What RPM for gearchanges?

[craig dow]

Hi I'm new to big bikes so forgive me if this is a stupid question what rpm do you change gear at ? I use a roads mainly at 60 mph find around 7000 rpm the bike is a lot better , should I be changing gears a lot sooner ? Or does it just depends on conditions etc ? Thanks for any input

[Tomor]

Change at the redline :D For me it depends on the road condition, things around me, what i'm feeling like, if i'm trying to catch/get away from someone. I don't have a fixed RPM I change gear at.

[Biker Biggles]

What bike?
An SV 650 is quite happy at 3500 while an IL4 would need rather more to be smooth and would deliver loads of power right up to the red line.An SV delivers a bit more power up at the top end but 7000 is plenty in the real world for rapid riding.

[Bibio]

what ever the bike wants to be at.

[craig dow]

OK thanks for that , didn't know if I would be thrashing the engine in that rev range in low gears or not , would ridding at high revs cause more petrol use ?

[Fallout]

When cruising, I change up very early. 6k on the gixxer, which revs to 16k I think, and maybe 4k on the Tiger which revs to 10k. It's just easy on the engine and better for fuel economy. But never leave yourself short on power in dangerous situations. If there's lot of traffic about, multilane roads etc. you really want to be in the power band in case you need to nip out of harms way.

[craig dow]

Makes a lot of sense , thanks, by the way I have a tt600 , 2003

[ChrisCurvyS]

When cruising, I change up very early. 6k on the gixxer, which revs to 16k I think, and maybe 4k on the Tiger which revs to 10k. It's just easy on the engine and better for fuel economy. But never leave yourself short on power in dangerous situations. If there's lot of traffic about, multilane roads etc. you really want to be in the power band in case you need to nip out of harms way.

This. You want acceleration immediately available in case you suddenly need to get away from someone swerving into you.

As regards economy, the basic rule of thumb is whichever amount of revs requires the least amount of throttle.

[Matt-EUC]

Pin the throttle, dump the clutch, make sure you keep all your weight to the front of the bike and change up when you hit the red line.

[The Idle Biker]

would ridding at high revs cause more petrol use ?

You can't be serious :smt017

[NTECUK]

You have a nice flat toque curve so your get away with murder on a 3 cyl.
http://image.sportrider.com/f/16330865+w750+st0/146_07+sportbike_peformance_dyno_charts+triumph_ho rsepower_torque.jpg

[Matt-EUC]

You can't be serious :smt017

Be nice laurie.

[craig dow]

thanks for the great advise , i rode to work this morning 40 miles and never changed gear till 7-8000rpm and what a diffrence it made to the handleing of the bike , i use to change gear around the 3000rpm and found bike not handeling great on the road , what a diffrence it is now , take it its because i have a lot more torque in the back wheel at higher reves , wont be red linning it as it makes such a high noise and that will just atract more attention from mr plod , any way thanks for all of your advise , what a great lot you are ,

[NTECUK]

A benifit of being in the "Sweet spot" is for corners you can just shut the throttle to slow the bike, so things are smother the bikes sticking to the road better.

[Mark_h]

Most bikes have an analogue rev-counter and most of those are set up so optimum performance is in the 12 o'clock position. Typically if you keep the rev counter needle between the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock position you'll not go far wrong with respect to having flexible, immediate power and control. Lower if plodding along a motorway and higher for more grins.

I'm sure I'll now have hundreds of responses declaring me wrong but it works on many bikes.

PS, jokes about leaving home before 10 or riding in the evening are beneath you all.

[granty92]

7000 seems decent :) i change at around that on the sv in the dry, usually around 5000 in the rain for some reason

[Bibio]

i don't look or care at what revs i'm doing. i listen and feel what the bike is doing. the only time i use the rev counter is for setting the TPS, the rest of the time my spaznav is in front of it.

[NTECUK]

When the lights come on its time to shift gear ;)

[wideguy]

Use what feels good for the appropriate situation. Where you'll shift on the track is not the same as where you'll shift in city traffic, or on a quick romp through twisty back roads, or commuting on the highway.

