4th vs. 5th gear discussion

[Spyder777]

Skipping 2 and 4

Skipping gears is the dumbest thing you can do on any motorcycle. There is no point and it is horrible for your transmission and clutch.

 

[Bootie]

Chart

There is a big disparity on the RS vs. RT's RPM map:

Huh? Percent of What?

 

[chris56]

the RT engine (if it would built in the RS) needs around 10% less than the RS-Version - hope they use it also in their newe ..

I also have no time to look what gear is in or what RPMs the engine is running - but its strong enough to follow my friend with his BMW 1200 ..

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/media.php?do=details&mid=276

 

[NancysToy]

Huh? Percent of What?

Percent of operation.

 

[Starrider]

the RT engine (if it would built in the RS) needs around 10% less than the RS-Version - hope they use it also in their newe ..

I also have no time to look what gear is in or what RPMs the engine is running - but its strong enough to follow my friend with his BMW 1200 ..

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/media.php?do=details&mid=276

I agree. Don't have the luxury of a tach on my Star 950-T so have the habit of shifting by engine sound. Do the same when I am allowed to ride Queen B's Spyder. Whether on two or three keep my eyes on the road and 'cagers' ahead of me not on wht the engine revs are. As others in this thread have said if you listen the Spyder will tell you when you need to shift up or down.

 

[leenanj]

On my Spyder if I shift into 5th gear at anything under 65 mph, I get some pretty decent vibrations. Not sure if it is just the bad spot for belt harmonics, but it is definitely there. 4th gear at that speed feels great and 5th anywhere above 65 is good to go as well. I am pretty sure this is just the case with my Spyder, but it is one of the major reasons I stay in 4th most of the time.

I don't pay attention to mileage either, I know when I hit 3 bars I better start thinking about getting fuel soon.

This is exactly how I shift my Spyder. I would rather listen to the higher revs than to feel the vibration or the lugging feel if that's what it is.

I have been keeping track of gas mileage since I got the Spyder and found I get about 1 to 2 mpg better mileage running at the higher revs.

 

[Illinois Boy]

Service departments all over the world have to be loving some of these comments. Future revenue is coming their way...

I predict we'll see some posts down the road from a few having problems... while scratching their heads wondering why.

The good news is... the money they feel they saved on fuel can be spent on repairs.

As my nephew would say... "just saying"...

 

[Firefly]

Service departments all over the world have to be loving some of these comments. Future revenue is coming their way...

I predict we'll see some posts down the road from a few having problems... while scratching their heads wondering why.

The good news is... the money they feel they saved on fuel can be spent on repairs.

As my nephew would say... "just saying"...

I agree.
The Spyder has a rev limiter..... But not a Lug Limiter.... That is the job of the rider to avoid.

Lugging causes damage.

 

[Bob Denman]

Not so much anymore... Rotax builds some pretty stout designs. :thumbup:

With my limited mechanical ability and knowledge; I will of course defer to anybody who can point to a certain rpm level and say, "Do NOT stray below this line!" :bowdown:
Otherwise I'll keep upshifting at 4000 rpm and keep getting fuel economy numbers that make the Missus' MINI real nervous!
(Does the bike like revs? Heck yes! :2thumbs:; does it NEED them to survive? :dontknow

 

[Spyder777]

Bob, you're shifting to soon

If you shift at 4,000 RPM than your Spyder enters the next gear at 3,000 RPM and that is the definition of lugging an engine.

 

[Bob Denman]

Wrong... the next-higher gear has got the revs at 3500... my clutches are remaining locked-up and ready for battle! :thumbup:

 

[juliantrost]

Since I read the "Do's and Dont's" forum, I tend to stay in 4th for most of the rides, especially the ones around 45 to 50 mpg. I see no need to go to 5th, I am fine on gas consumption and have more control in 4th gear. I find it running at 4500 consistently and the engine sounds great, without much roaring out of the Two Brothers exhaust; just a nice consistent sound out of the pipes. I tend to go to 5th gear if I get up to 60+ and stay in it for a good while.

 

[Bob Denman]

Your'e on an RS... They are tuned for power and torque about a thousand rpm higher up the rev scale anyway! :thumbup:
Nice looking bike too!

 

[juliantrost]

Your'e on an RS... They are tuned for power and torque about a thousand rpm higher up the rev scale anyway! :thumbup:
Nice looking bike too!

Thanks Bob. I tried riding at higher RPMs, but that TB pipe roars like a monster and I am not too fund of it. Perhaps, just takes getting used to.

 

[NancysToy]

I agree.
The Spyder has a rev limiter..... But not a Lug Limiter.... That is the job of the rider to avoid.

Lugging causes damage.

If you shift at 4,000 RPM than your Spyder enters the next gear at 3,000 RPM and that is the definition of lugging an engine.

Time to get something straight here, folks. Low rpm operation alone does not constitute "lugging" the engine. Lugging the engine occurs when low rpm combines with a heavy engine load or excessive throttle opening, to cause the piston to tend to want push the cranckshaft in the opposite direction of rotation, thus putting excessive loads on the lower end bearings. it can be accompanied by ignition knocking, when the advance curve does not match the engine needs. That is less common with ECM ignitions. The engine will usually shake, often violently, and may knock if it is being lugged. As long as the machine is operating on relatively flat roads, with a moderate throttle application, it will not lug...it just will not have much get up and go.

...and Bob, if your engine is only dropping 500 rpm between gears, something is wrong. I think you had better look more closely. about 1000 rpm difference between gears is normal for the Spyder.

 

[Campverdefela]

Some people actually bought Spyders for the gas mileage:banghead::roflblack: Hey guys, keep the revs up.

 

[Bob Denman]

...and Bob, if your engine is only dropping 500 rpm between gears, something is wrong. I think you had better look more closely. about 1000 rpm difference between gears is normal for the Spyder.

That might be my slow reaction times; coupled with the time it takes to get my eyeballs re-focused from the tach to the, traffic and back... :shocked:

 

[shelbydave]

If I'm on a long straight road / highway, and I'm at 55 or above, I use 5th. If I'm on a road doing 55, but it requires lots of driver input due to curves or speed changes, I keep it in 4th.
The other thing I keep a watch for is to not do any accelerating below 4000 RPM. If I'm cruising along at 3900 RPM, and need to accelerate for some reason, I drop it down a gear.
You can usually tell if you need to drop a gear just by listening when getting on the throttle...

 

[Bob Denman]

You can usually tell if you need to drop a gear just by listening when getting on the throttle...

:agree:
:agree::agree:

 

[boborgera]

That might be my slow reaction times; coupled with the time it takes to get my eyeballs re-focused from the tach to the, traffic and back... :shocked:

Nice save!:joke: