Healthy rev level?

[jackw72]

Hey,

Having passed the A2 test a year ago now and using a 125 pre that date, I am used to changing gear at 6/7k rpm, which is the top of the rev range on the 125.

However, on the 500 I own the rev range is twice as high, so what I am asking is...

1: Where do you change gear in the rev range if you are wanting economy?

2: Where is the healthiest place in the rev range to change gear?

Cheers,

Jack
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08/11/2007 A2 Passed.
Suzuki GSXR 1000 K3
Rapid Training passed

[spike_Alike]

On the ZXR if I'm taking it easy and saving petrol I change at about 8k

If I don't give a shit about petrol 14k
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Bandit 600

[Renton]

my red line is at 16krpm

if i'm not cainin it then usually about 6-7krpm
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Blau Zedong]

Just thrash it mercilessly.
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[t121anf]

anywhere from 4k, to 12k

below 4k it just chuggs

[deanoet]

As long as the bike is serviced when it should be, you use the correct grade oil for it and warm it up before thrashing the hell out of it, then it will be fine redlined everywhere

Rev limiter is there to protect the engine, during testing the engines were likely run at the redline for weeks to check reliability

You will find changing gear higher up the rev range will leave you in the power band in the next gear up, so fast all round.

Economy wise, then lower is better, faster the engine spins the more petrol it is using.
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CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
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[neatbik]

There was an interesting article in a bike recently about fuel economy.
Basicaly what they discovered is that its big throttle openings that cause excess fuel consumption. You are better off riding with the revs somewhere in the midrange, then to speed up only a slight throttle action is required.
Ive experimented on my bike with different styles of riding and this one seems to eek out a bit more mileage, for me anyway.

[Pete.]

[Pete.]

BTW my rule of thumb is the higher the gear your in - the less harm you'll do by redlining the engine. I've said several times here that I believe no-load revs to be bad for any engine.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[LeeR]

Change up when it squeals Jackiee, when it squeals...
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[T0MMY]

For economy you want to be riding it in the lowest revs at which the engine pulls cleanly and feels happy (i.e. the highest possible gear for your speed). generally higher gears will give better fuel economy but if the engine is labouring then you are putting excess strain on it and will be wasting fuel as it won't be running efficiently (leading to the situation someone mentioned where the throttle is opened excessively).
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ZX6R + CBR600RR

[ncrn]

I've been used to low capacity bikes before so normally have been ragging the life out of them to get them to move. On my 500 I seem to just fart along at any revs and the bike seems to be fine with it. Mostly I'm doing in town riding at the moment so my revs are around 4k-5k most of the time. Not sure on the MPG yet however.
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Past: 55 Sym Jet, 91 ZZR250, 03 NSR125R. Present: 97 ER-5.
https://www.nsr125.co.uk - NSR Owners forum.

[stevo as b4]

I used to get 53-57mpg on average out of my old ZX6R J-series. I used to ride fairly smoothly and steady and normally below 80mph most of the time. My riding style however was probably not the best one, for getting the best MPG figures from the bike however. I used to ride in the high gears alot, and i always prefered to grab big hand full's of throttle to accelerate, than to change down into an ultra responsive gear (which is half way around the rev-range approximately). I used to overtake car's and maybe drop 1 gear at 50mph, so i always used big throttle openings and sometimes full throttle at 5k rpm or less. Being in a responsive gear means that you should get more acceleration for less throttle opening, so that would be better for for fuel economy overall id say.

[rotax81]

get it in 3rd gear and about 3,000 rpm. open the throttle to about half way and hold it there.
when it starts to pick up cleanly note the revs. it will be from there to when the power really kicks in.
thats on a 4 cylinder bike.

a triple,twin or single will be mid revs(ish)

you are looking for the cleanest running with the minimal revs.
too low revs will not be good for a motor thats designed to rev high.
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ZX636C6F road. ZX636C1H track. ZX7R redundant. ZX0.5R minimoto as ornament.
Audi A4 Avant 1.9TDi and VW Transporter 2.5TDi 888 Special (no mot and tax lol)