2700-3000 Works well for me. Lugging leaves you in a compromised position at times because you may well need some snort and it's best to have it right there rather than downshifting etc.
When I picked up my twin cam 88 in ‘04 the dealer’s service manager told me 2500 to 3500 was the best operating range. This has held true for a 1 up Dyna Glide. The destructive force at low rpm is cylinder pressure. This is greatly effected by bike weight, throttle position (i.e. acceleration), and load (uphill, etc). One can shift at a lower rpm if you go easy on the throttle, but there are still limits. Personally, the best way to manage is to develop a feel for when the bike gets near lugging, and stay above this rpm. Since conditions will determine what rpm is lugging, rider judgement is required. At the other end of the rpm spectrum is increased friction and wear, which always increase with rpm. Motorcycling is mainly recreation. You bought your bike to serve you, ride it any way that you want. It’s always better to make informed decisions so you know the potential cost of your actions. It’s just one of life’s many trade-offs. Rpm too low: the engine is getting a pounding, rpm too high: engine is rubbing itself away inside.
Bro that's screaming. You really don't need too keep these bikes at 75% of their max rpm, that's bananas. Low rpm isn't lugging, lugging is when you hear the bike start to chug and it starts bucking like a pissed off horse. I have a screamin eagle stage 1 mi 107, it does absolutely fine around cruising at 2000rpm. It's not bullshit that keeping these engines at low rpm is good for them. For one, they're air cooled - higher rpm means more heat, and air cooled engines are prone too heat issues. Two, these engines have a lot of opposed rotating mass, high rpm puts a lot of stress on the crank.
Yeah, and I hear that they have the best torque between three and four. I’m a slightly new Harley rider. What’s the RPM that you wouldn’t let it get above? You’re going from a dead stop and you’re giving the beans you wanna accelerate as fast as you can. What RPMs are you shifting at
Wow you guys have an rpm guage? I just make sure you shift before it sounds like it red lines or starts to is how I "guage it". Going up hill, down hill, flat, turns, etc... just dont smoke your clutch
Good advice. Especially for new Harley riders. I never lug my motorcycle. I'm always at that 2500 to 3200 RPM range when cruising around. Lugging your Harley puts excessive strain on the engine to make the horsepower it needs to roll it down the road.
I think the rule of thumb is LISTEN to your engine, (for motorcycles at least), she will tell you if she needs to go up or down a gear. If she is screaming at you, raise it up a gear, if she is pouting, lower it one and open her up 😆 I rarely see 6th gear, unless I feel like opening her open completely on an open highway and just want to see ow fast she can go. 3K at 5th gear 9s like 50-70mph, runs smooth.
I have a 2021 iron 1200 and I take every gear up to at least 3300-3500 each shift . I usually don’t even use 5th unless I’m in the interstate . I’ll cruise town in third or fourth at 33-3500 depending on speeds
Nice advice. Would be awesome if you made a video explaining how to properly downshift through all the gears and what speeds to ensure a smooth transition. I feel most riders are confident in the upshift, but there is never anyone who can explain the stopping/downshift step well. Thanks!
Hi Tyler, I read an article once about downshifting and it’s pretty simple. Let’s say your doing 65 miles per hour and your on 6th gear, you want to downshift to 5th gear when your at 50 MPH. Down shit to 4th gear at 40 MPH 3rd gear at 30 MPG and so on. Hope this helps.
According to my owner’s manual (2021 Heritage w/107 M8), downshift as follows. 6-5 at 50 mph, 5-4 at 40 mph, 4-3 at 30 mph, 3-2 at 20 mph, 2-1 at 10 mph. I know it doesn’t give rpm, but at those speeds it’s obviously lower rpm’s.
Just give her some gas, and rev match her while going down a gear. Throw HD oil in the trash and switch to Sprectro... you can thank me later. Cammed streetglide 60k miles
i upgraded to a stage 4,my m8 114 ,i was to kind on the rpm,i was the talk of the dealership when they seen an showed me the top of my piston,they even gave me a great lecture on rpms,i need to stay at 2800 at least like you said,my piston had a huge carbon build up on top, the bike only had 4500 miles on it
I used to ride at 2k rpm or lower. Just because erveryone does it here in germany. Everyone is bobbing around and lug the hell out of it just to get the sweet harley typical rumble. But after 1000km on my bike i started to raise the rpms a bit. It just feels so much smoother. Now I try to keep it above 2300 rpms. (By feel no tac) Stock tc 96. It's much smoother. i shift into 6th gear at ~65 mph.
Ideally, we should be maintaining the revs near or below the max torque peak, which for a H-D motor is around 4000 rpm. So, riding at 3000-3500 rpm is beneficial in the sense that we have a smooth ride, the engine is not lugged nor stressed and, most importantly, we are a twist away from the available max torque, and consequently max hp, for a manoeuvre, like taking over effortlessly or speeding up to escape from a dangerous situation. It just feels nice how responsive the engine is. Mechanically, lugging the engine has the same wear effect as always hitting the red line.
As a M8 owner I was horrified to hear that someone would try to get into 6th at a speed like 50mph. I never even see 6th until I get on the interstate and am at speed, like 75mph-ish and I'm done accelerating. Most of my riding is two lane highway (55 spees limit) between my homestead and the city. I don't feel like I can comfortably get into 5th unless I'm speeding. The motor is pretty happy blasting along mountain roads at 60 in 4th gear.
I know this video is old but thank you. I've been riding for a few years but came from higher rpm engines and now have a 117 harley and it's such a huge difference in RPM range, I've been kinda thinking I was staying a little too high in the RPM range but from your video it appears I'm riding exactly where I should be, thanks for the confidence.
My 2022 Triumph Bonneville T120, 2nd @ 4000 rpm, 3rd @ 4000 rpm, 4th 3700 rpm, 5th @ 60 mph, 6th I agree is not needed under 65 mph. Shifting feels smooth at these rpm range. Leveling off at or around 3k rpms once your in gear at the desired speed.
