Newbie questions: powerband, shift points, cruising RPMs?

I've done some searching around but haven't really found the answers I'm looking for. Just had a few Q's (that may be of the 'dumb' nature):
- what's the usable powerband on the 2006 6th-gens? Is it right around where V-TEC kicks in? Is it somewhere between 5000-8000rpm?
- at what points do you tend to shift? (speed & rpm)
- what do you generally settle in to cruise at (both city and highway)?

 

Can't say for sure as I don't own a 6th gen, but one thing these bikes don't like is low RPM's. I typically cruise at 4500 or higher. Speed is irrelevant to me (other than for legality sake). I can't remember the last time I saw 6th gear, but I tend to avoid the highways as much as possible.

If I'm out on the twisties, I seldom if ever drop below 7-8K rpm.

 

I had the same question when I first got my '99. There is a blurb in the owners manual about shift points. Don't bother looking it up, they are ridiculously low. As Pliskin already stated, these bikes don't like low RPM's. You can get by putting around at 3500, but 4K and above is better. If you are in the twisties, 6-7K are where you need to be. Recently on the Dragon, I never got higher than 2nd gear and the RPM's got waaay up there!

The only time I get into 6th is on the highway.

 

If you want to get north of 40 mpg, shift early & shift often~

Mine simply isn't smooth below 3k rpm, so I stay above that. For general tooling around, 3.5-4k is a good shift point. There simply is no need to shift at 8-10k when driving through town. Besides, you make the cagers nervous..

For blasting through the twisties, up the ante a little~

 

In 5+ years of owning my ride, I have never seen 40mpg. Maybe when I start seeing 40mpg it means I'm slowing down and its probably time to buy a 6th Gen.

Fuck MPG - the question is how much meat I got left on my tires?

 

This is exactly what I do...I'd say I get pretty good mpg

 

I'm not saying I drive like a granny, because I don't. But around town, it just doesn't make any sense to race from light to light all the time.

I get abour 45 mpg on average. Less if blasting down I-95, more twisting through the 45 mph roads. Worst I've seen was 30 mpg after ragging it pretty hard all day.

...and I try to make sure the tread is EVENLY worn across my entire rubber~

 

LOL. I was just busting balls TNR. Now we're gonna have to call you GrannyRabbit.

 

LOL

No, your not~

 

Thanks for the responses, guys. They're more or less in-line with what I've been finding - bike feels like it's lugging under 3K, my ear tells me to shift around 4K or so, and the shift points in the owner's manual seem ridiculously low and would have you lugging the engine.

The gaps from light-to-light in downtown are short, so I find myself doing 6K in 2nd a lot. I've gone up to 6 on the highway here and there, but mostly in an effort to improve gas economy.

 

On my 93 I usually shift around 4.5-5.5K normally and if I am going downhill or at lower speed I will let her run down around 3500RPM.

If I am having some fun I will take her up to 9-10K but only once or twice just for the rush. I am aware these arent even that fast compared to Super Bikes like R1s etc but its plenty fast for me. Things start happening fast at those revs with the throttle pinned haha.

My 93 is around 6K at 75 MPH so I dont think those kinda revs must be any big deal on the motor since on highway you could be at them for hours. I just try and take care of mine since I love the bike and finding another one would be a chore.

If I am in heavy traffic I ride around 5 just in case I need to make a move for safety I dont wanna chance it to a bad shift or not having the power if I needed it.

 

You need to avoid opening up the throttle at lower rpms in any higher gear as the engine hates lugging.

OK to cruise at low 3-3.5 rpms, but downshift whenever you need real acceleration.

 

I don't ever see below 3k unless stopped.

Gradual accelleration I shift between 5k and 6k.
Quck accelleration I shift at around 8k and 9k.
On a closed course riding with select friends I have bounced off the limiter by mistake.

I typically cruise between 4k and 5k around town and on the highway I keep it in 6th with a quick double downshift before go time.

3rd and 4th are the money gears- they pull long and hard. 1st and 2nd are short and 5th and 6th are long IMO.

-Drew

 

I really don't see how you can pre-prescribe all your upshifts and downshifts unless you only ride on the motorway / autobahn / freeway?
That said, I reckon there are 2 different ways to ride the VFR

1. Short shift and keep RPM between 3.5krpm and 6.5k rpm. this is quick enough to despatch traffic and average over a mile a minute and return over 45mpg (UK gallons).

2. Play north of 7K rpm and go hunting sports bikes..

 

When I'm commuting, I usually shift between 4-5k, and I don't ever shift into 6th gear unless I'm going to be cruising over 55mph. When I'm riding hard or in the twisties, I try to keep her spun up over 5k or higher. And when I have a really bad day at work, my rev limiter and I are on a first name basis.:wink:

 

3.5K to 4K shifting point seem to work well for me. Bike jerk badly anything below 3K range

 

When I had a 6th Gen tended to either Commute or Tour from 4 > 6k and fang the Twisties from 7 > 11k to stop the Vtec engagement going on and off.

Riding my current Gen 5 still Commute / Tour from 4 > 6k but now tend to fang the Twisties from 5.5k to 10k...