RPMs
My first several bikes, I don't think I ever hit the rev limiter ......... viewed that as .... 'bad'.. something you don't do.
First bike was a LTD440 and I'm not sure I ever even really got on the on the bike hard. The second one was a LTD1100 (KZ1000); I beat the crap out of that poor thing riding it up around 130mph too often. Still, I'm don't recall hit the rev limiter on it. Third bike was a GL1100 and I putted on that one; I'd calmed down by then and not sure I ever had it over 90mph. Finally, bike number four was a Vulcan Classic 1500 which was a pig in comparison to the previous two; don't remember ever hitting triple digits on it..
In 2009, I picked up my first bike that was ... American Iron. An '09 Indian Chief Vintage with a Power Plus 105. I flew into Wichita to pick it up and drove it south to Texas , 400 miles on a hot 95 deg day in July. Yes, I was dying in the heat. Yes, I should have had the bike shipped. Yes, I've got memories. What I'll never forget is the experience of riding on a bike that cost 3x the other 4 together, and thought it was going to implode all the way home. I was breaking the bike in and keeping it under 3000 RPMs, but this was like nothing I'd ever experienced. I honestly thought something was wrong. Even after I broke it in, I was in fear of going over 3500RPMs on it, for over two years., I mean it had plenty of torque, but I kept that thing between 2000 and 3500 religiously. Finally, in '11 I was back at the Wichita dealer and asked them what their opinion was (that's a whole blog post there to explain. Suffice to say, overall they were incompetent). I finally talked their wrench into taking the bike out for a spin to tell me if it was okay. He came back shortly, shrugged his shoulders and said "seems fine to me". I asked how how many RPMs he got it up to, and tells me 4800. I'm in complete disbelief. Well, after that day, I pulled her over 4000; no pistons flying. Next time, 4500; no valves springs flying. Finally, up to 5000 RPM; sort of useless at that point but all the oil is still in there and she's still running. My brain has now been retrained not to be afraid of spinning this motor. I've finally gotten used to the shake of an old school EVO style motor that is hard mounted to the frame, with no counter balancing. Hell, only took me over two years.
I've had many bikes follow after that but the next one that comes to mind in this area is a 2011 HD Road Glide I picked up. After a couple of years and 15k miles, I swapped out it's perfectly good running 103ci with SE255 cams in it, for a JIMS 120R Racing motor. I'd gotten on that 103 a few times hitting the rev limiter, but that was just having fun going through the gears. Now, I've got a full blown race motor sitting between my thighs that dynos at 132 rear wheel horsepower and 138 foot lbs of Torque. Now, going through the gears has new meaning. Now, shifting over 5k in the lower gears has the front tire losing contact with the blacktop. Now, I'm hitting redline often, and it has new meaning. Now, I'm speed shifting, staying in the throttle. RPMs, have become my friend.
Jap Bikes.. Crotch rockets .. Sport bikes. When I think of them now, I think "high revving" motors. I haven't ridden the smaller ones (ex. 600cc) . They are known to come alive, when most American Iron bikes are 'done'. You know... 6.. 7 .. 8k RPM, they begin to really spin up, and the fronts ends go airborne? I've only ridden the 'liter' bikes. The big ones. BMW 1000cc and my ZX14R which has a 1400cc motor that pushes almost 200HP bone stock at the crank. Once you've ridden these bikes and 'mastered' them, RPMs mean nothing. They are comfortable cruising around at 5...6 .. 7000 RPMs like most others putt around at 2k. At 10k, you're in the a power band that is addicting, and they want to keep going. Once you get used to this, moving back over to the 'American Iron', things truly .. .get interesting.
My main ride is a newer Spirit Lake Indian Motorcycle, with a TS111 at the heart of it. I've bragged for years, the TS111 is a Torque Monster. It'll putt along all day at 2k RPMs. Hell.. you can putt along at 1800. It'll even putt along at lower numbers that will have a HD trying to buck you off the bike, sputtering along. I've slowed down to about 35 mph with my feet on the highway pegs, in sixth gear, doing about ... 1200 or 1300 RPMs through a small town, then ....... slowly pulling on the throttle as I exit the town headed for higher speed limits. You can go all the way to 120, from 35 .. without shifting. Now, is this smart? Well, bike runs perfect for me and it'll do it. Some folks probably thinks it's lugging the motor. Well, I 'know' what lugging is on an HD. But, the TS111 will do all this without symptoms of 'lugging'. I'm describing rolling from Highway speeds with my feet on the bars, through an area with no stops, then out of civilization and back out on the 'highway'. Hell, imagine the same situation going into the mountains. The TS111 will do the same thing, no shifting. Point being; it's a TORQUE MONSTER! But, the opposite is also true. The TS111 purrs along all day long at 2500 in a perfect power band. And if you're hauling ass, at 3k RPMs, it cruises at 80mph all day long; doesn't even feel like it's working. She's sucking fuel, but otherwise zero issues. Pull her up to 4k RPMs in fifth or sixth gear and you know you're pushing those pistons up and down, but still doesn't faze the motor. In fact redline is up around 5500 on them. I believe they lowered it to around 5200 or 5300 with a flash change, but to be honest, over 5k you're not getting much out of the motor anyways. It's given you max HP and Torque well before that point. But still, you know you're hauling ass when you're slapping that rev limited flying through the gears. And the TS 111 will deliver if that's what you are into!
