998 se5 on highway 55mph

[dsteve931]

What is everyone's input on a 997 se5 55mph in 5 th gear on the highway ? I'm on flatland or am I better on
OF in 4th?

[Bfromla]

:hun::dontknow: I dont see whatyour asking sorry but can say with the 998 liking high RPM's you should only try for 5th gear after 70mph or so:thumbup:. I may get in 3rd at 55 round here also flat except all the potholes & roadkill:banghead:.

[ronpoust]

I ride 55 in 5TH on flat all the time no trouble in 22000 miles.

[kep-up]

Methinks you all worry too much. If you allow the nanny to do the shifting for you, you will find that your 998 will pull hard from 3000rpm in any gear without any clutch slippage. Ride it the way you are comfortable, and stop worrying.

[pegasus1300]

We do seem to be an OCD lot don't we? You will be just fine at 55 in 5th, however you will be better if you ride in 4th or even 3rd at that speed. My RT really likes to stay above 5500 but it took me a long time to like it and sometimes I still don't.

[bmccaffrey]

4th by all means. RPM to low in 5th especially SE

[Easy Rider]

We do seem to be an OCD lot don't we? You will be just fine at 55 in 5th, however you will be better if you ride in 4th or even 3rd at that speed.

Some people have strange ideas too. :shocked:

"Better" ?? How exactly ?

And how did your engine tell you that it likes that ?

In fact, it does NOT like it.
It runs hotter and there is more strain on ALL of the moving engine parts.
And it EATS more fuel too.

Just because it will run there relatively comfortably does NOT mean that it should all of the time.
:lecturef_smilie:

[SilverFox1]

My 998 engine tells me also that it likes to run at higher rpm. Between 5000 and 5500 rpm it just purrs like a big kitten. No vibrations, clean shifting, no clunking. Just smooth music to my ears. PLUS, as a bonus that's where I get the best gas mileage. The engine is not lugging at all. I don't calculate my gas mileage. I just enter the numbers in my phone app and it tells me I'm doing really good. As a matter of fact, so good that some high up BRP people cannot believe it. I have all the receipts to prove it.

SilverFox

[wyliec]

My GS SM5 spyder tells me when it doesn't like 9500 rpm; so, it does speak to me. I don't bother with MPG anymore; why bother.

[jmatera]

What is everyone's input on a 997 se5 55mph in 5 th gear on the highway ? I'm on flatland or am I better on
OF in 4th?


I agree with Bfromla (http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/member.php?16361-Bfromla) I'm doing up to 70 in 4th and up to 55 in 3rd. Up hill or flat land, and she doesn't even break a sweat ;)

[Bob Denman]

The ONLY issue with the 998s: making sure that the clutch is fully locked-up.
Which it certainly is at 55 mph in fifth gear...
(It'll be turning at just about 4,000 rpm.)
Anybody who tells you anything different...is only telling you how they like to ride their bike! nojoke

[loisk]

Oh my

If 5th from 70mph, Australian spyders would never use 5th (110Kph limit)

The twins like to be (need, really) above 3500 rpm generally. Do this and you're protecting the centrifugal clutch.

Yes the motor likes high revs, but it doesn't need it - doesn't need to be over 5000rpm all the time.

Read the owners manual and make your own decision.

[Crisis]

4200 RPM and clutch is locked.

[pegasus1300]

Some people have strange ideas too. :shocked:

"Better" ?? How exactly ?

And how did your engine tell you that it likes that ?

In fact, it does NOT like it.
It runs hotter and there is more strain on ALL of the moving engine parts.
And it EATS more fuel too.

Just because it will run there relatively comfortably does NOT mean that it should all of the time.
:lecturef_smilie:

Yes well as I said we are an OCD lot. I don;t know why you felt you had to SHOUT at me to make you point :lecturef_smilie: But then it is my engine and I have the most experience with it And it told me it liked the higher RPMs by rewarding me with a smother ride.better fuel mileage and lower heat on the temp gauge.

[Easy Rider]

PLUS, as a bonus that's where I get the best gas mileage.

As a matter of fact, so good that some high up BRP people cannot believe it.

If......you think that you get better gas mileage running at 5500 in 3rd than you get running at 3500 in 5th.......you are just delusional.

And if you think that running at ~2000 RPM higher engine speed is somehow good for the engine.......you are not thinking straight.

You can not defy the laws of physics.......with all the receipts in the world.

Done. Flamewars are useless.

[pegasus1300]

If......you think that you get better gas mileage running at 5500 in 3rd than you get running at 3500 in 5th.......you are just delusional.

And if you think that running at ~2000 RPM higher engine speed is somehow good for the engine.......you are not thinking straight.

You can not defy the laws of physics.......with all the receipts in the world.

Done. Flamewars are useless.

I agree 100 % with your last statement. Thank you

[Buckeye Bleau]

Ok, my two cents is worth as much as all the others, not much.

I don't shift any sooner than 5k RPM in any gear, it may be just some superstitious activity of mine, maybe just a weird ear or strange vibrations, but my 2013 RTL has less lugging, less vibration and seems to have more power if I keep the Tachometer above 4,300 RPM all the time.

I don't look at the speedometer much but I think that means a shift about 28, 38, 48, and 63 MPH on the spedometer.

