I'm completely new to bikes, what sort of rpm range do you guys use on your GS500?  In my cars I'm usually between 1800-3000 unless I'm getting frisky.

How low is lugging it?  I've been keeping it between 3000 and 5000 for normal street riding, does this sound about right?

Also I haven't redlined it yet, how well do they hold up at high revs?  Do they start losing power up there?  Will the bike take a shaZam! or overheat if you rev it too much?

Thanks in advance.

Around 4-6000 rpm works well for a pre 01 GS when just riding around easy, below that they just don't pull well if strickly stock.  The 01 and newer ones are a bit more flexible with the 3 circuit carbs and pull from 3k as well as the old ones pulled from 4k.

Stock GS has peak hp at about 8500 rpm and falls off sharply after that.  Not much sense in going over about 9k unless you modify the intake, exhaust, and jetting.  I find running between 7-9k rpm works best when getting frisky.  After you get higher milage on the GS engine it will just push more oil at higher rpms.

They hold up well running high rpm all day long, runs cool at speed.  I put 80k miles on my 97 GS and now have over 50k miles on my 02 GS.

Any thing under 4000-4500 rpms and your alternator/generator is not putting out enough current to keep the battery charged.Another member showed me on my bike with a mutimeter when the battery started charging.Mine starts charging around 4700rpm.

I dont quite think that is right. 4700 is a bit high, I'd put that number at ~3500. Its not charging too well ... but its charging. You have a good alternator coil ?? How about the magnet ??
Cool.
Srinath.

Ben2Go - I forgot, you're by starwalt the electrical. You prolly getting good advice then.
Starwalt the electrical, kinda like Alexander the great, or Atilla the Hun.
Cool.
Srinath.

I usually run between 5-7 cruising and 9-12 getting frisky, my power band drops dramatically at 12k.   Of course you probably don't care seeing as I don't have a GS

When I had my GS, I usually cruised between 4500 and 6k.

Quote from: ben2go on December 26, 2007, 11:12:23 AM
Any thing under 4000-4500 rpms and your alternator/generator is not putting out enough current to keep the battery charged.Another member showed me on my bike with a mutimeter when the battery started charging.Mine starts charging around 4700rpm.

So does this mean we should try to ride in this zone as much as possilbe?  to keep the battery charging as much as possible?

I really wouldn't worry about it.  Even if you aren't charging your battery you are still producing more than enough energy to power the bike.

I have an 02, my battery begins charging around 3500 rpms.(if you want I also advise getting a battery tender JR. That way you wont worry about the charging). IT is the best $28.99 you can spend on your bike. I generally ride in the 4-5 k range and shift by hearing what my engine is telling me. The more you ride the more you get familiar with the sound of the RPMs, it is funny sometimes people have a hard time telling if they are in in 6th gear and they go to shift up and they are already in 6th, I have done this so many times, now by sound and looking at the tach I know for sure where I am in the power band. If (when) I do move up I am sure I will begin the process all over again. This past weekend I took advantage of the early morning and really opened it up and redlined in 6th gear, scared the heck out of me but now I know what it can do, so I will go back to hanging out in the 4-6 k range. Take care 

street riding im usually in 3rd or maybe 4th gear cruising at 7k but Im running a 14t front sproclet. On the highway im running 80 or 90mph in 5th gear at 8.5 or 9k then once I realize im not even in 6th gear yet and have more power to go I shift to 6th. and I usualy shift a 7k.

Quote from: Dan02GS on December 26, 2007, 04:29:41 PM
This past weekend I took advantage of the early morning and really opened it up and redlined in 6th gear, scared the heck out of me but now I know what it can do, so I will go back to hanging out in the 4-6 k range. Take care 

Theoretical speed at redline in 6th gear is 140 mph, don't know of too many GS500s that can do that.   

Quote from: CentralCoaster on December 26, 2007, 10:44:01 AM
I'm completely new to bikes, what sort of rpm range do you guys use on your GS500?  In my cars I'm usually between 1800-3000 unless I'm getting frisky.

How low is lugging it?  I've been keeping it between 3000 and 5000 for normal street riding, does this sound about right?

Also I haven't redlined it yet, how well do they hold up at high revs?  Do they start losing power up there?  Will the bike take a shaZam! or overheat if you rev it too much?

Thanks in advance.

My mood plays a big role. Usually, anything from 3,000 to 6,000 is enough to do what I need. I really don't like lugging around below 3,000 because that means a downshift (or two) is required for quick acceleration. With a V&H exhaust and a K&N 5,100 has a really nice sound to my ear. While riding in heavier traffic, 30-60 mph, I'll be near 4,500 to 5,500.

