New to riding

[Eorr]

I am a new rider and have just recently completed my MSF course ( And Passed !!!). The instructor did not spend much time talking about shifting.....more specifically gear to speed ratio. I guess my question is this, I usually shift between 6k and 7k which is quite smooth bit if I was traveling in say third gear at 45 MPH and was at 6k could I stay at that speed and tack setting Indefinitely or must I shift up. Does this have an impact on the gas mileage. When I'm traveling in town I feel like I'm working myself to death trying to get through all the gears only to have slow and start working my way back down.

I have a 2011 FZ6R.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rhnatyk]

You only "have" to up shift when you hit redline. Other than that you can ride in any gear that is appropriate to maintaining your current speed with enough power on tap to accelerate if you need to. Gas mileage is directly affected by engine RPM. If you're cruising along at 6000 RPM, you'll get better gas mileage than if you were at 10,000 RPM.

Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OWm3N6Um3Q

 

[MNGreg]

5k-7k is also a great rpm to keep it at. So probably 3rd gear maybe 4 th or 5 th in the city. This is right in the meat of the power band and will give you access to plenty of power on tap if needed.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.

 

[Eorr]

Thank you for the response. The video was also very helpful. This is an amazing forum......glad I found it !!

 

[Scott_Thomas]

I am a new rider and have just recently completed my MSF course ( And Passed !!!). The instructor did not spend much time talking about shifting.....more specifically gear to speed ratio. I guess my question is this, I usually shift between 6k and 7k which is quite smooth bit if I was traveling in say third gear at 45 MPH and was at 6k could I stay at that speed and tack setting Indefinitely or must I shift up. Does this have an impact on the gas mileage. When I'm traveling in town I feel like I'm working myself to death trying to get through all the gears only to have slow and start working my way back down.

I have a 2011 FZ6R.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Your rpm is nearly perfect and it won't affect anything on your bike. Bike seems to get better mileage cruising in the 6 to 7k range.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

[Fizzer6R]

since you're New to riding, don't worry so much about keeping track of RPM's, get to know the bike and how the powerband feels to you - there is no right or wrong, one rider may like to keep the revs higher, while another might want to stay more in the mid-range.

take it slow at first, be careful and the rest will come naturally... congrats on the new bike and MSF course!

 

[Eorr]

That's good advise! Thank you. I think I'm starting to get it. I try to ride at every opportunity and I'm finding my bite will tell me exactly what it wants. I believe I was over thinking it and not paying attention to the sound and feel of the bike.

You guys really know your stuff!! Thanks for making us new riders feel at home and being patient with all the questions.

 

[alaskanflyboy]

As most have said, 6-7k seems to be a sweet-spot in the power band. I find mine gets a little "buzzy" right around 7k, so I tend to stay around 6k. There's really no right or wrong, it's all about were you feel most comfortable. You can also take your bike in for a dynamometer ("dyno") test and get graphs of your bikes power band, torque band, and speed for each gear through the RPM range.

It sounds like you're getting to know the bike, and that it does speak with you.

 

[latony007]

That's good advise! Thank you. I think I'm starting to get it. I try to ride at every opportunity and I'm finding my bite will tell me exactly what it wants. I believe I was over thinking it and not paying attention to the sound and feel of the bike.

You guys really know your stuff!! Thanks for making us new riders feel at home and being patient with all the questions. ��

Thats what this forum is all about! A lot of riding is by "feel" and as you mentioned with this bike honestly thinking what you want to do is usually enough to make it do it. Just ride within your limits, never let anyone push you faster than you feel comfortable and enjoy the hell out of it, we all do