One of the distinguishing traits of the big American V-twin is that they have an obnoxious amount of torque and pull very hard at ridiculously low RPMs. They are a short shifter's dream to ride. I love to experience the pull and hear the bark of a Harley. Having said that, it's best not to lug too much but even worse to over-rev IMHO. YMMV
I think the advice applies for virtually all bikes. I don't ride a HD but all the bikes I've had are/were happier when run at higher rpms. For those who are still doubtful about whether or not the higher revs are damaging their bikes, here's a rule of thumb I apply. Just see where the red line is (e.g. 9,000 rpm); try and limit the revs to two-thirds of this range (i.e. 6,000 rpm). Within this limit, nothing is going to over-tax the engine except for lugging. So you would be perfectly safe to run your bike at 4,500 rpm in 2nd or 3rd gear and it is actually better than 2,000 rpm on 4th or 5th. If necessary, and you need to overtake at higher speeds, there is always sufficient buffer between the two-thirds limit and the red line to see you through the manoeuvre. Ride safely boys!
Just got my 1st bike and have been wondering what’s a good Rpm to shift from I was worried about running it too hard and this helped a lot! I’ve been running in the mid 2,000(2,500-2,800) glad to know I won’t blow up my bike bringing things up to the 3-4k’s
2700-3200 whatever gear I’m in..... I never use 6th gear unless I’m over 75 mph. Rarely have a need for it. Also, never see 4000 rpm either. Bone stock 2019 Road King Standard 107 ... I was told the stock map is used at 1/4 throttle tops.... this works well for me.
I have a 117 m8 stock except 2into 1 exhaust once I hit 3rd gear, I stay at least 2900 rpm. 5th gear I stay at least 3100 rpm and I don’t shift to 6th gear until around 90 mph and like to keep it at 3300 rpm in 6th. This motor really really seems happy at about 3200-3400 rpm. And when accelerating, it seems happy when I don’t shift until around 4000rpm. And when I’m getting it, 4500 on up to redline.
If I'm out in the Country where there's not much traffic and you can enjoy the ride and the scenery I usually just cruise around turning around 2500rpm's.If I'm out on the expressway I usually turn close to 2800 or 3000rpm's.I want this Bike to last a long time as expensive as Harley's are.
Video that I needed to see ,,,been riding 07 heratage,,in 5 and 6 gear was worried something was wrong with bike when sifting to early at low rpm ,,,,sounds fine if I run it little harder,,,,thanks
Great Vid for getting the word out. Find out what your bike's max torque to minimum RPM is and the max RPM and ride it between those two limits for all of your gears.....eg: My V twin max T occurs at 3,000 rpm and max's at 6,000 rpm ....so I ride it usually around the 3500 to 5500 range..... which roughly equates to the top gear range of 50 to 100 mph...... No Lugging Stay Safe
3000+ rpm on my Buell. I am still in 3rd at 55. 5th for highway/interstate. A hotter piston means less carbon build up. Lugging it puts more stress on stuff. The crank not lugged down spins better. On the other hand flat out puts more stress on crank than lugging it. I have destroyed snowmobile cranks that way once in the middle of lake Michigan on the ice.
Excellent advice!! We need this explained to us!! Especially as we change from inline 4 to vtwin. I need a video with oil pressure displayed next to oil temp next to crankpin stress next to gas mileage next to metal scrubbing factors etc.
Never ever going to hurt a Harley hitting redline to shift. Big cushion at red line. You are right... shit a Harley doesn't even function properly unless its in a higher rpm. Harley wouldn't warranty a bike if it couldn't take redline under load. 3500 to 4000 cruising rpms
Totally. Another thing you see/hear, especially with the older ones, is idling at incredibly low rpms. My oil pump isn't really doing much at that speed, so I keep it around 1000.
I'm cruising on a 2015 Ultra Classic with Stage 1 Tuning, Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather and Screaming Eagle Night Sticks Dule Exhaust Pipes. I can tell you for a fact that the 103 twin cam loves to shift at 3,000 RPMs and loves to cruise between 2500 and 28000 RPMs. Loves to shift into 6th gear at 65 to 75mph and will cruise down the interstate doing 75 to 80mph and sits right at 3000rpms all day . ..when Gliding through Turns and Twisties she is in full on torque between 25000 and 28000 RPMs..that goes for 2, 3rd 4th 5th gear ...She sounds like a lion roaring as I let off the throttle to upshift or downshift depending on my speed but I'm always sticking to the road with tons of torque and get up and go is always there when you need it sitting between 2500 and 28,000 RPMs and always waiting till 3,000 RPMs to shift for all gears..Never let the rpm's drop below 2000 and never shift into 6th until you hit 70 MPH and you will never lugg your bike.. Shift at 3000 / 3500 and you will always hit the sweet spot every time .Always Cruise between 2500/3000 and you will Live in Thunder City! And roar like a lion with Tons of Torque and Gripp to the pavement ready to maneuver and be locked in laser focused on the road and 1 with your ride. AND THAT'S HOW YOU RIDE A HARLEY DAVIDSON
Sounds about right for my 103 Dyna. I think I have shifted into 6th twice in the last 4 years and I drive (a little) over the speed limit. It actually seems to complain if I'm not cruising at about 3000.
Same, 2016FXDL and I rarely see 6th gear, unless I feel like opening her open completely on an open highway and just want to see how fast she can go. Always between 3-4k, and when passing blast to 6k lol, burn that carbon off!
Anything between 3200 and 4000 is fun😢. I'm always in that range on fwy. On both my 22 SG and my 07 CVO 110 twin cam. I started ridding like this a few weeks ago because i noticed the enginec was smoother and much more happy. Just as you stated.
Rolling slow my 103 seems to like shifting around that range 2700. When geting on it a little prob somewhere in the 3000-4000 range. 80mph for hours on end on the highway im at 3000rpm the entire time. D&D Fatcat full exhaust with a baffle. Those open pipe guys are the ones short shifting around town because there bike is so loud. With a baffle it sound more like a zoom zoom lets rev sounds. Makes it more fun.
Higher RPM gives more control over your speed, especially important in a curve. My Softail does not have a tach, just a speedo....so I just try to keep it loud.
Check out almost any Harley Dyno chart. The torque goes up fast from about 2k to 2500 rpm and then arcs over on up to about 4K. So, the bike feels best when shifted in the fat part of the torque curve and that’s 2500 and up. No point shifting above 3500 rpm and having to wait for that heavy flywheel to spin up unless you have a hot cam that peaks above 5k.
