[shortyg83]

So I figured I would start a thread to see what speeds people are using to shift.
At a normal acceleration, mine are as follows.

Rebel 500
1st to 2nd: 15 mph
2nd to 3rd: 23-25 mph
3rd to 4th: 32-35 mph
4th to 5th: 40-43 mph
5th to 6th: 48-50 mph

Now, this is just while accelerating at a normal traffic pace. If you are riding more laid back, you can shift much earlier and get into a higher gear sooner.
Or on the other hand, if you are trying to accelerate faster, you can shift slightly later. Letting the engine REV a bit more.

Curious as to where everyone else finds themselves shifting so far.

 

[Shadow Shack]

FWIW I have yielded excellent results with the owner's manual recommended shift points on the various Hondas I own/have owned over the years. Granted, many bikes can be wound up to the top gear shift point while still in first gear, but for regular daily commuting, I've found Honda's points to work quite well in stop & go traffic.

What they tend not to tell you is when the rev limiter starts bouncing in each gear. That's always entertaining the first time it happens.

 

[jsonder]

Well, the shift points in my CB500X Owner's Manual work if you use the km/hr values in mph; the manual is going for maximum fuel economy.

 

[shortyg83]

FWIW I have yielded excellent results with the owners manual recommended shift points on the various Hondas I own/have owned over the years. Granted many bikes can be wound up to the top gear shift point while still in first gear, but for regular daily commuting I've found Honda's points to work quite well in stop & go traffic.

What they tend not to tell you is when the rev limiter starts bouncing in each gear. That's always entertaining the first time it happens.

Most people on the cbr500 forum say the books shift points are terrible. They want you shifting so fast there is no power.
But I haven't gotten the manual for my bike yet so I can't even see what they recommend.

 

[Djdavies]

I'm with shorty. I did find it odd that I would be in 6th so soon, but without a tach I don't have a reference yet just from sound and feel.

The manual says:
1st to 2nd- 12mph (20km/h)
2nd to 3rd- 19mph (30km/h)
3rd to 4th- 25mph (40km/h)
4th to 5th- 31mph (50km/h)
5th to 6th- 37mph (60km/h)

That seems a bit ridiculous, but they are nice even numbers in km/h.

 

[Shadow Shack]

The manual says:
1st to 2nd- 12mph (20km/h)
2nd to 3rd- 19mph (30km/h)
3rd to 4th- 25mph (40km/h)
4th to 5th- 31mph (50km/h)
5th to 6th- 37mph (60km/h)

Take away the 5th-to-6th shift point and that reads exactly like the 250 Rebel manual. Even though the 250 can wind out to 20 or so in first, 35 or so in 2nd, 55 or so in third...those shift points work quite well in congested city driving. I actually find myself backing off the throttle with those shift points to avoid eating a rear bumper as the accordion ahead slowly expands.

A lot of folks on the 250 board say the same thing about "shifting long before the power signs on" but I've found unless I'm in any kind of a hurry there's no need to tap the power.

 

[kuri77]

While breaking in my daughters' bikes I have found that going with almost the same number gear as mph works pretty well. Change to 2nd at 20 or just before, 3rd at 30 or just before etc. Some might think it a little revvy but it is definitely nowhere near redline or making the engine scream. On the other hand definitely stops lugging the engine which both girls are likely to do at times. Once they get used to making the engine work it'll be better for the bikes in the long run.

 

[shadow]

So I figured I would start a thread to see what speeds people are using to shift.
At a normal acceleration mine are as follows.

Rebel 500
1st to 2nd: 15 mph
2nd to 3rd: 23-25 mph
3rd to 4th: 32-35 mph
4th to 5th: 40-43 mph
5th to 6th: 48-50 mph

Mine are very close to yours:

Rebel 500A
1st to 2nd: 14 mph
2nd to 3rd: 23-25 mph
3rd to 4th: 35 mph
4th to 5th: 42 mph
5th to 6th: 48 mph

 

[jindo118hcm]

I'm with shorty. I did find it odd that I would be in 6th so soon, but without a tach I don't have a reference yet just from sound and feel.

The manual says:
1st to 2nd- 12mph (20km/h)
2nd to 3rd- 19mph (30km/h)
3rd to 4th- 25mph (40km/h)
4th to 5th- 31mph (50km/h)
5th to 6th- 37mph (60km/h)

That seems a bit ridiculous, but they are nice even numbers in km/h.

may i know where can you find that part in the manual, please? i think it pretty matched for me with that shifting pattern
i have been looking for it but my user manual only provide the the shifting gear mechanic "1 down 5 up" on page 29 only
thank you!

 

[longbeachgary]

I have to tell you that these shifting points seem ridiculously low. Mine are more like:

1st to 2nd - 20mph
2nd to 3rd - 35mph
3rd to 4th- 48mph
4th to 5th- 58mph
5th to 6th - 68mph

Even at these shifting points the bike never hits the rev-limiter.

 

[Vulture916]

Forgive my ignorance, but is downshifting at or around the same speeds the right thing to be doing to slow down?

A little confused because the manual has a pretty big gap. For example:

Shifting up 5th to 6th = 37 MPH (60 km/h) while downshifting 6th to 5th = 28 mph (35km/h).

 

[Json_Blob]

I am pretty close to Shorty's numbers. I usually try to be in 6th by 45mph so when the natural accordion loosens when merging on the freeway up I'm already in gear and don't have to get one more shift done. So by 42-45 I aim to be in 6th gear. It's maybe a little more sluggish on the acceleration since you're at lower RPM but I find it worth it.

