High Rpm's Long Distance

[hobbner]

My GSE 500 that I just bought  has a custom sprocket on it, smaller in the front, (havent counted the teeth yet) but it wraps up higjher than stock on the highway,  Should i be concerned about this for long distance rides? If I am planing on doing say....2000 miles over a week could there be any implications on the engine or are thesse engines happy to hum like a hummingbird?
What are stock rpms for 65 mph I think mine are right around 7 or so.  Has anyone put custom sprockets on the opposite direction to drop highway rpms even lower with much luck?
Also, being aircooled should i be worried about lowspeed overheating? at what speed? would a 2 or more hours at 45 mph or below be a problem?  Im planing on taking the bike through yellowstone, not exactly a highway through there.

[Mk1inCali]

You'll be fine.  Check the oil, carry some extra with you and you'll be fine.


Low speed overheating starts to become an issue under 15mph, more likely stopped or just about.  Anything above 20mph won't let it overheat.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

[3

[GeeP]

It will be fine at 7k RPM.  However, if you intend to tour with the bike you might consider going back to the stock sprockets.  You'll get better mileage and won't have to wring it out as much.

Also, synch your carbs at your average cruising RPM to keep the buzziness down. 

[hobbner]

in a perfect world i would get a bike more apt for touring, but at my budget. I do what I want to do with what i got! thanks for the tip,

[iv76erson03]

Also, synch your carbs at your average cruising RPM to keep the buzziness down. 

Do you have a link for a how do on this? Mine is getting buzzy and vibrates more than it used to. Only has 3k miles.

[GeeP]

Do you have a link for a how do on this? Mine is getting buzzy and vibrates more than it used to. Only has 3k miles.

Check and adjust the valves if you suspect they may need it, or you are near the service interval of 4000 miles.

Go to the hardware store and buy 15' of 1/4" clear plastic tubing.  Take the tubing and find the middle.  Tape it to the bottom of a yardstick and run the tubing up both sides of the yardstick in a U-shape.  Secure the tube with clear tape and place the yardstick vertical next to the bike.

Grab a bowl of water and suck on one end of the tubing like a straw.  Draw 18" or so of water into the U section.  Be sure that the rest of the tubing remains free of water.

Remove the fuel tank and place it on a table near the bike.  Mark the hoses so you know where they go.  Use a 6' length of fuel hose to connect the petcock to the carbs.  Place the fuel valve on "prime" to allow fuel to flow.

On the top of the carburetors you will see a 1/4" hose nipple covered by a plastic cap.  Remove the caps and install each end of the plastic tubing onto a nipple.  While under there, notice the synchronizing screw on the throttle shaft between the two carburetors.

Start the bike and allow it to warm up.  Use the idle adjustment to slowly advance the throttle to cruising speed while watching the carb balance.  If they are out of balance enough that there is the possibility of sucking water out of the U, adjust the carbs in stages up to cruising RPM.  Notice that the carbs never remain in perfect balance as engine speed changes.  This is why you want to balance at your cruising speed, where you operate the most.

Remove the tubing, replace the caps on the nipples, replace the tank, go for a ride.   

There are several threads on the "$5 carb balancer" you can use for reference.

[ducati_nolan]

Your bike won't blow up, but it won't last as long or be as comfortable at highway speeds with really high RPM. That's why I never changed my gearing, I spend lots of time at 75 MPH, so the extra acceleration at lower speeds isn't worth the high RPM highway ride. I also wouldn't go any higher (lower RPM) gearing than stock, since you'll probally not be able to use 6th very often on the highway, and you'd be really slow acceleration wise, and you'd wear out your clutch faster in town.

Once you get the new (or new to you at least) stock gearing, you can switch back and forth depending on the riding you plan on doing. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to switch sprockets.

As Mk1inCali said, overheating only really happens in stop and go traffic. I would say that you wouldn't even overheat if you were doing a steady 5-10 MPH. At 45mph the engine is probally running the coolest that it can ever run, plenty of airflow and low RPM.

Have fun on your yellowstone trip, sounds awesome