This video is for me!! I was thinking my bike didn't have any power to move 103 engine. the problem was not the bike, but me. I was shifting around 2800rpms and cruising around 2000. today I tried shifting up around 4K and cruised around 3000 and it was like night and day. Like riding a whole bigger bike. They didnt teach this in the MSF class i took, so I didnt know until I heard about it on a bike forum. Great video. Thanks.
My 107 has max hp at 5-5.5k rpm, I really need to try revving it over 4k and see if it pulls any better, because atm I am rather disappointed from the performance
According to my Harley-Davidson owners manual, it says the following for my 2021 Heritage Classic M8 107. Up Shifting: 1-2 at 15 mph, 2-3 at 25 mph, 3-5 at 35 mph, 5-6 at 55 mph. Now, this was written by H-D motor co. as an instruction as to the proper way to ride their motorcycle, so I trust they know what they are talking about. Harley-Davidson’s are not high rpm motorcycles, they never have been. The “redline” on a factory tuned stock H-D V-twin is 5500 rpm’s. However, it is your bike and your money, so ride it however it makes you happy.
im only on my second season... what i learned regarding RPM? (no tachometer) is simple. If she feels "jerky" or stutters when you twist the throttle, then you are at a too low RPM. If you are twisting the throttle and nothing happens but she is screaming, you are redlining BADLY! Cruising at a stable low RPM should sound stable, you should be able to "go" a little bit slowly "as worst" but if it feels as if nothing is happening, you need to switch gear. You SHOULD be able to slow down a little or increase speed a little when at a comfortable cruising speed. This goes for most bikes.
I ride a 94 wide glide (evo) with no tach. Its easy to just go by feel and sound. I do shift early if I'm going down hill. But that's the only time I shift early.
You are correct , m8 107 likes it 26 to 2800 cruising. Stroker motors like 👍🏻 it in the upper rev range even if they spit when your on the pipe ! 35 to 4000 just warm it up first 😊
As long as the rpm isn’t so low that the engine gets the chain in the crankcase slapping around and the bike isn’t bucking around then you’re fine. I regularly cruise at 2k. I’m not racing my ultra limited and Harley’s have plenty of torque to keep the bike moving at a lower rpm. No, you don’t want to be in 6th gear doing 25mph and try to accelerate in that same gear. Just for clarification, when I say I cruise at 2k that’s just chilling on backroads. I’m at less than 3k on the highway up to about 80mph. Don’t need anymore than that unless I’m really breaking the law lol
Owned 5 different 6 speeds. Two of them 107, a 96 and two 103’s. While the m8 handles 6th at 50 mph better than the others, I still liked to be above 60 for the road gear. 🤷♂️
Oh damn, ok. I usually ride 3500 @ 80mph on the highway at 6 and feel like im over revving it but i know from my sport bike days you run anywhere from 8-10k safely with a 13-14k red line, anywhere lower then that and its riding a bit rough. Might start riding higher on the rpms then…
Man I had it wrong. I have an uncle rides a duna has mentioned to me once or twice that I shift way too early. And yea, I would never shift passed 2800 rpms and usually would shift as early as 2200 rpms. Had another guy that rides a triumph speed master that he always shifts between 3500 and 4k rpms. Bike does feel better shifting between 2800 and 3500 rpms which is what I try to shift into now.
Lugging a V-Twin also causes , " Valleys across the Crank- Pin ! Due to low oil pressure at the Connecting Rod's . Meaning a complete engine and motor , rebuild ! ( vibration ). 😎
Service "Tech's " years ago when leaded gas was @ pumps . used to do carbon " jobs " on cop bikes who were lugging or in traffic all day ! Such as a little alcohol in fuel tank and run out hard on the hyway , thus cleaning out the carbon ( softer ) w leaded gas , thus bringing back the compression ratio to near stock spec's . that was the" Tune Up " ! No more pinging and popping ! 😎😀
My 2012 street glide hates being lugged. Running k&n heavy breather intake, Vance n Hines x pipe, with 4" Rhineharts and 510s&s cams, controlled by a classic fuelpak... she hates and I mean HATES to be lugged. Once you find 3k rpm...she's a dream. And she pulls like raped ape...I use 6th on the interstate over 75, but other than that,,she never sees less than 3k rpm. 60,000 miles goin strong.
Remember that back in the day Harleys used to be 3/4 speed to ride around 35-45 miles an hour. That’s what you usually ride in town nowadays. 5th and 6th is for modern speeds, between 60-80, maybe even 90….if that makes sense. That’s how I look at it…
Run it back a few yrs, 110ci (SE)ultra was 70mph at 2500rpm high tq around 3000rpm......4000rpm cruisin is not going to do great things for your bike But, riding dyna 96ci around here I'm not in 6th too often, I like to be at a speed in a gear such that I roll off, I slow down, roll on, I speed up.....for this you need to be running higher rpm........this is for handling up and down curves for fun, not for betterment of the bike And it likes 60-65 mph in 6th......no idea the rpm, no tach
Luckily HD should be able to start in gear, to avoid that clunky notch into 1st when setting the idle to 2000 rpm, try to avoid idling even if it means running that red if you could stop. The red line is only there as a shift indicator but if it won't rev any higher it's probably time to try another gear. In all seriousness, don't load up under 2000 unless you like the sound of piston slap,or put on a straight through to drown it out. Happy days if you can afford a Harley that runs great.
I feel like this is understandable on acceleration but if you’re just cruising at speed on flat 6th at 50 isn’t “lugging” it’s just a lower rpm and my bike doesn’t have the slightest problem with it, that’s the slowest I’d go in 6th and you gotta down shift if you wanna speed up but that’s not that hard though I am speaking from a completely stock engine might be different with cam upgrades that’s understandable
Friction/Heat are what wear out engines. Don’t lug it, but driving it at 5 grand all of the time is ridiculous. 3 is nice for me. I’m running at 3 grand at 75. Perfect for me.
literally just shift when it starts screaming and shaking ur hands off and ur fine. don't need to run it to the redline before you shift that's wild unless you're really goosing it
How do feel about the 103 in the freewheeler? Does the added weight of being a trike affect the RPM's and its shifting points? It just feels when I get into the higher RPMs that the motor is really screaming. More than likely it's probably just me
My Kawasaki Vulcan S owner manual says to shift from 5th to 6th at 55 km/h (34 mph). Feels way too low to me but I did respect it as much as possible during the break-in period, and as far as I can tell, my engine is doing fine. I get that lugging the engine is very bad for your bike, but I also want to think that manufacturers would not tell people to shift at an rpm that is potentially damaging.
