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35mph- what gear?
- Thread starter jgwoods
- Start date
Texmac1011
New member
:agree: Keep those RPM's up and be safe!
Smylinacha
Yellinacha
2nd - I can stay in 2nd up to 50. Or 3rd, but never 4th. At 35 mph, if I stay in 2nd gear, I'm doing 4000 rpms give or take.
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mvengineer
New member
Why do you have to keep the RPM's high? Doesn't that strain the engine more. I would be in 4th. at those speeds where I feel the engine is not strained. I am not an epert though, just makes sense to me.
Smylinacha
Yellinacha
I'm not gearhead but what I've been told, the Aprilla engine loves high rpms. Not good to lug an Aprilla engine - it actually works much harder if you lug it and bad for the bike. Spyder runs more like a sport bike, not a cruiser - you can tone down the rpms w/ a cruiser.
I'd also be in 4th. There's no problem cruising at 3000 rpm.
My Spyder seems most capable of fast acceleration to avoid things when it is in at least 4500 to 5000 RPM range. To me it is part of riding in a safer manner.
So if you are doing 35-37mph and 4500-5000 RPM, you are in the gear I would be using.
Disclaimer: How I ride is not a recommendation for any other rider, merely provided as a reference.
So if you are doing 35-37mph and 4500-5000 RPM, you are in the gear I would be using.
Disclaimer: How I ride is not a recommendation for any other rider, merely provided as a reference.
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
This is not a low rpm engine like an old Triumph or a Harley. It is more efficient and happier at higher rpm, like a Honda or an Aprilia crotch rocket. Think of it as a sport bike. It won't hurt the engine to run it within its design optimums. In fact, it can be more harmful to run it either at too low an rpm, or near the redline for too long. For most engines they are happiest at about half the redline, and get grumpy below about 25-30% of redline.
ArmyJoe
New member
I'd also be in 4th. There's no problem cruising at 3000 rpm.
Since the recall update, I've noticed a bit of sputtering between 3000 - 3200 RPM in the first three gears. Now, I keep it above 4K.
Tom in NM
New member
Other than Reverse?
At those speeds, cruising in a 35MPH Speed Zone, I would be in 3rd. Not 4th.
If it turned to a 45MPH Zone, I would shift into 4th as I hit 45MPH. If there was traffic, I might stay in 3rd and have that peppy get up and go if I needed it.
The same might apply to the first case in the 35MPH Zone, I might stay in 2nd up to 35MPH if I felt I might need to accelerate fast.
Something you should try is seeing where your SE5 downshifts. Sorry I cannot remember the exact RPMs now, but when it is safe and you can pay attention to it, get up to 35 or so in 3rd gear, then slowly let up on the throttle. As you slow down and the RPMs drop, the Spyder will automatically downshift when the gear you are in is no longer 'appropriate' to avoid engine/transmission issues. Remember the MPH, RPMs, the feeling and sound of the engine where that happened. Try that a couple of times to get a good feel for that "point".
If you are riding in a gear very close to the point where the Spyder will automatically downshift - you are going too slow for that gear. ( my opinion ). The same would apply if you accelerate in a gear to where the Spyder would upshift automatically to the next gear (I hear that is close to the redline) to protect the engine/transmission - you are going too fast for that gear.
In general, my (desired) style of driving has me cruising around at 4K RPMs with an upshift at 4.5 or 5 K RPMs. On my SE5, shifting there is always smooth and more quick acceleration is there if needed. If I am cruising around OVER 4.5K RPM, I think I get lower MPG and I tend to be "speeding".
That happens way too often.
Of course, if you are doing a fast acceleration to get on the expressway, you may want the RPMs to go up to 7K or more, but that also means if you let up on the throttle, you will quickly decelerate. So much depends on the situation and what you are comfortable with.
I hope that helped.
Tom
At those speeds, cruising in a 35MPH Speed Zone, I would be in 3rd. Not 4th.
If it turned to a 45MPH Zone, I would shift into 4th as I hit 45MPH. If there was traffic, I might stay in 3rd and have that peppy get up and go if I needed it.
The same might apply to the first case in the 35MPH Zone, I might stay in 2nd up to 35MPH if I felt I might need to accelerate fast.
