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13th July 2010
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XL FORUM TEAM MEMBER
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 59 Sportster/Buell Model: 1200C Sportster/Buell Year: 2004 Other Motorcycle Model: Triumph Bonneville Other Motorcycle Year: 1970
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When to Downshift
Specifically from second to first. This correlates to Baphont's post on Going Slow; http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/s...d.php?t=854682, rather than hijack his thread I thought it best to start a new one but I think the two threads are intertwined.
I was on a road today with a 25 mph speed limit except the traffic would go from 25 + to 20. Now after reading all the threads on not lugging it, I found myself downshifting to first but spending a lot of crusie time in first at what seems like a high rpm at 20 + mph. (I have a www.tinytach.com on order) Then once the traffic got back to 25 I'd shift to second until they slowed down again.(tourists, but god love 'em)
Can the transmission take high rpm for an extended period in first? The manual states to shift at 25 mph to second but all other shift points thereafter are at a 10 mph increment. What's best for the engine in this situation? Is there an engine/transmission trade off as far as wear in this app? Thanks.
Mike
(Mr. Sensitive)  |
13th July 2010
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Senior Chief Know It All
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: I-80 Nevada-Utah
Posts: 876 Sportster/Buell Model: XL1200S Sportster/Buell Year: 1999 Other Motorcycle Model: Suzuki DR200 Other Motorcycle Year: 1998
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Going 25 mph in first is not too high of an rpm for the sportster engine, although it sounds like it. I'm guessing that would be around 4000 rpm which is well within rpm limits.
In my experience I use 2nd gear when going 25 through residential areas. The engine is quieter in second and doesn't upset the neighbors. And you still have plenty of power to accelerate.
To prevent the engine from lugging in 2nd at slow speeds just use the friction zone with the clutch.
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13th July 2010
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Senior Chief Harley Engineer 2nd Class
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 1,659 Sportster/Buell Model: XLH Sportster/Buell Year: 1992 Other Motorcycle Model: GL1800 Other Motorcycle Year: 2001
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Now I'm kind of an old guy that's been riding a Sportster since 1973 and I also happen to be a truck driver for over 30 years. That being said, I always shift by feel and sound. I don't look at the tach I just listen to the engine.
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13th July 2010
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: a liddo northwest of you
Posts: 6,363 Sportster/Buell Model: Sportster Sportster/Buell Year: 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alvycolt45
Going 25 mph in first is not too high of an rpm for the sportster engine, although it sounds like it. I'm guessing that would be around 4000 rpm which is well within rpm limits.
In my experience I use 2nd gear when going 25 through residential areas. The engine is quieter in second and doesn't upset the neighbors. And you still have plenty of power to accelerate.
To prevent the engine from lugging in 2nd at slow speeds just use the friction zone with the clutch.
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And it wont hurt the transmission using the friction zone, its a wet clutch |
13th July 2010
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Biker
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Woods
Posts: 83 Sportster/Buell Model: XLH Sportster/Buell Year: 1971 Sportster/Buell Model #2: XLCR Sportster/Buell Year #2: 1978 Other Motorcycle Model: Indian Chief Other Motorcycle Year: 1948
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Trust your "feel" for the engine. If you roll on he gas and the bike shutters downshift. Your not going to "hurt" the tranny either way. A tach may help, but time in the saddle will be the fix. Before long it will just be doing what comes natural.
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14th July 2010
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Brass Nut
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Western Weald
Posts: 30,463 Sportster/Buell Model: XL1200V Sportster/Buell Year: 2013 Sportster/Buell Model #2: XL883C … long gone Sportster/Buell Year #2: 2005 Other Motorcycle Model: FXDB … gone! Other Motorcycle Year: 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alvycolt45
Going 25 mph in first is not too high of an rpm for the sportster engine, although it sounds like it. I'm guessing that would be around 4000 rpm which is well within rpm limits.
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On my bike 25 mph is 3,240 rpm. It's even lower on rubber mount 1200s: 3,128 (US) or 3,024 (HDI).
Below 30 mph I'd always be in 1st.
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Folkie
Super Moderator
'The green machine'
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14th July 2010
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Ride That F'N Sportster!!
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Carolina Coast
Posts: 12,081 Sportster/Buell Model: Highly modified 1200 c Sportster/Buell Year: 01 Other Motorcycle Model: FLHX H-D Street glide Other Motorcycle Year: 2013
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If your parading around, or slowing down..match your RPM to wheel speed
if you are going to downshift, you need to increase engine speed to match the RPM change from a higher gear to a lower one.
1st gear for me is anything below 10 mph to keep from lugging the engine while covering the clutch in the friction zone
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Last edited by xllent01; 14th July 2010 at 04:27..
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14th July 2010
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XL FORUM TEAM MEMBER
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: South East of Los Angeles
Posts: 290 Sportster/Buell Model: XL883C Sportster/Buell Year: 04
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"That being said, I always shift by feel and sound. I don't look at the tach I just listen to the engine."
As Durockrolly Said.
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16th July 2010
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Senior Chief Know It All
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: I-80 Nevada-Utah
Posts: 876 Sportster/Buell Model: XL1200S Sportster/Buell Year: 1999 Other Motorcycle Model: Suzuki DR200 Other Motorcycle Year: 1998
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Folkie
On my bike 25 mph is 3,240 rpm. It's even lower on rubber mount 1200s: 3,128 (US) or 3,024 (HDI).
Below 30 mph I'd always be in 1st.
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Yeah, my 4000 rpm guess was too high. Like others have said I rarely look at the tach when shifting so I decided to take a look.
While tooling around yesterday I saw that 25mph in 1st is between 3000-3250 rpm like you said.
25 mph in 2nd is only pushing around 2000 rpm and can lug a bit, but is controllable with the throttle/clutch.
I prefer to ride at lower rpms because the engine sounds too loud and revved-up at anything over 3000 when riding slow IMO. |
16th July 2010
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Senior Chief Know It All 2nd Class
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Cabin
Posts: 1,445 Sportster/Buell Model: 1200R Sportster/Buell Year: 2007 Other Motorcycle Model: Honda XL 125 Other Motorcycle Year: 1982
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When going slow I really have to row the shifter up and down to not lug. and at 4K mine feels like your sppinning it too fast when the spped is low but your not at all, I wouldn't run at a steady state in 1st gear at 5K but that's not what your asking either.
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