Tach reading

[Praterjack]

Ok i have been riding alot every day for the past two weeks since i got my bije running every good i mean there was a couple days when i was off i put almost a hundred miles on my little bike. So the other day i finally got brave and hoped on the interstate i figured since theres atleast once a day a car pulls out in front of me why not try my odds on the interstate. So some of the speed limits on the interstate are 70 and i got it going that fast but it sounded real angry it was going that fast and i let off of it not to mention i had countless semis and cars slow down and just stare as im rolling past all these cars . So basically i wanna take it on a three hour plus trip to visit my mom and im trying to save my money for that and a tach wouldnt be in before i went on my trip. So i was wondering if anyone new of the tach readings on different speeds while riding your bike. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated as it would be faster on the interstate but i can take the back way but it would take an extra hour and 10 min also if i cant take my bike then ill have to ride in the darn car :tdown: .

[johnsandlin]

I've been riding my GZ on the interstates around Atlanta for about 6 months now with no big problems. I tend to keep the speed at 65 or lower depending on the traffic. I also generally keep to the right hand lane and let all the crazies who want to drive 80+ go right on by. I have noticed a few occasions where I will run out of throttle when going up a hill, but it usually only drops me back to around 60mph. This past weekend I rode back from Athens GA via interstate roads and shaved about an hour from the trip. It was raining pretty good and I wanted to get home faster. I actually like the backroads more, but sometimes the interstates are a better option.

I installed an inexpensive tach from SunPro on my bike and it works pretty good. I picked it up a Pepboys. Only drawback is it's rated for a 4cyclinder engine, so the rpm readings are showing half what would be expected, but I just double the reading...no big deal. It fits nicely next to the speedo and installation was easy. I've found that when I'm running in 5th gear at around 60mph, that the tach is reading 3000rpm, which I think is actually 6000rpm. I think I read that the redline on the engine was around 9000 rpm.

[Praterjack]

well i wanna drive down the interstate i just dont wanna blow the darn thing up or be to hard on it so im afraid if the rpms are real high for a long time it will be to much on the engine for such a long period of time so im trying to figure out what the rpm range would be until i can get a tach. Thanks for the input :)

[johnsandlin]

I think if you keep your speed at 65 or below, you should be fine.

[patrick_777]

As others have said on this board before, you'll fail before the bike fails. Maintain it correctly and it will handle almost anything you can throw at it.

[Praterjack]

Thats a good point from everyone i always just find it to be safer than sorry but yeah the maint is a big thing and i keep up on it i just dont wanna be to hard on it i love riding this thing ill have to say its the best nvestment i ever made and id like to keep it for a while. :)

[Easy Rider]

well i wanna drive down the interstate i just dont wanna blow the darn thing up or be to hard on it so im afraid if the rpms are real high for a long time it will be to much on the engine for such a long period of time so im trying to figure out what the rpm range would be until i can get a tach. Thanks for the input :)

OK, here's the deal. Aside from a cost saving, they didn't put a tach on it for a reason: It really doesn't need one.
There is a rev. limiter to prevent any serious damage. Others have reported riding a LOT of miles at 75 with no problem, so 70 should be a good cruising speed.

HOWEVER....... at that speed, you have no reserve power and you have brakes that aren't praticularly well suited for high speeds either. My advice is to take the "back roads" and enjoy the trip 1000% more at 55-60 mph.

I leave tomorrow (weather permitting) for a trip of 600 miles. It's a 10 hour trip in a car on the Interstates. I plan to take 3 days on the 2 lanes at 55-60 so as to not wear out the bike or my butt (the later being the most important!!).

You don't need to fear the RPMs at 70 but you still need to have a "healthy" fear of the other drivers.......especially if the prevailing speed of the other traffic is above 70. I NEVER take the freeways/Interstates unless there is no other choice.

[Praterjack]

Thats a very good point about worrying about other people since nobody watches for anything on two wheels but thats at any speed.

[patrick_777]

I NEVER take the freeways/Interstates unless there is no other choice.

The only time I ride the interstate (therefore ~70mph) is at 3am, so traffic is very light. My only real concerns at that time are deer and drunks.