Your Vulcan engine is more balanced than a Harley engine. Harley engines fire unevenly. Your bike is fine to shift low. Harley bikes maybe not. I think Harley people make too big a deal about it to be honest.
Hello, I have a cb500x. So, it's better to run at 7k+ rpm at 5th gear than run at 5k- rpm at 6th gear? Is that right? I'm concerned because doing that the fuel economy goes down from 26km/L to 22km/L
Having a tach is critical for any manual transmission in my opinion. It blows my mind why anyone ever bought any bikes without one equipped. Fluids are also critical to engine and transmission protection. I will only run Amsoil sae60 in my 88" and their trans and primary fluids.
I do shift with higher RPM’s, but the shifting gets a bit rougher and more harsh. What do you think causes this? I’m on a 2018 M-8 street glide with a Redshift 468 cam, slip ons, and screaming Eagle breather.
Sitting at 3/4 max rpm ain't that bad. But 1/4 aint that bad either. If youre just cruising 2000rpm is perfectly acceptable. As for full throttle i usually only open her up all the way after about 4k rpm on the standard/ sport bikes. A harley id be comfortable opening her up at as low as 2000 or 2500 rpm.
I literally just got a Freewheeler 114 today, I've never had a M8, so what's a good rpm to be at? Do you take it somewhat easy during the break in period? What rpm do you recommend downshifting? 100% stock (so far) my plan is full exhaust stage 1
As you say, lugging an engine is not good for it. I come from the diesel world and there it was said that whatever gear you are cruising in, if you can not readily accelerate in that gear you are lugging the engine.
I just got 2021 low rider s. I generally hit 6th gear at 70 mph and up. I cruise it 60-65 in 5th gear. Sound about right? I also just got Vance and Hines twin slash slip ons on. That dealer stated won't affect performance really just noise ( which is why I got them) but the bike seems to run a tad higher RPMs now at the same speed as opposed to when stock exhaust was on. That normal? I guess it did change performance slightly, whether better or worse I don't know
im a sportbike guy, first harley i have 2020 xl1200 48. i have 5 gears. whats redline? and whats the cruising rpms? i shift no more than pass 3.5krpms in most gears so far. its my first week riding harley. i try to keep it above 2.5k rpms when cruising i think.
I have a 2018 Road Glide Ultra. The manual says to shift 6th gear at 50mph. Should they look more into that? Personally, I always make sure my RPMs are at 2500 or more at all times. Can lug around 1800ish. Your thoughts brother? I have just the Stage 1 with Rhinehart exhaust.
I have a 2020 CVO limited with a 117 ci M8. What gear and RPM’s should I be at when going down the interstate? I went on a long ride yesterday and tested some things out. It seemed like the bike performed better in 5th at around 3,500 RPM. That was around 75-80 MPH. Also, would it be bad for the bike to stay at 4,000 RPM for long periods? Thank you for your help.
I have a 2019 street glide. Power seems to die between 3800,and 4000. If I wide open throttle it it goes but just for regular shifting it feels like it hits a brick wall at 4000. This bike has a intake and pipes. I just bought it and I’m wondering if this is normal or do I need a tune?
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2700-3000 Works well for me. Lugging leaves you in a compromised position at times because you may well need some snort and it's best to have it right there rather than downshifting etc.
When I picked up my twin cam 88 in ‘04 the dealer’s service manager told me 2500 to 3500 was the best operating range. This has held true for a 1 up Dyna Glide.
The destructive force at low rpm is cylinder pressure. This is greatly effected by bike weight, throttle position (i.e. acceleration), and load (uphill, etc). One can shift at a lower rpm if you go easy on the throttle, but there are still limits. Personally, the best way to manage is to develop a feel for when the bike gets near lugging, and stay above this rpm. Since conditions will determine what rpm is lugging, rider judgement is required.
At the other end of the rpm spectrum is increased friction and wear, which always increase with rpm.
Motorcycling is mainly recreation. You bought your bike to serve you, ride it any way that you want. It’s always better to make informed decisions so you know the potential cost of your actions. It’s just one of life’s many trade-offs. Rpm too low: the engine is getting a pounding, rpm too high: engine is rubbing itself away inside.
Dealership here in Germany told me the same thing
Absolutely agree that you do need to know the rules before you can decide which ones to break.
@markam306 wow 3500 rpm seems high over Rev no doubt
Yes your bike run it like you want
Bro that's screaming. You really don't need too keep these bikes at 75% of their max rpm, that's bananas. Low rpm isn't lugging, lugging is when you hear the bike start to chug and it starts bucking like a pissed off horse. I have a screamin eagle stage 1 mi 107, it does absolutely fine around cruising at 2000rpm.
It's not bullshit that keeping these engines at low rpm is good for them. For one, they're air cooled - higher rpm means more heat, and air cooled engines are prone too heat issues. Two, these engines have a lot of opposed rotating mass, high rpm puts a lot of stress on the crank.
Yeah, and I hear that they have the best torque between three and four. I’m a slightly new Harley rider. What’s the RPM that you wouldn’t let it get above? You’re going from a dead stop and you’re giving the beans you wanna accelerate as fast as you can. What RPMs are you shifting at
@@Texas_Made6990 In that scenario where I am trying to just accelerate as hard as possible, I'll shift in the 5200rpm range
I have a 110 screaming eagle and it runs perfectly at 3,000. Super smooth. These motors want a little higher RPM to increase oil flow
Fortnine just did a video that supports higher revs.
Wow you guys have an rpm guage? I just make sure you shift before it sounds like it red lines or starts to is how I "guage it". Going up hill, down hill, flat, turns, etc... just dont smoke your clutch
Good advice. Especially for new Harley riders. I never lug my motorcycle. I'm always at that 2500 to 3200 RPM range when cruising around. Lugging your Harley puts excessive strain on the engine to make the horsepower it needs to roll it down the road.
State your source.
I think the rule of thumb is LISTEN to your engine, (for motorcycles at least), she will tell you if she needs to go up or down a gear. If she is screaming at you, raise it up a gear, if she is pouting, lower it one and open her up 😆
I rarely see 6th gear, unless I feel like opening her open completely on an open highway and just want to see ow fast she can go.
