| Author | Message | ||
     1_mike |
I bought this XB12 with low miles but worn out front tire. The orig. owner ran way to low a pressure. Anyway I set the suspension to my liking, fixed a few things that he also screwed up and put the Pilot Power tires on this past weekend. Drove it to work today. 41 miles one way. My question is...are these engines happiest in the 4000 to 7000 range as mine seems to be. Kinda like a two stroke..? No stumbles, no hickups. Seems a tad lean below 3000 and a tad rich above that...but neither are that bad. Thanks Mike | ||
| Srwitt |
4k+ is the engines happy spot. Lug it and it gets hot, sit in traffic it gets hot, open it up and get her out of town, she will be very happy. My first thoughts when jumping on the Buell, "I thought it would be happier down low", proved false. Harley engines are good at being lugged, they're tuned for cruising. The Thunderstorm is a different animal, it wants to be revved. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
My 9 will fly around when I twist the throttle if I'm cruising anywhere over 4k. Any less than that and she doesn't want to go until she's sputtered her way to 4k | ||
| Shadyplace20 |
My 12R really likes 3800-4k too. Solidified that last night when I was all over the rear of my buddy's CBR6rr doing some twisties. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
4100 and up. I have a suspicion that a lot of the bikes with problems are being ridden in town and below 3500. Just cause it's Harley based doesn't mean it likes parades, it doesn't. | ||
| Xbniner |
For around town driving I usually ride around 3500, which sounds like it's too low for you guys. I know I have a lot more power at 4k+ but it just seems like it's screaming in that range. Maybe because I'm new to bikes and used to cars with v8s, but it feels wrong to cruise that high on the tach. What am I doing wrong? | ||
| Boltrider |
Around 3500 for me, unless I'm in 5th gear. In 5th I try to keep it at 4K or above. | ||
| Jraice |
3-3.5K RPM is a cruising RPM for me, as if you get well over 4,000rpm for just cruising it seems to get a little buzzy, but if you are on and off the gas (riding in the mountains) that is definetly the happy zone. For 30-60mph range type riding I am almost always in 2nd gear, I dont mind it spinning that fast in the straights, and I like having the slight engine braking to slow. Much faster and I do shift into 3rd or even 4th but still like to get it back over 4,000rpm for the slower turns to hammer out of them  . | ||
| 1_mike |
Thanks...I feel better now. It'll hit redline in just the flick of a proverbial hat once past 4000rpm. This morning the fan didn't come on till I shut if off. It'll be interesting to see what happens with the fan on the way home! I might be driving the XB to work only on cooler days...we'll see. Mike | ||
| Tmall |
I ride it in two different ranges. When I'm putting around, from 2500-3500. And when I'm out having fun, 3500 and up. | ||
| Jraice |
I know what you mean Mike! I have slowly been working my way to WOT 1st gear accelerations but its hard as it just seems like it gets there so frieking fast I dont have time to apply the throttle  . But yeah the bike is definetly more happy above 4,000rpm, when its rev'd up it almost feels like an I4. If you get on it hard much under 3,500rpm it lugs and crawls up the rev's a bit before pulling at a significant click. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
I generally don't ride the thing below 3,000 PRM ever. If I am riding a tad more spirited, I like to be 4,000 RPM or higher. | ||
| Srwitt |
The only time my fan comes on, even on HOT days is when the bike is shut off, or extended periods at 85+mph, or when I'm sitting in traffic. Other than that, even when on, its not really any worse than having the fans kick on on a water cooled machine. | ||
| 1_mike |
Paint - Not below 3000.? Every stop light around here requires that one stops. I let my engine come down to idle during those stops! Kidding aside, splitting lanes in So. Cal., requires SLOW going. Keeping the rpm up can at time be a challenge of it's own. My fan was on for about 3/4 of my drive going home from work yesterday. The ambient temp. was in the low 70's. As far as commuting, this is obviously a cool weather bike. And Jraice - Changing freeways last night...I bounced it pretty hard off the rev. limiter..! Gets there pretty quickly. Interesting that they'd put high rpm cams and tuning in an engine with a 7000rpm rev. limit. Mike (Message edited by 1_mike on April 28, 2009) | ||
| Rydberg |
my main commute route is 55-60 mph. i ride in top gear at about 3k, basicly just idleing along, putting next to no strain on the motor but knowing if i am going to pass this car in front of me i will deffinitly have to down shift at least once so it does not lug. my theory is at low RPM in top gear, you get the best heat generation to air cooling ratio. the faster it spins the hotter its gonna get. honestly, my bike has never seen Redline. i typicly shift arounr 5k. in top gear at 5k im going 80-90. there has only been a few times when i broke 100. at Yellow line in top gear i was doin 120. | ||
| Jraice |
Mike, thats one of the things I love about the XB12! My R6 rev'd like there was no tomorrow, I'd enter the freeway or an expwy, spin up 1st gear but then before I even needed to shift to second I was already slowing down to match traffic... The XB12 I can romp on it and do what, 50/55mph at redline (dont know exactly) and even 2nd gear redline is still close enough to legal on many freeways or back country roads that you can do it often. I like having to shift, I didnt enjoy having a 16,500rpm redline. |