These are all generalizations, and estimates, because I really don't watch the gauges much. I'll ride the same speed as traffic, so long as it's a sane pace. I'm fairly certain about the sound being at 5,100, because I've checked a few times, and MY bike likes it.

The whole 'what is best?' question is something you have to fiddle with. Too high an rpm and you're losing usable power. Too low an rpm and you cannot accelerate from a dangerous situation.

Thanks, I picked it up a little on the ride home, much more peppy over 5K.  Next I'll check the valves and maybe rejet it and clean the carbs, I'm sure that work is all overdue since I have no maintenance history on the bike.

I'm still taking baby steps, I haven't even gone on the freeway yet.

Up to about 50 mph, I ride below 5K. 50-60 I ride between 5 and 6.5. After that don't really have a choice do I?

I find that the bikes pull reasonably at low speeds from about 4k. However, at speed, you really gotta be around 6-7 if you want a good pull. 5.5 is a compromise at 50mph, decent pull with decent economy.

Interesting data GSJack, to begin with red lining at 48 mph my engine would probably explode before I got to 40. 140 as a top speed is theoretically quite possible, seeing that I have been 120 at 10,000+ rpms. We assume also that what your speedometer says is usually 5 mph faster then your actual speed. Most GS's seem to have a higher indicated speed then actual speed. I am interested in more current data on the newer GS's regarding gear ratios. Ah someday people will begin appreciate the  strength to weight ratio of the GS500. It is a great motorcycle. Geez I sorry I didnt mean to hijack the thread Centralcoaster, ok you all ride safe out there.

Quote from: Dan02GS on December 27, 2007, 08:25:56 AM
We assume also that what your speedometer says is usually 5 mph faster then your actual speed. Most GS's seem to have a higher indicated speed then actual speed.

AFAIK, for all vehicles it's mandatory to have a positive (and greater than a certain percentage) speedometer offset. At least, it's what happens where I live.
For example, if your present actual speed is 100 (kph or MPH makes no difference), your speedo must return, (if minimum by-law offset is, say, 5%) at least 105, no less. (There must also be a top-of-range for the offset, but I'm not pretty sure ATM)

This all happens, I suppose, for road safety, so that if current speed limit is 50, and you're cruising at 50 on your speedo, you have still some kind of a margin.
but nobody really cares 'cause nearly everyone does 110-120 in a 90 

Back to topic:
I happily cruise at 4000-6000 rpm normally. This allows me to move comfortably into town, quickly enough without looking like a hooligan , and get decent MPG out of town (6000 rpm in 6th gear give me 120 km/h = 75 mph, good enough for the motorway)

Quote from: Dan02GS on December 27, 2007, 08:25:56 AM
Most GS's seem to have a higher indicated speed then actual speed. I am interested in more current data on the newer GS's regarding gear ratios.

The GS speedo seems to be about 10% high with a standard 110/70 front tire and about half that with a 110/80 tire.

Some things never change and that includes the GS500 gearing, what you got in 89 is what you get in 08.

Highest published top speed for the GS500 that I've seen is 121 mph for the 555cc V&H bike back in 89.  Most test reports show a 104-111 mph top for stock bikes.  I've recorded all of the published road test data I've seen for the GS500 and where it came from a GS/EX comparo I included the EX500 aka Ninja 500 data too:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tests.jpg

OK, I have been going down the road at 70 indicated on the speedo and have been told that I was actually going 66 mph. This is the variation I am talking about.  I have began to look at it as a safety measure. GSJack you have spent some time on this, and your information that you have provided people here has been a huge resource, I would love to know what you do for a living. If you ever make it out here to California drop me a line. OK everyone I think I'll move on. Thanks for the list Jack.

Quote from: seshadri_srinath on December 26, 2007, 12:51:53 PM
I dont quite think that is right. 4700 is a bit high, I'd put that number at ~3500. Its not charging too well ... but its charging. You have a good alternator coil ?? How about the magnet ??
Cool.
Srinath.

I will be looking into my charging problems.All of my lights have a ficker to them,engine speed doesn't make a difference.

Quote from: CentralCoasterWill the bike take a shaZam! or overheat if you rev it too much?

I don't have much to add on the street RPMs, I'm pretty much like most people here. Around 5k the bike starts to pull, so if I'm cruising, below that, if I need power, above that.

But to answer your high RPM question, no, it does just fine all the way to redline. There's a very audible valve float sound near redline, I recommend you take it up there a couple times and you'll see what I mean. Like others mentioned, it may not even be worth getting all the way up there because it just doesn't breath well enough. With a couple track days on mine now, I can echo gsJack in that the stock engine does just fine running in the 7-10k range all day.