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5th Gear

yegg

yegg

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Sep 18, 2015
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OK, let the flames come. I'm a new rider and a new Harley owner. I have the 2015 SGS and have a generalized question about the gearing. I am very comfortable riding around locally and am trying to branch out for longer rides and took one yesterday! I had a great time riding "out of town" where the road went from four lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction. Throughout my ride I had time to reflect on a few things with riding and this is number one. Don't worry, I'll make separate dumb posts for the others later. This fifth gear thing is really puzzling me.

Everything is stock for right now with the exception of my low profile primary cover, low reach seat, and my grips.

So here is the meat and potatoes of the question.

1st gear - no problem - it gets me going
2nd gear - no problem - i get out of it pretty quick getting up to speed or I stay in it in a neighborhood
3rd gear - no problem - local side streets and maybe upshift to 4th
4th gear - no problem - I love 4th gear. I tend to ride it from 35(ish) all the way up to high 40s. It has the consistency and power that I want.
5th gear - WHAT THE HELL? - I hate my fifth gear. I can't seem to maintain even 50mph in 5th. When I shift into fifth I tend to lose speed and have to drop back into fourth or really roll on the throttle and try to get back up to speed.
6th gear - I guess no problem - I have only used it a few times and the bike really wants to "take off" when I shift into 6th.

Is this 5ht gear feeling normal? Has anyone else felt this? Could this be an actual problem with the bike or is maybe me being nervous at speeds over 50?

Thanks for taking the time to read through this and hopefully offer a suggestion.
 
yegg said:
OK, let the flames come. I'm a new rider and a new Harley owner. I have the 2015 SGS and have a generalized question about the gearing. I am very comfortable riding around locally and am trying to branch out for longer rides and took one yesterday! I had a great time riding "out of town" where the road went from four lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction. Throughout my ride I had time to reflect on a few things with riding and this is number one. Don't worry, I'll make separate dumb posts for the others later. This fifth gear thing is really puzzling me.

Everything is stock for right now with the exception of my low profile primary cover, low reach seat, and my grips.

So here is the meat and potatoes of the question.

1st gear - no problem - it gets me going
2nd gear - no problem - i get out of it pretty quick getting up to speed or I stay in it in a neighborhood
3rd gear - no problem - local side streets and maybe upshift to 4th
4th gear - no problem - I love 4th gear. I tend to ride it from 35(ish) all the way up to high 40s. It has the consistency and power that I want.
5th gear - WHAT THE HELL? - I hate my fifth gear. I can't seem to maintain even 50mph in 5th. When I shift into fifth I tend to lose speed and have to drop back into fourth or really roll on the throttle and try to get back up to speed.
6th gear - I guess no problem - I have only used it a few times and the bike really wants to "take off" when I shift into 6th.

Is this 5ht gear feeling normal? Has anyone else felt this? Could this be an actual problem with the bike or is maybe me being nervous at speeds over 50?

Thanks for taking the time to read through this and hopefully offer a suggestion.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are lugging your engine.
On flat land You need to keep your rpm @ 2000 or above in any gear. On hilly terrain 2500 rpm is the minimum. Some folks ride at 2500 in any conditions. 50 mph is the absolute minimum in 5th gear on flat land
 
Are you new to motorcycles or just big V Twins? All motorcycles have a certain rpm "minimum" with most V twins being short shifted by most (except perhaps a Ducati V twin, really "L" twin). Harley's have excellent fueling and can really be lugged around (some bikes, especially Italian, really stutter down low). Japanese 4 cylinder engines you wouldn't to be under 4K for example, but you then have a very broad/long powerband. The 103 has a fairly narrow power band. Loads of low end torque, but starts to run out of breath after just 4,500 rpm which is why most change the pipes/headers/air cleaners and tune. Doesn't add a ton of torque down low, but really helps the mid/upper range of the big girl.
 
