A weird situation:

the speedometer on the 2008 machine has a special setting which shows the distance you can ride with the current amount of fuel in the tank.

Riding along the highway of course this number goes down at a certain rate. What I find weird though is that the number seems ot race down when riding in 6th gear. I tested it today on the highwy and when I switched to 6th for sure, it jumped down. Going back to 5th gear the number actually went up at first!

Seems that in 6th gear the machine consumes far more petrol than in 5th. Is it just me or have other people seen this behaviour?

Thanks
Dries

 

Wouldn't it depend on speed of the bike? If you're&nbsp\\;around say 65 MPH and you're in 6th you'd be deeper into the throttle to maintain that speed, thus using more fuel. 5th gear would maintain that speed with a better throttle position. However, if you're up around 75 or 80, different deal.&nbsp\\;

 

I've found that 6th gear under 75mph uses more gas then 5th however over 75 6th gets better then 5th. Just my .02

 

I agree it is for higher speeds, like overdrive

 

There are more things that effect gas mileage than just the gear you're in.&nbsp\\; Sixth gear is very tall.&nbsp\\; Run it below about 70 mph and you will be running the engine at the very bottom of it's power band.&nbsp\\; You may be running 400-500 rpms lower than 5th gear but you will also be running a much higher throttle setting to compensate.&nbsp\\; My experience with an 08 UC has me believeing that 6th gear would only be used above 70 mph and/or when running with a significant tail wind.&nbsp\\; JMOOC!&nbsp\\;
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Ride Safe,
Steve R.

 

I agree that 6th is basically for higher speeds. I wonder why the MOCO put such a tall gear in a bike. I mean, how often do you actually cruise at 80 mph or greater?? Dumb in my opinion.

 

Here in Montana, that would be daily. I would've thought so in OK, too.

 

You need to keep revs up to have the torque be more effecient.. run 75-80 and it'll be much better..

 

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Top speed in Oklahoma is 75 mph on interstates. You can get away with 80, but much more than that, and you're going to be paying a visit to a local judge. We all know how much fun it is to run down an interstate on a bike. 6th gear would pretty much be only an occasional thing.

 

On the interstates, I try not to go 75-80 that much. Sometimes, of course, I will make an exception - such as when traffic in the left lane prevents my normal passage.