Cruising RPM

[tz89]

89 VR 27000m

 

I notice myself tending to cruise in 4th, at 55mph, at 3500 rpm. Is that typical? I ask because the bike is new to me and I'm trying to figure out if it is performing as it should. I do 65 in 5th at about the same rpm.

 

When I bought the bike it was missing on one cylinder according to my mechanic. I'm hoping I don't have to pull the carbs - it hadn't been ridden enough for about a year. I'm on my 3rd tank with Seafoam, and I seem to be on all four with an occasional miss though it is hard for me to tell. The pinging in higher gears is gone.

 

Any diagnostic tribal lore appreciated. My brother laughed at me when I told him I was practicing different drum beat patterns so I could recognize the difference between a 4 cylinder that was hitting all four and one missing. Guess it is a bit weird.

 

t

[Snaggletooth]

At 3,500 rpm you are right at the bottom of the power range. These bikes come alive around 4,500. You can accelerate at 3,500 but if you want to pull away quick drop a gear.

 

I rarely hit 5th until I'm pushing 70-75 mph.

 

I've caught myself many times in heavy traffic on the Interstate running 60 - 65 mph in 3rd gear. But then again, it's pegged the speedo a few times in 3rd to. Not hard to do.

 

If the bike has issues getting to 85 mph you may well be running on 3. If you have been, you'll know it when it's on all 4.

 

Mike

[tz89]

until I run out of road, which is common around here except for the main highways.

 

All the secondary highways tend to have sudden sharp turns as a farmland conservation effort, but I digress.

 

But I'm not sure I've had it above 4500 rpm much at all. I'll give it a try and explain to any officer I meet that I'm conducting a test for venturerider.org! That should do it!

[MiCarl]

I agree with Snaggletooth - 55 is a bit slow for 5th gear. 55mph roads I cruise in 4th, will be in 3rd if there are twisties where I want sharp throttle response.

 

Getting on the freeway I usually don't get above 4th until going 70 or so.

[bongobobny]

Yah! Lemme try to remember this. Top speed of a Harley is 96 mph. Top speed in a MK1 is 93 mph... IN 3RD!!!!!

 

Snaggletooth is right about the power band being above 3000RPM. That being said it depends on the road and how miserly you want to be. At 55 I would generally be in 5th knowing all it took was to drop a gear or 2 and then bye bye!!

[tz89]

yippee!

 

In the interest of science I took a long ride and tried to keep it 4500 rpm or above.

 

That meant mostly in 3rd from around 55mph to 65+. Since it was for science I think I had it up to 70+ a couple of time.

 

I took the freeway home, so that meant 75+ in 4th or 5th. Luckily I hauled it in before the sheriff's speed trap - they got the car behind me who was not paying attention to the truckers slowing down.

 

No matter whether I'm running on 3 or 4 cylinders these bikes are a surprise. At 65 in 3rd I still had response from rolling on the throttle. Some day I'll have to find out where top end is.

 

I ran it a while over 6000 rpm a few times - it is a happy bike.

 

Now - am I running on 3 or 4. Beats me. When I notice something it sounds like missing one beat in eight when idling at a stop. More frequently it feels like the bike working against itself at speed. I take this to be a fuel mix / carb sync adjustment opportunity.

 

Your (collective) thoughts?

 

 

thanks

 

tom

[Snaggletooth]

yippee!

 

At 65 in 3rd I still had response from rolling on the throttle. Some day I'll have to find out where top end is.

 

 

tom

 

 

Some response? LOL! Turn it all the way around!

 

I think I read somewhere that the rated top end speed was 135 mph. Maybe I'm wrong so don't hold me to that. But, living in Nebraska we have a never ending supply of roads that don't bend, turn or curve for miles upon miles. Last spring I ran across a 12 mile stretch of newly resurfaced county road that was smooth as silk. Road it out and turned back and let the old girl stretch her legs.

 

I got to say it was a smooth ride at the top. Speedo was past the 115 mark so after that is was no help. When I checked the GPS it showed 121 mph. The bike didn't feel any different at 121 than it does at 70 mph.

 

Don't think I'll be needing to do any more top end tests. I'm happy with what I know it can do.

 

Mike

[Venturous Randy]

Start the bike cold and let it run from 30 to 40 seconds and check the pipes and see if you have a cool one. You can use your finger, but a non contact temperature sensing gage works better, especially on the back cylinders.

RandyA

[dingy]

One way to get some insight into 3 or 4 cylinders is to take off in 1st, hard acceleration, wide open and at 7500 RPM the bike should still feel like it is pulling hard if it is hitting on all 4. If it has somewhat of a noticeable decline in the acceleration rate as you near the top end of the RPM's, say above 6,500 RPM's, if probably hitting on 3.

 

When you hit 7,500 shift it hard and fast into 2, same in third. You will probably be around 47-49 MPH at 1-2 shift, 72 at 2-3 and about 95 at 3-4 shift.