BluesBelly said:
Sounds like you are lugging your engine.
On flat land You need to keep your rpm @ 2000 or above in any gear. On hilly terrain 2500 rpm is the minimum. Some folks ride at 2500 in any conditions. 50 mph is the absolute minimum in 5th gear on flat land
Click to expand...

Yep...just keep your RPM above 2000. At highway speeds of 55-60, I'm in 5th. Above 60/65 I go to 6th. Under 50MPH, you shouldn't be hitting 5th gear.
 
Thanks guys. To answer the question before, yes, I am new all the way around. I will ride around with the new information and make sure I check out the tachometer to see where I am at and then get back to you. It will be a bit as riding during the week is tough with ferrying two kids around.
 
I love 5th gear, I run it up until somewhere between 65 and 70 good power in the 60-70mph range
 
yegg said:
1st gear - no problem - it gets me going
2nd gear - no problem - i get out of it pretty quick getting up to speed or I stay in it in a neighborhood
3rd gear - no problem - local side streets and maybe upshift to 4th
4th gear - no problem - I love 4th gear. I tend to ride it from 35(ish) all the way up to high 40s. It has the consistency and power that I want.
5th gear - WHAT THE HELL? - I hate my fifth gear. I can't seem to maintain even 50mph in 5th. When I shift into fifth I tend to lose speed and have to drop back into fourth or really roll on the throttle and try to get back up to speed.
6th gear - I guess no problem - I have only used it a few times and the bike really wants to "take off" when I shift into 6th.
Click to expand...

I ride a bit differently than you. When I'm "on it" fourth gear goes easily past 100 mph. Sixth does not "take off" for me, it is an overdrive gear. Great on flat freeways at 80+ mph.
 
hulkss said:
I ride a bit differently than you. When I'm "on it" fourth gear goes easily past 100 mph. Sixth does not "take off" for me, it is an overdrive gear. Great on flat freeways at 80+ mph.
Click to expand...

I agree with hulkes. I will ride 5th up to 80-90. I really don't go into 6th until I hit "cruising altitude".
 
Thanks again for the help. I just noticed you guys told me what you run 5ht up to. What do you run 4th up to before shifting to fifth? I also should have asked, does it matter that my ride is still stock with regards to the motor, exhaust, etc?
 
yegg said:
Thanks again for the help. I just noticed you guys told me what you run 5ht up to. What do you run 4th up to before shifting to fifth? I also should have asked, does it matter that my ride is still stock with regards to the motor, exhaust, etc?
Click to expand...

The H-D stage one tune raises the rev limiter. My bike will go an indicated 110 mph in 4th gear. I normally shift down around the speed limit.
 
Since I shift by sound and not speed or RPM, I'm usually shifting out of 4th by 50-60 mph and into 6th by 60-70 so I'm not usually in 5th for that long. Like hulkss said, I use it for overdrive but at a lower speed than he does. There's really a lot of wiggle room in the gears and it just depends on if you want to save a little gas, lug the engine down, or keep it rev'd up...I've had it up to 75 in 4th but it starts screaming about then on my bike...just don't redline and you'll be ok.
 
Like other have said, don't upshift until the engine reaches at least 2000 rpm. I prefer around 2200 rpm minimum before I shift into a higher gear, but that is just me. After you ride the bike more, you will get used to the sound and feel of it, and you will instinctively know when it is
time to shift. Don't be afraid to use more rpm's, it will not hurt the engine and it has a rev limiter to keep you from going beyond what it's safely designed to do. (I usually don't shift into 6th gear until I am going at least 55-60 mph on level ground when just taking it easy).
 
Crumb said:
I love 5th gear, I run it up until somewhere between 65 and 70 good power in the 60-70mph range
Click to expand...

Same here Crumb. I have stage 1 air cleaner and exhaust, and my SG flat out takes off in 5th Gear on the freeway.....I will say the mods def made a difference


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I also don't hit 5th gear till around 65 or 70 and I stay in it till 90ish. 50 mph on a stock bike is just too low for 5th gear.
 
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