What RPM's do you ride at usually?

[cusso ken]

I find I spend most of my time between 2,500 - 3,000 RPM. 3,000 on my bike is ~80 mph - which is cruising speed here in South Florida.

Lucky You! 80mph (129Kph) is almost license tearing up time even on our freeways,110kph max in NSW, 141 is the speed that Police take your license away on the spot for 3 Months and 156kph on the freeway it's an automatic 6 Months disqualification ,this is enforced at all speed zones 50/60 70/80/90/100 and 110kph except school zones. where they rightfully throw the book at speeders.
That aside my recent Dyno readout shows the sweet spot for power and Torque is between 2200 - 3500rpm =80kph -150kph, my seat of the pants tacho fells about right with these figures.

 

[Pete]

I normally like to spin along in 4th in the traffic while keeping a good look out.
Any gear change from there is related to how the motor feels related to the demands I make.
Such as slow moving attack from the right by inattentive pimply faced youth driving mums taxi would require touch of front brake and closed throttle but a serious assault by a lane changing yuppie that has no respect for anything that costs less than a new merc might need to drop one or two gears and the finger as you flash past to guard the position in the lane.

However I do find that due to the bucket loads of torque (as everyone probably knows) you can be in too high a gear with the throttle closed and instead of labouring the bike will accelerate. This can catch the you out if your not paying attention, I've had a couple of instances where I've accelerated into a hazard on the occasion I was in too high a gear even though I've closed the throttle.

 

[kaivalagi]

Lucky You! 80mph (129Kph) is almost license tearing up time even on our freeways

80 in a 55 in Florida wouldn't do you any favours if you got caught either....the trick is not to get caught Of course I only give it the beans when on a private strip of road

around 2000-2500rpm cruising for me which is very rare, more likely to have the bike running between 3500-5500rpm on the back roads having fun...my average MPG right now since start of ownership is 30mpg (UK) which shows I'm not so interested in the cruising side

 

[Pete]

Speed is not a good look on congested roads and everyone should be aware that its not acceptable behaviour (these days).
I have to admit that when I'm out in the Western Qld back blocks with a few of the willing. we travel at a tad over the speed limit.
200 to 240k is not uncommon amongst the hayabusa boys, and I hate to be left behind.

 

[ksquared]

80 in a 55 in Florida wouldn't do you any favours if you got caught either....the trick is not to get caught Of course I only give it the beans when on a private strip of road

Very much agreed. On our freeways and turnpikes, the posted limit is between 65 - 70 MPH. 10 over will USUALLY not get you into any trouble if you are riding (and behaving) like an adult. If you are wearing a helmet and gear, add another 5 MPH. Indeed, there's a bill before the state legislature to raise the limits in many places by an additional 5 MPH.

This isn't to say that we don't occasionally get a FHP officer who will be a little more conservative and give out a ticket for speeds 8-10 over, I can tell you that I consider the FHP a good police organization and that they patrol Florida's highways in an enlightened and reasonable manner.

 

[cusso ken]

Speed is not a good look on congested roads and everyone should be aware that its not acceptable behaviour (these days).
I have to admit that when I'm out in the Western Qld back blocks with a few of the willing. we travel at a tad over the speed limit.
200 to 240k is not uncommon amongst the hayabusa boys, and I hate to be left behind.

These days I am not in such a hurry, and once the speed gets around the old 100mph (160Kph) bench mark I mostly say that's enough ,it was fast in the old days so to me it is still fast as I like to go , what I like about modern bikes is you don't have to wring their necks to get up to this speed, and feel safe doing it.

 

[kaivalagi]

True about modern bikes feeling safer, I took a newish cafe racer out for a spin not so long back so all good with reliability etc but that ride position and bike geometry, although making it fun, made it a little unnerving approaching 3 figures....my KTM and Triumph however both feel as safe at their top end as they do when being conservative, as did a Triumph Explorer in a recent demo ride....the unurbanised road limits need to move with the times IMHO

I don't know how "policed" the roads are in the states and downunder but for me in the UK I'll not be so concerned when it's a national speed limit on back roads with lots of bends and little traffic, not much in the way of speed guns etc...if on the motorway/interstate I'll tend to cruise about 10mph over the limit....we're still waiting for the government here to up the speed limit from 70 to 80 on the motorway....then I'll be cruising at 90

Ideally could do with a 6th gear on the Rocket for a nice leisurely 90 though....an overdrive like you find on the Victory bikes would be the ticket

 

[bruce aussie]

It's true that bikes feel safer and are capable of sustaining 3 figure speeds all day. Brakes, suspension and tyres have all been greatly improved in the last 30 years. Modern cars have crumple zones and air bags. But if you run into one or one hits you at 3 figure speeds the good brakes, suspension tyres and their crumple zones aren't going to do you much good. I tend to think those old slow bad handling bikes helped keep me alive when I was young and experimenting with the boundaries.

 

[Jeff Cameron]

The torque of the Rocket engine makes me a lazy gear shifter......

 

[cusso ken]

It's true that bikes feel safer and are capable of sustaining 3 figure speeds all day. Brakes, suspension and tyres have all been greatly improved in the last 30 years. Modern cars have crumple zones and air bags. But if you run into one or one hits you at 3 figure speeds the good brakes, suspension tyres and their crumple zones aren't going to do you much good. I tend to think those old slow bad handling bikes helped keep me alive when I was young and experimenting with the boundaries.

You and me both , for cars and bikes the magic ton was attainable for short periods on most of my early bikes and cars , but we tended to travel after a few pistons through the crankcases and seized motors more like 65 to 75 mph where the road permitted, I am of the opinion that if I had any of the bigger /faster bikes of today when I was young it would more than likely ended in tears