Shifting speeds?

[markboy]

I'm sure I'll get plenty of different answers here but...

Assuming you are riding on a level surface, at approximately what speeds are you shifting through the gears? I'm going by feel right now as I have not added an aftermarket tach (and after looking at the cost don't really want to). So I thought I would turn to the folks here to get some feedback. As a starting point, I saw the following on another forum. The speeds look a bit high to me but here they are....

1st -24 mph
2nd -38 mph
3rd - 51 mph
4th - 65 mph
5th - 88+ mph

Note - I'm not looking for the max speed or 'red line' to push each gear through but rather the optimal point to shift.

[Dupo]

well these bikes dont go 88, so 5th is just a tad off.

If i remember correctly, i would shift mine:

into 2nd at 20
into 3rd at 30
into 4th at 40-45
into 5th at 50-55

Thats normal riding.

[Easy Rider]

well these bikes dont go 88, so 5th is just a tad off.

If i remember correctly, i would shift mine:

into 2nd at 20
into 3rd at 30
into 4th at 40-45
into 5th at 50-55

Thats normal riding.

For you maybe. :roll:
Sounds about right WITH the 16T sprocket.
Stock you could do what you listed but the 'lil pup would be screaming a bit (especially 20 mph in first!)

The list markboy posted are, I believe, red-line or Max. speeds for each gear.

[Dupo]

He asked what normal shifting was for the GZ, thats what i provided. Thats where i would normally shift ... flat surface .... riding normally.

That almost matches how i shift my 750cc as well. I dont see the need to scream the RPMs on every gear.

[Eeyorebiker]

well these bikes dont go 88, so 5th is just a tad off.

If i remember correctly, i would shift mine:

into 2nd at 20
into 3rd at 30
into 4th at 40-45
into 5th at 50-55

Thats normal riding.

Those speeds are about what I shift at, too.

[markboy]

Great to know! Thanks for all your input.

[rexolio]

I find that I'm probably shifting at much lower speeds, but it "feels" and sounds right... about like this:

First: 0 - 10
Second: 11 - 20
Third: 21 - 30
Fourth: 31 - 40
Fifth: 40+

Also, I'm really trying to get my mpg's up, so I assume I burn more fuel when I wind out the gears.

Am I wussing out here? :roll:

[Doug577]

I find that I'm probably shifting at much lower speeds, but it "feels" and sounds right... about like this:

First: 0 - 10
Second: 11 - 20
Third: 21 - 30
Fourth: 31 - 40
Fifth: 40+



That's about where I'm shifting...

[Orpheus]

Normally, I shift about where Dupo says, but if I'm saving gas, it's probably a little earlier into 2nd (around 12-15mph) and 5th (around 45). If I'm really winding the gears out, I probably shift into 2nd around 22 and 5th around 55-60, but when I'm conserving gas, it's into 2nd at 12-15, into 3rd at 25-30, into 4th at 40, and 5th at about 45. If I'm cruising along residential streets that I know I'll be on for a while, I shift into 4th at 30mph and that's about the slowest you can go without bogging down the engine.

But I'm still convinced that these bikes each have their own unique personalities.

[Jenny]

[quote="rexolio"]I find that I'm probably shifting at much lower speeds, but it "feels" and sounds right... about like this:

First: 0 - 10
Second: 11 - 20
Third: 21 - 30
Fourth: 31 - 40
Fifth: 40+


I'm in similar numbers, but I'm wondering if my 1st gear is just picker than everybody else's. My first gear is so stilted and jumpy that I shift into 2nd immediately after the bike has started moving (if I have to start going into a turn, I have to wait until I'm through the turn, though). I've tried to move in 1st gear, but it's such an uncomfortable ride that I only use it for slow turns in parking lots. I shift to 3rd gear around 20 mph. I'm in 4th gear by 35/40 mph because otherwise the bike whines too much begging to have the gear switched. I don't have a tachometer; I just switch when the bike engine starts telling me to. I haven't personally taken the bike over 40 mph. My partner has told me that he also has my GZ250 in 4th gear by the time he hits 40 mph and was in 5th gear well before 50 mph.

[alanmcorcoran]

There are recommended shifting speeds in the manual, and, with the exception of wind and grade effects, I have found them to work well:

2nd: 12
3rd: 19
4th: 25
5th: 37

This is without the 16T mod.

[Easy Rider]

I'm in 4th gear by 35/40 mph because otherwise the bike whines too much begging to have the gear switched.

A pretty typical experience overall, I think.

Many, MANY of us have put a 16 tooth front sprocket on the bike to make 1st gear more useable (all the gears actually, except 5th) and most just LOVE the difference. It also cuts down on the "whining".
Do a search on here for "sprocket". Sounds like you would be a good candidate for the change.

Regardless of sprockets, but especially if you stay stock, after the bike is broken in good....1000-1500 miles, you probably need to learn to ride "through" the whine, when you think the engine is telling you it wants a shift. This is not important for just tooling around town but if you ever ride on anything like a Freeway or Interstate, you NEED to know what the maximum performance IS in each gear to help keep you out of trouble.

