comments?

 

[DanTheMan]

Dependent on traffic conditions and the bike I'm riding (850 or 1100) I ride in city traffic anywhere from 2nd to 5th gear. The 1100 handles well at 35mph in 5th (it's real torquey), while I tend to use 3rd and 4th on the 850 (mainly because I've got to rebuild the carbs again). If the bike's engine is "lugging" and "pinging", maybe you'd better use a lower gear. If you want to impress people with the sound of a a high revving engine, you can stay in 2nd up to about 60 mph or so also.

 

[ChicagoBob]

When I had a new GS550 in 1979, I routinely shifted all the way up to 6th before I reached 40 mph, even between traffic lights, and I'd do a dramatic downshift if I needed to accelerate from cruise. On the highway, I'd rev it up to speed (2nd or 3rd gear), then string-shift up to 6th once I got to 70 mph. I got more than 50 mpg that way. Now, with the same bike (not tuned as lean as stock), I often never get higher than 3rd or 4th. I have more power on tap at any given time, but I get only about 35 mpg.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

For my bike, I try to have the engine running around 4000 rpm (the beginning of the power band). In third gear that's 40 mph for me. In third I can do anything between 30 mph - 90 mph and I have plenty of "get up and go" should I need it to get out of the way. I try not to lug the engine in city (or suburban) traffic.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[FiremanBob]

I try to stretch every drop of gas, but not at the cost of lugging the engine (that actually wastes gas). I'll use 5th as low as 35 mph, if I'm going down hill, to let the bike coast without effort. But on an uphill or riding two-up I usually shift on the 5s (i.e., 1-2 shift at 15 mph, 2-3 at 25...).

I don't watch the gauges too much any more, doing it more by sound and feel. Overall I get 50 mph in normal riding.

 

[tom203]

This bike is very tolerant of snoozing along in 5th gear- I often drift thru towns at 25 mph in 5th and being lazy, just accelerate off with no sign of lugging. A steep hill at 50 mph doesn't get any complaints either. So just do what feels and sounds good to you.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Kind of a different question here. I have rode many bikes throughout the years, as well as many manual cars. So, I am accustomed to normal "top" city driving to take me no further than 4th gear.

However, I have noticed (based off my hearing of revs), I am shifting into 5th gear on my bike even at lower speeds (45mph-55mph). Do you guys dissent from this? I have never abided by visual rpm's when shifting, always by hearing. I noticed this is a very high-revving bike! When I WOT from first to second, the bike screams with very little rev difference. Other bikes, there is a noticeable declination in RPM's when going from first to second. Just something I noticed.

Any comments?

The gearing on any individual bike will differ. I try to ride in the most efficient gear with my butt-o-meter. If the engine is lugging, I need to downshift. If it is revving too much, I upshift. It also depends on traffic. I run in a lower gear in traffic so I have an easier time getting the heck out of the way if I need to.

 

[IanDMacDonald]

Interesting Replys!

Interesting Replys!

Thanks fellas! I thought it sounded right to be riding in 5th, thanks for confirming my suspicions!

P.S. This city is not congested enough in traffic to justify the "get out of here" lower gears. If need be, I jam on the brakes and pray.

 

[gearhead13]

I try to run my bike no lower than 3k rpm, means 4th around town, and 3rd if I want more snap. 5th only on the highway. Stock gearing. It does more than 100 mph in third, and on the highway I like to stay in 4th for more jump.
The mechanical advance kicks in around 2500 rpm.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Fellas-

Kind of a different question here. I have rode many bikes throughout the years, as well as many manual cars. So, I am accustomed to normal "top" city driving to take me no further than 4th gear.

However, I have noticed (based off my hearing of revs), I am shifting into 5th gear on my bike even at lower speeds (45mph-55mph). Do you guys dissent from this? I have never abided by visual rpm's when shifting, always by hearing. I noticed this is a very high-revving bike! When I WOT from first to second, the bike screams with very little rev difference. Other bikes, there is a noticeable declination in RPM's when going from first to second. Just something I noticed.

Any comments?

An old bastard one told me that I should shift at max vacuum in any gear as that was an indication of best engine performance.

