Shifting Gears

Buckwild Biker

Recently I added a tach to my Dyna. Before adding the tach I used to try and shift according to the manual specifications. I am finding that if I shift according to the manual guidelines for speed vs. gears my tach is showing me that my rpms are a bit too low. For instance if I am shifting according to the speed specifications in the manual my tach is only staying in the 1800 to 2000 range. I feel like that is to low...almost lugging. What is your experiences? When I am tooling around town at about 40-45 mph I am only in 3rd gear in order to keep the rpms at around 2000-2200. What do you think? --Buck

wildspirit97

the owners manual for anything almost always has a recommendation to shift "to early" Shift when it "feels" good. Shifting gears isn't a set rpm it depends on how your riding. basically the slower you accelerate the lower the rpm's when you shift. And if your really getting on it let the rpm's get hight before you shift

biscuit

It's written in oil somewhere that it is always better to shift higher than lower.Shifting at 3000 to 4000 rpm is way better for your motor than lugging it.
I'm not advocating that you ride everywhere at 4000 rpm,merely pointing out that you'll do more hurt to the engine changing at 2000 rpm.

Spare a thought for your big end bearings and the crankshaft.

Buckwild Biker

Thanks for the feedback... It seems that most of my riding around town is between 35 and 45 mph. It sounds like I need to keep the rpms up to around 2500 to 3000 instead of where I am currently riding (2000 to 2200). It seems like I am always in the middle of where the engine feels right...bordering on lugging and pushing the engine. In reality I might not really be pushing the engine hard enough. It sucks being a newbie at this.

smitty901

Here agin old rules do not really apply.
The new engines will and do run fine at lower rpms in traffic I often shift a low rpms in 2 and 3rd.
shift out of first almost as soon as the clutch is out.
As for running along nothing wrong with 21 - 2200 rpms in 6th. (2100 in 6th = 60mph)
just hard to get over that old lugging it thing.
Those of us that also own bikes with 5 speeds seem to have a harder time adjusting to running along at lower rpms.

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bikermoses

for my bike its seems to like 2500 to 3000rpm range.Also the exhaust sounds cool .

01dynaglide

I agree with wildspirit97, shift on feel, not rpm/speed.

miketini24

I'm new to this so I'm sure this is going to sound stupid, but my '08 sportster doesn't have a tach and I've not got a good feel for when I should be shifting yet. As a "rule", at what speeds should I be shifting?

glider

Forget the road speeds, go by the sound of the engine. You don't want to lug it but keep it in a comfortable area.

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tobaman

^
agree, shift by the sound...i usually shift around 2k-3k rpm..seldomly over 4k//
35-45mph is good on 5th (my top gr), engine sounds relax..
but not on bikes with 6grs.