Here is the thing. Upon finally getting out on the Interstate I notice my bike is really high up in the RPM's. Doing 80 the other day I was at 8,000 rpm's. I kept wanting to hit the phantom 7th gear. Seems like the bike is really working its a$$ off to keep up with the flow of traffic. Seems like I was going to run out of throttle. Anything I can do to lower the rpm's while riding the Interstate and keep the bike from feeling like the little train that can't. Probably shouldn't be going that fast, but I don't want to get run over from the backside either.
alaskanflyboy
Premium Member
Your peak torque is around 8500 and peak rpm around 9750 with a stock bike. With the rev limiter kicking in at 11,666, I've never worried about the higher RPMs. I find my bike likes it best in the 6-9k range.
1. Change your gearing. Add a tooth at the front sprocket or drop a few in back. I added one on the front, and it drops the RPMs a little and now the indicated speed on the instruments matches actual speed.
2. Sync your throttle bodies. This will make the engine as smooth as possible. A smoother engine will seem to be working less hard.
3. Wear earplugs. When you wear earplugs, everything seems a lot calmer, and you can't hear the engine revving.
4. Get a humongous windshield that pushes the air well over the top of your helmet. This will also make things quieter and calmer in general, although you will hear your engine more clearly.
5. Keep your exhaust stock. Stock exhaust is most quiet and will make engine seem most calm.
The FZ6R will go a true 124 mph. The engine is not working hard at 80 mph. If you don't like the sound and feel of a small engine working at a moderate level, you should probably upgrade to a litre+ bike.
2. Sync your throttle bodies. This will make the engine as smooth as possible. A smoother engine will seem to be working less hard.
3. Wear earplugs. When you wear earplugs, everything seems a lot calmer, and you can't hear the engine revving.
4. Get a humongous windshield that pushes the air well over the top of your helmet. This will also make things quieter and calmer in general, although you will hear your engine more clearly.
5. Keep your exhaust stock. Stock exhaust is most quiet and will make engine seem most calm.
The FZ6R will go a true 124 mph. The engine is not working hard at 80 mph. If you don't like the sound and feel of a small engine working at a moderate level, you should probably upgrade to a litre+ bike.
xorbe
Member
6. Try an old Ninja 250R on the freeway @ 80 mph. Then come back to FZ6R. 
But fwiw, I am also going to try +1 (17T) on the front counter-sprocket, and a -3 (43T) on the rear. True 80 mph is about 7700 rpms. 17/43 will drop that to 6700 rpms, just under the buzz point, and I don't tend to travel @ 80 mph. I'm okay with downshifting to get into more power. 72 mph will put me about 6100 rpms with 17/43. If that still feels good, I may try something extreme like a 38T and a 115 chain with a half link (because 38*3=114 that's bad).
My rev limiter kicks in at 12,500 ... does the Yamaha FZ6R tach lie? (like the "17.5k" 16k R6 tach)
But fwiw, I am also going to try +1 (17T) on the front counter-sprocket, and a -3 (43T) on the rear. True 80 mph is about 7700 rpms. 17/43 will drop that to 6700 rpms, just under the buzz point, and I don't tend to travel @ 80 mph. I'm okay with downshifting to get into more power. 72 mph will put me about 6100 rpms with 17/43. If that still feels good, I may try something extreme like a 38T and a 115 chain with a half link (because 38*3=114 that's bad).
My rev limiter kicks in at 12,500 ... does the Yamaha FZ6R tach lie? (like the "17.5k" 16k R6 tach)
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Still have a 07 Ninja 250, so been there and don't want to try again
Looking into the gearing and syncing the throttle bodies. I wear ear buds streaming Pandora while on the Interstate. So its not really a sound thing for me, but more of a feeling. Looking into getting another FZ1. Loved the one I had but had to let go due to a health issue that is now gone. To late for the exhaust, already installed a TB full exhaust and couldn't see the bike without it. Can't stand those big ole windscreens. I may just need more riding time on the Interstate and then see how it goes.
xorbe
Member
Ha! I haven't been able to bring myself to sell mine either. 06 red w/red flames.Still have a 07 Ninja 250, so been there and don't want to try again
Here's mine only it now has dual TB exhaust on it. I gave it to my wife but she will not get on it ? It was even lowered for her. Its pictured with the 2013 CBR250R I had.
Yeah, before you do anything drastic, give the bike another chance. Sometimes just the wind speed and direction can affect how the bike rides. There are some days when the sound or windshield or buzziness or seat or suspension or power doesn't seem right--and then other days when the bike is just AWESOME.
Adding a tooth to the rear sprocket will drop your rpm's a bit at highways speed, at the cost of a little torque at the low end.