Modern cars suffer lugging very well but old bikes with rpm and cfm specific tuning do not forgive.

 

[Guest]

I usually ride around in first until my rev limiter kicks in.
:-\\\

 

[alschott]

Getting on the parkway, I usually leave it in 3rd gear, then run it up to 60, shift rapidly up to 5th and run at 65 to 70 going to work. In heavy traffic, I'm down in 2nd for the most part (speed under 20mph). Found that the mileage tain't bad for the bike's age (82 GS650L) - getting 50 mpg for the most part during the week, battling traffic.
In town, I'm usually in 4th gear, not lugging the engine at all.

Al

 

[850 Combat]

Some people say that you shouldn't lug a roller bearing crank. I have gotten into the habit lately of doing just that though, short shifting at 2500 or so and using quite a bit of throttle through the gears below the power band. Its fun on a thousand.

Do whatever you like. You're not going to hurt it I don't think.

Cliff's idea of keeping it ar an RPM where it is close to comming into its best acceleration potential is very logical.

Your 650G doesn't have a roller bearing crank BTY, but most GS's do.

 

[Allie]

There is little or no charging that takes place on these bikes below three or four k. It also takes more gas to lug a bike along below it's power band than to keep the revs closer to it where the engine is most efficient. These bikes were designed to be wound out, so have at it!

 

[bonanzadave]

Gear selection during city riding

On purpose or by mistake ? My bike is very forgiving of absent minded shifting. I can start from a stop sign or light in 3rd. If traffic is brisk I like to keep the revs up (1st & 2nd). If Im on a deserted blvd Ill poke along at 45mph in 5th.

 

[spyug]

An interesting topic and timely for me. As an avid reader and collector of anything MC related, especially riding manuals I've just been re-reading Reg Pridmore's manual. I find a lot of his teachings to make a lot of sense. In the manual, he suggests 4 cycl bikes should be ridden in 2nd or 3rd gear between 6000 and 8000 rpm in town. His reasoning is primarily for safety in that you always have the "oomph" to get out of the way if its required.

When I read this I thought that would be annoying so on my last ride Sunday I was trying it out. I must say it does feel uncomfortable,noisy and tiring to me even at 6K. At 4K in 3or preferrably 4 is more comfortable for me and that's generally how I ride. In heavier traffic where I might need to step out quickly I'm usually in no higher than 3rd.

As mentioned, though, it depends on the bike. With parallel twins like the old XS650 there was a really noticeable sweet spot around 2700 rpm in each of the first 3 gears. Other bikes will also have have an optimum rev range in each gear.

I'm still experimenting.

Cheers,
Spyug

 

[DanTheMan]

I shift in the 3500-4000 rpm range most of the time. I did forget once on the 1100 though, and shifted deep in the red line, about 13000 rpm I think. No damage done, but it doesn't alert me by the sound of the engine like the 850 does when I'm into the redline.
On the charging note, I have a voltmeter, and both of my bikes charge adequately in the lower range (unless I've got my heated vest and grip heaters turned on, then I do better over 4k rpm).

 

[Allie]

Reg is probably referring to 'modern' fours which rev way above what a GS will. Seems to me that 4k is plenty to keep on tap for evasive maneuvers, perhaps a little more on a smaller four, you get the idea.

If someone has a bike that charges at 2k they have a much better system than many of us, certainly than me. Then again I'm still running all original components, yes a separate regulator and rectifier so SHHHHHHHHH! I won't complain as long as it keeps doing it's job.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Allie, I have to agree with you about the charging. I put an LED voltmeter on mine, and it really does not reach the sweet spot in charging unless I am around 3500-4000 rpm. And for a smaller engine, I say let it rev. Revs don't hurt, lugging the engine can hurt. Noise isn't really a factor either, since my GS is 100% stock.

 

[1948man]

As far as the first post, I find that I shift at about 4K when out on the open road and it sounds right. If I'm poking around in town and linger at about 3.5 K for a while it begins to sound higher and more busy and tricks my ear so that I shift earlier. Especially with a 4 into 1 exhaust.