Since I started doing this as opposed to lower RPM, my MPG stays right about 30. Call it what you will but that is about two MPG higher and I honestly believe that that is a result of the engine not lugging along. :dontknow:

Joe

[ARtraveler]

5000 - 5500 is "optimal" rpm for the 998.

4th gear at 55 will put you in that range. 65 + makes for good operation in 5th gear. On ours, that's right at 5500 rpm's.

I drove 100 miles round trip in 1st gear on the Hana Hwy in Maui. Most of the time it was at 20 mph or less. :yes:

Our rule of thumb--keep the 998 operating in the 5000 range unless your going "real fast."

You will soon recognize the "sound" and wont have to keep your eyes on the tach as much.

[AY4B]

I normally dont shift into fifth untill I get to 70, but if Im just cruising on a straight flat smooth road, I can lug it in fifth at around 60-65 and still feel plenty of torque to ease on out.

[Netminder]

Next time you all take your Spyder to the dealers, have them run a BUDS report and that should tell you if the Spyder likes the shift points. I like to shift at 5500 and dealer says the Spyder likes that. I might be a bit off topic here as the OP was asking rpm / speed. But just thought I would add this.:thumbup:

[Chupaca]

You asked for input and I have to agree it is low I don't use 5th till 70 plus and last BUDS check I run 35% of the time between 6,000 and 8,000 rpms and she's loving it. If mileage is of interest I average 33 mpg. I seldom use 5th mostly when I hit a freeway. Not to say you have to change your ways but you asked and everyone has there style of ryding but have to say these are high rpm engines and we have had folks walk away cause they could not get used to it.....now you have the 1330 with 6 speeds you can lug around all day...:roflblack:

[blacklightning]

I used 5th gear all the time on my 2012 rss, and my engine never felt like it was lugging. The only time i would downshift at that speed was if i needed to pass someone really quickly.

[retread]

SE clutch locks at 3200 to 3500 RPM, I generally keep mine at 4000 or better. 4000 gives me around 54 MPH in 5th, okay for flatland, but if I want to get up and go, it's 4th or 3rd.

john

[Easy Rider]

5000 - 5500 is "optimal" rpm for the 998.


"Optimal" how exactly ?

Another owner said that he doesn't shift until about 5000......and that is quite different than cruising down the highway in 3rd gear or 4th even just to keep the engine in it's "power band".

The former is absolutely fine. The latter is just not good.

BUT......it's your machine and your business how you ride it so that it makes you feel good.

Just don't try to tell the rest of us that it is somehow good to be cruising at 55 in 3rd gear because it is NOT....except maybe for your ego.

[Easy Rider]

but if Im just cruising on a straight flat smooth road, I can lug it in fifth at around 60-65 and still feel plenty of torque to ease on out.

You contradict yourself here.

Running at 60-65 in 5th gear is NOT "lugging it". It just isn't.
You provide testimony to that fact yourself.

[PaladinLV]

OMG!

Simple rule, if engine is lugging drop a gear; if not keep rolling!

AJ

What is everyone's input on a 997 se5 55mph in 5 th gear on the highway ? I'm on flatland or am I better on
OF in 4th?

[kep-up]

O Lord PLEASE have mercy! on these people.

2011 RS-S SE5: Clutch locks tight at 2800 rpms. True the most power is above 5000 rpms, but you surely do not need peak power and torque to ride "down the road'. THAT IS WHAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FOR!!!!!

If you need more oomph, DOWNSHIFT THE DAM THING!!!

[trucker1]

I run in 5th till it starts lugging. Then go to 4th. I can't ride 55 anyway. I like to stay around 60 to 62 it keeps the rooms up and the cops don't seem to care. The cop rule around here is 9 your fine 10 your mine. So just ride it like you stole it. Its ok to let loose sometimes

[ARtraveler]

You asked for input and I have to agree it is low I don't use 5th till 70 plus and last BUDS check I run 35% of the time between 6,000 and 8,000 rpms and she's loving it. If mileage is of interest I average 33 mpg. I seldom use 5th mostly when I hit a freeway. Not to say you have to change your ways but you asked and everyone has there style of ryding but have to say these are high rpm engines and we have had folks walk away cause they could not get used to it.....now you have the 1330 with 6 speeds you can lug around all day...:roflblack:

RE: 1330. Information not asked for...but here is a freebie. 1330 likes to operate in the 3000 - 3500 range. We gear accordingly to keep it in that range regardless of speed. I find that cruising 65 will leave us at the magic 3500 rpm range. :yes:

[dpetrick]

I usually run my RS at 55-60 mph which is 4500-5000 rpm, in 4th gear. On long flat stretches I go to 5th gear, and the only difference is there is a bit more vibration, for a short time, if I accelerate a bit. Here in NW Iowa we have lots of rolling hills, and in 4th it works great. I do run in 5th if I have a tail wind and can run around 60 mph or more. Mine smooths out nicely about 60, in 5th.
last week I rode to Sioux Falls, SD and used 5th on the way home, because I had a nice tail wind. Nice and smooth.

[RiverCity45]

My personal preference is to shift into 5th at about 65 MPH. I'll leave it to the mechanic types to argue over the "right" and "wrong" gear for a given speed. :popcorn: