6th gear?

[E1Allen]

I guess I forgot another aspect. All the money spent to modify the bike to improve MPG could probably cost more than leaving the bike as is and using the money not spent on modification towards gas. Same goes for hybrid cars/SUV's. People pay thousands extra for maybe a few hundered a year in savings on gas. Since hybrid MPG ratings are high anyways, it might not be worth it.

 

[feejer222]

Nah.

 

[FJRinFL-Dale]

4500 RPM = 78 MPH Just now and getting 42 MPG. Works for me!

 

[FJRGuy]

Glad I didn't bring this up before looking at NEPRT, but I had the exact same thought coming home from the dealer on my first ride. Just used to my V-Strom I imagine. I occasionally still try and find 6th (day 3) but am getting used to it.

btw - gas mileage sucks at 220! Hmmm... maybe this is why I was looking for a 6th gear! :ermm:

 

[Fred W]

Glad I didn't bring this up before looking at NEPRT, but I had the exact same thought coming home from the dealer on my first ride. Just used to my V-Strom I imagine. I occasionally still try and find 6th (day 3) but am getting used to it.btw - gas mileage sucks at 220! Hmmm... maybe this is why I was looking for a 6th gear! :ermm:

The gas mileage is connected to the twisty thing in your right hand.

Having an overdrive really wouldn't change the mileage that much if at all.

 

[bvail]

Glad I didn't bring this up before looking at NEPRT, but I had the exact same thought coming home from the dealer on my first ride. Just used to my V-Strom I imagine. I occasionally still try and find 6th (day 3) but am getting used to it.btw - gas mileage sucks at 220! Hmmm... maybe this is why I was looking for a 6th gear! :ermm:

I think the FJR (or at least my faster '03) is geared just right. On the other hand the 6th gear on the VEE is not much good before 75 mph (don't know what that is in klicks).

As far as mpg goes, I once had a gas guzzlin Royal Star. I was bucking a pretty strong wind in the Texas panhandle and the bike had the infamous 'double overdrive' gearing. Since I was going on a long, lonely highway I decided to keep the bike in 4th gear (had a lot more power that way) and guess what? My mileage on the 4th gear tank was the same as the 5th gear tanks. Probably because the bike didn't have to work as hard in 4th gear.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

We haven't been here in awhile:

Yesterday I visited with two touring riders (brothers from Washington and Florida) making cell-phone calls while standing next to their bikes in a mall parking-lot. One was a GW 1800 and the other was a Polaris Victory Vision Touring 105 cubit inch (I don't know how many cc that is....).

Well, I just had to visit -- and inquire about the Polaris. I test-rode an early cruiser version and thought the suspension was good for a first effort -- but the "box-o'-rocks" transmission was atrocious. Well, he had 3K+ miles on it and liked it pretty well. I asked about the 6th gear overdrive. He said it was pretty much only useful at high-speed on rural interstates -- puts the engine at way too low an rpm for effective use (I think he said: something like 2600 rpm @ 80~85 mph?). He said that just riding (U.S. highway stuff) he never uses it -- not applicable.

Oh, BTW, the FJR looks like a sport-bike parked next to that Victory Vision ...

 

[odot]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh.............if only twere friday.................

 

[boomerang]

I'm not sure what rpm but at 55mph. I get an average of 64.7mpg. And at 65mph I get 55mpg. With the shield in the up position I lose approx. 2 mpg. Thats about as far as I've gone worrying about fuel economy.

 

[Subcritical]

At first, I was under the impression that this bike needed a sixth gear. Now after riding it for a month, I'd say: no. There is absoltuly no use for a 6th gear. The bike (at least mine) gets best gas mileage at around 3900rpms. In 5th gear, I'm going plenty fast enough at that engine speed.

I just don't see what you'd do in 6th, other than have extra work for your hands and foot getting all the way up there.

 

[Constant Mesh]

I'd like a high gear audible alert. When you shift into 5th the system would give you a brief "beep, beep" to confirm you're in 5th. Prefer an audible alert to glancing down at the gear display which my '04 doesn't have.

 

[odot]

Yeah, it is hard to count gears as you ride. It seems I've seen this thread before.....I just can't point out where, though.