I just have got to interupt here. I have both a BMW and a Harley. Love them both, but for entirely different reasons. In the case of the BMW; if three parts will do, they use seven (or more) . . . very precisely jewel machined elegant pieces of engineering. When it comes to the Harley, where three parts will do, they use two (or one) very large castings (forged no doubt with large hammers, a wood fire and an anvil) that weigh (at an absolute minimum) twice to three times as much as the seven used on the BMW. For utility the BMW is great . . . BUT, when I want to go for a "Motorcycle Ride" it's the Harley every time. Keep them both for awhile and see if my perspective doesn't come to have some merit!

 

My suggestion to all who are not sure what lugging an engine means is this.Ride up a long hill in high gear with constant throttle setting as the bike starts to slow down,stay in high gear until you have no choice but to shift to a lower gear.Then you will begin to understand what lugging a motor feels and SOUNDS like.What you will experience is not good for the drive train,period!

 

On the other hand, it is kind of hard to lug a Harley in the lower three gears. I run mine through the park all the time in 3rd at 18 mph. But then I don't grab a bunch of throttle doing that either. When I get ready to move out, I shift to 2nd. With the low compression of the stock EVO, she runs smooth as silk at just above an idle in 2nd or 3rd.

 

As we say in Motocross " Keep it on the pipe".

 

When in doubt, downshift.