Using 6th gear over drive correctly and vibration

[Tazzel]

I purchased an F3 and felt the vibration at 65+ right away. A friend of mine that knows engines and bikes in general hopped on and took it for a 20min ride. When he got back I asked him if he felt it too. He said he felt it but it was not the belt. He said you have to use the 6th gear correctly or your bogging the engine. He said push the 5th gear out to 70 to 75 before moving into 6th. 6th gear is an over drive and should only be used at higher speeds. When passing, or curising at higher speeds. Always drop it back into 5th gear when your speed drops back down to 65 if you dont and try to accelerate you will feel the vibration.

So I tried this over the next few days and problem was solved.

[ca8920]

I'll have to give it a try.

[Mikind7]

Overdrive? Ill have to look into that. I believe 6th is direct.

[Bob Denman]

"To a Carpenter; every problem seems to have a hammer involved in it's solutions..."

Does he know belt drives also?

[joet82]

if it was an overdrive, why wouldn't they say, 5 + overdrive? and why would the eco mode tell me it's ok to shift into second at any speed above 40 when I'm casually going through the gears if this was so?

[Tazzel]

Maybe the "term" overdrive was not exactly technically correct. Lets not focus on that shall we. Just give it a try and you will see what I mean. It worked for me. Granted the gear ratio is much shorter for the F3 but pulling them out just a little and especially 5th when in the 65 to 75 range before going into 6th will not bog the engine producing the vibration.

[ARtraveler]

Easy to get into a lively discussion here. Sounds like the same as many of us have been using on the 998. Fifth gear for highway speeds--60 and above for me.

My Experience: The 1330 is geared for lower rpm operation and I have been shifting between 3000 - 3500 rpms pretty much all the time on all the gears. The ECO mode says shift at less rpms for first and second--if you use it.

When driving at 45 to 50 mph on a level surface, I snick it into sixth and just cruise along at about 2800 rpms. If I have to juice it up to pass someone, a twist on the throttle brings the 1330 to speed without the need to shift down.

Here, I would hardly ever be using sixth--since our top speed roads are posted at 65 and 70 mph.

[Bob Denman]

45-50 mph?
...And the F-3s are geared lower!
If the tranny will let you shift into top gear; do it!

[ARtraveler]

45-50 mph?
...And the F-3s are geared lower!
If the tranny will let you shift into top gear; do it!

I edited straightaway to level surface. Here I have a 15 miles twisty section with 40 and 45 mph curves which is very scenic. I like to go slow and enjoy the sights. Little to no traffic allows such.

[Bob Denman]

If I'm just loafing along; the bike won't kick down into fifth, until I drop to 35 mph...

[Tazzel]

Ok ok meat heads, all I am saying is try it. LOL

[ARtraveler]

Ok ok meat heads, all I am saying it try it. LOL

That was my intent for sure.

A lot of us have changed over from high rev operation to the lower rev operation of the 1330. Me, I kind of like the peace, quiet, and less "busy" operation of the 1330.

I did wind mine out to 4500 on an entry ramp yesterday--in the lower gears--in order to blend with traffic that was moving right along.

I do suspect that many F3 owners are doing just what you suggested.

[Bob Denman]

Ok ok meat heads, all I am saying it try it. LOL

[Ronbo]

I purchased an F3 and felt the vibration at 65+ right away. A friend of mine that knows engines and bikes in general hopped on and took it for a 20min ride. When he got back I asked him if he felt it too. He said he felt it but it was not the belt. He said you have to use the 6th gear correctly or your bogging the engine. He said push the 5th gear out to 70 to 75 before moving into 6th. 6th gear is an over drive and should only be used at higher speeds. When passing, or curising at higher speeds. Always drop it back into 5th gear when your speed drops back down to 65 if you dont and try to accelerate you will feel the vibration.

So I tried this over the next few days and problem was solved.

At least that's a different line of thinking, however, that doesn't do it for me. Vibration occurs in any gear. Great that it works for you though.

Ron

[Tazzel]

I have felt it in various gears but mostly in 6th gear, I just stretch out the gears a little more so I no longer bog the engine,

[Retired 2012]

I feel it in 5th or 6th at 3900-4100 rpm, but 6th is worse.
Has anyone used a camera to see the belt flapping around???

[petegtsv10]

I purchased an F3 and felt the vibration at 65+ right away. A friend of mine that knows engines and bikes in general hopped on and took it for a 20min ride. When he got back I asked him if he felt it too. He said he felt it but it was not the belt. He said you have to use the 6th gear correctly or your bogging the engine. He said push the 5th gear out to 70 to 75 before moving into 6th. 6th gear is an over drive and should only be used at higher speeds. When passing, or curising at higher speeds. Always drop it back into 5th gear when your speed drops back down to 65 if you dont and try to accelerate you will feel the vibration.

