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Watching the SE's RPM

Dragonrider

Dragonrider

New member
Well, following the flurry of threads regarding the damage 1500 to 3000 RPM riding will cause, I've been more attentive.

I generally ride in suburban - light industrial conditions, and find myself behind an 18 wheeler, in 1st gear, loping along at 2500 RPM fairly often, but more typically, riding between 3500 and 4500 RPM. I have thought this was a major advantage for the SE, but perhaps not.

Is 3K a magic number? Where anything above it is fine?
 
I've been one of the active participants in those discussions...
I moved my shift points up to 4000 rpm, and I've been backshifting at 3200 rpm.
Fuel mileage hasn't dropped any appreciable amount; so far...so Good! :thumbup:
 
The centrifugal clutch is fully engaged at 3,200 +/- 200 rpm. Anything abobve that should not cause problems...although performance may suffer nearer to 3,000-4,500.
 
Dragonrider said:
Well, following the flurry of threads regarding the damage 1500 to 3000 RPM riding will cause, I've been more attentive.

I generally ride in suburban - light industrial conditions, and find myself behind an 18 wheeler, in 1st gear, loping along at 2500 RPM fairly often, but more typically, riding between 3500 and 4500 RPM. I have thought this was a major advantage for the SE, but perhaps not.

Is 3K a magic number? Where anything above it is fine?
Click to expand...

Dragon, I think what they're trying to point out is that 'consistently' riding - in whatever gear - at or below 3000 RPM will in time (perhaps sooner than later) cause a problem. Kind of reminds me of my last Vette. The manual said not to down shift into second gear above 40 MPH. It wasn't that you couldn't, it was if one made a habit of it damage would most likely result. jm2c
 
purely a guess here but there's a significant difference on the stress placed on the components by shifting early and powering through the RPM's versus maintaining speed at <3,000 RPM's.
 
Its really hard to adjust to this type of riding coming from a Goldwing, trying to maintain 4k rpm or above in traffic is difficult. Sounds like the engine is suffering, screaming for a gear change. Instinct is telling me to change up but fighting the urge is difficult. Sounds like the engine is going to bust out the spyder.

When you need to change between 4.5k and 5k and you have to run above 3.5k thats a very small band width to drive at a constant speed. Wish they could make that better.


harry
 
Either there's something wrong with my SM, or it points to how much the SE clutches strain at low RPMs. I can't seem to maintain any speed at low RPMs. The engine just strains too much and I have to twist the throttle farther. I'd have to try it and see, but things seem to run really well above 3600 or so. There's plenty of power to coast or even accelerate from this RPM.

I haven't tried anything much lower, because things just seem to run better and I've been right in the 30+ mpg range with in city only driving and better on highway.

Things must be pretty different for the SEs to be able to even do that, but obviously under strain. Unless of course mine isn't running as it should. I would like to know...


Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2
 
I've been very conscientious of this lately too. I find that you can forget about 5th gear unless you are cruising constantly above 50 mph, which because of traffic and road conditions, is often hard to do other than on the highway. Bottom line is that 4th gear is where I'm usually at during cruising speeds from 40-55 which is most of my driving.

You also have to be more proactive at downshifting too. If you leave it up to the Spyder you'll find yourself below the 3500 mark too often.
 
My shift point has always been around 5K, it's just that slow traffic keeps you at 3K ish in first gear… can't get to 5K!! Usually, when this happens, it's up to almost a shift (5K), then back to 2500-3500, behind a slow truck…. though not usually for more than a mile or so….

I tend to be hyper with the Spyder - with the nearest decent dealer 70 miles away, one doesn't want things to break.
 
I try not to let it go below 4k and shift at 5k or higher.

Personally I feel like anything under 5k the engine feels like it's suffering.

To cure you of the feeling that it's "suffering" at higher rpms try this.

Don't shift.

Drive around at 6-8k in and notice how smooth the engine gets. Notice how responsive the throttle is.

These engines don't mind that one bit. You can do that all day.

Your mileage will suffer of course, and not everyone is into that sporty feel.

But try it sometime for an extended period, not just one hard acceleration... doesn't have to be hard. Just slowly accelerate to 7k and listen to it smooth out and purr.

