How do you go about finding top gear on motorway?

[DODO``]

I always find myself squeezing the clutch lever to check I am actually on top gear on motorway. No big deal on a short ride but when the ride gets bigger than 500kms, it stresses my left wrist quite a bit.

Funny thing is I know I am on top gear. but its this thought at the back of my head 'is it really?' LOL

Does anyone else get this too?

Don't feel the need for a gear indicators on ebay as such but just something that will let me know that I am on top gear (like a led light or something).

Any thoughts anybody?

[buggerit]

revcounter,tassles:niceone:

[Maha]

I think I did that a few times with the FZ8 but other than that, no not really. The CB1300 & my current 1250 are quite happy in top once in the outside lane, no real need to change gear at that stage, a slight twist and the bike reacts without hesitation.

[veldthui]

Clutch? Whats a clutch for except to stop/start. Once going clutch is pretty much redundant.

[SNF]

I do it sometimes to double check. Just notice what RPM your doing in top gear at the speed limit(ish). Remember it. Eg for me its about around 10,000 rpm at 100 km/h in 6th. Wouldn't mind a fuel gauge or light to go with the gear indicator. Then again I've lasted this long without.

[Motu]

On my bike the lever is free to move in 1st and top - just toe the lever, if it moves I'm in top, if it doesn't then I must've forgotten to change gear.

[ducatilover]

Can't you remember? I can.

[DODO``]

:niceone: dont really want the gear indicator they are too fiddly for my taste. :eek::eek:

[ellipsis]

...i'm always wanting another gear...and the horses to pull it...

[phill-k]

count 1 2 3 4 5 no more same going the other way oh and then remember, means u are aware - bike and environment

[FJRider]

I always find myself squeezing the clutch lever to check I am actually on top gear on motorway. No big deal on a short ride but when the ride gets bigger than 500kms, it stresses my left wrist quite a bit.

Funny thing is I know I am on top gear. but its this thought at the back of my head 'is it really?' LOL

Does anyone else get this too?

Don't feel the need for a gear indicators on ebay as such but just something that will let me know that I am on top gear (like a led light or something).

Any thoughts anybody?

Everybody does it ... just remember what revs your bike will be at 100 km/hr ... at the same revs in a lower gear ... you will be being passed by scooters and holdens.

[Gremlin]

Yep, on the CB900 I just know what revs the bike pulls at 100 and how it feels. With the number of km I've done on it, I know how it feels at all the usual speeds, 50, 70, etc and whether it's then in the correct gear or not. In a 50 it's in 4th, so by the time I'm in an 80 I'm in 6th already.

On the BMW I just look at the gear indicator :)

[aderino4]

Install gear indicator?

[tbs]

I used to get a sore clutch hand at the track, mostly from downshifting. Then I put an adjustable clutch lever on the bike so I didn't have to pull so much cable and problem solved.

[Akzle]

the cluch is only for wheelies.
Just kick the cunt.

[SMOKEU]

count 1 2 3 4 5 no more same going the other way oh and then remember, means u are aware - bike and environment

But what if you have bad short term memory?! I often forget which gear I'm in, but I know the feel of my bike reasonably well so it's not too hard to figure out most of the time.

[nzspokes]

Yep, on the CB900 I just know what revs the bike pulls at 100 and how it feels.

I know when I hit the limiter.

Then i pull second.......:laugh::no:

[skinman]

I dont know,, you people with rev happy bikes, mine doesnt like to do less than 90 in top & even then its better to downshift if you want to accelerate (about 3000rpm in 6th @100k) redline is only 7500

[Akzle]

count 1 2 3 4 5 no more same going the other way oh and then remember, means u are aware - bike and environment

three shall be the number thou shalt count and the number of the counting shall be three.
Four shalt thou not count, noither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three.

[ducatilover]

I dont know,, you people with rev happy bikes, mine doesnt like to do less than 90 in top & even then its better to downshift if you want to accelerate (about 3000rpm in 6th @100k) redline is only 7500One of mine does 3000, another does 5500 and the last does 8500 and I still have no issue.
Except no boost

[SMOKEU]

Damn those revs are low. At 100kmh my 600 SRAD is pulling 6000RPM with the -1 front sprocket.

[MSTRS]

... top gear on motorway. No big deal on a short ride but when the ride gets bigger than 500kms, it stresses my left wrist quite a bit.