3K at 5th gear 9s like 50-70mph, runs smooth.
I have a 2021 iron 1200 and I take every gear up to at least 3300-3500 each shift . I usually don’t even use 5th unless I’m in the interstate . I’ll cruise town in third or fourth at 33-3500 depending on speeds
How’s the bike now
@@gavinsfishingaddiction7738 ive since traded it in so im mot sure
@@joshrivers5870 oh why did you trade if you don’t mind me asking
@@gavinsfishingaddiction7738 sorry its 1sickking2017
Nice advice. Would be awesome if you made a video explaining how to properly downshift through all the gears and what speeds to ensure a smooth transition. I feel most riders are confident in the upshift, but there is never anyone who can explain the stopping/downshift step well. Thanks!
Just give it gas.
Hi Tyler, I read an article once about downshifting and it’s pretty simple. Let’s say your doing 65 miles per hour and your on 6th gear, you want to downshift to 5th gear when your at 50 MPH. Down shit to 4th gear at 40 MPH 3rd gear at 30 MPG and so on. Hope this helps.
According to my owner’s manual (2021 Heritage w/107 M8), downshift as follows.
6-5 at 50 mph,
5-4 at 40 mph,
4-3 at 30 mph,
3-2 at 20 mph,
2-1 at 10 mph.
I know it doesn’t give rpm, but at those speeds it’s obviously lower rpm’s.
I downshift if I fall under 2800 RPM while riding. When stopping I downshift under 2000. I have no issues.
Just give her some gas, and rev match her while going down a gear. Throw HD oil in the trash and switch to Sprectro... you can thank me later. Cammed streetglide 60k miles
i upgraded to a stage 4,my m8 114 ,i was to kind on the rpm,i was the talk of the dealership when they seen an showed me the top of my piston,they even gave me a great lecture on rpms,i need to stay at 2800 at least like you said,my piston had a huge carbon build up on top, the bike only had 4500 miles on it
I usually stick to 1st gear unless I'm getting on the interstate. I don't shift Into 3rd til about 110 mph
I'd like to see that video!
Must be a V-Rod....
😂
Lol 110 3rd gear? Amateur 😂
I remember my first 1000rr
I'm with you, 2,700-3,100RPM. At very slow speeds I may be at a lower RPM. I seldom use 6th gear unless I'm over 65MPH.
2014 103 street glide
Stage 1 (yes with a tune).
Ride between 2800-3300
Always-
Shift at 3000-5500 RPM depending on my mood.
No issues in 47k mikes
Are you in 3rd or 4th gear riding at 60mph if I ride in 3rd gear at 60mph I’m at 4000 rpm and 4th gear is 3000 to 3200rpm
@@hardcoregamer2163 5th gear at 60 if I’m just cruising.
I don’t shift to 6th gear until about 65-70
I used to ride at 2k rpm or lower. Just because erveryone does it here in germany. Everyone is bobbing around and lug the hell out of it just to get the sweet harley typical rumble.
But after 1000km on my bike i started to raise the rpms a bit. It just feels so much smoother. Now I try to keep it above 2300 rpms. (By feel no tac) Stock tc 96. It's much smoother. i shift into 6th gear at ~65 mph.
Ideally, we should be maintaining the revs near or below the max torque peak, which for a H-D motor is around 4000 rpm. So, riding at 3000-3500 rpm is beneficial in the sense that we have a smooth ride, the engine is not lugged nor stressed and, most importantly, we are a twist away from the available max torque, and consequently max hp, for a manoeuvre, like taking over effortlessly or speeding up to escape from a dangerous situation. It just feels nice how responsive the engine is. Mechanically, lugging the engine has the same wear effect as always hitting the red line.
As a M8 owner I was horrified to hear that someone would try to get into 6th at a speed like 50mph. I never even see 6th until I get on the interstate and am at speed, like 75mph-ish and I'm done accelerating. Most of my riding is two lane highway (55 spees limit) between my homestead and the city. I don't feel like I can comfortably get into 5th unless I'm speeding. The motor is pretty happy blasting along mountain roads at 60 in 4th gear.
That goes for all bikes, Sportsters get up to cruising speed in 4th then switch to 5th........ you'll never think you need a 6th gear
I know this video is old but thank you. I've been riding for a few years but came from higher rpm engines and now have a 117 harley and it's such a huge difference in RPM range, I've been kinda thinking I was staying a little too high in the RPM range but from your video it appears I'm riding exactly where I should be, thanks for the confidence.
My 2022 Triumph Bonneville T120, 2nd @ 4000 rpm, 3rd @ 4000 rpm, 4th 3700 rpm, 5th @ 60 mph, 6th I agree is not needed under 65 mph. Shifting feels smooth at these rpm range. Leveling off at or around 3k rpms once your in gear at the desired speed.
One of the distinguishing traits of the big American V-twin is that they have an obnoxious amount of torque and pull very hard at ridiculously low RPMs. They are a short shifter's dream to ride. I love to experience the pull and hear the bark of a Harley. Having said that, it's best not to lug too much but even worse to over-rev IMHO. YMMV
I think the advice applies for virtually all bikes. I don't ride a HD but all the bikes I've had are/were happier when run at higher rpms. For those who are still doubtful about whether or not the higher revs are damaging their bikes, here's a rule of thumb I apply. Just see where the red line is (e.g. 9,000 rpm); try and limit the revs to two-thirds of this range (i.e. 6,000 rpm). Within this limit, nothing is going to over-tax the engine except for lugging. So you would be perfectly safe to run your bike at 4,500 rpm in 2nd or 3rd gear and it is actually better than 2,000 rpm on 4th or 5th. If necessary, and you need to overtake at higher speeds, there is always sufficient buffer between the two-thirds limit and the red line to see you through the manoeuvre. Ride safely boys!
Just got my 1st bike and have been wondering what’s a good Rpm to shift from I was worried about running it too hard and this helped a lot! I’ve been running in the mid 2,000(2,500-2,800) glad to know I won’t blow up my bike bringing things up to the 3-4k’s
at 3200 is good.
Find the rev limiter and back it off a whisker give em hell !!!
2700-3200 whatever gear I’m in..... I never use 6th gear unless I’m over 75 mph. Rarely have a need for it. Also, never see 4000 rpm either. Bone stock 2019 Road King Standard 107 ... I was told the stock map is used at 1/4 throttle tops.... this works well for me.