Something you should try is seeing where your SE5 downshifts. Sorry I cannot remember the exact RPMs now, but when it is safe and you can pay attention to it, get up to 35 or so in 3rd gear, then slowly let up on the throttle. As you slow down and the RPMs drop, the Spyder will automatically downshift when the gear you are in is no longer 'appropriate' to avoid engine/transmission issues. Remember the MPH, RPMs, the feeling and sound of the engine where that happened. Try that a couple of times to get a good feel for that "point".
If you are riding in a gear very close to the point where the Spyder will automatically downshift - you are going too slow for that gear. ( my opinion ). The same would apply if you accelerate in a gear to where the Spyder would upshift automatically to the next gear (I hear that is close to the redline) to protect the engine/transmission - you are going too fast for that gear.
In general, my (desired) style of driving has me cruising around at 4K RPMs with an upshift at 4.5 or 5 K RPMs. On my SE5, shifting there is always smooth and more quick acceleration is there if needed. If I am cruising around OVER 4.5K RPM, I think I get lower MPG and I tend to be "speeding".
That happens way too often.
Of course, if you are doing a fast acceleration to get on the expressway, you may want the RPMs to go up to 7K or more, but that also means if you let up on the throttle, you will quickly decelerate. So much depends on the situation and what you are comfortable with.
I hope that helped.
Tom
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
If you have had both the recall for the steering and the second ECM update done, you probably have a problem. Could be on your end, like too much exhaust without a Juicebox or other fuel system modification to compensate, or it could be the machine, like a bad purge valve or sensor. It's nice to work around it, but in the long run you will be happier if you get it resolved.
Thanks for the responses. We are not all of one mind on this.
The way my Spyder feels using 4th at 35 mph is the bottom of the useful range of 4th- it's got no real power but it's smooth, fells like its not lugging, and it can accelerate smoothly if not real fast.
3rd at 35 has power available for passing, hills, etc. but it is just not as smooth as 4th. I could be in 2nd as well as some have said.
I asked my friend and long time Ducati rider what gear he uses at that speed and he said he can ride at 2k RPM no problem as his 1098 S3 is a real smooth runner. He rides all the time at 3k rpm - which seems low on the Rotax motor we have- where it wakes up over about 3500 and seems happy rolling along anywhere above that.
With all of the leaf peepers out and about driving slow and looking around, the back roads are not a place for sport riding right now, more for cruising and I don't want to hurt my motor by lugging it, but I don't want to beat on it un-necessarily either. I'll probably keep shifitng between 3rd and 4th depending on hills and traffic.
The way my Spyder feels using 4th at 35 mph is the bottom of the useful range of 4th- it's got no real power but it's smooth, fells like its not lugging, and it can accelerate smoothly if not real fast.
3rd at 35 has power available for passing, hills, etc. but it is just not as smooth as 4th. I could be in 2nd as well as some have said.
I asked my friend and long time Ducati rider what gear he uses at that speed and he said he can ride at 2k RPM no problem as his 1098 S3 is a real smooth runner. He rides all the time at 3k rpm - which seems low on the Rotax motor we have- where it wakes up over about 3500 and seems happy rolling along anywhere above that.
With all of the leaf peepers out and about driving slow and looking around, the back roads are not a place for sport riding right now, more for cruising and I don't want to hurt my motor by lugging it, but I don't want to beat on it un-necessarily either. I'll probably keep shifitng between 3rd and 4th depending on hills and traffic.
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
You can't really compare the Spyder to a Ducati, Harley, or Honda...apples and oranges. I can ride at 3k on my BMW quite smoothly, but it is sure happier above 3,500. That engine has a redline of 8,200 rpm. The Spyder redlines at 9,500 rpm. To get the same level of smoothness and power as my BMW, I have to keep the Spyder to at least 3,500 rpm, and it is happier at 4K or more. This is in proportion to the higher revving max rpm.
You probably won't damage your engine running a Spyder a little way below 3,500. You probably won't even cause predetonation or lugging on throttle application, or fouling of the plugs or O2 sensor, with today's engine management systems. You will have poor performance accelerating, going up hills, or bucking a headwind. If you have an SE5, you may even experience unexpected automatic downshifting. You will feel less vibration, which may be preferable to you. If the trade off in performance is acceptable, by all means continue. You will not hurt the engine or shorten its life by keeping the revs a little higher, either, and may even extend it's life, or at least reduce future maintenance. The choice is entirely yours.
