What RPM do you typically cruise at?

[Steve D]

Blasphemy!!!!!!!!

Yes, it's for true....Maw Kaw is ok with you riding at 20MPH in 6th!!!

[B.D.F.]

Well there ya' go- Hey Jim, you might want to drop your upshift speed a bit to bring your riding practices in- line with Kawasaki. 

To the best of my knowledge, only really small engines suffer internally from lugging; single cylinder engines normally found on things like outdoor power equipment should really be used at full throttle or close to it to keep the bearings from being pounded on. Otherwise, I do not really believe an engine can be damaged by running it on the slow side. Besides that, lugging is more of a blanket operation thing than a direct engine speed; after all, idling engines are not lugging. If the load is light then low RPM use is not a problem and the engine will always let the rider know if it is- if it bucks, bogs and / or just does not respond to throttle inputs other than changing tone then it is probably turning too slowly for the load applied. There is a big difference between loafing down a flat road, not heavily loaded, at 40 MPH and climbing a hill, two- up, at the same speed and in the same gear.

Brian

Well for those of you that may not realize, here's what your owners manual said about it.  Check out page 8 of "How to Ride the Motorcycle"

http://www.kawasaki-techinfo.net/showOM.php?view_lang=EN&spec=US&book_no=99987-1608&lang_code=EN

[maxtog]

Well for those of you that may not realize, here's what your owners manual said about it.  Check out page 8 of "How to Ride the Motorcycle"

Actually, it is page 144:

"Vehicle speed when shifting
Shifting up mph
1st  -> 2nd  9mph
2nd -> 3rd 15mph
3rd  -> 4th 21mph
4th  -> 5th 27mph
5th  -> 6th 34mph"

I do remember reading that and thinking it had to be some type of incredible error or the writer was on drugs.  My friend totally agreed when I showed it to him.

[maxtog]

Yes, it's for true....Maw Kaw is ok with you riding at 20MPH in 6th!!!

No, the manual shows 34 MPH.  But that isn't much better (it is almost insane)

[just gone]

Yes, it's for true....Maw Kaw is ok with you riding at 20MPH in 6th!!!

No, the manual shows 34 MPH.  But that isn't much better (it is almost insane)

I believe Steve D was referring to the down shifting section which says 19mph for 6th-> 5th, thus
all is well at 20 mph in 6th (according to Mam Kaw  ).
...and page 144 is the 8th page of the "How to Ride the Motorcycle" section.

[ZG]

 
 
Drugs??
 
 

 

[RideBellChain]

Initially, I got the tiniest buzzing at 2700 rpm, so I don't shift into OD unless I'm rolling at 55mph or better. I cruise around town - 35-45mph zones in 4th or 5th..I guess I like the way the bike feels over 3K in any gear...  it makes me cringe to feel the motor bogging out when accelerating from too high of a gear.

My personal break-in thoughts...and nobody seems to have the same exact routine, but this works well for me in all motors:
I've been riding it how I normally ride from mile 0. I didn't put an artificial redline at 4k, because I think it's important to let the metal "stretch" where it needs to to allow the pistons to seat well in the cylinders at higher speeds.  I rode it carefully for the first 20 miles, stop and go traffic around town so I would do a lot of shifting and changing engine speed and this allowed things to seat properly I think...after 20 miles, I rode it normally for a new bike - respected the power - smooth acceleration to 5k-6k in first occasionally.  Changed fluids at 500 mph.  Get any metal shavings from break-in out ASAP.  After that...just ride it...and have fun.

I have 1000 miles now...and the bike and I are happy. Everything's loosening up and the motor seems REALLY happy at any RPM in any gear (at a reasonable speed).  I respect the power even more now, but more comfortable running her.

Just my $0.02... 

[jjsC6]

Well there ya' go- Hey Jim, you might want to drop your upshift speed a bit to bring your riding practices in- line with Kawasaki. 

To the best of my knowledge, only really small engines suffer internally from lugging; single cylinder engines normally found on things like outdoor power equipment should really be used at full throttle or close to it to keep the bearings from being pounded on. Otherwise, I do not really believe an engine can be damaged by running it on the slow side. Besides that, lugging is more of a blanket operation thing than a direct engine speed; after all, idling engines are not lugging. If the load is light then low RPM use is not a problem and the engine will always let the rider know if it is- if it bucks, bogs and / or just does not respond to throttle inputs other than changing tone then it is probably turning too slowly for the load applied. There is a big difference between loafing down a flat road, not heavily loaded, at 40 MPH and climbing a hill, two- up, at the same speed and in the same gear.

Brian

Brian, I am hanging my head in disgrace.  I am VERY sorry to everyone on the forum for trying to mislead you into thinking you should be shifting into 6th a 35 mph.  I hope you all will forgive me for suggesting that 35 mph was acceptable, when in fact it could be harming your engine over the long run.  I hereby submit to the fact that if we all can learn a valuable lesson here and move that down to 34 mph our gas mileage will likely skyrocket and we may be able to extend our valve adjustment check out another 10,000 miles or so.

[Son of Pappy]

-snip- Changed fluids at 500 mph.  -snip-

 
 

[maxtog]

Quote from: RideBellChain on Today at 12:01:38 am

    -snip- Changed fluids at 500 mph.  -snip-


 

 

Now THAT is what I call a quick oil change...

[VirginiaJim]

Changed fluids at 500 mph. 

Using the venturi effect, perhaps?  In order to change the oil at that speed it would have to be an 08.  Other colors can't go that fast.

[martin_14]

Brian, I am hanging my head in disgrace.  I am VERY sorry to everyone on the forum for trying to mislead you into thinking you should be shifting into 6th a 35 mph.  I hope you all will forgive me for suggesting that 35 mph was acceptable, when in fact it could be harming your engine over the long run.  I hereby submit to the fact that if we all can learn a valuable lesson here and move that down to 34 mph our gas mileage will likely skyrocket and we may be able to extend our valve adjustment check out another 10,000 miles or so.

@jscc  Anvlievble ignoranze and folizhness.

jjsC6: you are a lucky guy. Apparently I barely qualify for a$$hole.

[shreveportSS]

Well for those of you that may not realize, here's what your owners manual said about it.  Check out page 8 of "How to Ride the Motorcycle"

http://www.kawasaki-techinfo.net/showOM.php?view_lang=EN&spec=US&book_no=99987-1608&lang_code=EN

Not what mine says.

[maxtog]

Not what mine says.

LOL!!!

[Steve D]

No, the manual shows 34 MPH.  But that isn't much better (it is almost insane)

I believe Steve D was referring to the down shifting section which says 19mph for 6th-> 5th, thus
all is well at 20 mph in 6th (according to Mam Kaw  ).
...and page 144 is the 8th page of the "How to Ride the Motorcycle" section.

thank you  Marty.

[jjsC6]

Not what mine says.

Hey, I like that kind of owners manual.  It's like having it's own "find and replace" function.

[martin_14]

Hey, I like that kind of owners manual.  It's like having it's own "find and replace" function.

I went to my manual and read the "instructions" so I decided to give it a try. 34 mph is definitely too slow for 6th, somewhere around 1700 rpm, and for my senses she doesn't feel very comfortable below 2000 rpm. Sounds like a small difference, but the vibrations, sound and response of the engine really seem to clear up by 2000 rpm (about 45 mph).
In 4th or lower is alright to go under that number because the gear ratio makes it easier for the engine to pull, though.

[RideBellChain]

Using the venturi effect, perhaps?  In order to change the oil at that speed it would have to be an 08.  Other colors can't go that fast.

At the speed of sound!  DOH!