Comfort Zone. An interesting thing happens when you enter the 'red zone' often (redline). You find a 'comfort' of sorts at the higher RPMs. Suddenly cruising around at 2500 or 3000 RPM doesn't feel 'high' anymore. For me, where I used to putt along in sixth gear, I'll sometimes bring it down a gear or two in the corners, giving me more power available to use as I want. Also, its easier to control your speeds just by letting off the throttle, via engine braking. When I first started riding a TS111 powered bike, I was amazed you did NOT have to shift like on an HD for the power band in the twisties. Or up an incline. So, I didn't . Smiled with my feet up on the boards, knowing the guy on the HD behind me was scratching his head and thinking "WTF?!". But, over the last year, I've gotten used to entering the red zone; pushing the motor to the edge. Now, is this a good or bad thing? For me personally, I keep the oil changed every 5k miles, by the book. I've never heard of anyone having a motor issue that would concern me. These things are are incredible machines and put out the power easily. So, I push 'em all day long with a smile on my face. No concerns.
But this isn't just about the TS111. It's about RPMs. I've found even on the PP105 bikes, my comfort zone is at a higher RPM range now. On a crotch rocket I thrive in the higher RPMs, where they beg to be ridden. It's just a matter of ... retraining the brain? What's normal on these? Now, if we're out putting along on a two lane in the country with wives on the back; forget everything I just said. But when you're out alone or with a few buddies that have a man card, RPMs can be your friend.
Just Saying.............
First bike was a LTD440 and I'm not sure I ever even really got on the on the bike hard. The second one was a LTD1100 (KZ1000); I beat the crap out of that poor thing riding it up around 130mph too often. Still, I'm don't recall hit the rev limiter on it. Third bike was a GL1100 and I putted on that one; I'd calmed down by then and not sure I ever had it over 90mph. Finally, bike number four was a Vulcan Classic 1500 which was a pig in comparison to the previous two; don't remember ever hitting triple digits on it..
Jap Bikes.. Crotch rockets .. Sport bikes. When I think of them now, I think "high revving" motors. I haven't ridden the smaller ones (ex. 600cc) . They are known to come alive, when most American Iron bikes are 'done'. You know... 6.. 7 .. 8k RPM, they begin to really spin up, and the fronts ends go airborne? I've only ridden the 'liter' bikes. The big ones. BMW 1000cc and my ZX14R which has a 1400cc motor that pushes almost 200HP bone stock at the crank. Once you've ridden these bikes and 'mastered' them, RPMs mean nothing. They are comfortable cruising around at 5...6 .. 7000 RPMs like most others putt around at 2k. At 10k, you're in the a power band that is addicting, and they want to keep going. Once you get used to this, moving back over to the 'American Iron', things truly .. .get interesting.
Comfort Zone. An interesting thing happens when you enter the 'red zone' often (redline). You find a 'comfort' of sorts at the higher RPMs. Suddenly cruising around at 2500 or 3000 RPM doesn't feel 'high' anymore. For me, where I used to putt along in sixth gear, I'll sometimes bring it down a gear or two in the corners, giving me more power available to use as I want. Also, its easier to control your speeds just by letting off the throttle, via engine braking. When I first started riding a TS111 powered bike, I was amazed you did NOT have to shift like on an HD for the power band in the twisties. Or up an incline. So, I didn't . Smiled with my feet up on the boards, knowing the guy on the HD behind me was scratching his head and thinking "WTF?!". But, over the last year, I've gotten used to entering the red zone; pushing the motor to the edge. Now, is this a good or bad thing? For me personally, I keep the oil changed every 5k miles, by the book. I've never heard of anyone having a motor issue that would concern me. These things are are incredible machines and put out the power easily. So, I push 'em all day long with a smile on my face. No concerns.
But this isn't just about the TS111. It's about RPMs. I've found even on the PP105 bikes, my comfort zone is at a higher RPM range now. On a crotch rocket I thrive in the higher RPMs, where they beg to be ridden. It's just a matter of ... retraining the brain? What's normal on these? Now, if we're out putting along on a two lane in the country with wives on the back; forget everything I just said. But when you're out alone or with a few buddies that have a man card, RPMs can be your friend.
Just Saying.............
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