If you want to keep it in manufacturer's specs for the break-in period, shift right at or just before 5K rpm.  Try and keep the revs towards the 5k range so you don't lug the engine too much.  On the highway, even in 5th and 6th gears you will be above 5k at 80mph, but you should be able to do 65 or so at around 5k.

You can do 60-65 and still be under breakin RPM.  It won't impress your buds, but it gets good mileage...

Once broken in, when should I be shifting? Still around the 5K mark, use more RPM's by shifting later, or does it just depend on the situation?

Like a manual car, it depends on the situation.  Revs = power and fun.  Low revs = cruising.  You'll lug the engine trying to accelerate under 4.  Good acceleration is to be found up to 10.

I'm a firm believer in at least one good rev every time I take the bike out.  I'm also a firm believer in short-shifting before the bike warms up.

I've never driven a manual car. So when you say engine lags, what do you mean? I've noticed times when I am starting on a hill and don't give enough gas where the engine sputters, and then eventually gets going when I roll on more throttle. Is this an example of lagging the engine? If so I think I know what you are talking about. From your post, it seems like you are saying that I should use 4K - 10K when accelerating and then 4K or so when just cruising along. I guess I'm just trying to see what RPM ranges I should be driving in during normal driving conditions.

Excuse me, lag should be lug, I forgot what term u used

Lugging is that nasty chuggy that the engine does when you have insufficient revs for what you're trying to do, and you have to open up the throttle just to move ahead.  In that situation, downshift.  I cruise at 3K-5K, and accelerate 5K-10K.

Different engines will lug at different revs.  The GS is on the low spectrum torque-wise.

Welcome!

Keep the rpm's above 4000 to avoid lugging, which is bad for the engine, and shift around 5000 (5,100, go for it ), but more importantly, vary your speed, you need to do this to seat the rings; so don't go on the freeway, yet.

It sounds like you're starting on a m/c (motorcycle) first; instead of a car...kudos to you, that just what I did (I figured I could do less damage on a bike, and moving from a bicycle to a m/c seemed to be more logical)!

We have posted on the "what rpm ranges should I be in while driving around town" previously, but many of us ride differently, but the one major thing I have seen is to keep the rpms above 4k (3500 when decelerating) and shift anytime after 5k.

Quick Question Roadstergal:

What is short-shifting??

Shifting low in the rev range...  I keep my GS under 5K while the engine is cold.

When I'm in any kind of traffic I like to cruise around at around 5500-6000, just because I've got that extra bit of uumph in case I need it.  When there's no time to brake, sometimes you've got to gas it and it's a lot faster to be cruising at that rpm than trying to downshift and get out of there...  :dunno:

Yeah I like to ride at 5000 to 6500rpm because I like the sound and sometimes I shift at 8000rpm. But during the night I shift like at 3500rpm and take it slow because there is alot of cops in my area.

ha, i usually shift several times during a ride around 9 to 11k. thats y a bike has a redline, to be pushed to but not exceeded due to possible damage. not to say that riding all day long at 10k wouldnt cause screw somethings up.

-ash