[Orpheus]

well i wanna drive down the interstate i just dont wanna blow the darn thing up or be to hard on it so im afraid if the rpms are real high for a long time it will be to much on the engine for such a long period of time so im trying to figure out what the rpm range would be until i can get a tach. Thanks for the input :)

OK, here's the deal. Aside from a cost saving, they didn't put a tach on it for a reason: It really doesn't need one.
There is a rev. limiter to prevent any serious damage. Others have reported riding a LOT of miles at 75 with no problem, so 70 should be a good cruising speed.

HOWEVER....... at that speed, you have no reserve power and you have brakes that aren't praticularly well suited for high speeds either. My advice is to take the "back roads" and enjoy the trip 1000% more at 55-60 mph.

I leave tomorrow (weather permitting) for a trip of 600 miles. It's a 10 hour trip in a car on the Interstates. I plan to take 3 days on the 2 lanes at 55-60 so as to not wear out the bike or my butt (the later being the most important!!).

You don't need to fear the RPMs at 70 but you still need to have a "healthy" fear of the other drivers.......especially if the prevailing speed of the other traffic is above 70. I NEVER take the freeways/Interstates unless there is no other choice.

Agree 100%. Interstates suck no matter what you're driving, but on a bike it not only sucks but it's extremely more dangerous. I also plan all my trips to use as many back roads and state routes as possible. You feel safer and don't have to worry as much about cagers.

[primal]

Agree 100%. Interstates suck no matter what you're driving, but on a bike it not only sucks but it's extremely more dangerous. I also plan all my trips to use as many back roads and state routes as possible. You feel safer and don't have to worry as much about cagers.

You know, that's the exact opposite of what my MSF Instructor told my class. His reasoning is that, on an interstate, you have far more escape routes (wide shoulders on the side of the road) than you do on highways/county roads.

However, I will concede that the interstate is more dangerous on the GZ250 simply because you're running WOT the whole time and have no more throttle for emergency escapes.

[Easy Rider]

You know, that's the exact opposite of what my MSF Instructor told my class. His reasoning is that, on an interstate, you have far more escape routes (wide shoulders on the side of the road) than you do on highways/county roads.


I don't agree with that for 2 simple reasons: Much less traffic on the 2-lanes and much slower speeds. If I have to take evasive action, I'd much rather do it at 45 than at 70. Also much more likely to be run over AFTER a drop/crash by those following at 70-80 mph. More idiots on the super-slab 'cause they like to go FAST !! :cry:

[Orpheus]

You know, that's the exact opposite of what my MSF Instructor told my class. His reasoning is that, on an interstate, you have far more escape routes (wide shoulders on the side of the road) than you do on highways/county roads.


I don't agree with that for 2 simple reasons: Much less traffic on the 2-lanes and much slower speeds. If I have to take evasive action, I'd much rather do it at 45 than at 70. Also much more likely to be run over AFTER a drop/crash by those following at 70-80 mph. More idiots on the super-slab 'cause they like to go FAST !! :cry:

Well, the reasoning behind the "safer on the highways" argument is what's stated above, as well as that most of the traffic on highways is going the same direction at roughly the same speed; on smaller roads, the chance of a head-on or t-bone collision greatly increases. I think I read somewhere that the greatest chance for a motorcycle fatality is a car pulling out of a side road or making a left turn in front of a biker. I still feel safer and enjoy the ride more going 45-55 instead of 65-75. In my personal opinion, 45mph is the ideal speed to just cruise along and be able to enjoy the ride.

[Easy Rider]

I still feel safer and enjoy the ride more going 45-55 instead of 65-75. In my personal opinion, 45mph is the ideal speed to just cruise along and be able to enjoy the ride.

Exactly. Think of it this way: Do you feel safer riding where 10 cars a minute are passing you at 70+ mph OR......where you only SEE one car every 10 minutes ?? (Exagerated slightly for effect but not far from the truth once you get away from the big cities).

The other factor in play might be the "urban environment syndrom". Those born after 1970 or so, in a major merto. area, don't know a world without expressways.........and probably can't imagine anybody preferring a 2 lane country road.
Some, no doubt, have never BEEN on a 2 lane country road.
Sad.

[davtnn]

Around here all we have is two lane country roads ... have to travel 35 miles to get to a freeway ... and half the drivers here think they are preping for a nascar career... so ita about even on the danger factor ..