On the highway....

I have an 82 XJ650. When I am on the highway, the engine is running at about 5-6k @ 100-120 kph. Is that normal? Is it hard on the 650 engine? Should I maybe stick to slower roads?

I sure wish it had 6th gear......

 

You do realize they redline at 10K?
That's just coming into the powerband

 

Absolutely normal. Annoying though.

 

Hardly annoying if the bike is well tuned.

My 550 runs its absolute smoothest at about 6200RPM; it's stone dead smooth and almost completely silent and I can roll back to almost no throttle and just SIT there humming along at at 6K--- it's a gas. I don't find it annoying at all.

And that's IN 6th gear, since it's a 550.

 

Thanks all for the replies. Bike is well tuned. Just wanted to make sure it was normal.

 

Read somewhere that these bikes a setup for the 55 mph speed limit?

 

Not 100% sure what that might mean, but maybe it had something to do with the speedometers markings changing to red at 55mph which was the speed limit of that era? (LOL, Sammy Hagar's song wouldn't have rhymed otherwise!)

 

They seem to be geared to run really happily at 70. I don't think Yamaha cared about the old "double-nickel" I think they geared them for California freeways since they perceived that to be their primary market.

 

Mine l loves 70 (65 limit), but is so angry sounding when only doing 30 in town.

 

In town I just keep ~4K on the tach regardless of road speed, that's what the gearbox is for.