Cheers and welcome to the fold! :tup:

[primal]

I generally shift as follows:

2nd: 15
3rd: 25
4th: 35ish
5th: 40ish

I can cruise in 5th gear at around 37-40 MPH, but there's no way I'd be able to accelerate at any decent rate without downshifting.

[michaelp]

Easy Rider, you mentioned "the maximum performance in each gear to help keep you out of trouble."
Is there a standard range for maximum gear performance? I'm finding my bike seems to follow close to the manual recommendations which also means fairly slow going through 2nd and 3rd. When I am in more of a hurry I tend to move through the gears quickly so I can get into 4th and 5th quickly.

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?

[Easy Rider]

Easy Rider, you mentioned "the maximum performance in each gear to help keep you out of trouble."


Lost a little in the quoting process. I actually said: "you NEED to know what the maximum performance IS in each gear to help keep you out of trouble."

To re-phrase: You need to know how fast the bike will go in each gear (without blowing up!) so that if you need to take off in a hurry, you can just crank the throttle without worrying about it "blowing up" when it makes sounds you have never heard before.

I'd have to go back and review the chart but from memory, there is a LOT of performance left above the "recommended" shift points. There is even a little "boost" feeling around 6K rpm (guessing at the point 'cause I have no tach) that shows up occasionally.

With the ignition being all electronic, I believe the engine has a rev. limiter to keep you from doing any serious damage......but I don't think anybody has been able to prove that yet.

After break-in, you can (and maybe even should) run the revs up above the manual recommendations at least occasionally. Over-rev is most likely in first so don't over do it there but other gears you can pretty much run it up until it stops pulling. Not that I recommend you run it at red-line all the time but if you push your shift points up a bit, over time you will become comfortable with the new noises and enjoy the ride even more........probably.

[5th_bike]

Just on the side: at 65 mph in 4th gear, it's at 8,000 rpm. According to Jaime, the redline is at 9,000 rpm (which, then, is at about 73 mph in 4th gear).

So, if you would like to know how your engine sounds when it's 1,000 rpm below redline, open up in 4th gear until you hit 65 mph.

PS bike is stock, 15 teeth front sprocket

[BusyWeb]

Just on the side: at 65 mph in 4th gear, it's at 8,000 rpm. According to Jaime, the redline is at 9,000 rpm (which, then, is at about 73 mph in 4th gear).

Here is today's my experience with gear shifting.
It was on the freeway up-hill, and 5th gear with about 70 mph.
As it goes up-up, speed goes down to 55 mph with full throttle.
And there were cars behind and closing to me, so I had to either speed up or change lane.
Changing lane was not my option because of traffic condition.
I did shif-down to 4th and rev-up to get more drag power.
With 4th gear, I got to go over 65 mph to escape from the traffic.
Don't know about RPM, but engine sounds was not that bad.
Engine sounds less noisy than the 80 over mph at the 5th gear.
That's it for my shift experience.

[Orpheus]

Just on the side: at 65 mph in 4th gear, it's at 8,000 rpm. According to Jaime, the redline is at 9,000 rpm (which, then, is at about 73 mph in 4th gear).

Here is today's my experience with gear shifting.
It was on the freeway up-hill, and 5th gear with about 70 mph.
As it goes up-up, speed goes down to 55 mph with full throttle.
And there were cars behind and closing to me, so I had to either speed up or change lane.
Changing lane was not my option because of traffic condition.
I did shif-down to 4th and rev-up to get more drag power.
With 4th gear, I got to go over 65 mph to escape from the traffic.
Don't know about RPM, but engine sounds was not that bad.
Engine sounds less noisy than the 80 over mph at the 5th gear.
That's it for my shift experience.

If I'm going up into the mountains, I encounter the same thing. I usually end up shifting back and forth between 4th and 5th for the whole trip, and 5th at around 60-65 is probably about right if you're going up a pretty steep incline. Funny thing is, my bike handles about the same going up steep hills/mountains as our Chevy Cavalier; I need to shift around the same speeds that the car (automatic) shifts at and the RPM's feel about the same.

[michaelp]

Per Easy Riders recommendation, I have been experimenting a little with shifting at higher speeds and yes I can definitely shift at much higher speeds than the recommended ones except for first gear. But I can especially get more out of 4th gear. This is really helpful when entering the freeway.

[Easy Rider]

This is really helpful when entering the freeway.

When entering the freeway on a GZ, it can't hurt to PRAY a bit too!! :cry: :cool:

[5th_bike]

Jaime once posted in the "How To's" forum, in the "Install a 16 Tooth Front Sprocket" thread, a beautiful table from which you see that redline (9000 rpm) for the various gears and the stock 15T sprocket is:

1st gear: 25 mph
2nd gear: 43 mph
3rd gear: 58 mph
4th gear: 73 mph
5th gear: 90 mph