[timwilky]

The bike will tell you when you need to change gear.

Your head will tell you when you want to change gear.

[nikon70]

That's what the red line is for :)

[Matt-EUC]

I thought the rev limiter told you when to change gear?

[wideguy]

I thought the rev limiter told you when to change gear?
No, the rev limiter just prevents you from destroying your engine if you aren't paying attention to how fast you're spinning it.
If you wait until you hit the limiter before you shift, you lose your drive and waste time. You may also be in a range where the engine isn't making useful power. Both of these things mean that someone is likely to pass you on the track.
You know this, right? Just being funny weren't you?

[Matt-EUC]

I was fully aware of those points, the comment was for comic effect.

[a_monkey_hint]

I believe peak power around 9k. If you're getting anywhere near the rev limiter, you're not in the powerband.

[hardhat_harry]

I cant believe someone asked this as a serious question and that this thread is still going

[nikon70]

so that's why my bike makes a funny noise at the end of the rev counter.... I've always wondered what that was... oh well

[NTECUK]

so that's why my bike makes a funny noise at the end of the rev counter.... I've always wondered what that was... oh well
You can use a bucket to catch the pistons if you disable the limmiter:riding:

[nikon70]

o0o0o I might give that a go...

I wonder if it makes the same noise as my BMW when the big ends went... right old racket!

[NTECUK]

Ask Matt Ecu

[nikon70]

I am a bit thick sometimes.... can someone draw me a picture on here where I should change gear...

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/sv650sk5_3_large.jpg

[Matt-EUC]

At about the 3 o'clock position.

[NTECUK]

Ever seen "Spinal Tap".
Mine goes up to 11 ;)

[nikon70]

oh so it's not like the machines you have to try to get it past the red line area then....

my old mini clocks went up to 90mph but the needle went well past that .....

the SV is not like this then.... oh dear, i've been doing it all wrong!

[a_monkey_hint]

I am a bit thick sometimes.... can someone draw me a picture on here where I should change gear...

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/sv650sk5_3_large.jpg

Tootling along, anywhere you want. If you're going for your fastest acceleration, personally around 2o'clock. Roughly 9k revs.

[BanannaMan]

I am a bit thick sometimes.... can someone draw me a picture on here where I should change gear...

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/sv650sk5_3_large.jpg




Those numbers on the inside of the dial indicate when to change and which gear you should be in.
Obviously you'd want to avoid 12th gear on this bike.

[muzikill]

Doesnt the manual have a rpm guide for gear changes?

[orose]

Doesnt the manual have a rpm guide for gear changes?

Yes, but it's very conservative - IIRC, it says to change up in the 4-5k range (good for eco-riding, but not really good for fast progress).

Interestingly, KTM agree with Mark_h, and have put peak power (7-8k) nearly vertical on the SM-T - I'd try it, but 50 in first isn't exactly the most sympathetic approach to riding.

[NTECUK]

Last night in the pooring rain i was shiffting @ 7000 rpm.
Thats 1/2 the red line :)

[Matt-EUC]

Last night on my bandit courtesy bike I was shifting at the redline.

It's a courtesy bike, it's just had an engine rebuild, I'm loosening it up... Honest...

[muzikill]

Last night on my bandit courtesy bike I was shifting at the redline.

It's a courtesy bike, it's just had an engine rebuild, I'm loosening it up... Honest...

Thats akin to a role reversal of what mechanics supposedly get up to customers vehicles when they drop them off. If I was the mechanic who had done the rebuild id be fuming lol.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4

[punyXpress]

I am a bit thick sometimes.... can someone draw me a picture on here where I should change gear...

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/sv650sk5_3_large.jpg

When the oil light goes out? ;)

[nikon70]

Running without oil I thought was reserved for Honda engines which can withstand that kind of punishment... Suzuki's tend to be a bit like women and like a bit of lubrication...