My gears run our of legs at 3200 RPM. Any higher than that and I'm just burning more fuel and not going any faster
I have a 117 m8 stock except 2into 1 exhaust once I hit 3rd gear, I stay at least 2900 rpm. 5th gear I stay at least 3100 rpm and I don’t shift to 6th gear until around 90 mph and like to keep it at 3300 rpm in 6th. This motor really really seems happy at about 3200-3400 rpm. And when accelerating, it seems happy when I don’t shift until around 4000rpm. And when I’m getting it, 4500 on up to redline.
If I'm out in the Country where there's not much traffic and you can enjoy the ride and the scenery I usually just cruise around turning around 2500rpm's.If I'm out on the expressway I usually turn close to 2800 or 3000rpm's.I want this Bike to last a long time as expensive as Harley's are.
Video that I needed to see ,,,been riding 07 heratage,,in 5 and 6 gear was worried something was wrong with bike when sifting to early at low rpm ,,,,sounds fine if I run it little harder,,,,thanks
Great Vid for getting the word out. Find out what your bike's max torque to minimum RPM is and the max RPM and ride it between those two limits for all of your gears.....eg: My V twin max T occurs at 3,000 rpm and max's at 6,000 rpm ....so I ride it usually around the 3500 to 5500 range..... which roughly equates to the top gear range of 50 to 100 mph...... No Lugging
Stay Safe
3000+ rpm on my Buell. I am still in 3rd at 55. 5th for highway/interstate. A hotter piston means less carbon build up. Lugging it puts more stress on stuff. The crank not lugged down spins better. On the other hand flat out puts more stress on crank than lugging it. I have destroyed snowmobile cranks that way once in the middle of lake Michigan on the ice.
Excellent advice!! We need this explained to us!! Especially as we change from inline 4 to vtwin. I need a video with oil pressure displayed next to oil temp next to crankpin stress next to gas mileage next to metal scrubbing factors etc.
Never ever going to hurt a Harley hitting redline to shift. Big cushion at red line. You are right... shit a Harley doesn't even function properly unless its in a higher rpm.
Harley wouldn't warranty a bike if it couldn't take redline under load. 3500 to 4000 cruising rpms
Totally. Another thing you see/hear, especially with the older ones, is idling at incredibly low rpms. My oil pump isn't really doing much at that speed, so I keep it around 1000.
I ride a 2004 Super Glide, 5-speed. I was told by the dealer mechanic to run it at 3,000 rpms.
2021 FLHP here. M8 114, Rinehart slip on pipes, no tune, KN filter. I run 2500-3500 and M8 loves it. Use great Oils.
Thanks I haven’t taken mine out yet I just got it last week so much to learn that’s what makes it exciting.
I'm cruising on a 2015 Ultra Classic with Stage 1 Tuning, Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather and Screaming Eagle Night Sticks Dule Exhaust Pipes. I can tell you for a fact that the 103 twin cam loves to shift at 3,000 RPMs and loves to cruise between 2500 and 28000 RPMs. Loves to shift into 6th gear at 65 to 75mph and will cruise down the interstate doing 75 to 80mph and sits right at 3000rpms all day . ..when Gliding through Turns and Twisties she is in full on torque between 25000 and 28000 RPMs..that goes for 2, 3rd 4th 5th gear ...She sounds like a lion roaring as I let off the throttle to upshift or downshift depending on my speed but I'm always sticking to the road with tons of torque and get up and go is always there when you need it sitting between 2500 and 28,000 RPMs and always waiting till 3,000 RPMs to shift for all gears..Never let the rpm's drop below 2000 and never shift into 6th until you hit 70 MPH and you will never lugg your bike.. Shift at 3000 / 3500 and you will always hit the sweet spot every time .Always Cruise between 2500/3000 and you will Live in Thunder City! And roar like a lion with Tons of Torque and Gripp to the pavement ready to maneuver and be locked in laser focused on the road and 1 with your ride. AND THAT'S HOW YOU RIDE A HARLEY DAVIDSON
28000 rpms🤡
Just went from the 103 to the 107 and I’ve been noticing the 107 loves the higher rpm’s.
Sounds about right for my 103 Dyna. I think I have shifted into 6th twice in the last 4 years and I drive (a little) over the speed limit. It actually seems to complain if I'm not cruising at about 3000.
Same, 2016FXDL and I rarely see 6th gear, unless I feel like opening her open completely on an open highway and just want to see how fast she can go. Always between 3-4k, and when passing blast to 6k lol, burn that carbon off!
I down shift at 2000 rpm up shift at 5000 getting on the highway and cruise between 2500 and 3200 rpm. My twin cam 88 seems pretty happy.
Anything between 3200 and 4000 is fun😢. I'm always in that range on fwy. On both my 22 SG and my 07 CVO 110 twin cam. I started ridding like this a few weeks ago because i noticed the enginec was smoother and much more happy. Just as you stated.
That’s where a Harley is happy. Plus, good to keep the oil at a proper pressure. Lot of guys don’t realize the importance of proper rpm.
Rolling slow my 103 seems to like shifting around that range 2700. When geting on it a little prob somewhere in the 3000-4000 range. 80mph for hours on end on the highway im at 3000rpm the entire time. D&D Fatcat full exhaust with a baffle. Those open pipe guys are the ones short shifting around town because there bike is so loud. With a baffle it sound more like a zoom zoom lets rev sounds. Makes it more fun.
Thanks for video just had stage 2 completed and getting use to new rpm’s and sounds like it’s all good
Higher RPM gives more control over your speed, especially important in a curve.
My Softail does not have a tach, just a speedo....so I just try to keep it loud.
Check out almost any Harley Dyno chart. The torque goes up fast from about 2k to 2500 rpm and then arcs over on up to about 4K. So, the bike feels best when shifted in the fat part of the torque curve and that’s 2500 and up. No point shifting above 3500 rpm and having to wait for that heavy flywheel to spin up unless you have a hot cam that peaks above 5k.
This video is for me!! I was thinking my bike didn't have any power to move 103 engine. the problem was not the bike, but me. I was shifting around 2800rpms and cruising around 2000. today I tried shifting up around 4K and cruised around 3000 and it was like night and day. Like riding a whole bigger bike. They didnt teach this in the MSF class i took, so I didnt know until I heard about it on a bike forum. Great video. Thanks.