COOLMACHINE
New member
I'm typically in 4th
I'm typically in 4th gear then. Unless I am getting on the highway. I used to run it at higher rpms but when i do this, I get a lot more back-firing out of the exhaust. Lower RPM's = less back-firing on my spyder.
I found my spyder runs just fine at lower rpms. If I try to get on it at lower rpm's it seems to miss before accelerating so I will down shift in that situation.
Experiment with it. Ride it for a way at higher rpms and then try it at lower rpms another week. It was worth it for me and I my spyder runs fine at lower rpm's.
I'm typically in 4th gear then. Unless I am getting on the highway. I used to run it at higher rpms but when i do this, I get a lot more back-firing out of the exhaust. Lower RPM's = less back-firing on my spyder.
I found my spyder runs just fine at lower rpms. If I try to get on it at lower rpm's it seems to miss before accelerating so I will down shift in that situation.
Experiment with it. Ride it for a way at higher rpms and then try it at lower rpms another week. It was worth it for me and I my spyder runs fine at lower rpm's.
SpyderGirl
New member
At the 35MPH mark I am in no higher than 3rd gear. Heck, merging on the freeway I am in third gear until over 50 to 60MPH, then 4th, and finally 5th when I finally get a place on the freeway where I can cruise. I've been known to often keep it in 4th gear on the freeway if I can't sit back and cruise at a comfortable 65 - 70MPH. I like to keep the RPMs in the area of 5K.
I just checked rpms-
35mph in 3rd = 3650 rpm
35mph in 4th = 3000
The auto downshift point is 2500 rpm
I think 3rd is the optimum gear, 4th is definitely on the bottm of it's usable range, maybe even just below as my seat of the pants suggest 3500 is where the power really starts.
Agreed that when entering the highway, passing etc. I use all of the motor, shifting at 7k plus mostly and I find in runs real sweet on the highway at anywhere from 5000 to 7000- I think 80 is 5800 in 5th and it is very happy there.
The thing with 35mph is that you don't have the wind to carry the sound away and you hear the engine sounding real busy in 3rd while it seems relaxed in 4th. I have owned both sportbikes and cruisers in the past- although the last 2 were cruisers and I did get used to chugging along, I used to rev the motors more on my BMW and Suzukis which were high redline motors like the Rotax.
I've only had the Spyder 2 weeks so I'm just getting used to the music it makes. I think I'll probably used more revs as I drive it more.
35mph in 3rd = 3650 rpm
35mph in 4th = 3000
The auto downshift point is 2500 rpm
I think 3rd is the optimum gear, 4th is definitely on the bottm of it's usable range, maybe even just below as my seat of the pants suggest 3500 is where the power really starts.
Agreed that when entering the highway, passing etc. I use all of the motor, shifting at 7k plus mostly and I find in runs real sweet on the highway at anywhere from 5000 to 7000- I think 80 is 5800 in 5th and it is very happy there.
The thing with 35mph is that you don't have the wind to carry the sound away and you hear the engine sounding real busy in 3rd while it seems relaxed in 4th. I have owned both sportbikes and cruisers in the past- although the last 2 were cruisers and I did get used to chugging along, I used to rev the motors more on my BMW and Suzukis which were high redline motors like the Rotax.
I've only had the Spyder 2 weeks so I'm just getting used to the music it makes. I think I'll probably used more revs as I drive it more.
Love2Ride
New member
Okay ya'll have once again educated me.
I'm use to the two wheel versions of bikes and I'm so use to "listening" to the bike to tell me when.
Obviously this isn't to be the case with these bikes. I'm gonna try the higher rpm gear change and see what it does. Today is rainy so maybe tomorrow.
I didn't know that about these bikes.
I'm use to the two wheel versions of bikes and I'm so use to "listening" to the bike to tell me when.
Obviously this isn't to be the case with these bikes. I'm gonna try the higher rpm gear change and see what it does. Today is rainy so maybe tomorrow.
I didn't know that about these bikes.
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