Noob question

**kunoichi** · 18th February 2009, 14:50

Hey guys!

I know that this is probably a really silly question, and u probably thinking 'omfg, how can a biker NOT know this!!?

' , but here goes... My bike has 6 gears and i heard that the engine is happiest wen both needles are pointing up (100km at 8rpm on my bike), and being a noob, not allowed to ride past 110kph, i find that i don't need use of my 6th gear, but am happily sitting in 5th with both needles pointing up. Wen i was breaking in my bike, the advice was try to use all the gears. Now that I'v broken in my engine fairly well, I'm woundering if i'm doing my baby any damage by not using her 6th gear very often?

**Morcs** · 18th February 2009, 14:57

Originally Posted by kunoichi

Hey guys!

I know that this is probably a really silly question, and u probably thinking 'omfg, how can a biker NOT know this!!?

' , but here goes... My bike has 6 gears and i heard that the engine is happiest wen both needles are pointing up (100km at 8rpm on my bike), and being a noob, not allowed to ride past 110kph, i find that i don't need use of my 6th gear, but am happily sitting in 5th with both needles pointing up. Wen i was breaking in my bike, the advice was try to use all the gears. Now that I'v broken in my engine fairly well, I'm woundering if i'm doing my baby any damage by not using her 6th gear very often?

Should use as much of the box as you can.

The less revs you are doing at any given speed, the less stress on your motor.

Even on my 600's which can sit at 100 in 2nd, ill use 6th in 50k zones, only dropping down when I antipate either coming to a stop, pulling a wheelstand, or nailing it.

**gatch** · 18th February 2009, 14:57

You wont be damaging anything per se, by staying in 5th, your motor will wear ever so slightly faster i think, also maybe just using a little more fuel by running at higher rpm at open road speeds..

If you can use 6th without your engine laboring that would be good..

Just a thought, I could be wrong, but I thought the latest ninjas were of the gpx250 variety ??

**The Baron** · 18th February 2009, 15:02

I would suggest that you have six gears... use them.

**kunoichi** · 18th February 2009, 15:03

Originally Posted by gatch

You wont be damaging anything per se, by staying in 5th, your motor will wear ever so slightly faster i think, also maybe just using a little more fuel by running at higher rpm at open road speeds..

If you can use 6th without your engine laboring that would be good..

Just a thought, I could be wrong, but I thought the latest ninjas were of the gpx250 variety ??

Oh! so my suspicioun was correct about using more fuel at higher rpm. Alrighty then, i'll start using my 6th gear then. Thanks

As for latest model of ninja's, i get mixed feedback from different ppl. some say it's essentially a gpx with a zxr casing, others say it's a zxr, and others still say ninja is different from a zxr. I have given up trying to figure it out. Wen ppl ask it's simply a kawasaki and it's mine!

**Anarkist** · 18th February 2009, 15:08

How did you get your bike license if you're unsure about that?

Riding a bike is quite a mechanical thing to do really, which is why most women can't ride a bike or cook a bbq for that matter (also, inb4sexism).

Unlike a car which is just sit down and plod along I always thought you should understand at least basically the theory behind how everything works before doing something you trust your life unto.

**stevewederell** · 18th February 2009, 15:09

Now I'm very green to riding also but I've heard that running a bike in "3rds" is another method. i.e if you red line at 12K then optimum is around 4K regardless of gear. I used to cruise around at 60kph in fifth, but I had fouling issues which I've not had since changing my "style"...now I just have other fuel/fuel line issues.

Not sure if this is right or helpful, just what I've read

**gatch** · 18th February 2009, 15:10

Originally Posted by Anarkist

How did you get your bike license if you're unsure about that?

being on a learner license I don't think knowing the finer points of riding at 110kmh is part of the criteria, did you know everything about your bike before you rode it ?

**Anarkist** · 18th February 2009, 15:17

Originally Posted by gatch

did you know everything about your bike before you rode it ?

Not everything, but I knew I was better off using top gear than revving unnecessarily high unless I was trying to power out of something.

Suppose it's better he asked than stuck not using it though.

Suddenly, DANCING BANANA

**kunoichi** · 18th February 2009, 15:17

Well i got all the info about it, and did my lessons on the demo (Mt eden Mbikes rule!!!), but as is my problem with all my hobbies, i don't know what questions to ask. How is one to know what questions to ask, if they don't know what they are supposed to know? My bf rekns i made a shit choice, but i like riding my bike, and she fits better than some of the others i got on to.

**gatch** · 18th February 2009, 15:23

what is the difference in rpm between 5th and 6th at 100kmh ?

moi spada did about 8500 at 100 in 6th, and just over 9000 in 5th, bugger all between them really..

**Anarkist** · 18th February 2009, 15:23

Who cares if he reckons you made a shit choice, that way he won't ask you to ride it himself and if he does you can ask why he'd want to ride something he thinks is shit

They are nice bikes though. Good because they feel small and nimble, but not small enough to feel like your knees are touching.

What colour did you get?