[Spacecoast]

Today was my first opportunity to do some interstate travel, and I was surprised at how low my SV is geared. Doing 80 MPH was around 6,000rpm in top gear. Kept searching for the 7th gear, but never found it. Are all stock SV's geared the same? If I wanted to gear it a little taller, is the most common mod changing the rear with one less tooth? Thanks

 

[SpeedisaVirus]

That sounds about right for stock. That's just barely over 50% of the rev range. Plenty of rev left. Should be cheaper to change the front sprocket. Doesn't seem worth it unless you plan on doing 100s of miles on the highway regularly.

 

[doxiedog]

A 16t front will drop rpm-500 in gears. 7000= 100mph.

 

[SDRider]

Yes, that's normal. I typically ride around at 5,000-5,500 rpms cruising rpms except on the freeway. Trust me, you can keep that engine at 6,000 rpms all day long and get over 50mpg.

 

[Mudsurfer1234]

Does anyone routinely cruise in 5th gear like I do? When I'm on my way to school and back, I go on a highway (422 for those around Reading, PA) where traffic usually goes 60-65. I like to stay in 5th so I'm not "loading" the engine to keep speed. When in 5th, I barely have to twist the throttle to cruise at about 60, which I think is around 5000 rpm. If I'm in 6th, I have to twist the throttle more to stay at 60-65, which just makes it feel like I'm throwing more fuel in the engine with no real benefit (after all, I'm doing the same speed, just lower revs, but with more throttle).

In the early morning or during rush hour, traffic is doing 75 in the slow lane, so I just ride 80 in the passing lane, and keep it in 6th.

 

[leaftye]

If I was cruising at 60-65 I would probably stay in 5th gear too. I cruise at 65-70 or a tiny bit more, so I stay in 6th gear. Traffic on my commute could easily and safely allow me to cruise at 80-85, but I'd rather not risk my insurance rates.

 

[SDRider]

Does anyone routinely cruise in 5th gear like I do? When I'm on my way to school and back, I go on a highway (422 for those around Reading, PA) where traffic usually goes 60-65. I like to stay in 5th so I'm not "loading" the engine to keep speed. When in 5th, I barely have to twist the throttle to cruise at about 60, which I think is around 5000 rpm. If I'm in 6th, I have to twist the throttle more to stay at 60-65, which just makes it feel like I'm throwing more fuel in the engine with no real benefit (after all, I'm doing the same speed, just lower revs, but with more throttle).

In the early morning or during rush hour, traffic is doing 75 in the slow lane, so I just ride 80 in the passing lane, and keep it in 6th.

Cruising rpms for me is typically around 5,000 rpms no matter what gear I'm in. The engine just feels most comfortable at that rate and above. Really, you're just getting into the meatiest part of the powerband at that rpm.

80 is typical speed here on the freeway so I'm almost always in 6th on the freeway here unless traffic is heavy.

 

[Mudsurfer1234]

I'm still getting "used" to the bike, and sometimes worry about cruising with the revs too high. I hear some people on this board say that they cruise at 100 mph sometimes, with the engine at 6-7000. Does the engine really care if you stay in the upper half or third of the RPM range? With my luck, I'm picturing something going wrong, which is the main reason I've never even been to redline yet. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gone above 9000 rpm. Would it hurt to wring it out once in a while? Say shifting at 10,000 in first and second? (not making a habit of it though)

 

[doxiedog]

When these bikes were new in 99,a mag. ran them 100mph for 24 hrs. There is a rev. limiter way up top past redline. It cuts out ,until revs drop a few. Running it at higher revs. will not bother it.

 

[Nexus242]

I think you were closer to 82-83mph at 6k.

 

[lago]

If I'm in 6th, I have to twist the throttle more to stay at 60-65, which just makes it feel like I'm throwing more fuel in the engine with no real benefit (after all, I'm doing the same speed, just lower revs, but with more throttle).

