Hi, I am a relatively new rider, 2013 Bonneville T100 and not really sure where the right rotational speed (engine speed) is and where I should be shifting in typical driving (I get if I am accelerating hard I would rev higher, but if I am cruising at a steady speed where should i be shifting roughly)? Also, is it ok to feather the clutch in higher gears or even use the friction zone in 2nd? I find I can be lurchy if I don't use the clutch after I have rolled off the throttle and need to bring it back on otherwise.
I'd be wanting to change down a gear in that case. That would probably quicker to get back up to speed and put less strain on the engine. (Lurchy means engine not rotating smoothly and a sign you're in too high a gear.) Really, you want to be in the correct gear for the current road speed, so change down as you slow down, rather than a reaction when you feel it's lurchy when getting back on the throttle. Knowing the correct gear is a matter of learning from experience, but you can soon learn what the lowest revs are for smooth engine running and recognise the sound when that point is reached. You can also experiment and glance at the rev counter.
As noted, practice will help you develop a feel for what is right. Don’t let the engine labor, so try to keep the revs up a bit rather than low. I’m going through this learning process myself. Also release the clutch slowly, it’ll help you transition better and smoother. Remember, it’s not like a car where you want to quickly release the clutch, it’s a wet clutch and playing with it won’t hurt it. It’ll just help you moderate the power.
Ah, sorry, I misunderstood. Yeh, my bikes very lurchy too, needs very careful throttle use and/or clutch slipping when in slow traffic.
Underdoug. Get yourself some progressive. The rest is just a trait of the Bonnies. Do make sure your throttle is adjusted right with a small bit of free play at the throttle grip. Joe.
Never lug the motor. Says so in the owner’s manual. That being said, hitting the rev limiter won’t hurt it either, but that’s not a natural thing to do, either. Your sweet spot in the rev range is likely higher than you expect it to be. Running through the neighborhood in first or second gear at 3000-4000 rpm is probably where you’re going to find it. (I ride a T120 and first gear is TALL.) When underway and in 5th gear, and you come up on traffic, seeing brake lights ahead, downshifting sooner and grabbing that next lower gear (or two) is a safe thing to be doing - so you can accelerate quickly if the opportunity presents itself, or you can downshift more if you see the need. When you roll off the throttle you want to feel like the motor is slowing you down. Your motor is your friend. Get intimate with it. It’s tough. Don’t be afraid of running higher rpm’s, but it’s best not to downshift suddenly from too fast a speed into too low a gear. Ride the motor, not the bike, and it’ll make a better rider out of you and you’ll enjoy it more. And gain confidence faster. Use the engine braking when slowing down, and learn how to save your brakes by using the engine braking to your advantage. (When you need to stop, STOP!, but when coming up to red lights, downshifting and letting the engine share some of the load doesn’t hurt it a bit.
Don't overthink about it. As the guys already told you, it is a matter of experience on every certain motorcycle but you will gain such experience very quickly, you will see. I think it would also help to check the specs and see at what RPM the peak torque is reached. For steady cruising without too hard acceleration, I think there is no point to exceed (or even reach) this point. For example, my T100 reaches the peak torque at 3,750 RPM. For city cruising, I tend to change gear between 2500 - 3250 RPM, depending on which gear I am in, how fast I want to accelerate and how heavy the traffic is. Hope this helps.