My argument for shifting earlier and closer to the manual's numbers in my experience is the engine braking doesn't jerk me around as hard when I shift earlier and don't clutch to smooth over the engine braking engaging. The engine braking can be a bit jolting if you forget it's going to kick back if you're revving on the higher end. I have that happen a lot rolling up to stop lights behind cars that crawl forward unable to decide if they want coffee or not and if so don't know how to pull into a starbucks driveway without stopping half the city so they don't scrape their Prius bumpers on the pavement... sorry, rant over.

I find 1st gear stupidly short, 2nd gear is pretty good but often have to clutch-smooth the engine braking so I'm not getting bucked around when i'm on and off the throttle in traffic and revving the engine slightly to both let people know i'm there but also to avoid shifting to third for like 3 seconds until I'm again too slow for 3rd.

 

[bajonett]

I would say it is somewhere between yours and the suggestion below, shifting from 4 to 5 at 58mph seems quite high for me.. It is true that doesn't hit the limiter but I would find the engine working a bit hard at that point

 

[Json_Blob]

Forgive my ignorance, but is downshifting at or around the same speeds the right thing to be doing to slow down?

A little confused because the manual has a pretty big gap. For example:

Shifting up 5th to 6th = 37 MPH (60 km/h) while downshifting 6th to 5th = 28 mph (35km/h).

I've done downshifting with engine braking when no cars are behind me, works fine for me. Remember engine braking works great but you're not hitting your brake lights so cars behind don't know you're slowing up. And I'd recommend being real slow on the clutch release until you get a feel for the RPM matching and the consequent bite when the engine realizes it's goin a bit faster than everything else it's engaging as you let out the clutch.

 

[longbeachgary]

I have to tell you that these shifting points seem ridiculously low. Mine are more like:

1st to 2nd - 20mph
2nd to 3rd - 35mph
3rd to 4th- 48mph
4th to 5th- 58mph
5th to 6th - 68mph

Even at these shifting points the bike never hits the rev-limiter.

Forgive my ignorance, but is downshifting at or around the same speeds the right thing to be doing to slow down?

A little confused because the manual has a pretty big gap. For example:

Shifting up 5th to 6th = 37 MPH (60 km/h) while downshifting 6th to 5th = 28 mph (35km/h).

Like I said before, IMO the shift points mentioned in the book and on here are ridiculously low. You do not want to be in 6th gear at 37 mph.

 

[shortyg83]

Like I said before, IMO the shift points mentioned in the book and on here are ridiculously low. You do not want to be in 6th gear at 37 mph.

I don't think i previously saw your shift points. While the book is low, it is meant for just basic low speed cruising. But your shift points seem crazy high. If I stayed in 1st until 20 miles my engine feels and sounds like it wants to blow up. I mean if I was trying to race everytime I was on the bike I could possibly see shifting that high, but it is just dumb to shift that high all the time. I honestly think your speeds would likely cause damage in the long run for the bike. Just because it isn't hitting the rev limiter doesn't mean it is safe for the bike. It would likely put a lot of stress on the engine to be shifting that high. Though I guess that is something we won't know anytime soon because the bike does not have a tachyometer. I really wish honda would release a different speedo with a tach on it.

 

[longbeachgary]

I don't think i previously saw your shift points. While the book is low, it is meant for just basic low speed cruising. But your shift points seem crazy high. If I stayed in 1st until 20 miles my engine feels and sounds like it wants to blow up. I mean if I was trying to race everytime I was on the bike I could possibly see shifting that high, but it is just dumb to shift that high all the time. I honestly think your speeds would likely cause damage in the long run for the bike. Just because it isn't hitting the rev limiter doesn't mean it is safe for the bike. It would likely put a lot of stress on the engine to be shifting that high. Though I guess that is something we won't know anytime soon because the bike does not have a tachyometer. I really wish honda would release a different speedo with a tach on it.

Maybe when you get more experience you can point out to me what is dumb and I'll take notice. As far as damage, the engine is doing what it is meant to be doing it's not going to get damaged.

 

[Hondora]

A well, remember that guy who revved out his engine? Wasn't all that expensive in the end.

I think what longbeach really wants/needs is a Kawasaki ninja. They love to rev high and they are fast as buggery.

 

[bajonett]

the engine is doing what it is meant to be doing it's not going to get damaged.

This is where you get it wrong.
It is not meant to be used like that. Although its a ptwin and it can rev a lot higher than a V, it's a cruiser after all and it's been tuned that way, to reach its peak power lover than the other configuration of the same engine. Revving that high is definitely not healthy.. But it is your business how to treat your own bike after all.

 

[shortyg83]

I don't think i previously saw your shift points. While the book is low, it is meant for just basic low speed cruising. But your shift points seem crazy high. If I stayed in 1st until 20 miles my engine feels and sounds like it wants to blow up. I mean if I was trying to race everytime I was on the bike I could possibly see shifting that high, but it is just dumb to shift that high all the time. I honestly think your speeds would likely cause damage in the long run for the bike. Just because it isn't hitting the rev limiter doesn't mean it is safe for the bike. It would likely put a lot of stress on the engine to be shifting that high. Though I guess that is something we won't know anytime soon because the bike does not have a tachyometer. I really wish honda would release a different speedo with a tach on it.

Maybe when you get more experience you can point out to me what is dumb and I'll take notice. As far as damage, the engine is doing what it is meant to be doing it's not going to get damaged.

Cool insult me, I've been riding for 10 years, and clearly know more about bikes than you seem to. Enjoy damaging your bike.