Any thoughts anybody?

Try riding on regular roads. 500kms on a motorway must be quite boring...

[GSeX]

Gear indicators aren't just for newbies

[Yamahardman]

How are people so feeble that grasping a lever and squeezing it hurts?
I've retained a mtb habit of two finger braking, that's led to two finger clutching.
Or no clutching, haha.

[SMOKEU]

How are people so feeble that grasping a lever and squeezing it hurts?
I've retained a mtb habit of two finger braking, that's led to two finger clutching.
Or no clutching, haha.

Did you have hydraulic brakes on the MTB, or good discs at the very least?

[Yamahardman]

Did you have hydraulic brakes on the MTB, or good discs at the very least?

Nah :scratch:
My avids shat themselves, so I'm back to mechanical ones, mechanical ones are great, if you set em up right.
Been using my mechanical ones for 2 years now, haha.
They were only meant to get me through untill i brought some new hydraulic ones haha :spanking:

[tbs]

How are people so feeble that grasping a lever and squeezing it hurts?
I've retained a mtb habit of two finger braking, that's led to two finger clutching.
Or no clutching, haha.

For me it was a matter of reach. The clutch lever was just too far away from the grip, and unlike my brake lever, it wasn't adjustable. Since I was having to use my finger tips to pull the clutch it started to hurt my hand when I had to use it a lot. Buying a cheap set of adjustable shorty levers off fleabay fixed that, and I haven't had any trouble to since. I eventually got sick of all the play in the brake lever though, and put the stock on back on. Much nicer.

BTW Avid brakes suck. Hopes are the Brembos of the mtb world.

[Banditbandit]

You get used to it ... note the rev counter in top gear - that will tell you - but you just get used to the sound and the speed ...

Tho' I must admit I still get lost in the gears .. especially as the big one gets to 200 klicks in fourth and is not on the rad line ..

(And the clutch is not redundant - neither of my Suzies change up or down without a clutch ...)

[Tigadee]

I do it sometimes to double check. Just notice what RPM your doing in top gear at the speed limit(ish). Remember it. Eg for me its about around 10,000 rpm at 100 km/h in 6th. Wouldn't mind a fuel gauge or light to go with the gear indicator. Then again I've lasted this long without.

+1

10k rpm?! Holy cow! Mine sits at 4k rpm at 100kph!


I always find myself squeezing the clutch lever to check I am actually on top gear on motorway. No big deal on a short ride but when the ride gets bigger than 500kms, it stresses my left wrist quite a bit.

Don't feel the need for a gear indicators on ebay as such but just something that will let me know that I am on top gear (like a led light or something).

Like FZR250 said, use the rpm and speed to give you the idea.

But sometimes I don't go to the top gear 'cos I like hearing my pipes roar... :headbang:

And change your avatar, DoDo! LOL! Have you shown what your new ride looks like? Thread? Pics? :blip:

[neels]

Have rev counter and speedo on the road bike, so a quick glance at speed/revs and I'm good. Except for when I go to select then next gear as the revs are getting up a bit, and there's none left, then refer to speedo and realise I'm having too much fun....

On the DRZ400 I quite frequently go looking for the 6th gear that suzuki should have put in the box when they built the thing.

[SMOKEU]

+1
10k rpm?! Holy cow! Mine sits at 4k rpm at 100kph!


The MC19 CBR250R that I used to have was the same. 18,000RPM redline was fun.




On the DRZ400 I quite frequently go looking for the 6th gear that suzuki should have put in the box when they built the thing.

I'd certainly expect a 6 speed box in almost any bike of that vintage.

[Crisis management]

This is never a problem in the off-road forums, no gear indicator, no tachometer, no speedometer.

No, I'm not taking the piss (much) but operating a motorcycle is about the right gear selection and engine revs for the riding you are doing, sit in the right part of the power band at the speed you want to travel at and you are in the correct gear for that bit of road. Adjust to suit.

As a road reference, I rarely use 6th on the Ducati on the road, there is no way it's going to ride comfortably at 100km/hr.

Get used to how the bike feels, if it's lugging change down, if it's revving too high change up, don't worry about the gear you are in, just how the engine is performing.

[imdying]

The CB1300 & my current 1250 are quite happy in top once in the outside lane, no real need to change gear at that stage, a slight twist and the bike reacts without hesitation.What he said... if I'm cruising, I just leave it in top.