 

I don't care what any of my esteemed colleagues here may say, be they from WV or NE, you are not going to peg the speedo in 3rd gear on these bikes. You will be picking valves out off your nether regions, because 115 MPH in a stock Venture in 3rd would take about 9500 RPM's, not gonna happen. The VMax equipped bikes have a chance of this, but then not if there is a VMax rear in that bike. Mine is screaming at about 103 MPH at 9500 RPM's at the 3-4 shift.

 

There are multiple circuits in the carbs that overlap at different velocity rates of air through the carbs. So a bike that is only idling on 3 cyl. may pull good at higher RPM's and run on 4 cyl.

 

Gary

[CrazyHorse]

I agree with Snaggletooth - 55 is a bit slow for 5th gear. 55mph roads I cruise in 4th, will be in 3rd if there are twisties where I want sharp throttle response.

 

Getting on the freeway I usually don't get above 4th until going 70 or so.

 

These bikes were designed for 55 mph former USA speed limit in 5th gear so your in the the low 3000 rpm range. I dont really like cruising steady speed above 4000 rpm.

[BuckShot]

I have to respecfully disagree with MiCarl and Snaggletooth. It all depends on how you want to run and the type of road you are on. These bikes will cruise at 50 in 5th without lugging the engine. If you need to accelerate quickly, just drop a gear or two. At 50-60 mph in 5th I'm running around 2700-3000 rpm (ballpark) I will agree with them, that the bike comes alive around 4-4500rpm. I'm always in 5th just cruising around. NOW if I want to PLAY ......I drop some gears and twist the throttle....the bike will handle that also.....They didn't get the nickname TOURING CROTCHROCKET for nothing. Experiment with the bike and check gas mileage...With the way I ride, I average around 40-43 mpg. Long story short---the bike will handle your riding style whatever it may be.

[Dano]

A standard MKI motor will easily wrap up to 8200 rpms without floating the valves, but you better not miss a shift! Power drops a bit over 7500, so power shift about 7200 and hold on! You should also be able to pick up the front tire with 1-2 and 2-3 shifts at WOT, that's an experience that anyone riding with you won't believe! (I got tired of the head slaps from the wife so I only do it when I'm by myself....).

 

 

BTW, check with Muffinman as to the top speed on these bikes......... don't believe the books

[Yammer Dan]

A standard MKI motor will easily wrap up to 8200 rpms without floating the valves, but you better not miss a shift! Power drops a bit over 7500, so power shift about 7200 and hold on! You should also be able to pick up the front tire with 1-2 and 2-3 shifts at WOT, that's an experience that anyone riding with you won't believe! (I got tired of the head slaps from the wife so I only do it when I'm by myself....).

 

 

BTW, check with Muffinman as to the top speed on these bikes......... don't believe the books

 

 

 

 

:clap2::clap2:

 

I'm just goingto stay in my corner.....:whistling:

[Venturous Randy]

On flat ground, my 83 will pull easily at 1,200 rpm's in 5th. I routinely ride at 30 mph in 5th and if I want to accelerate quicker, I will kick it down a few gears and hang on. In the 127,000 miles I have put on my bike, it has been in the 8,000 rpm range many, many times. My bike has very good acceleration in 5th at 55 mph and really don't understand why someone feels they have to keep it in 4th unless they are doing 70+ mph.

RandyA

[Midicat]

I agree with Snaggletooth - 55 is a bit slow for 5th gear. 55mph roads I cruise in 4th, will be in 3rd if there are twisties where I want sharp throttle response.

 

Getting on the freeway I usually don't get above 4th until going 70 or so.

 

 

Thomas

[CrazyHorse]

If your running 4500+ rpm all the time your has mileage has to be crap

[tz89]

Mileage didn't noticeably degrade but I didn't measure. I burned through half a tank on a route that usually takes about half a tank. In some ways I think the bike liked the increased rpm but this thread has been an interesting exploration of how these bikes are supposed to be ridden and perform.

 

But, of course, it's all about me and my bike's performance as I try to figure out what mechanical work may be necessary.

[tz89]

I had my bike into my mechanic today. Basically, he was able to clean the carbs without a complete R&R. He drilled out the emissions plug, took out the mix screws, squirted in carb cleaner, pulled off the bowls and cleaned them, set the mix and sync'd the carbs. All very much like this thread suggests.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58099&highlight=drain+carbs

 

I had him do a compression test while it was there. Like new. New plugs, too.

 

Anyway, I got it back. It doesn't miss and it runs GREAT.

 

I got lucky - the next step would have been full R&R and he was hinting in the $800 range. I wasn't looking forward to attempting it myself in a carport in the rain.

 

This weekend I'll get it out and let er rip.

 

tom

[Evan]

Found this thread to be quite interesting. What I would like to add is that for me riding my 88VR, performance at lower rpms in high gear depends very much on conditions such as upgrade or head wind. Personally, I judge whether I need to downshift by the sound and feel of the motor.

[saddlebum]

The bottom line IMHO is very simple. If your in a lazy relaxing sort of mood and just want to cruise along this bike has no problem cruising along at a lazy 30 mph in 5th gear. But if your feeling a little frisky and want to kick up your heels like a young colt and feel like winding her up like clock spring she is happy to do that as well. A more agreeable bike ( or women ) I doupt you will ever find .