i never (almost) red line my bike, at least in sixth gear!

 

You can go way beyond that... Just make sure you dont go all the way to BOOM!!!

 

Well think about it guys, banging the rev limiter results in the fuel or ignition being temporarily cut to the motor so that it can't rev anymore than it has. However, now you got the motor "out of balance" with some cylinders firing, others not. It's designed in order to save a random over-rev, not constantly use it. It will still stretch and strain the motor over time. In a 12 or 24-hour race your motor wouldn't last.

By the way, if you're running close to the red-line and downshift the vehicle w/o slowing enough to get the engine in the right rev range you will exceed red-line on the motor and if it's zero-clearance the valves can float and contact the pistons which is bad.

 

+1
More than a few engines have been wasted doing that.

 

The only bikes I ever owned without a tach were Harleys, but it didn't take long to get used to the feel for the powerband on the other makes. Besides being potentially harmful, hitting the rev limiter was not only annoying, the motor had already flattened out. Finally figured out how to ride it, and we are both (me and the bike) much better that way.

 

I took the glass out of my tach and painted the redline black, now I can run it up to 8500 RPM.

 

+1 And go heavy on the swank!

 

Anything after your powerbands peak is a waste. I try not to shift past 5500 rpm, my peak hp is at 5300 rpm.

 

I think how often you redline and when depends where you live. Around here there is hardly enough open space without a tractor pulling out in front of ya. When I was young and stupid I used to ride my sporty like a jap bike, but now I'm older and that kids stuff just really doesn't interest me anymore, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

 

As they say '' ride it like you stole it.''It's more fun that way.