50km/h gear and RPM?

**Breed777** · 20th May 2009, 13:31

Well, Im still learning alot, but was wondering what gear and how many rpm your bike is doing round town at the 50kph mark?

Having never had a bike before what is better for your bike.... lower gear and higher rpm or change up to the next gear and drop them rpm.... im guessing lower rpm is better for fuel economy? whats better for the bike itself?

**3L4NS1R** · 20th May 2009, 13:39

you stay at 50kph for that long?

lower rpms make lugging the engine more likely. which is never good for it...

I've always been told to aim to keep the rpm at about 1/3 of the way to redline when you can. Of course, on a 250 this is not doable very often.

**slofox** · 20th May 2009, 13:47

Wot 'e said - don't let the engine labour at low revs...bad.
I aim to have the engine freely spinning but not screaming its arse off...depends very much on the particular bike - there is no universal law here...

**bezajel** · 20th May 2009, 17:31

In third gear my revs more-or-less match my speed, so about 5k revs at 50km/h in third, or about 6k revs in second. Depends a bit on how warm the engine is...

At around fifty I flip back and forwards between second and third depending on the road and traffic - eg. to and from work I only bother with third if I've got enough space to get up to 50 before having to slow to a stop again. Likewise on a ride around the bays I only use second on corners that require it.

Dunno what the ideal rev range would be for my bike, I go with high enough that the engine's doesn't sound like it's tripping over itself, and low enough that it doesn't sound like it's about to have a baby.

**AllanB** · 20th May 2009, 17:41

I figure around town you are better in a lower gear revving a wee bit than a higher one lugging it for this single reason - if you need to accelerate out of trouble in a hurry in a lower gear you'll be ready to fly. That second it takes the engine to get up and go in a higher gear (or you to change down) may be the difference in getting out or getting hit.

Regardless of engine size.

I wonder why so many magazine reviews make comments like - "pull cleanly from 50kms per in top....". Other than telling everyone you are a dick using a gear designed for the open road around town it has no relevance in a review to me at all. Yeah yeah it may show the engine carbs (EFI's?) well and or is a grunter, but still - 6th gear at 50? Out of interest I tried it recently on my Hornet - and yes it does pull cleanly from 50 in 6th. Whoop deee dooo it must be better than a bike that does not.

**newbould** · 21st May 2009, 19:42

Originally Posted by bezajel

In third gear my revs more-or-less match my speed, so about 5k revs at 50km/h in third, or about 6k revs in second. Depends a bit on how warm the engine is...

At around fifty I flip back and forwards between second and third depending on the road and traffic - eg. to and from work I only bother with third if I've got enough space to get up to 50 before having to slow to a stop again. Likewise on a ride around the bays I only use second on corners that require it.

Dunno what the ideal rev range would be for my bike, I go with high enough that the engine's doesn't sound like it's tripping over itself, and low enough that it doesn't sound like it's about to have a baby.

I am amazed! I also ride a scorp and routinely run around town in 5th, dropping to 4th if the traffic looks like slowing ahead. I would hate the scream in 3rd and second would be horrendous. 60 kph = 4k rpm = 5th gear
50 kph = 4k rpm = 4th gear so yes I guess it would be 5k rpm in 3rd.

12500 km in the last 13 months 1/2 and 1/2 about town v 80 kph road limit and no problems with services so far. But if idling along at these rpm is truely damaging for a "thumper" then I might have to change my riding habits,

May explain why I get more than 34 km / l of fuel!

**Cheshire Cat** · 21st May 2009, 20:19

50k in 6th gear is about 4.5- 4rpm so I tend to stay in 5th. not that i go 50k all the time

.....mainly cause it's rotorua and you get road raged

**Breed777** · 21st May 2009, 21:01

Today I was rocking round at between 8000 to 10,000rpm is this too high? ie bad for the bike?

**Cheshire Cat** · 21st May 2009, 21:06

Originally Posted by Breed777

Today I was rocking round at between 8000 to 10,000rpm is this too high? ie bad for the bike?

in 6th gear?!

**Breed777** · 21st May 2009, 21:08

Geez no

think it was 3rd....might have been doing 70k/hr maybe?

**hayd3n** · 21st May 2009, 21:09

whats your redline???

**Breed777** · 21st May 2009, 21:10

ummm without looking (cause im lazy!) I think its 18,000?

**Slyer** · 21st May 2009, 21:29

Originally Posted by AllanB

I figure around town you are better in a lower gear revving a wee bit than a higher one lugging it for this single reason - if you need to accelerate out of trouble in a hurry in a lower gear you'll be ready to fly. That second it takes the engine to get up and go in a higher gear (or you to change down) may be the difference in getting out or getting hit.

Regardless of engine size.

I wonder why so many magazine reviews make comments like - "pull cleanly from 50kms per in top....". Other than telling everyone you are a dick using a gear designed for the open road around town it has no relevance in a review to me at all. Yeah yeah it may show the engine carbs (EFI's?) well and or is a grunter, but still - 6th gear at 50? Out of interest I tried it recently on my Hornet - and yes it does pull cleanly from 50 in 6th. Whoop deee dooo it must be better than a bike that does not.

They say this to demonstate that it has good low-mid range power.