[bedemonster]

What RPM in each gear is considered lugging?

1st gear RPM?
2nd gear RPM?
3rd gear RPM?
4th gear RPM?
5th gear RPM?

Thanks

 

[springer-]

IMO Lugging the engine has nothing to do with the RPM's in a certain gear. Lugging the engine has to do with haveing the RPM's to low while under a heavy load. For example, going up a hill and at say 1200 RPM's and the bike starts to slow up a bit so you give it more gas to maintain 1200 RPM's. Eventually you hit a point where the throttle could be wide open, uphill in 4th gear doing 20 mph and you can almost count the cylinders firing, 1-2-1-2-1-2 etc...

When you lug the engine it literally hammars the lower end.

 

[bedemonster]

Springer,

That is good info, but I've heard guys say not to let the RPM's go below 2500 except for 1st & 2nd; otherwise you are lugging your motor. Would you agree with that? Just looking for a little more general information rather than circumstantial.

thanks

 

[springer-]

Lugging has everything to do with load on the motor at an RPM. If I am in 4th gear at 20 MPH say for example 1400 RPM's, is that lugging the engine? Based on the generic statement that was told to you I would have to say YES. But the piece of information that you need to answer the question is missing. What kind of load is the engine under? What if I said, 4th, 20 MPH, 1400 RPM's GOING DOWN HILL. NO engine load. There is NO lugging. Now, same deal only going UPHILL, severe lugging.

Basically Lugging is being in the wrong gear for the engine load. RPM really has nothing directly to do with it except that lugging typically ocures at low RPM's but only because of engine load.

To me lugging is easy to avoid, it is a feel for the bike. It's the sound of the engine. It's vibration it creates. I know right away when I am lugging it because it sounds like my engine is working way too hard for the situation.

 

[Seahag]

Springer,

That is good info, but I've heard guys say not to let the RPM's go below 2500 except for 1st & 2nd; otherwise you are lugging your motor. Would you agree with that? Just looking for a little more general information rather than circumstantial.

thanks

thats good advice to remember while you are learning to become in tune with your bike. Springer's guidlines are more subjective and may take a while for you to learn the intricacies of your bikes mannerisms.

Lots of people don't even take into consideration that they may be lugging the motor because they think the exhaust sounds so much nicer when you run the rpm real low. I agree...it sounds cool...but for how long?

 

[petelogan]

Purely subjective, but if I'm opening the throttle and still losing or even not gaining speed, then I'm lugging it and need another gear.

 

[Ozzie In Arabia]

I think anyone who rides a Harley will definiteley know when they are lugging the bike...........and that is always being at least 1 gear too high for the task at hand.........

All the best, Ozzie

 

[HDWRENCH]

Easy if you can feel the cylinders firing from one to the next down,.... shift down shift!!!! I see many riders do the 3rd gear roll on around corners and you can hear the engine cylinders firing the bike is shuddering, Glad it not mine!!!!

Funny story while in the dealership we had a guy bring his bike in a bottom end noise( banging and clanking was more like it) The bike was a evo and the bottom end had gone south. Now this bike was only a few months old, I re-did the lower and with 3 months the bike is bakc same thing. I notice the bike has a bunch of mud and grass on the lower portion of the frame. I ask him about it he tells me this" Well I use to to inspect my crops and check opn the cattle, I go very slow to not scare the cows". I ask how slow and what gear he tells me "10-15 mph and in 3rd gear". He paid for the second build. I could not even fathom chugging along on a bagger in a field checking on cows.!!!!

He really did not think he was doing any thing wrong. Had to laugh about that.

 

[bedemonster]

Easy if you can feel the cylinders firing from one to the next down,.... shift down shift!!!! I see many riders do the 3rd gear roll on around corners and you can hear the engine cylinders firing the bike is shuddering, Glad it not mine!!!!

Funny story while in the dealership we had a guy bring his bike in a bottom end noise( banging and clanking was more like it) The bike was a evo and the bottom end had gone south. Now this bike was only a few months old, I re-did the lower and with 3 months the bike is bakc same thing. I notice the bike has a bunch of mud and grass on the lower portion of the frame. I ask him about it he tells me this" Well I use to to inspect my crops and check opn the cattle, I go very slow to not scare the cows". I ask how slow and what gear he tells me "10-15 mph and in 3rd gear". He paid for the second build. I could not even fathom chugging along on a bagger in a field checking on cows.!!!!

He really did not think he was doing any thing wrong. Had to laugh about that.

:roflback: Great Story! I'd never thought of herding cows with my Ultra...well maybe some cow-tipping!

 

[snowsnyper]

Geez... are you suppose to tip em? I just cover em back up when before I leave. :whatever:

 

[hdmarsh77]

Easy if you can feel the cylinders firing from one to the next down,.... shift down shift!!!! I see many riders do the 3rd gear roll on around corners and you can hear the engine cylinders firing the bike is shuddering, Glad it not mine!!!!

Funny story while in the dealership we had a guy bring his bike in a bottom end noise( banging and clanking was more like it) The bike was a evo and the bottom end had gone south. Now this bike was only a few months old, I re-did the lower and with 3 months the bike is bakc same thing. I notice the bike has a bunch of mud and grass on the lower portion of the frame. I ask him about it he tells me this" Well I use to to inspect my crops and check opn the cattle, I go very slow to not scare the cows". I ask how slow and what gear he tells me "10-15 mph and in 3rd gear". He paid for the second build. I could not even fathom chugging along on a bagger in a field checking on cows.!!!!

He really did not think he was doing any thing wrong. Had to laugh about that.

I heard a guy yesterday coming down the road and I could just tell he was in third going about 23-25mph. Borderline lugging but it was a flat road. He turned and never down shifted. It really hurt to hear his engine struggling to get his fat butt back up to speed. I actually yelled for him to shift. Some people will never learn.


I do some off roading on my RK but I'm more interested in scaring the damn animals away so I get the RPMs up a bit!