I hear a lot of discussion about damage from high rpm. I feel that higher rpm within reason does less damage than lower or lugging the engine. I keep the GS500 above 3k in the city and don't use 6th gear below 65mph. I am curious about how others view this. I also have an 85 Magna and running it below 3k results in pitted cam lobes.

Ken

What RPM do you run on the freeway?  My bike is geared low right now, and I'm about 6000 RPM at 65 mph.  This seems high, so I am in the midst of looking for a 17 tooth front sprocket with the intention of acheiving 5000 RPM at 65 mph for touring.  I'm sure I will lose a bunch of torque, but I don't have to listen super high RPMs at long lengths.

-SPiNNeR-

Quote from: mcgimp on September 18, 2010, 04:12:38 PM
I also have an 85 Magna and running it below 3k results in pitted cam lobes.

I'm curious how the low rpm running causes pitted can lobes?
<edit>
I mean CAM lobes.

I doesn't.

That was problem with the first generation Honda V4 engines. Not enough oil up to the cams with low idle. Fix was to modify drain back to crankcase to keep the oil up top. I did not mean to imply this would be problem with other bikes.
My GS runs just over 5k at 60mph.
Question I am asking I guess is what gear do you generally use for 30mph, level ground. I rarely go above 3rd in the city. I think 4th is too high a gear for this.

I THINK I'm usually under 4000 RPM in town, I'll have to make note next time I think about it.  All the lights in my town are timed, so there isn't a lot of accelerating.  Basically, set crusie control (in my brain) and watch for people not paying attention, or merging into me  .

-SPiNNeR-

Cruising around town, I keep my rpm between 3500 and 4500   ...my bike spins 6200rpm at 120kph (75mph), at 100kph (63mph) it turns just over 5000...the redline is 11000rpm so you are only around mid tach at those speeds and that should not be a problem with the bike...

Later.

Early Honda V4 engines have known issues with a lack of oil getting to the top end...your not the Lone Ranger  

EDIT: Doh...I see now, you already know that

Quote from: mcgimp on September 18, 2010, 06:09:32 PMQuestion I am asking I guess is what gear do you generally use for 30mph, level ground. I rarely go above 3rd in the city. I think 4th is too high a gear for this.

I have a 17T CSS and in 4th gear 35 mph=3500 Rpm, 40 Mph=4000 Rpm. I try and stay between 3500 Rpm and 4000 Rpm, so when I am going 30 Mph I am in 3rd..until around 35 Mph when I shift to 4th  

Thanks for the replies. 
I like to keep it around 3 to 4K around town and that seems to be consensus here.

What causes pitting in the cam lobes?? Because I have some of that, I try keep the revs between 4k and 11k, anything under 4k and the bike doesn't like it.

I've been paying more attention to what RPM I drive at.  I've notice that anything below 5000 is a bit jerky.  It will still accelerate well, but it seems much nicer to the motor if I downshift to get the RPMs higher if I need to accelerate.

-SPiNNeR-

Getting on the highway, or when on fast moving surface streets, I try to keep the revs at about 7k, so that if I need to, I have enough power to accelerate out of trouble.  All the power on the GS is between about 7-10K, so I would try to stay there, unless you're just cruising through town.

Quote from: TheRealSpinner on September 23, 2010, 02:41:22 PM
I've been paying more attention to what RPM I drive at.  I've notice that anything below 5000 is a bit jerky.  It will still accelerate well, but it seems much nicer to the motor if I downshift to get the RPMs higher if I need to accelerate.

-SPiNNeR-

Suggest working on carbs. Should pull clean from 3k.

I haven't taken anything apart, but I am running 33mm Keihin Special carbs.  They seem like they run fine, they just deliver the power a bit different than the old Mikunis.  I will say that I think I need smaller idle jets.  When I come to a stop, I have to give it a bit of gas to keep it idling.  After a couple of seconds, it idles fine, right about 1000-1200 RPM.

-SPiNNeR-