My 107 has max hp at 5-5.5k rpm, I really need to try revving it over 4k and see if it pulls any better, because atm I am rather disappointed from the performance
@@awdadwadwad1723 worth a try as long as you don't redline it.
According to my Harley-Davidson owners manual, it says the following for my 2021 Heritage Classic M8 107.
Up Shifting:
1-2 at 15 mph,
2-3 at 25 mph,
3-5 at 35 mph,
5-6 at 55 mph.
Now, this was written by H-D motor co. as an instruction as to the proper way to ride their motorcycle, so I trust they know what they are talking about. Harley-Davidson’s are not high rpm motorcycles, they never have been. The “redline” on a factory tuned stock H-D V-twin is 5500 rpm’s.
However, it is your bike and your money, so ride it however it makes you happy.
That is an advisory for MINIMUM rpm shift points, not recommended shift points....
That is weak if you're shifting at those mph. Sorry.
What about 4th bruh?
I don’t follow that. I go by sound
im only on my second season... what i learned regarding RPM? (no tachometer) is simple.
If she feels "jerky" or stutters when you twist the throttle, then you are at a too low RPM.
If you are twisting the throttle and nothing happens but she is screaming, you are redlining BADLY!
Cruising at a stable low RPM should sound stable, you should be able to "go" a little bit slowly "as worst" but if it feels as if nothing is happening, you need to switch gear.
You SHOULD be able to slow down a little or increase speed a little when at a comfortable cruising speed.
This goes for most bikes.
I don’t uses in 6 gear less I’m up around 75 I try to keep my rpm around 31 35 the bike seem to be at the perfect sound like it’s humming
I ride a 94 wide glide (evo) with no tach. Its easy to just go by feel and sound. I do shift early if I'm going down hill. But that's the only time I shift early.
You are correct , m8 107 likes it 26 to 2800 cruising.
Stroker motors like 👍🏻 it in the upper rev range even if they spit when your on the pipe !
35 to 4000 just warm it up first 😊
As long as the rpm isn’t so low that the engine gets the chain in the crankcase slapping around and the bike isn’t bucking around then you’re fine. I regularly cruise at 2k. I’m not racing my ultra limited and Harley’s have plenty of torque to keep the bike moving at a lower rpm. No, you don’t want to be in 6th gear doing 25mph and try to accelerate in that same gear.
Just for clarification, when I say I cruise at 2k that’s just chilling on backroads. I’m at less than 3k on the highway up to about 80mph. Don’t need anymore than that unless I’m really breaking the law lol
Owned 5 different 6 speeds. Two of them 107, a 96 and two 103’s. While the m8 handles 6th at 50 mph better than the others, I still liked to be above 60 for the road gear. 🤷♂️
Oh damn, ok. I usually ride 3500 @ 80mph on the highway at 6 and feel like im over revving it but i know from my sport bike days you run anywhere from 8-10k safely with a 13-14k red line, anywhere lower then that and its riding a bit rough. Might start riding higher on the rpms then…
I had Pans, Shovels, a couple Evo and now TwinCam Screaming Eagle 103 and have always used 2k or more rooms.
Rpms
I shift my twin cam 96” around 3100 to 3500 unless I’m getting on an expressway ramp. Never use 6th gear below 60 mph.
Man I had it wrong. I have an uncle rides a duna has mentioned to me once or twice that I shift way too early. And yea, I would never shift passed 2800 rpms and usually would shift as early as 2200 rpms. Had another guy that rides a triumph speed master that he always shifts between 3500 and 4k rpms. Bike does feel better shifting between 2800 and 3500 rpms which is what I try to shift into now.
Lugging a V-Twin also causes , " Valleys across the Crank- Pin ! Due to low oil pressure at the Connecting Rod's . Meaning a complete engine and motor , rebuild ! ( vibration ). 😎
Service "Tech's " years ago when leaded gas was @ pumps . used to do carbon " jobs " on cop bikes who were lugging or in traffic all day ! Such as a little alcohol in fuel tank and run out hard on the hyway , thus cleaning out the carbon ( softer ) w leaded gas , thus bringing back the compression ratio to near stock spec's . that was the" Tune Up " ! No more pinging and popping ! 😎😀
My 2012 street glide hates being lugged. Running k&n heavy breather intake, Vance n Hines x pipe, with 4" Rhineharts and 510s&s cams, controlled by a classic fuelpak... she hates and I mean HATES to be lugged. Once you find 3k rpm...she's a dream. And she pulls like raped ape...I use 6th on the interstate over 75, but other than that,,she never sees less than 3k rpm. 60,000 miles goin strong.
Remember that back in the day Harleys used to be 3/4 speed to ride around 35-45 miles an hour. That’s what you usually ride in town nowadays. 5th and 6th is for modern speeds, between 60-80, maybe even 90….if that makes sense. That’s how I look at it…
Run it back a few yrs, 110ci (SE)ultra was 70mph at 2500rpm high tq around 3000rpm......4000rpm cruisin is not going to do great things for your bike
But, riding dyna 96ci around here I'm not in 6th too often, I like to be at a speed in a gear such that I roll off, I slow down, roll on, I speed up.....for this you need to be running higher rpm........this is for handling up and down curves for fun, not for betterment of the bike
And it likes 60-65 mph in 6th......no idea the rpm, no tach
Man you run that tac up high, LoL had to say brother, well done and you are correct, never lug a bike, thanks brother 💯
Why does the manual say not to go above 3000 rpm during break in?
I shift up just before 3K rpm and when shifting down it's when rpms get before 2k. But that's when I'm easy on the throttle.
I have no tachometer 🤔 pure sound, and awareness of the cops lol.
Luckily HD should be able to start in gear, to avoid that clunky notch into 1st when setting the idle to 2000 rpm, try to avoid idling even if it means running that red if you could stop.
The red line is only there as a shift indicator but if it won't rev any higher it's probably time to try another gear.
In all seriousness, don't load up under 2000 unless you like the sound of piston slap,or put on a straight through to drown it out.
Happy days if you can afford a Harley that runs great.
