Turned back

[Zip]

So I have a 998 manual shift, how do the RPM's play into that?

[Old Crow]

The 990 V twin is an old sport bike engine and likes to rev. 5000 is right in it's sweet spot. It took me a while to get used to it as well coming off a 1700 V twin.

I'm 2 months and about 2K miles off a 2010 1700 Nomad. It's been a big adjustment on shift points for sure.

[Peter Aawen]

So I have a 998 manual shift, how do the RPM's play into that?

The V-twins are all essentially the same Zip, they want/like/need revs!! Which selection method yours comes with determines which clutch you have - the SM's have a manual clutch, the SE's have a centrifugal clutch; both need revs to avoid lugging & bogging the engine down, & the SE's clutch won't be 'properly engaged' until your engine is revving about 3500 rpm. Still, regardless of the clutch arrangement yours has, the engine really won't perform at it's best in anything unless you keep the revs up!

So as has been mentioned earlier, forget the 'Americanised shifting' pattern you might be used to & rev it a tad harder - basically you just don't want to let the engine lug along at anything much less than 3500 rpm, so you need to try & make sure you upshift when the revs are above about 5000 rpm to avoid them dropping much below the 3500 mark..... The motor will run all day at 4000 rpm, or 5-7000 rpm if you want it to, heck, it'll run up on the red line all day if you really insist - it's built to rev & it loves revs, even if you aren't used to them!!

Once you are used to the noises it makes & the revs this motor prefers, it won't feel strange & you'll enjoy things more by not worrying about the specifics & just ryde it instead!

[Bob Denman]

Peter,
The "ESSEMS" aren't as fussy about rpm levels...
Unlike the "ESSIES"; you don't have to worry about toasting clutchplates due to the rpm levels not being enough to fully engage things...

[Peter Aawen]

They may not be as specifically fussy Bob, but if you want the best from them in any/all respects, they still thrive on revs!

[youngers]

mmmmm now I am not out every day on the 2012 S M 5 , and the roads are not very bad in the curvy , or big hill side of things , I have been keeping the revs. in the neighborhood of 3500 too 4000 , on flat surface roads , easy ride , let it slide in at and around 3000 r.p.m. ! not really seeing any troubles with this idea , so { what would be a tale tale sign , of clutch problems ? } I do not let it chuggg , it might hit a chug once go too down shift get it back around 3500 too 4000 get too the flat side of life and easy back too 3500 range ... I can feel the rotax talking to me through the foot pegs , the vibrations of high revs , and smooth running flats with lower revs are , high revs 4000 smoother revs 3500 . I have put about 1000 miles on her this way so I am interested in what the answers are here too ! thanks every one for the feed back on all post that require knowledge we the newbies need { by the way ! W_T_F bob thought you were a bit --- well more dark haired !!!!

[kep-up]

This subject has been beat to death. It simply ani't necessary to ride at 5000rpm+ unless you are wanting to stay in the power band for quick acceleration or some such. The clutch on the SE5 locks up at 2800 rpm. Test it yourself. You can feel and hear when it locks. Any speed over that will not harm the clutch in any way. 3000rpm for a bit of a cushion. And unless you are gonna twist to the stop under 2800 over and over again, you still won't hurt your clutch. I do actually try to keep it spinning no less than 3000rpm and shift at 4000 to 45000 unless I am in a performance frame of mind, and for over 25000 miles. And my clutch still locks up at 2800 rpm.

[Casher50]

My 2011 RT has a standard transmission. Since I don't have to worry about centrifugal clutches, I just ride at whatever RPM I feel like. It makes life more pleasant.