So I tried this over the next few days and problem was solved.

Not true at all.....vibration IS NOT rpm-related!

[Tazzel]

Hope your right and adjusting the belt or slapping a belt tension device on will work for you but I don’t think it will. Lets keep fingers crossed.

stretching out the gears and especially between 5th and 6th eliminated the problem for me. Never accelerate in 6th gear if your at or under 67/68 or your going to feel it big time. Drop down to 5th and accelerate to 70 then push into 6th. You can cruise in 6th at 65 but don’t accelerate.

[Peter Aawen]

Overdrive? Ill have to look into that. I believe 6th is direct.

Not trying to pick on you Mikind, just using your post as an example of the prevailing thoughts.

Went & looked at the advertising & publicity blurbs that came out with the 'new 1330' motor & once you get past the top level guff, most of it also refers to the 'new 6 speed overdrive gearbox' or uses similar terms to describe the gearbox internals....with a 1:0.91 drive ratio - so from that I'd guess that at least 6th IS an overdrive gear.

[jaherbst]

I don't feel any vibration at any speed now that I have stopped eating Mexican food.


Jack

​Sorry I could not resist.

[Mikind7]

Not trying to pick on you Mikind, just using your post as an example of the prevailing thoughts.

Went & looked at the advertising & publicity blurbs that came out with the 'new 1330' motor & once you get past the top level guff, most of it also refers to the 'new 6 speed overdrive gearbox' or uses similar terms to describe the gearbox internals....with a 1:0.91 drive ratio - so from that I'd guess that at least 6th IS an overdrive gear.

I stand corrected.

[PaladinLV]

I have felt it in various gears but mostly in 6th gear, I just stretch out the gears a little more so I no longer bog the engine,

If you own a 1330 SE6, your engine will not start to bog until it @ 40 mph. That is the fact of the situation.
I travel all around town at 45 and in 6th. Never a problem and always enough torque to pass if required.
I will add, IF I need to accelerate quickly, I will then drop to 5th, but only for quick acceleration in town.

Not having an SM6, it may be different, but SE6 does not need to be S T R E C H E D out.
BTW - Once I had my tires properly balanced and laser aligned, my vibration disappeared. Which when it occurred was a speed factor 75 - 80 and not an RPM factor.

AJ

[Tom in NM]

Hope your right and adjusting the belt or slapping a belt tension device on will work for you but I don’t think it will. Lets keep fingers crossed.

stretching out the gears and especially between 5th and 6th eliminated the problem for me. Never accelerate in 6th gear if your at or under 67/68 or your going to feel it big time. Drop down to 5th and accelerate to 70 then push into 6th. You can cruise in 6th at 65 but don’t accelerate.

. . . . . but given the number of nit-pickers that ride Spyders, I am sure the debate and whining will rage on.

Thanks for posting your solution Taz.

I have never had the vibration issue and now I am beginning to understand why. When I first heard about the 'issue' I went out next tried to find it on my F3. Not there. It never occurred to me to engage 6th gear at anything under 70mph - like, who would do that?

When you first posted this thread, I went out and tested shifting into 6th around 60mph - and yes, there was "vibration" right around 70mph as I acelerated. As someone else mentioned, it felt a lot like riding on grooved pavement- not bad, but noticeable.

I am no expert, so I don't know if it is the engine bogging down, belt vibrations/harmonics, the nature of the new gearbox or even something else, but ( for me ) shifting as you recommended eliminates the effect. I would expect it would for other F3 riders, but it will mean adjusting their shifting habits - and it is easier to just complain about it.

So, about 2 weeks have passed since you posted " a fix " and nobody seems to have tried it, or thanked you or corrected you. Seems your meathead comment was spot on too.

Taz, you are batting a thousand, keep it up!

Tom

[vondalyn]

I've also never/rarely experienced the vibration and I also shift at higher points. I would never shift to 6th at 45. only at that point do I even think about shifting to 5th and that's more like 48 before I shift to 5th. If I'm cruising along at 45, I'm still in 4th. (oops, said 3rd -- need more coffee this morning!)

[Pirate looks at --]

I purchased an F3 and felt the vibration at 65+ right away. A friend of mine that knows engines and bikes in general hopped on and took it for a 20min ride. When he got back I asked him if he felt it too. He said he felt it but it was not the belt. He said you have to use the 6th gear correctly or your bogging the engine. He said push the 5th gear out to 70 to 75 before moving into 6th. 6th gear is an over drive and should only be used at higher speeds. When passing, or curising at higher speeds. Always drop it back into 5th gear when your speed drops back down to 65 if you dont and try to accelerate you will feel the vibration.

So I tried this over the next few days and problem was solved.

Is it dangerous to be "cursing at higher speeds"?