RPM / Speed / Gear Questions

I cheaped out and simply used a sharpie:


Not fancy but looks way better than before! I'd like to comment on the whole power band thing. If you're not used to it these bikes can get away from you in a hurry when you get past 7K, especially in the lower gears. I hardly touch red unless I'm in at least 2nd gear, it can be hard on the transmission bashing her into second after spinning her into the danger zone...

 

original





$11 and an hour's worth of work later

 

my 81 650 regularly hits 10 000 RPM, sometimes when the traffics lite i like to get myself at the front of the que at the lights and open it up in 1st abit and give second 2nd a work out then im sitting all alone with a heap of cars behind me and heap in front, no cars to worry about for awhile, and a bonus is a sh#tload of fun, if i want something to putt around on i would get a moped

 

You know you want to

 

Thanks for your help NigeW

Thanks for the Info! This was very helpful! I wish the woman I bought it from told me not to drive it with the choke on. But instead she said i should just tap it over to the off position as the bike warmed up on my way home. The idle was set low too so it would tend to die in traffic if i took the choke off.

BUT NOW THIS IS FIXED, I now have the idle and choke set harmoniously enough to start the bike with choke warm up for about 2 minutes then bring the choke to off and keep the bike idling nicely. It might have helped that today was very warm... but anyway its progress.

Have I been doing any serious damage to the bike by running with the choke on for a couple of days? I really only took it above 6000 rpm once. I am guessing it died in traffic after being driven too hard because it running way too rich and or flooding...?

Any other info on the responsible operation of an old motorcycle would be greatly appreciated! The info i have been digging up on this forum has been very helpful so far!

 

One time I forgot to take the choke off, had it on the halfway mark on the way home. I couldn't get the bike above 6000 on the highway in 5th. Thought it was weird, bothered me.

Just after getting off the highway, realized the problem.

I can't imagine you've damaged anything, it would just indicate serious problems if that was really required... But who knows, maybe I'll learn something here in a minute.

 

Sounds like you've got it sorted now. Your plugs might want a clean after running that rich for a while but I can't think there'll be any damage to anything. - apart from your mpg!

 

As Nige said, you might have sooted up the inside of the engine and the plugs a bit, but that will burn off when you open her up a little bit. If you did create a lot of soot, you might get a little smoke for a hundred yards of so, but if you're looking forwards you won't notice.

 

The motorcycling equivalent of turning up the radio to drown out the knocking...

I love it! "As long as you're looking forward you won't notice the smoke."

Seriously though; you didn't hurt anything but you need to learn a bit more about your bike and get the recommended maintenance caught up on and soon.

 

Wanted to revive this thread for a 1yr< rider question. I did a 30 mile ride today taking the rev advice here. Like the others, I had been shifting conservatively (too quickly). Today on my ride, I let 2nd rev to 5k and 3rd to 5-6k. Hit a highway and never got into 5th, but loved cruising in 4th at 5500-6k.

My question is shifting technique. How do you shift 3rd-4th gear with 3rd gear at 6k without getting some lurch? It didn't seem to be a problem going from 2nd to 3rd at high rpm, but 3rd to 4th gave me a little uncomforting lurch.

I picked up a 125cc Kymco scooter for my commute into work 13 miles one way through mostly urban streets - 40mph max roads, and the Kymco keeps up with traffic no problem. Comparing my XJ750 to the Kymco commute, I felt the Kymco was just safer not having to constantly downshift and stop. But higher rev riding might work just as well, perhaps not ever getting out of 3rd gear.

 

After reading this thread i was just wonder on the secas is it posible to peal off the green lacker on the speedo and the tack and use staind glass paint on it causei would like a differnt color other than this green milky white

 

Use your clutch.. no more lurch

If you ARE using your clutch, i'm thinking you need to adjust it, you shouldn't get any bucking or lurching when changing gears with the clutch in.

When you get experienced enough, you'll be able to shift 2 through to 5th without using the clutch at all, and do it smooth as silk.

 

If you're getting the "lurch" when releasing the clutch in the new gear make sure you roll off the throttle all the way when you shift, shift slower to let the RPMs come down ore, or both.