Should I roll off the Throttle when upshifting, or maintain the position? What are the best RPM's?

[Lctriple]

I tend to keep above 3,000 RPM.

However, as peak torque is around about 5,000 RPM, I find revving it out much beyond that doesn’t gain a lot.

I rev mine to 7000 regularly. It's still pulling at that rpm, peak horsepower is just over 7000 so it's pulling much past 5000 rpm. As has been mentioned you ain't gonna hurt it. It's not a cruiser engine although you can creep around at under 3000.

 

[mecsw500]

I'll rev mine to that occasionally, but peak torque is at 5,000, so for normal every day riding around town and such, I don't go much over 5,000 RPM. It's a decent torque motor, but you have to be careful not to lug it down at 3,000 rpm or less. I don't rev it out to 7,000 in town as it feels a bit frantic and I don't need to be pulling full power.

To be fair, lower RPM while cruising along at a constant speed is not the thing that's most harmful, it's pulling under load at lower RPMs, like going up hill or accelerating and drastically short shifting. I'll engine brake at 3,000 RPM in places, coming down the canyons, and that won't be unduly stressing the engine.

I tend to reserve revving it out a bit more for freeway on ramps or coming up to speed for a merge. I'm not afraid to rev it, I just don't need full power most of the time.

It cruises at freeway speeds between 3,500 and 4,000 RPM in top. If it drops below 3,000 because of traffic, I'll downshift a gear into fifth.

Up in the mountains, I tend to run it up to 6,000 or even 7,000 RPM when necessary, because at my altitude of 5,000 feet, peak power is down to about 100 BHP, and at 10,000 feet I'm down to only 87 BHP! Peak torque at 5,000 RPM drops from 96 lb-ft to 83 lb-ft, to 72 lb-ft. The loss in power and torque is quite noticeable. It runs smoothly at altitude, just feels a bit, well, quite a bit, sluggish.

Altitude makes a big difference as to what I run it up to, especially as I'm always two up.

 

[Peacekeeper6]

I recently traded my Harley Freewheeler for a 2022 RT and have a question on throttle usage when upshifting.

Do I rolI off the throttle when upshifting or maintain the position so the RPM’s don’t drop? I’m still getting used to using my thumb and index finger to shift instead of my foot!

IMHO, the less jerky the upshifts are, the longer your front sprocket will last.

That being said, I'll offer 2 tips that make these upshifts smooth and seamless:

1. Shift between 3000-3200 rpms whenever possible. I've found that the faster the motor spins, the more jerkier the upshifts; and
2. Hold the throttle AS STILL AS POSSIBLE prior to jabbing the upshift button with your left thumb.

I've been doing this since the beginning and I haven't seen the tell-tale "red dust" around the front sprocket.

Good luck!!

 

[Snoking1127]

IMHO, the less jerky the upshifts are, the longer your front sprocket will last.

That being said, I'll offer 2 tips that make these upshifts smooth and seamless:

1. Shift between 3000-3200 rpms whenever possible. I've found that the faster the motor spins, the more jerkier the upshifts; and
2. Hold the throttle AS STILL AS POSSIBLE prior to jabbing the upshift button with your left thumb.

I've been doing this since the beginning and I haven't seen the tell-tale "red dust" around the front sprocket.

Good luck!!

Shifting at 3200 or below with lug the engine in the next gear, unless on a very level road, heading down a grade, and having a strong tail wind.

 

[canamjhb]

Leave those throttle blips behind you with your Harley.....