Optimal rev level

scottdelamancha · Post by **scottdelamancha** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:57 am

Hello, I deleted the last post, I am new to this posting thing, not to mention the R1150R. What an awsome bike! I used to ride a CB900C. I went on a ride over the weekend and foound that I was shifting a lot to stay in 3-4K range. Once I dropped to 2.5K and the bike seemed to knock a bit. Thanks for the input...

Post by **DSKYZD** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:00 pm

I saw your other posts and deleted the older one, then couldn't find the newer one. Hang in there you'll get it.

Welcome to the club, BTW.

DSKYZD

Post by **yjleesvrr** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:08 pm

The answers depend on how much of a hurry you're in. The best way to find desired shift points is to go out and find out for yourself. It's more fun that way

Having said that, I find that if I'm merely cruising around to increase mileage, I short shift, i.e. - shift around 3k rpm. If I feel like skipping a gear on my way to 6th (e.g. - 1 - 3 - 5 - 6), I bump up the shifter lever twice every time I hit 3.5k rpm. I have the tall 6th gear, so I hit 3.5k rpm in 5th before I shift into 6th.

If I'm in a hurry, I shift around 5.5k - 6.5k rpm.

The Velvet Monkey · Post by **The Velvet Monkey** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:37 pm

My personal preference is to shift between 4500 and 5k, unless I'm in a hurry when I'll shift between 5500 and 6k. The bike really seems to like this "torque zone." When I'm in the mountains on a curvy road, I'll generally keep the rpms around the 5k mark. In these situations, I like the immediate torque response and the great engine braking the bike offers--often I don't need to touch the brakes but just let off the gas to let the engine slow me down before a corner.

When I bought the bike (but after the run in period) I was really shy about revving it past 4500 rpms, which is a shame because above that seems to be its happy place.

The bike's a gem--good luck and good riding.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:20 pm

I find that when I'm puttering around town I'm in the 3-4,000 range and often drop to 2,500 if I'm coasting on flat or going downhill.

I also often give it a bit of a rev and change two gears at once just to keep the revs down and use the grunt.

But if I'm doing a ride through the hills and twisies I'm up around the 4-5,500 range and maybe hit the rev limiter sometimes.

DJ

Brownw3 · Post by **Brownw3** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:23 pm

When you talk about boxers you talk about high shift ranges or whatever you want to call them. I never ever try to get BELOW 3000 RPM and my boxers have always loved me for it. When I'm not in a hurry, this means you just ride in a lower gear. No Biggie.

So this means (on my ROckster) that you have to be honkin it pretty good to use 6 th gear, you can (estimate) run 80MPH at the very bottom (3000 RPM) in 6th gear.

I never shift up before 5500 RPM. You'll love the ride at this clip and you'll note how efficiently you can scoot around at urban speed limits in second or third gear without fiddling with the clutch. THis is also really nice on super twisties.

Post by **wncbmw** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:38 pm

As others have said, depends on your mood. Unless I am just cruising, I usually run between 4,000 and 5500, and go close to red line if I am pushing. The bike behaves so much better with the rpms up! It likes it up there.

Don't lug it. (low rpms in a higher gear - as opposed to low rpms in a lower gear).

My favorite mountain runs are when I can go for miles without touching the gear shift or brake!

Redline at the end of the straights, engine braking through the curve, back on it again! Most fun you can have with your clothes on!

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:54 pm

My favorite mountain runs are when I can go for miles without touching the gear shift or brake! Redline at the end of the straights, engine braking through the curve, back on it again! Most fun you can have with your clothes on!

I agree... $\:D/$ ...It's heaven on a stick...

DJ

Sit · Post by **Sit** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:16 pm

Souds like alot of us like the 5K range. Weather just in town or out for a spirited ride, I keep it around 5K-6500. I seem to get better mileage this way and the motor does not seem to use oil. As my engine has climbed mileage wise, it likes the higher revs more and more. When new, it sounded like it would come apart at anything over 4, now it just purrs at 5500 and can cruise there all day and easily revs to 6500 and still just purrs, no vibration or anything.

Post by **CycleRob** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:23 am

. . . . and found that I was shifting a lot to stay in 3-4K range.

It sounds like scottdelamancha is still working on the break-in period.

I rarely exceed 5K rpm's in normal riding. Usually 2,200---3,500 rpm most of the time. A Daytona brand rectangular LCD temp gauge reads the crankcase temp in the blind holed boss below the crank pulley. That's pretty close to the oil temp and it responds almost immediately to sustained high rpm's.

Sustained rpm's IN THE LOWER 3 GEARS over 5K rpm in Summer heat will overheat the engine oil, well over 300F (149C) into "thermal breakdown"zone and risk rod & main bearing damage. Almost a sure thing if you are NOT using a full synthetic oil. One California "over 5K" rider in our group has already done this to his bike and eventually his oil lite was going on at an idle with new engine noises. It was diagnosed by the dealer as having "low oil pressure". DUH. The engine was replaced.

