Optimal shifting range for the 1330

[PMK]

Actually; it kind of does! :shocked:
I have had mine downshift as I roll the throttle on for an incline... Since I'm normally at the bottom end of the rpm range; I believe that BRP programmed this function in a couple of years' ago in an attempt to salvage some clutch life...

Try it! I'd suggest a sixth gear pull at 38 or 39 mph, and then roll it on hard! Let us know what it does.
My guess; it'll kick down.

I will. This is something I had not heard. Kind of has me wondering then, why when this came up before about roll on and more power, I wonder if it will do an auto downshift at a given throttle setting.

I appreciate your knowledge and new things for me to test. Maybe later today if th rain stays away.

PK

 

[3 Wheel Addict]

I have only had mine for a very short time but I'm liking it a lot! In my opinion they have got real close to the Goldwing as far as power and delivery of that power, it's real impressive the low end pull it has.

 

[ARtraveler]

I have mentioned my shift points in other threads, but seems appropriate here also.

I don't like Eco mode--so do not use it.

I am one who has now gone to between 2500 - 3000. Mostly 2750 +. I like the sound and feel of the engine at the 3000 point. It also seems to me that is where the engine is "waking up."

Fuel economy wise, on a 168 mile trip yesterday I got 40 mpg. I am now getting consistent 40 mpg readings. 5500 miles on the odometer. When climbing a steep incline, I usually keep the machine at the 3000 rpm range and do not shift up to the next highest gear. This gives a pulling feel, rather than a lugging feel.

Thanks to others for input also. I may experiment with slightly higher shift points because of my liking of the power band.

 

[MidTNDawg]

I have not read all the responses

but with my 2014 RT Ltd, I shift up and down whenever I want to do so. I never really liked having to shift by a computer. I just really enjoy my ride now.

 

[Bob Denman]

Can I presume the shift points are same for the SM6 as well as the SE6 ?

They are... :thumbup:

The 998s with the SM-5 tranny could also shift wherever they felt like... The "Keep it about 3,200 (3,500 whatever!) rpm level" caveats, only applied to the SE-5s. That was only to preserve the clutch plates; it had little or nothing to actually do with the engine.

 

[LEEB]

Nobody has worn one out yet... Bearing wear? :dontknow:
A lot of folks are hitting the paddles between 2,500, and 3,000 rpm.
I shift mine a lot lower than that, but give that range a try, and see if you like it! :2thumbs:

I also shift up at between 2500 - 3000 on my 1330. Shifts smoothly, plenty of power. I might delay the shift a bit longer if I'm approaching an upgrade. Also, we only have 500 miles on our RT-S, but the last two fill-ups showed over 39 MPG. I'm impressed, and very happy!

 

[Bob Denman]

I honestly believe that I get away with my low shift speeds, because I simply don't put any load on the bike, when I "accelerate".
It has a lot to do with my riding style...
There's virtually NO traffic. I live in a tiny little Hamlet with less than 1,000 residents in Town; you can always find a hole in the traffic.
We have miles and miles and MILES between communities that are served by open roads.
Example: I took the RT to the next Town to the South and East of us...14.5 miles away! During the ride there; I encountered two vehicles going in the opposite direction, and I had one vehicle shadowing me for about 7 miles.
Under those conditions; my "low & slow" style works to perfection! :thumbup:

 

[tommyoneleg]

Just reading this thread and I really never shift under 4k and depending on how I am riding I could shift up at 9k. I ride my 2009 GS hard and it likes to be in the high side of the RPM's. If I am tooling around town I might be keep RPM's down since it can get loud, but over all I usually run it hard and the RPM's are up there.

 

[JimFoy]

For normal riding, I shift around 2500-3000. When I want to kick it up on a straight country road, I take it to around 6000 in each gear at full throttle. That seems to provide the quickest time to highway speed.

 

[ARtraveler]

Just reading this thread and I really never shift under 4k and depending on how I am riding I could shift up at 9k. I ride my 2009 GS hard and it likes to be in the high side of the RPM's. If I am tooling around town I might be keep RPM's down since it can get loud, but over all I usually run it hard and the RPM's are up there.

