hey,

1. somthimes when im at a stop light, i turn off the engine, but i keep the switch to on (with all the lights and stuff) does this harm the bike in any way?

2. when u push it a littls, to what RPM u reach? my mechanic said not to go over 8k cuz it harms the engine. well ofcourse i understand the higher the rpm the more wear  on the engine, but is this really that important wether 8 or 9 as long as im under the red?

thanks.

Turning the engine off at stoplights is probably a bad idea.
It adds extra strain to the starter motor and battery, also I believe the coils don't really like sitting in circuit without being used.
I could be wrong on that 2nd point though.

As for the RPM thing. Different bikes have different limits.
It sounds like your mechanic is more used to lower revving engines.
The GS should be kept below 5K RPM for the 1st 500 miles of engine life (or after a bottom end rebuild). Appart from that limitation, the engine is perfectly happy to run at 10K for reasonable periods of time (according to some of the racers around here).  The engine will suffer increased wear at higher revs, but nothing serious. However folk have noted that the engine does go through oil a LOT faster if you rev it hard. I guess if you want the power of the high rev then you just need to keep an eye on your oil level every few hundred miles.

Why turn the motor off?

The valves float around 10.5k. After I installed the MC cams with heavier valve springs, the valves did not float until after 12.5k. The motor is still running strong but with a new owner now.

The only time I have turned the motorcycle completely off was when I was waiting in traffic for a 5 mile long freight train. But I shut it completely off.

About the revs - as far as I know, rev it right up to the red if you want to (after running it in of course). I asked my workshop if I was thrasing it and they said 'what else can you do with those'.

I had mine a while so I'm fairly bored with the performance now and ride it very hard. It seems to like it. Bit like women -'treat 'em mean to keep 'em keen' :lol:

Also, if you push the revs up to say 10.5k, when you change up, you don't drop out the power band in the next gear. It's the best way to make swift progress. Someone on this site told me this and it's true!

I usually keep my revs around 5-6 before gearing up if i'm in town...  on more rural streets I let it drop to about 4-ish... If I go too low i'm scared I'll stall it.


Dont know if my rev limits are good or bad, but that's the way I find I get the most out of my bike...

You're doin' fine. I usually keep mine above 4.5k.

If I'm not in a hurry to go fast (freeway onramps), I usually shift around 6 or 7...  4.5-5.5 is about where I run on surface streets...  My GS doesn't like to do anything under 4k.  The freeway is a little higher...  More like 6.5 to 7.

But, I have taken it to 11 a few times...  OK a few dozen times.

I keep the bike on at lights for the same reason I keep it in gear - if something happens, I want to be able to react immediately, not have to wait two seconds to start up and put in gear.  The 0.1gallon of gas you'll burn is worth it.

I do shut it off while I'm wating at a drawbridge or a train, as said.  The chances of anything happening in that queue are much less, since there's an obstacle ahead that's pretty hard to get over.

As far as revving it goes, the redline's there for a reason.  I don't wind it out too much just puttering around town, but it's good for the bike to get it up there on a reasonably regular basis.  

Max power is around 9K RPM (have alook at the dyno graph in main GSTWIN page).  There is really no point going over it.

Shutting down the engine at a stop light: not a safe thing to do.

Quote from: LEVOThere is really no point going over it.

From the dyno run I've seen, hp doesn't peak at 9; it does more of a plateau - which is a good thing to ride.

Even if you do have a peak with a dropoff - if you're in a situation where shifting would cost you time, there is a point.  If you want to upshift and be in the power band, there is a point.

Roadstergal, don't tell me you bomb around at 9k

Quote from: groff22Roadstergal, don't tell me you bomb around at 9k

I don't cruise around at that RPM, but I get there every time I take the bike out.

i have heard 8 thousand also is bad, but only if there is no load.  so dont worry.  just dont go revving your engine with the clutch pulled, first youll look and side like an idiot revving it and second it might hurt it just free revving, and third it looks and sounds dumb. :lol:

The dyno run doesn't continue after 9K but looking at other dyno charts you can pretty much guess that it drops very quickly after that.  So shifting at 9K should provide the optimal point.  Oh well, drive the way you like.

well guys, the shutting off of the engine is noth somthing i usually do. its just it was VERY hot the last few days, lets around 35C so for long stop lights i reckoned its better off no?

and for the revs, well i dont run hard often, but every once in while ill get to 8-9.

the mechanic didnt mean ill blow up the engine if i do, but more in the sense of the long term , a few years, the engine will last longer.

for my GS, if i want i can cruise even in 3-3.5 rpm without protests from below.

I think it's better to leave it on when it's hot out...   Then the oil can continue to circulate...

Do you have a newer one with an oil cooler?

It ends at 10...

http://gstwin.com/dyno_run.htm

i usually cruise around 5.5k to 6.5k.  but on highways i cruise at around 8-9k.  I can only get up to 5th gear.  In 6th gear, I have fuel starvation problem.

Man what is up with that wavy torque curve??  :dunno: Ignition breakup at 9k?