Generally you will achieve higher mpg by using higher throttle position / lower rpm because it takes the same amount of energy to keep the bike at that speed, but in the higher gear the engine doesn't need to spend as much energy sucking air past the butterfly valve (the story is a little different for diesel engines). Keep in mind the throttle on a gasoline engine only adjusts how easy it is for air to get into the engine, the fuel injection maintains the proper air/fuel ratio, and at higher rpm cylinders have to fill their volume more frequently. Diesel engines always allow full air in and the throttle adjusts the amount of fuel put into the engine.

Decent article:
http://autospeed.com/cms/A_110216/article.html

 

[Jay V]

A 16t front will drop rpm-500 in gears. 7000= 100mph.

That's what I run. Stock it felt too busy at hwy speeds. Around here I'm usually cruising at about 75+mph (close to actual, I have a 70 front) most of the time, after I leave this area I turn it down a bit. It's more noticeable at the higher speed.

I've heard of at least one SV rider that runs a 17T for an even lower cruise rpm.

The 16T makes it feel a lot smoother on the hwy, and there's plenty of torque to accelerate when needed.


Jay

 

[jraice]

Never ridden an SV so maybe its because I am coming from more of an I4 backround but 6,000rpm is low...

I rarely cruise below 6,000rpm, around 7-8 is where the bike starts to get buzzy but around town if I am under 40mph I usually will stick in 1st gear unless I am not going to be stopping for a while, which is close to 10,000rpm...

But an I4 sounds sweet at 5 digit RPM's , the SV is probably happier at lower RPM's.

Anyways unless it really bug's you (vibrations, sound etc...) I wouldnt change the gearing.

 

[jay313]

80 mph at 6000 rpm is about right. Keep in mind, though, that the speedo is off up to 10% with stock front tire size (120/60/17). Your actual speed when the speedo says 80 is closer to 72-74. Anyway, I use the bike riding back and forth to work with a lot of highway miles, and here's what I've found in terms of the relationship between rpm and speed (doesn't work for 1st and 2nd, for obvious reasons).

4000 rpm 6000 rpm
3rd=30mph =50mph
4th=40mph =60mph
5th=50mph =70mph
6th=60mph =80mph

Although I may wring it out on occasion, in my daily riding I'm almost always between 4k-6k rpm. So, I can tell pretty much at a glance what gear I'm in just by gauging speed and rpm. Not rocket science, I know, but thought it might be useful for anyone out there new to the SV.

PS: Can't seem to make my ghetto chart line up properly, but I think you get the idea.

 

[Bob_M]

That's what I run. Stock it felt too busy at hwy speeds. Around here I'm usually cruising at about 75+mph (close to actual, I have a 70 front) most of the time, after I leave this area I turn it down a bit. It's more noticeable at the higher speed.

I've heard of at least one SV rider that runs a 17T for an even lower cruise rpm.

The 16T makes it feel a lot smoother on the hwy, and there's plenty of torque to accelerate when needed.

Jay

Yup, 17 tooth counter shaft sprocket would be the easiest way to gear up the engine and my '06 took it just fine, so much so that I also dropped the rear sprocket 1 tooth to 43 teeth.

I just got my new front tire on (120/70/17) and can tell you that there was exactly a 3 mph difference at 5000 rpm in 6th gear. I was at 80 mph indicated before the new tire at exactly 5000 rpm, and after the new tire was getting a 77 mph indicated speed at that same 5000 rpm.

 

[briderdt]

17/43 is what I plan on doing when I swap out the chain and sprockets (whenever that happens).

 

[Bob_M]

Yup, over all, It feels great. This bike has plenty of torque to pull it. The Sv is geared too low for this power output, for me anyways.

 

[Bob_M]

Here's a chart that was posted by another member here that shows gearing with different sprocket combo's.

 

[Bob_M]

This is what a 17 tooth Vortex sprocket looks like. Yup, it's big. LoL ;D

 

[Mudsurfer1234]

This is what a 17 tooth Vortex sprocket looks like. Yup, it's big. LoL ;D

I noticed on the bolts in the lower left of the picture, a blue paint dot. I assume these are put on by a dealer when they do work on the bike? I have the exact same dots, blue, on those bolts, and then white dots on the oil cooler hose, and most of the rear end of my bike. I'm wondering if they are there from new, or whether my bike was damaged alot more than I thought before I bought it.

[/threadjack]