This thread is about shift points on the 1330 ACE three cylinder engine. You should be doing 4500 - 5500 on the 998 Rotax. Its happiest in the 5000 rpm range. Seems you have it figured out there. :thumbup:

 

[Roadster Renovations]

Just got back from a 300 mile loop and I did notice a drop in fuel economy (slight) running closer to 4,000 most of the time. I think I going to stay in the 3000-4000 range for my range of speeds. It just seems to sound right. When climbing hills I have been downshifting and that seems to be helping with available power. WE now have 3200 on the bike since July the 2nd. I think the bike is broke in pretty good. Found out today that just bumping the brake lever with my foot is enough to kick it out of cruise. Much easier than to have to raise your foot and try to barely tap it. Oh, yeah, and the nanny got a little pissed today. We were going through some rollercoaster hills and the front wheels slightly left the ground. She did not like that one bit. Damped down the engine bigtime. Good answers, everyone! Thank You!! And btw: I always overthink everything. I'm a mechanic. People put their lives in my hands everyday. Believe me, you want me focused and asking, "What if's" as much as I can.... And while I'm on the subject, any new engine or transmission is never extensively tested. We consumers are the testers. That is why there are always TSB's. It sucks that we get to be the guinea pigs on how stuff will hold up and the only way we can be ahead of the game is to do what we are doing right now; tell each other our successes and our problems with the machine. Catch stuff before it become serious or gets us stranded. This board and you guys ROCK!

 

[PMK]

Just got back from a 300 mile loop and I did notice a drop in fuel economy (slight) running closer to 4,000 most of the time. I think I going to stay in the 3000-4000 range for my range of speeds. It just seems to sound right. When climbing hills I have been downshifting and that seems to be helping with available power. WE now have 3200 on the bike since July the 2nd. I think the bike is broke in pretty good. Found out today that just bumping the brake lever with my foot is enough to kick it out of cruise. Much easier than to have to raise your foot and try to barely tap it. Oh, yeah, and the nanny got a little pissed today. We were going through some rollercoaster hills and the front wheels slightly left the ground. She did not like that one bit. Damped down the engine bigtime. Good answers, everyone! Thank You!! And btw: I always overthink everything. I'm a mechanic. People put their lives in my hands everyday. Believe me, you want me focused and asking, "What if's" as much as I can.... And while I'm on the subject, any new engine or transmission is never extensively tested. We consumers are the testers. That is why there are always TSB's. It sucks that we get to be the guinea pigs on how stuff will hold up and the only way we can be ahead of the game is to do what we are doing right now; tell each other our successes and our problems with the machine. Catch stuff before it become serious or gets us stranded. This board and you guys ROCK!

Pretty similar to how we spin the engine and shift the gearbox. Yes sometimes it is different on account of traffic or whatever, but none the less pretty close.

I still need to test the auto downshift under load at some point that Bob suggested. Overall though, it is an easy engine and gearbox to ride. The power is smooth and the gear spacing seems good for where I live.

PK

 

[joebryanjr]

Traded my 2011RSS on Saturday for a 2014 RT. I found shifting at about 3000 RPM to work well. It actually seems strange to shift at that low RPM after shifting the 998 at 4500 - 5000.

 

[joebryanjr]

Traded my 2011RSS on Saturday for a 2014 RT. I found shifting at about 3000 RPM to work well. It actually seems strange to shift at that low RPM after shifting the 998 at 4500 - 5000.

 

[Bob Denman]

It IS strange; ain't it?
But once you get used to it... hyea:hyea:hyea:

 

[ARtraveler]

Pretty similar to how we spin the engine and shift the gearbox. Yes sometimes it is different on account of traffic or whatever, but none the less pretty close.

I still need to test the auto downshift under load at some point that Bob suggested. Overall though, it is an easy engine and gearbox to ride. The power is smooth and the gear spacing seems good for where I live.

PK

RE: Auto downshift works great. I have used it all but 10 times or so in 5500 miles.

 

[sddinnh]

RE: Auto downshift works great. I have used it all but 10 times or so in 5500 miles.

Yes it does. Although I use manual downshift to decelerate going thru the corners, I almost always let it downshift itself coming to a stop sign or stop light. :thumbup:

 

[PMK]

RE: Auto downshift works great. I have used it all but 10 times or so in 5500 miles.

Agree, it is good and we use it almost always. What Bob mentioned to me, is that under load with throttle applied, if the rpm drops too low, it will auto downshift to unload the engine. Similar but different.

PK

 

[Bob Denman]

PK,
Since the system is not torque-sensing; I'm guessing that the computer is reading the known rpm levels, and the known throttle position. When it sees the throttle position change "dramatically", at a low repm level; it must assume that additional load is being applied to the drivetrain, and makes the gearchange. Were the load not sensed; it might have happily continued on it's way in the higher gear...

 

[iSpyder]

3,000 RPMs for me

Got 5,000 miles on my 2014 RTS and have found shifting at around 3,000 feels best to me. In fact, the lower the RPMs when I shift the more likely the shift won't be smooth (delay/clunk).