A quick question (or 2) about gears

[jenmom22]

First - thank you to everyone out there for all your help with me learning about these wonderful beasties..

I rode today, about 57 miles. I took the path to work and back, to see if I could do it. Despite a couple of rough spots (a red mustang trying to nudge to go faster on a single lane road, and trying to make a tight left turn while going about 50 or so), I had a great ride. I'm getting better each time, and enjoying it so much.

A couple of questions that came to mind as I was riding...

1) When shifting from 2nd to 3rd and up, I know to wait until 4,000 rpm or more before shifting. What about 1st to 2nd? I have been shifting at about 3,000 rpm because it sounds so loud to wait, but I wanted to check. Is 3,000 okay?

2) When in stop and go traffic, the bike will shift down to 1st - should I just keep her in 1st? Again, she sounds like whining and I don't want to keep shifting up to 2nd when it will just drop down again. Thankfullly, there is only a couple of places where this happens.

3) The last leg of the trip home is a long stretch of highway (2 lanes on my side, 1 on the other side, double yellow line separating them). I have to be in the 'fast' lane, usually doing about 55 (speed limit is 70), and slow down fast, to 2nd gear - 1st if someone is coming the other way. As I am slowing, the bike drops from 4, 3, and 2, clunking each time. It sounds painful. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to have her shift down gently?


Thanks - I appreciate the wisdom and friendship on this forum.

It was such a fun day today!

[bikeguy]

Jenmom, I only had a demo ride on an SE5 so I can't answer many questions about them. But, the Spyder's relatively small V-twin loves to run at higher RPM. I know it seems to make more noise at the same RPM in 1st gear than it does in 4th or 5th but I think that's only because you're going slower, getting less wind noise, and you can hear it better. You have to shift wherever you feel comfortable but you're not gonna hurt the spyder by running the RPM's up to 4-5,000 or even higher before you shift. And I think if the SE5 transmission keeps downshifting after you shift from 1st to 2nd, it's trying to tell you that it's happier in the lower gear.

Congrats on riding more all the time and getting out and into untried situations. You're doing great. If I struggle real hard to remember, I think I've been riding off and on since about 1952 and I still get real nervous when a car gets on my rear fender. I don't know what to tell you to do about it except keep an eye on them and try to give them an opportunity to get by. I know some will say to just outrun them but that may put you in more danger than the car on your fender.

Keep up the good work.

Cotton

[altonk]

The sweet spot for the rotax is 5-7 k and will run 7-10k all day long spin it up and enjoy the superbike heritage

[BillGargan]

Automatic downshifts occur at 2,500 rpm between all gears except between 2nd and 1st where it is 1,500.

You can downshift earlier at a higher rpm. Not sure why anyone would want to -- but you have the choice.

[SpyderWolf]

I would adjust your upshifting to 5,000 RPM. As someone else stated, it will sound louder because you are moving slower, but this engine really likes the higher RPMs. That is why it downshifts on its own at 2500, that is too low to run the higher gear and will bog down the engine.

Here is a rough list of what gear I use at what speed. It may help you out a little as well.

00 - 25 1st gear
26 - 35 2nd gear
36 - 50 3rd gear
51 - 69 4th gear
70 and up 5th gear

Of course these all vary based on how hard I want to ryde, but it will give you a general zone to play with.

[jenmom22]

I would adjust your upshifting to 5,000 RPM. As someone else stated, it will sound louder because you are moving slower, but this engine really likes the higher RPMs. That is why it downshifts on its own at 2500, that is too low to run the higher gear and will bog down the engine.

Here is a rough list of what gear I use at what speed. It may help you out a little as well.

00 - 25 1st gear
26 - 35 2nd gear
36 - 50 3rd gear
51 - 69 4th gear
70 and up 5th gear

Of course these all vary based on how hard I want to ryde, but it will give you a general zone to play with.

That is perfect! I have been going into 2nd gear too quickly, 2nd to 3rd looks pretty much on the mark, too quickly into 4th, and I don't think I should be using 5th at all (yet).

So, in stop and go traffic, she should only be in 1st then...

Okay. Can't ryde today (sniffle), but tomorrow will definitely try out the new knowledge.

Is the clunking normal (when the bike downshifts itself)?


Man, I love this bike, and this forum!

:clap::clap:

[jgwoods]

When I am driving easy I shift my SE5 into second at 20mph, go into 3rd at 30mph, and I use 4th over 35mph if the road is flat and I am only trying to cruise easy. I don't use 5th until 55mph or so. Off hand I can't recall what RPMs that comes out to- but it's fairly low like you have been riding.
My experience tells me that the automatic downshifts are fairly clunky when driving easy like that and I wouldn't worry about it.

When I want to "use the motor" I drive with much higher shift points- 6-7k rpm and on up to redline as the need arises. If I am traveling on the highway going 70 or so and come to an exit I will downshift into 4th at 60 or so to use engine braking but then I don't manually downshift again, just let it do it's thing downshifting around 2500 rpm as I approach the stop at the end of an exit.
Manual downshifts at high rpm are really very smooth and you can feel the throttle jerk under your right hand as the computer controlled rev matching happens. You won't feel that on the programmed 2500 rpm downshifts.

Like was said above- it's a high RPM motor- don't be afraid to use it- and don't mind the noise.

[scudrunner]

Shifting is a very personal thing, it's what you feel comfortable with. The guidelines above are pretty good. I don't go to 5th until 65 or so. It keeps the "vibration" at a minimum. Same with downshifting. I down shift when I feel the bike will not give me power if I have to speed up. If you wait for the auto downshift, it is too late in my opinion. Use the downshift for engine braking and to keep the rpm in the power range if you need it.
But this statement confused me.

I have to be in the 'fast' lane, usually doing about 55 (speed limit is 70), and slow down fast, to 2nd gear - 1st if someone is coming the other way.
Texas law, slower traffic keep left. If you are going 55 in a 70, you shouldn't be in the "fast" lane. And why would you slow to second gear if someone is coming the other way? Sorry, I didn't get that part.

[ataDude]

...Texas law, slower traffic keep left...

Right, not left. But I know what you meant. :D

.

[bikeguy]

But this statement confused me.

Texas law, slower traffic keep left. If you are going 55 in a 70, you shouldn't be in the "fast" lane. And why would you slow to second gear if someone is coming the other way? Sorry, I didn't get that part.

Not sure but I think she is slowing to make a left hand turn which she can take in 2nd gear unless she has to wait on oncoming traffic and then she needs to be in 1st gear. She has to be in the fast lane because it is the left lane and she is trying to turn left.

Cotton

[jenmom22]

Not sure but I think she is slowing to make a left hand turn which she can take in 2nd gear unless she has to wait on oncoming traffic and then she needs to be in 1st gear. She has to be in the fast lane because it is the left lane and she is trying to turn left.

Cotton

Exactly. One of the wonderful things about 3 lane traffic (2 lanes going up the hill, one lane on the other side going down. Not usually a problem, but sometimes you have a hot rod coming up behind you (and they act upset because you are in the 'fast lane,' although it is also a turning lane). Sometimes when you in the car, you just know you're going to get hit.

[scudrunner]

Ah, ok, got it. I was confused apparently, since I did say slower traffic keep left. I guess I was thinking of how it is, not how it should be. Course, down here near Galveston, we don't have too many 3 lane roads going up and down hill!

[jenmom22]

Ah, ok, got it. I was confused apparently, since I did say slower traffic keep left. I guess I was thinking of how it is, not how it should be. Course, down here near Galveston, we don't have too many 3 lane roads going up and down hill!


Haven't had been out to Galveston in a long time. Yea, the hills up here aren't big, but definitely winding. I think they are more for passing than for helping slower people up the hill. I like it because there is no way I am pulling onto the shoulder to let people pass (a common method around here, but there is too much crap on the shoulder).