Gliding

[dragonchef]

Sometimes I enjoy gliding down a long, moderate hill near my house. It's about 3/4 of a mile from top to driveway. Is gliding unhealthy for the FJR?

(gliding is my way of being the opposite of all the HD cruisers with thier screaming meemie pipes blipping there way through the neighborhood....)

 

[abarron576]

I wouldn't think it would hurt anything as long as the engine is not over heating and your oil pump is good. Do you golide in nuetral or just pull in the clutch? I'll pass on making any further recs on this and let those with more FJR experience chime in.

 

[dragonchef]

In neutral....

 

[keithaba]

I can't imagine that would have any effect at all on the bike. If anything, the wind will cool the bike, so it would be even less heat than if you were at idle standing still.

One thing you may notice is better gas mileage!

 

[FJRAL]

Sometimes I enjoy gliding down a long, moderate hill near my house. It's about 3/4 of a mile from top to driveway. Is gliding unhealthy for the FJR?
(gliding is my way of being the opposite of all the HD cruisers with their screaming meemie pipes blipping there way through the neighborhood....)

I used to live by the Santa Cruz Mountains in San Jose, CA. There were people that used to coast down the hills. Long time ago, I vaguely recall that I was told some of them trashed their rear ends (this is cars) because the differential is designed to have a load on it. Then you gotta wonder about those folks that tow their cars behind their RV units for miles on end.

 

[Calimus]

I don't think it will have any effect on the engine/trans. However, one reason I don't do this is due to those around me. If some yahoo gets to close or an obstical is suddenly in my path, I want to get out of the way. Shifting into the proper gear for the speed before being able to add power could cost much needed seconds for getting out of the way. However, those might not be issues where you are. Where I am, heh, no chance.

 

[SkooterG]

Isn't that called coasting?

 

[Scab]

Isn't that called coasting?

It is in Arizona.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

Before I can answer your question, I need to know if your adjustable side vents are in or out.

 

[TriggerT]

Before I can answer your question, I need to know if your adjustable side vents are in or out.

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Pierre]

To avoid mechanical problem, I would do it rear of the bike first

With the rear of the bike going down first everything will be fine !

 

[Capt. Bob]

Sometimes I enjoy gliding down a long, moderate hill near my house. It's about 3/4 of a mile from top to driveway. Is gliding unhealthy for the FJR?
(gliding is my way of being the opposite of all the HD cruisers with their screaming meemie pipes blipping there way through the neighborhood....)

because the differential is designed to have a load on it.

Does it make a difference if the "load" comes from the engine spinning the ring and pinion gears or if the tires do it?

Then you gotta wonder about those folks that tow their cars behind their RV units for miles on end.

Maybe they (the RV'ers) have front wheel drive cars. Don't know, not an RV'er.

Capt. Bob

 

[Fred W]

Sometimes I enjoy gliding down a long, moderate hill near my house. It's about 3/4 of a mile from top to driveway. Is gliding unhealthy for the FJR?
(gliding is my way of being the opposite of all the HD cruisers with their screaming meemie pipes blipping there way through the neighborhood....)

because the differential is designed to have a load on it.

Does it make a difference if the "load" comes from the engine spinning the ring and pinion gears or if the tires do it?

Then you gotta wonder about those folks that tow their cars behind their RV units for miles on end.

Maybe they (the RV'ers) have front wheel drive cars. Don't know, not an RV'er.

Capt. Bob

Actually, that'd be much worse, since the FWD axle shafts go right into the transmission. Some put FWD front axles up on dollies

There's no problem with the differential being spun, but spinning an automatic transmission's output shaft without having the fluid pressure up in the tranny is a bad idea. Some RV folks disconnect the driveshaft on RWD towed vehicles. The best thing is to have a manual transmission car and just put the transmission in neutral. There is no fluid pump in a manual tranny so your good to go like that.

So back on topic: Gliding (or as we call it coasting) is no problem on a manual transmission vehicle. Pretty sure that would be true on an AE too, but not 100%.

 

[El Gordo]

I think I read somewhere that it is not okay to tow the FJR, that towing can damage the rear end.

Wouldn't coasting be doing the same thing?

 

[Fred W]

I think I read somewhere that it is not okay to tow the FJR, that towing can damage the rear end.Wouldn't coasting be doing the same thing?

Nope, there's one big difference. When coasting the engine would normally be running (at idle). From the owners manual:

"Even with the transmission in neutral, do not coast for long periods with the engine off, and do not tow the motorcycle for long distances. The transmission is properly lubricated only when the engine is running. Inadequate lubrication may damage the transmission."

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I think I read somewhere that it is not okay to tow the FJR, that towing can damage the rear end.Wouldn't coasting be doing the same thing?

Nope, there's one big difference. When coasting the engine would normally be running (at idle). From the owners manual:

"Even with the transmission in neutral, do not coast for long periods with the engine off, and do not tow the motorcycle for long distances. The transmission is properly lubricated only when the engine is running. Inadequate lubrication may damage the transmission."

:thumbsup:

 

[jestal]

Be aware that there are exceptions out there for many examples given....i.e...older Saturn automatic transmissions had an oil pump driven off the output shaft for lubrication so it was OK to flat tow them. Which is why you still see so many RV'ers towing a Saturn.

There is no problem with the rear axle or differential when coasting or towing. The rear axle does not "have to have a load on it"..... If someone tore up a rear axle coasting then there was another reason.

Fred's comments about the FRJ apply to many automatic transmissions, too...they are generally lubricated by the engine turning the transmission oil pump (unlike the Saturn) so the engine must be running if you want to tow or coast.

It wouldn't hurt anything to coast down a hill on an FJR as long as the engine is idling to lube the trans.

There is a potential issue with coasting down a hill in neutral, however. You can only shift into first or second from neutral. Both gears require a relatively slow speed and high (or higher) engine RPM to match speeds. If you coast along at 30 MPH and decide it's time for other motivation and push the shifter down into first while just idling the engine prepare yourself for a huge clunk at the very least and possibly a broken trans at the worst. If you decide to coast for long distances slow near to a stop to snick the trans back into gear and/or bring the engine RPM up to match the speed just before disengaging the clutch and shifting back into gear....and shift up into second as the speed differential will be less if you are still moving along.

 

[DynaSport]

There is a potential issue with coasting down a hill in neutral, however. You can only shift into first or second from neutral. Both gears require a relatively slow speed and high (or higher) engine RPM to match speeds. If you coast along at 30 MPH and decide it's time for other motivation and push the shifter down into first while just idling the engine prepare yourself for a huge clunk at the very least and possibly a broken trans at the worst. If you decide to coast for long distances slow near to a stop to snick the trans back into gear and/or bring the engine RPM up to match the speed just before disengaging the clutch and shifting back into gear....and shift up into second as the speed differential will be less if you are still moving along.

Why can you only shift into first or second. If you move the shifter up several times doesn't it shift up each time even if you don't release the clutch between shifts? That's how my Harley works anyway.

 

[FuzzyRider]

Why can you only shift into first or second. If you move the shifter up several times doesn't it shift up each time even if you don't release the clutch between shifts? That's how my Harley works anyway.

Well, yes, but unlike a non-sequential manual transmission which can go straight into any gear from neutral, you're acutally going into 2nd gear even if you don't let the clutch out. The internal tranny parts (input shaft) will need to speed up a lot to match the high speed of the output shaft. This can and will cause problems.