I feel like this is understandable on acceleration but if you’re just cruising at speed on flat 6th at 50 isn’t “lugging” it’s just a lower rpm and my bike doesn’t have the slightest problem with it, that’s the slowest I’d go in 6th and you gotta down shift if you wanna speed up but that’s not that hard though I am speaking from a completely stock engine might be different with cam upgrades that’s understandable
Friction/Heat are what wear out engines. Don’t lug it, but driving it at 5 grand all of the time is ridiculous. 3 is nice for me. I’m running at 3 grand at 75. Perfect for me.
2500 is my bottom limit… I run a 31 tooth front sprocket which allows me to drop into 6th gear at 105/110 kph
literally just shift when it starts screaming and shaking ur hands off and ur fine. don't need to run it to the redline before you shift that's wild unless you're really goosing it
I have a 1990 fat boy 5 speed with an e46 cam top speed is about 89 mph not very fast however its getting there thsy is the fun part
Do you recommend a power cam -not a Torque cam ? I was going to get a 3030 star cam
Finally a video that gives me the answer I’m after......thanks from Australia
How do feel about the 103 in the freewheeler? Does the added weight of being a trike affect the RPM's and its shifting points? It just feels when I get into the higher RPMs that the motor is really screaming. More than likely it's probably just me
OK so whats the best rpm for milwaukee 8 ? above 3k ? or above 4? My Harley after stage 1 is very loud on that range rpm, riding below 2K is ok ?
I have a 2022 HD RGS I usually shift in the 2500-3000 range depending on where I am. Max shift I go with is 3500 rpms
I just bought a 2021 RGS and my MIN shift is 3500
My Kawasaki Vulcan S owner manual says to shift from 5th to 6th at 55 km/h (34 mph). Feels way too low to me but I did respect it as much as possible during the break-in period, and as far as I can tell, my engine is doing fine. I get that lugging the engine is very bad for your bike, but I also want to think that manufacturers would not tell people to shift at an rpm that is potentially damaging.
Your Vulcan engine is more balanced than a Harley engine. Harley engines fire unevenly. Your bike is fine to shift low. Harley bikes maybe not. I think Harley people make too big a deal about it to be honest.
It doesn't say to shift at that rpm, it says to NOT shift below that rpm....
I do it for noise purposes.
I understand that lugging is bad for any motor but what if you have a new bike to you (road king) and don't have a tach?
Hello, I have a cb500x. So, it's better to run at 7k+ rpm at 5th gear than run at 5k- rpm at 6th gear? Is that right? I'm concerned because doing that the fuel economy goes down from 26km/L to 22km/L
Having a tach is critical for any manual transmission in my opinion. It blows my mind why anyone ever bought any bikes without one equipped. Fluids are also critical to engine and transmission protection. I will only run Amsoil sae60 in my 88" and their trans and primary fluids.
I do shift with higher RPM’s, but the shifting gets a bit rougher and more harsh. What do you think causes this? I’m on a 2018 M-8 street glide with a Redshift 468 cam, slip ons, and screaming Eagle breather.
Some people lug around in hopes to combat hard shift clunk.
Sitting at 3/4 max rpm ain't that bad. But 1/4 aint that bad either. If youre just cruising 2000rpm is perfectly acceptable. As for full throttle i usually only open her up all the way after about 4k rpm on the standard/ sport bikes. A harley id be comfortable opening her up at as low as 2000 or 2500 rpm.
I literally just got a Freewheeler 114 today, I've never had a M8, so what's a good rpm to be at? Do you take it somewhat easy during the break in period? What rpm do you recommend downshifting? 100% stock (so far) my plan is full exhaust stage 1
you're right it is just you talking.... do you like to hear your voice?
As you say, lugging an engine is not good for it. I come from the diesel world and there it was said that whatever gear you are cruising in, if you can not readily accelerate in that gear you are lugging the engine.
higher rpm higher engine temperature...good or bad?
I got a 2014 103 twin cam street glide when I’m in 3rd gear I’m at 4000rpms at 60mph if I goto 4th gear I’m at 3000 to 3200rpm which is better?
I just got 2021 low rider s. I generally hit 6th gear at 70 mph and up. I cruise it 60-65 in 5th gear. Sound about right? I also just got Vance and Hines twin slash slip ons on. That dealer stated won't affect performance really just noise ( which is why I got them) but the bike seems to run a tad higher RPMs now at the same speed as opposed to when stock exhaust was on. That normal? I guess it did change performance slightly, whether better or worse I don't know
Awesome thanks for the heads up!
The gas stations love it when you run high rpms. You can stop and see them more often.
im a sportbike guy, first harley i have 2020 xl1200 48. i have 5 gears. whats redline? and whats the cruising rpms? i shift no more than pass 3.5krpms in most gears so far. its my first week riding harley. i try to keep it above 2.5k rpms when cruising i think.
please share advice anyone please
I have a Dyna 103 and I find that the gears run out of legs around 3200 RPM, I would see almost zero difference in speed from 3200-4000
I have a 2015 883 super low.
What is the best RPM to run this bike?
Thanks and regards from Israel
I am never under 3k. My cam doesnt hit till about 2,800.
2004 deuce with just air filter pipe and a tune on it and running about 3000
What’s up. I’m from Springfield. We should ride sometime!
m8 streetglide full stage 2 wood 22x cam. 55 mph im still running 4th gear. 3100 rpm
I have a 2018 Road Glide Ultra. The manual says to shift 6th gear at 50mph. Should they look more into that? Personally, I always make sure my RPMs are at 2500 or more at all times. Can lug around 1800ish. Your thoughts brother? I have just the Stage 1 with Rhinehart exhaust.
Way too early.
Sounds like you ride about the same way that I do.We both want Our Bikes to last as long as possible.
Should be a 5th gear light too.
Does anyone still run Evos? On my '99 FXSTC, I don't go into 5th until 45.
I have a 2020 CVO limited with a 117 ci M8. What gear and RPM’s should I be at when going down the interstate? I went on a long ride yesterday and tested some things out. It seemed like the bike performed better in 5th at around 3,500 RPM. That was around 75-80 MPH. Also, would it be bad for the bike to stay at 4,000 RPM for long periods? Thank you for your help.
Not to mention mpg?
Rev on children I'm with ya!
I have a 2019 street glide. Power seems to die between 3800,and 4000. If I wide open throttle it it goes but just for regular shifting it feels like it hits a brick wall at 4000. This bike has a intake and pipes. I just bought it and I’m wondering if this is normal or do I need a tune?
Clutch slippage