After that go back to riding however you like with a more comfortable feeling that it really doesn't hurt a thing.
 
harrypottar said:
Its really hard to adjust to this type of riding coming from a Goldwing, trying to maintain 4k rpm or above in traffic is difficult. Sounds like the engine is suffering, screaming for a gear change. Instinct is telling me to change up but fighting the urge is difficult. Sounds like the engine is going to bust out the spyder.

When you need to change between 4.5k and 5k and you have to run above 3.5k thats a very small band width to drive at a constant speed. Wish they could make that better.


harry
Click to expand...


Pull a trailer and put it into trailer-mode and it will show you how high the RPM's can get before it allows you to shift.

After pulling a trailer for a good distance over several trips I got used to running at higher RPM's even when not pulling a trailer. In doing so I have now noticed how much smoother the engine runs and how much smoother it shifts. I also notice how much more power I have.

My shifting points have all now moved-up quite a bit in RPM's. I am now comfortable at riding in fourth-gear doing 60-65 MPH.

Try it and you'll eventually come around to it and notice how much less stress the motor, drive-train, and bearings are experiencing.
 
Illinois Boy said:
Pull a trailer and put it into trailer-mode and it will show you how high the RPM's can get before it allows you to shift.

After pulling a trailer for a good distance over several trips I got used to running at higher RPM's even when not pulling a trailer. In doing so I have now noticed how much smoother the engine runs and how much smoother it shifts. I also notice how much more power I have.

My shifting points have all now moved-up quite a bit in RPM's. I am now comfortable at riding in fourth-gear doing 60-65 MPH.

Try it and you'll eventually come around to it and notice how much less stress the motor, drive-train, and bearings are experiencing.
Click to expand...

I took my trailer to Americade, it won't shift out of first gear until you hit around 5k, sounded like I was throttling the cat, I guess I just have to get used to it.

Love my spyder just don't want to mis treat the engine.

Harry
 
What kind of damage are we talking about? We're supposed to take delivery of our RT A/C this week - hopefully... and I'd hate to start my ownership off wrong...
 
shelbydave said:
What kind of damage are we talking about? We're supposed to take delivery of our RT A/C this week - hopefully... and I'd hate to start my ownership off wrong...
Click to expand...

There was a thread earlier about how SE5 clutches were being destroyed by shifting at and holding too low of RPMs.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2
 
Dragonrider said:
Well, following the flurry of threads regarding the damage 1500 to 3000 RPM riding will cause, I've been more attentive.

I generally ride in suburban - light industrial conditions, and find myself behind an 18 wheeler, in 1st gear, loping along at 2500 RPM fairly often, but more typically, riding between 3500 and 4500 RPM. I have thought this was a major advantage for the SE, but perhaps not.

Is 3K a magic number? Where anything above it is fine?
Click to expand...

If your behind an 18 wheeler in stop and go traffic RPM does not matter- 1,500-2,500 is fine. In state park roads I shift to 2nd at 2,500 so I can go the 20 MPH in peace. Fourth Gear at 3,500 is fine if your on a secondary (Non Hill) Road?
I also burn through the Gears Every time I ride a Lot more than ONCE- My plugs at 17,000 were a Nice Golden Lighter Shade of Brown!! Life is Good!!!!!!!!!!!!:roflblack:
 
harrypottar said:
I took my trailer to Americade, it won't shift out of first gear until you hit around 5k, sounded like I was throttling the cat, I guess I just have to get used to it.

Love my spyder just don't want to mis treat the engine.

Harry
Click to expand...

That is what trailer mode is supposed to do.

Don't worry about the rpm...the Rotax is designed to take it. The Spyder engine is happiest above 5,000 rpm. You are more likely to do damage in the lower half of the rpm range than the upper half. Lots of Harley and Gold wing riders have to get used to the higher rpm engine. BMW and other sport-touring riders are used to it. It hurts nothing.
 
Illinois Boy said:
Try it and you'll eventually come around to it and notice how much less stress the motor, drive-train, and bearings are experiencing.
Click to expand...

Is this damage mainly on the clutch, or have there been some engine / bearing damage as well? And if that is the case, could it be related to the oil pressure? I recall seeing a thread about oil pressure dropping at low RPM's...
 
Just the clutch. rotax agnines are pretty robust; unlike those old British sports cars that had weak bottom-ends... :shocked:
 
I am another believer, I havent been riding my spyder long but today I ran it 5000 Rpm's and it was as smooth as it has been. The engine smooths out and the shifting is also much smoother. This has to be the best site to get great info

Thanks again
 
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