Which Gear do people use for normal 30MPH Zones?

Originally Posted by maxinc

The bikesafe opened my eyes in regards to revving the engine more as I tended to ride it like a car in driven in hypermileage mode.

Ideally you would want to be in a range that offers you enough engine braking if something dramatic should happen in front of your and enough power to easily accelerate away if needed. As a very general rule, thats's somewhere at about half the range. On a SV that would be 5000-6000rpm.

With that in mind, if you are holding 30mph, 2nd gear is about right. If you get close to 40, then 3rd. Junctions probably in 1st.

This is only my attempt to clarify the issue I had when I first started. What the other have said is also true. There many factors that can dictate the "proper gear" and they will come naturally with experience.

Thanks dude that has help clarify the matter, I still find switching to firsted before a junction on my SV is clonky and stiff to get into is this normal on the SV's

Originally Posted by Mr EnDo

I still find switching to firsted before a junction on my SV is clonky and stiff to get into is this normal on the SV's

You are probably too fast or changing too slowly. Practice will make it perfect.

Cheers mate you have been a great help, I hate being a new rider and looking like a n00b asking so many questions

Originally Posted by Mr EnDo

Cheers mate you have been a great help, I hate being a new rider and looking like a n00b asking so many questions

Asking questions is good ... and brave. As a n00b myself, I found a lot of answers on these forums to questions I was anxious to ask.

So keep asking, and you may help some other n00b get the answers they are looking for.

Originally Posted by maxinc

The bikesafe opened my eyes in regards to revving the engine more as I tended to ride it like a car in driven in hypermileage mode.

Ideally you would want to be in a range that offers you enough engine braking if something dramatic should happen in front of your and enough power to easily accelerate away if needed. As a very general rule, thats's somewhere at about half the range. On a SV that would be 5000-6000rpm.

With that in mind, if you are holding 30mph, 2nd gear is about right. If you get close to 40, then 3rd. Junctions probably in 1st.

This is only my attempt to clarify the issue I had when I first started. What the other have said is also true. There many factors that can dictate the "proper gear" and they will come naturally with experience.

Tbh if you have time for that difference in engine braking to make a difference to how quickly you emergency-stop from 30mph, then you probably aren't pulling the front brake hard enough anyway.

I think 2nd is too low a gear for constant 30mph on my 650s. It will quite happily sit at 30ishmph in 4th gear at a minuscule throttle opening with a gentle rumble being emitted from the exhaust and still enough go to leave most traffic behind if you're too lazy to change gear.

The junctions question really is a "how long is a piece of string?" question, though. If the OP is having problems selecting 1st gear and needing to work around that, then there's a clutch, gear-lever, oil-level or chain tension problem.

Originally Posted by sinbad

Tbh if you have time for that difference in engine braking to make a difference to how quickly you emergency-stop from 30mph, then you probably aren't pulling the front brake hard enough anyway.

Is not about emergency braking. The technique described to me by the police rider doesn't apply to ridding 30mph only. Apart from the engine breaking which can make your general ride a lot smoother and more stable than adjusting you speed using the brakes, it also keeps the engine closer to the it's most efficient zone.

3000rpm in 4th gear is not going to give you a lot of power if you need to quickly accelerate and you will most likely need to shift down.

I found that keeping it in the 5000rpm range saves me a lot of gear changes and generally offers much more flexibility than a low rev.

[tonyk]

I am not going to vote.
1 gear 2,3,4,5,6 what gear do i use ?
It all depends on the way the bike feels.
20% up hill and 2,3,4, wont do only 1 st. but then it depends on what speed your doing.
OK. i suggest do more riding, dont labour the engine but then dont rev the nuts off it either........it all comes with more riding my friend.
ride safe.
ps. try riding up zig zag road up at box hill, youll soon know what gear to use.
http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=en&ie=...,0.027509&z=15

If you cant work out what gears to use you shouldn't be riding a bike

Slightly harsh comment toby.
Obviously the OP does know what gear to use but is just seeking advice of others as to how they do it and expressing concern that it feels slightly crunchy going into first. Everyone has to learn so don't be harsh as you're only going to knock his confidence and make him feel uncomfortable about riding.

[MisterTommyH]

Kevlar jeans and a textile jacket?

Edit: note to self - read the thread before posting.