Talk Me Down

[brazos parker]

I know this topic has been discussed ad naseum in the past but, at the risk of getting my pee-pee slapped, I'd like to read some recent comments w/, perhaps, some new perspectives. For the record, I did a search on ""6th gear" and the search was limited to the first 1000 posts.

A friend of mine was recently lamenting the fact that he bought an '05 w/out a sixth gear. He said he always knew how much a 6th gear was needed and this was confirmed when he recently purchased a BMW 1150GS. I told him that maybe I didn't know enough to miss a 6th gear and was just fine w/ 5 gears on my '05. His comment was "ignorance is bliss."

So, if I say I need a 6th gear, will someone talk me down?

ADMINS: If this topic is considered too much of a rehash, pls close.

 

[v65]

Having argued vociferously against the need for a sixth gear in the past I have seen the light. Yamaha please put in a sixth gear so that this can DIE!!!!!!!!!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Never missed it, but let's do it right and improve mileage too. I say install a 6th gear with a sprag clutch. [j/k]

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

He said he always knew how much a 6th gear was needed and this was confirmed when he recently purchased a BMW 1150GS.
...His comment was "ignorance is bliss."

Your reply should have been something like; "You should know"

 

[ionbeam]

This has been partly addressed in the Gen II with a numerically neutered altered rear diff ratio to drop rpms, giving highway driving a more relaxed feel. It also helps that the Gen II has a gear indicator that is missing on the Gen I.

Before comparing one bike to another note that the FJR uses a wide ratio transmission, many 6 speeds are close ratio transmissions.

While I do look for a 6th gear regularly, I wouldn't want 6th gear just tacked on to the end of the shift shaft. I would like to see a more sporting rear diff ratio and have the gear ratios redistributed to offer better acceleration in the first 4 gears, and then make 5th a mild OD and 6th a steep OD. YMMV.

 

[YooperDick]

Worry not. The number of gears has no bearing on your intelligence. What would your friend do if Yamaha came out with a 7-speed? Remain ignorant? In case you didn't know, many BMW 1150 riders never bother with 6th gear because it causes the rpm to drop below the range the motor likes to run. I can't recall using 6th gear on my 1150RT in years. Even at highway speed, the 1150 operator will grab a gear to pass if they are using 6th gear.

For penance, Go NOW to pleasure your SO and forget about this issue for the remainder of your natural life. And sin no more.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Whew...., thanks 'Yooper'. I was composing a long-ish dissertation along the lines of all the engineering reasons re: why/why not -- "...with twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was..." But, <sigh of relief> 'YooperDick' pretty-much summed-up the whole debate -- at least for me.

 

[brazos parker]

OK. Let's not belabor this NEPRT any longer. I don't need the 6th gear. Never did. Never will. I like my bike just the way it is.

Thanx for the replies, Guys.

 

[jjsC6]

Yes, the bike needs a sixth gear. Part of the reason is because of the vibration that sets in running a brisk pace on the freeway. But the other reason is simply that it's free lunch. Why not reduce the RPM's on the freeway. And for those of you who don't see the need, you can simply run in 5th if you don't like it. What's the downside? It's got plenty of torque to make the sixth gear responsive at highway speeds.

 

[C&C]

I remember reading about a possible reason, many moons ago, for not wanting to increase the present transmission to a six spped. It seems that Yamaha could squeeze in a sixth gear in the current crankcase but that it would require the reduction of the size of the gears (i.e. less robust). With the torque available from our 1300cc powerplant it just might not be the thing to do. I don't know if what I just said it true but the premise seems plausible.

 

[SkooterG]

The FJR needs 7 gears. Yeah. Or eight!. Yeah, eight! That's the ticket!

 

[radman]

Foot or tankshift optional.

 

[madmike2]

Foot or tankshift optional.

Yeah....why not 10...or 13....or 15...or 18 gears. If it's good enough for trucks it should be better for motorcycles?

Shoot, heck, thetaway summon is mostly garn-teeed tuh git the bess geer race-shee-oh fer just 'bout enny partikalar sitchee-ation.

While we're at it, does anyone have a dead horse we could beat?

 

[jesse]

Whew...., thanks 'Yooper'. I was composing a long-ish dissertation along the lines of all the engineering reasons re: why/why not -- "...with twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was..." But, <sigh of relief> 'YooperDick' pretty-much summed-up the whole debate -- at least for me.

"You can get anything you want, at Alice's restaurant, excepting Alice...." No one cares, but I would love a 6th gear. When I'm running 75 and up , it just

sounds and feels like she is saying, "let me coast a bit!"

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Whew...., thanks 'Yooper'. I was composing a long-ish dissertation along the lines of all the engineering reasons re: why/why not -- "...with twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was..." But, <sigh of relief> 'YooperDick' pretty-much summed-up the whole debate -- at least for me.

"You can get anything you want, at Alice's restaurant, excepting Alice...."

No one cares, but I would love a 6th gear. When I'm running 75 and up , it just sounds and feels like she is saying, "let me coast a bit!"

"Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604."

"Kid, I want you to go and sit down on that bench that says Group W .... NOW kid!!"

 

[double_entendre]

I kinda reached the conclusion that the folks who don't care about a 6th gear are the ones who live in states with aggressive enforcement of freeway speed limits. When I'm cruising at 80+ on the freeway for an hour, yeah, I want a 6th gear.

Rancho

 

[Capt. Bob]

When I'm cruising at 80+ on the freeway for an hour, yeah, I want a 6th gear.
Rancho

I want a hummer

and not an H2 :glare:

 

[v65]

I kinda reached the conclusion that the folks who don't care about a 6th gear are the ones who live in states with aggressive enforcement of freeway speed limits. When I'm cruising at 80+ on the freeway for an hour, yeah, I want a 6th gear.
Rancho

You must be really feeling it when you cruise along at 110.

 

[happyPuppy]

I see why people get frustrated with the never ending threads. My only comment, if it is in 5th gear < than 1:1 it is overdrive and anything more is not needed, maybe adjust ratio gaps but that is about it.