This is not a high performance, high rpm engine like an R6 Yamaha. It's pushrods and rockerarms opposed twin with air/oil cooling means it wasn't meant for the racetrack. Yes, you can blast down curvy roads in the 5K+ range at speed without damage. Try that in city traffic and you'll be abusing the engine. Especially if you are doing it without an engine/oil temp gauge. Rule of thumb for shift point or maximum sustained rpm is 60% of engine redline. On our bke that's 4,500 rpm . . . . where it makes plenty of power. If I'm doing a go-fast on a group ride, that's about where I am most of the time.

If you rarely drop below 5K revs and you do not have a temp gauge, you're rolling the dice on engine damage.

scottdelamancha · Post by **scottdelamancha** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:19 pm

CycleRob wrote:
. . . . and found that I was shifting a lot to stay in 3-4K range.
It sounds like scottdelamancha is still working on the break-in period.
.

Actually, the bike is used and has 25K, rather the bike is taking me through my breakin period. I ahve been staying in the 4-5K range and enjoy the performance. On long rides I will be cognisant (SP) of the oil temp and run 3-4K. Thanks for all of the input, this site rocks!

Post by **gregor** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:14 pm

Did around 300 miles today mostly in Yorkshire. From Whitby to Pickering was fantastic- first time on a bike there. Hope I did not get fried with that early warning station courtesy of the USA.

Three figure speeds came up accidentally several times today. Honest.

Samiam · Post by **Samiam** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:26 am

Brownw3 wrote:..., you can (estimate) run 80MPH at the very bottom (3000 RPM) in 6th gear....

Eighty at three thousand revs? Three thousand on my Roadster is 60 MPH, I believe. I'm doing about four thousand revs at eighty. The Beemer is geared almost exactly like my Miata.

Post by **yjleesvrr** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:57 am

Samiam wrote:
Brownw3 wrote:..., you can (estimate) run 80MPH at the very bottom (3000 RPM) in 6th gear....
Eighty at three thousand revs? Three thousand on my Roadster is 60 MPH, I believe. I'm doing about four thousand revs at eighty. The Beemer is geared almost exactly like my Miata.

I've never heard of a R1150R with gearing THAT tall. Brownw3 - are you sure you typed that correctly?

Brady · Post by **Brady** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:26 am

I couldn't agree more with CycleRob. There's no mechanical reasoning behind an engine getting better milage at 5k RPM when it is not straining at 3k. If you are running at 60 MPH in 6th gear at 3K RPM or 4500RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, you are going to get better mileage in 6th gear. End of debate.

BMW has all but told you where they think the engine should run. Get on the hwy, put the bike in 6th gear and go the legal speed limit. Probably you are going to be between 3000 and 3500 RPM. When you put an overdrive in a bike you gear it so that the engine will be running at it's peak efficiency for an extended amount of time.

Who brakes through corners? Engine or conventional. I drop it down a gear and accelerate through. You get better traction and it's more fun!

Just my $.02 worth.

Brady

scottdelamancha · Post by **scottdelamancha** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:59 pm

Hi Brady, I think I aggree with you and Cyclebob. I am trying to keep it between 3 and 4K; I like how it feels in that range. Thanks for all of the feedback, its loads of help given I am new the this bike.

Post by **wncbmw** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:46 pm

There's no mechanical reasoning behind an engine getting better milage at 5k RPM when it is not straining at 3k. If you are running at 60 MPH in 6th gear at 3K RPM or 4500RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, you are going to get better mileage in 6th gear. End of debate.

Perhaps if we were debating gas milage it would be the end of the debate. I honestly don't give a rat's behind about gas milage when I am riding curvy roads.

I care about fun, engine responsiveness and getting around cars quickly. 4K to 6k works better for that for me.

Granted, riding in the 5K range in traffic is harmful and pointless, but that was not what I recommended. The bike works well just loping along too!

Mr Episkopos · Post by **Mr Episkopos** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:14 pm

SitR1150R wrote:Souds like alot of us like the 5K range. Weather just in town or out for a spirited ride, I keep it around 5K-6500. I seem to get better mileage this way and the motor does not seem to use oil. As my engine has climbed mileage wise, it likes the higher revs more and more. When new, it sounded like it would come apart at anything over 4, now it just purrs at 5500 and can cruise there all day and easily revs to 6500 and still just purrs, no vibration or anything.

Yes but what about oil consumption?

The Velvet Monkey · Post by **The Velvet Monkey** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 10:13 pm

When we're talking about 5k in traffic, are we talking about sustained riding at 5k, or simply accellerating to 5k between shifts?

I've got to be honest with you, traffic down here is a real zoo--a light-to-light death match between me and a zillion Caddys piloted by the lead-footed near-dead. The quicker I get off the line and maintain some space, the safer I am sometimes. I generally shift between 4500-5000 rpms.

Just wondering if I'm being too hard on the old girl.

Post by **dnat928** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:58 pm

Every vehicle/cycle I have ever driven/ridden seemed (or is it just me...) to have an RPM at which it likes to settle into and cruise smoothly. My 2002 R settles in at 3500-rpm at 70-mph, 6th gear - level highway riding. Other than that, it's whatever is needed to get up and go...I've had it a bit over 6k-rpm on some spirited take-offs, and probably will not go much higher - beyond that, it just starts to feel like I'm thrashing the machinery. I want to keep things intact for the long haul. "Normal" accels typically get up to 5-5.5k-rpm.