6th and whine

[csj]

Two subjects.

Do you new F6B and Valk owners still go reaching for the 6th gear, and
do you hear the gear whine between 2K and 2.5K rpm like on the old Valks?

[bscrive]

I usually look for that elusive 6th gear, but I still have not found it.    As for the whine, I don't hear anything from the engine. 

[_Sheffjs_]

Two subjects.

Do you new F6B and Valk owners still go reaching for the 6th gear, and
do you hear the gear whine between 2K and 2.5K rpm like on the old Valks?

Wow, you know what now that you ask I don't think so.   I will have to pay close attention

[14ValkyriePilot]

I rarely go for i6 (imaginary 6th) anymore. It's a quick easy read on the tach and I'm usually over the speed limit before I get through 5th (upper 50's/lower 60's around 3k). On the VTX, it was all of the time. I would even back off the throttle a bit so it didn't sound like an obvious 5 to 5. There's a 4th gear 2.5k to 3k whine that reminds me that I'm approaching the lower 50's and not in 5th.

The amount that I hear and feel compared to a loud-piped V twin is crazy. Love it though.

[goldstar903]

I just installed the GiPro Gear Indicator DS-series, GPDS-HO2. Red color display. Plug and Play, no more guessing! Love this thing! 

[_Sheffjs_]

I just installed the GiPro Gear Indicator DS-series, GPDS-HO2. Red color display. Plug and Play, no more guessing! Love this thing! 

Where did you place it?

[goldstar903]

Left side of speedo housing.

[TallRider]

I rarely go for i6 (imaginary 6th) anymore. It's a quick easy read on the tach and I'm usually over the speed limit before I get through 5th (upper 50's/lower 60's around 3k). On the VTX, it was all of the time. I would even back off the throttle a bit so it didn't sound like an obvious 5 to 5. There's a 4th gear 2.5k to 3k whine that reminds me that I'm approaching the lower 50's and not in 5th.

The amount that I hear and feel compared to a loud-piped V twin is crazy. Love it though.

Same problem with me. Had a 05 VTX 1800 with Bub's Jug Huggers. was loud as hell. When first riding the Valk. I kept thinking I was in 3rd gear all the time with the feeling of the imaginary high rev  you get from transitioining from twin to 6 cyl. I changed to 20w50 synthetic. Putting a windshield on telegraphs road and engine noise back at the rider. Heavy oil diminished the wine and reduced trans clunk when shifting. I since modified my shift technique and now just get a click most of the time shifting. I do not use 1st gear except by accident when I loose track downshifting some times. I always start from stop in second gear at an idle advance the throttle after clutch fully engaged. Engine is so strong and smooth bike will pull away from a stop in 3rd at idle as well. Took a long ride saturday to Clewiston and back and realized I had gotten completely used to the bike and no longer feel it is high reving and was quite comfortable running 65-70 and not looking for that other gear. Helmet quiets down all the noise quite a bit. Loud pipes would sure help as well. Not to loud though.

[CajunRider]

Two answers...

Yes & Yes

All normal... nothing to worry about.    





One of these days I WILL find 6th...   

[woofred1832]

                               Ya a 6th gear would be nice, maybe someday a machine shop will get the message and make one,but dont know how much to trim the other gears to make it fit in the trans?
                                As for the wine, its nothing to the sound a yamaha 1300 make ALL the time.
I changed to synthetic oil and most of the sound was gone, now this fall I will do the same to rear drive and all should be good.                     RIDE ON LIFE IS GOOD....................

[dinosnake]

I read a review that states that the flat-6 has a substantially different firing pattern than the typical [V-twin] cruiser, with 3x as many firing pulses, which makes the engine sound busy at cruising speed but in actuality the engine is at typical cruising RPM's.

I think he has a valid point.  3K at 70 MPH is complete typical, my Vulcan does exactly the same RPM, yet on the Valk, when I first started riding it, I was indeed looking for a slightly higher gear.  I thought that 10-15% higher, dropping the RPM's down to 2600 @ 70 MPH, would be right, but now I understand that the top gear ratio is perfect due to the engine's natural torque peak.  Sure, we could wish for a slightly higher top gear...and then lose that great passing power at any speed low enough to actually keep our license    The bike does a staggering 75-100 MPH top gear roll on but what would happen with that higher top gear?  A great 80-110 MPH roll on isn't nearly as useful and would only attract a lawyer to you like flies to a picnic anyway   

[mrtappan]

I've never understood why people so greatly desire to shift more often.  Every six speed bike I've ever owned I spent the majority of my riding skipping over gears.  Personally, I wished they upped the displacement, gave it decent compression, and a more aggressive cam..... then they could make it a three speed.  Which is basically all I use in mine anyways.  Second, either third or fourth depending on the road, then fifth. 

[dans2014]

I look for 6th once in a while but I only have 771 miles on the Valk. You could mark your tach with a sharpie where 5th gear is at cruzing speeds.

[CajunRider]

Sure, we could wish for a slightly higher top gear...and then lose that great passing power at any speed low enough to actually keep our license   

When you have a TRUE overdrive gear (VERY few bikes do), downshift for passing.  All it takes is one second pre-planning, and you're off like a bullet. 

I've never understood why people so greatly desire to shift more often.  Every six speed bike I've ever owned I spent the majority of my riding skipping over gears. 

There's a difference between a close-ratio 6-speed and a 5-speed + overdrive.  (The Wing claims 5th is an overdrive, but it's really just a 5th gear.)

What you describe is a close-ratio 6-speed.  My Triumph TBS has this.  LOTS of shifting (that I actually enjoy).  It's perfect for sporty riding, but can get cumbersome in traffic.

My old V-Strom had a true 6th gear overdrive.  It was there simply to reduce highway rpm.  In fact, the 6th gear overdrive was useless at any speed below 60 mph.  It was only there to reduce rpm when on lengthy high-speed interstate runs.
- You want TOP speed???  Stay in 5th.  (5th actually had a higher top speed than 6th)
- You want to pass???  Stay in 5th.  (much more torque in 5th)
- You want a relaxed cruise at 70 mph??? Use the 6th gear overdrive.  (700 less rpm than 5th)

Nothing wrong with either of these set-ups... all three of the bikes I mention worked perfectly fine.  But I wish the Wing had the V-Strom transmission when running interstate for hours on end.

[OldFatGuy]

I just installed the GiPro Gear Indicator DS-series, GPDS-HO2. Red color display. Plug and Play, no more guessing! Love this thing! 

Pic please! 

[woofred1832]

                                   Most of the time its first to get going, then third to pick up speed, then right to 5th, and on rides through small towns, unless you drop below 30 MPH i just twist the throttle back up to 45,or 55 as soon as we can...... and passing on the hwy is no problem, I dont even down shift ,again just give it throttle and you are at 80 pluss in a blink.   If I dont ride super agressive ,like a mad man, I get a good 45 to 48 MPG. love it now with over 9000 miles and many, many more to go..........