What RPM do you cruise at?
- Thread starter DocNeal
- Start date
I ride by the seat of my pants. Years of dirt bike riding make a tach seem like a frivolous option.
Wow, old thread. I've noticed that in the 50-70mph range, fuel economy is a wash between fourth and fifth, sometimes better in fourth if there are any grades involved.
About 750-1000rpm higher than I'd like.
I have never owned a Honda moto-engine that "felt happy" below 3600 rpm. I don't think that full ignition advance is all in before 3200. You are nicely on the torque curve keeping the shift range between 3500 to 5500 routinely,,, and 4000 to 7000 in performance mode. On the freeway,, in overdrive (5th),, rpm depends on how fast you want to go. imho,,, CAt'
I had to google "lugging the engine"
mello dude
Half genius, half dumazz whackjob foole
Replying just for grins.....my Valkyrie......if you are just easy cruising, you can run through the gears shifting at 1900 rpm...it will roll 2000rpm in 5th easy...and even 5th gear at 2300ish, feels like I need a 6th gear.....On the other hand, if you feel like it, it will rip to redline in all the gears...
Me too. The manual recommends that you not shift into fifth gear until your speed is at least 31mph.
I should have been more specific,,, as all the Honda's I have owned have been inline 4's,, or v-4's. The Valkyrie's are flat six's,,, right ?? Lot's of torque at low rev's ? Close cousin to the GL's powerplant, I am guessing. Hope to own one someday,,, CAt'
You should try an 11, silky from 2000 rpm and 20 mph per 1000 rpm indicated.
That's 80 mph at half revs. God its a good bike.
Upt'North.
ST1100Y
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And it actually pulls right out of idle, 11~1200rpm upward...
There have been discussions about this for cars years ago. One of those that I read pointed out that cars used to have 3 speed gearboxes and their engines lasted around 100,000 miles. When 4 and 5 speed transmissions became widely used, the engine life nearly doubled. In fact, many of the mid last century cars (I'm thinking of Volvo's) with overdrive would go farther than 200K miles. Of course there is more to it than adding a gear or two to the tranny, but think of it this way. More engine revolutions per mile translates to more wear per mile, more opening and closing of the valves, more revolutions of the cam, etc. Honda's engines last a long time, but I'd wager that those bikes that have logged over 300K miles did not have owners who ran them all day long in 2nd gear.
If you are riding on curvy roads, go ahead and shift as necessary, and run in a gear that gives you the power you need/want. If you are droning along on a freeway, you are going to be in the top gear range... well, everyone except @SupraSabre (when he was commuting on those linear parking lots they have in California
). If you need a burst of power to pass a semi, downshift a gear, though I always found enough in my 1300 in top gear.
If you are riding on curvy roads, go ahead and shift as necessary, and run in a gear that gives you the power you need/want. If you are droning along on a freeway, you are going to be in the top gear range... well, everyone except @SupraSabre (when he was commuting on those linear parking lots they have in California
). If you need a burst of power to pass a semi, downshift a gear, though I always found enough in my 1300 in top gear.
Beeflips
(it's me...Greg) Returning some videotapes
When I'm riding on the expressway at 4,000 rpm, then I'm about 78 mph. Riding the back roads at 55-60 I run in top gear, I always look at more rpms as more wear and heat generated for the same speed at being down a gear. Of course if I need the power, I simply drop a gear and get with it.
But I've never thought my bike was unhappy with how it was being ridden. I do a lot of listening. And I don't listen to radios either, I'd rather listen to the motor.
But I've never thought my bike was unhappy with how it was being ridden. I do a lot of listening. And I don't listen to radios either, I'd rather listen to the motor.