That's the route I went. I don't expect to able to compete with supersports. The minor loss of torque was not an issue, and I now cruise at a lower rpm.
It does change the reading on your speedometer, though. Fifty-four on my speedo is actually about fifty. Of course, motorcycle speedoes aren't very accurate anyway.
If you add a tooth to the rear sprocket, I'd suggest gps mapping your actual speed, vs. what the speedo says.
Regardless, I'm really happy with my decision. I don't really notice the loss of torque in the lower gears, and I like the lower rpm when at speed in any gear.
I just recently got comfortable with keeping a gear down when riding in a "spirited" manner. It helps keep the bike in the power-band and it does make a huge difference in how one is able to handle the twisties.
I do that with the extra tooth on the sprocket, with no problems. No regrets on either decision.
That's the route I went. I don't expect to able to compete with supersports. The minor loss of torque was not an issue, and I now cruise at a lower rpm.
It does change the reading on your speedometer, though. Fifty-four on my speedo is actually about fifty. Of course, motorcycle speedoes aren't very accurate anyway.
If you add a tooth to the rear sprocket, I'd suggest gps mapping your actual speed, vs. what the speedo says.
Regardless, I'm really happy with my decision. I don't really notice the loss of torque in the lower gears, and I like the lower rpm when at speed in any gear.
I just recently got comfortable with keeping a gear down when riding in a "spirited" manner. It helps keep the bike in the power-band and it does make a huge difference in how one is able to handle the twisties.
I do that with the extra tooth on the sprocket, with no problems. No regrets on either decision.
ksk operator 1
New Member
can you still do wheelies?
start by going up one in the front and try that for a bit. yeah, rev limiter kicks in right above redline...6. Try an old Ninja 250R on the freeway @ 80 mph. Then come back to FZ6R.
But fwiw, I am also going to try +1 (17T) on the front counter-sprocket, and a -3 (43T) on the rear. True 80 mph is about 7700 rpms. 17/43 will drop that to 6700 rpms, just under the buzz point, and I don't tend to travel @ 80 mph. I'm okay with downshifting to get into more power. 72 mph will put me about 6100 rpms with 17/43. If that still feels good, I may try something extreme like a 38T and a 115 chain with a half link (because 38*3=114 that's bad).
My rev limiter kicks in at 12,500 ... does the Yamaha FZ6R tach lie? (like the "17.5k" 16k R6 tach)
Did you buy your bike new? Mine is stock and I run 7,000 rpm at 80 mph (indicated) in 6th gear....
Not new but it only had 500 miles on it. I will wait until I do more Interstate riding before I do anything further with it.
lark
New Member
as far as the speedo goes, I was told by a friend last week that yamaha (at least) purposely made the speedo +5 than what you're actually going. he gps tracks his speed everywhere on his cruiser with the phone mounted where he can see it and is always -5 than what the speedo says. I don't cruise on the highway alot, the wind is crazy uncomfortable and I just don't have anywhere to really go that far lol. But I'm starting to get to know my bike better and finding it likes to ride at higher rpms.
alaskanflyboy
Premium Member
It's actually a percentage, the the faster you go, the more off it is. Judging from the many times I've passed those radar carts along the road, I found a good rule of thumb was to add the first digit to the last digit for speeds in the tens. So 25 miles an hour is 27 on the stock speedo, 65 would be 71. I've heard it said somewhere that it's an 8% error, which actually works out to be almost spot on to my rule of thumb.
The_Paragon
New Member
Try this:
Go for a ride, bring a small philips screw driver with.
Do your freeway riding, then pull over and take the windscreen off, go ride more.
Realize that the stock winscreen creates HORRIBLE wind buffeting. That might be part of your discomfort of riding at freeway speeds.
+1 on the ear plugs, I ride with ear plugs. Make things seem like you're driving a new BMW as quiet as it is.
Go for a ride, bring a small philips screw driver with.
Do your freeway riding, then pull over and take the windscreen off, go ride more.
Realize that the stock winscreen creates HORRIBLE wind buffeting. That might be part of your discomfort of riding at freeway speeds.
+1 on the ear plugs, I ride with ear plugs. Make things seem like you're driving a new BMW as quiet as it is.
Thank you to everyone that has made suggestions. I will post my results with the GPS when I get the chance. The day I was talking about it was pretty windy. So that to me as someone else said makes sense about the wind being a factor. It was a head wind that would at times swing around and hit from the sides. I don't deny the power of my bike. Sometimes I crack down on it on a lonely back road. It just blows my mind at the power it has. I would guess I'm lacking muscle memory for Interstate riding and just need to get use to it.
lark
New Member
definitely going to try the gps thing! although if I get pulled over would be nice to say I was only going (insert lower speed here). also, definitely going to upgrade my windscreen.