Highway Cruising RPM's

[ari211]

Hello Everybody!
First timer here, I can't believe I didn't know about this forum sooner, it's answered so many questions! So many issues I've read so far are things I've dealt with on my own and had to F-up a bunch before I got it right. I look forward to learning and sharing what I know in the future.
Anyway, My question

I've been on the road now for 5 months riding from Cape Cod Ma to California, and now Im about to head home. On the entire way here I stayed off major roads and explored the many thousands of miles of two-lane wonders. However, Im travel weary and REALLY miss my girlfriend back home and plan on catching interstate 10 most of the way home.

Ok, sorry, here's the question. Is it okay for the engine (crank, pistons, cams, valves, all that) to hold it at 7,000 rpm's all day on the road? 7k out of 12 doesnt seem too bad but for 8 hours?

And what about gearing it up for the ride? I could get a 16t for the front, would that make a big differenc in top end cruising RPM?

Glad to be a member!

[zeebandit]

I don't think 7K will hurt the motor or trans, but it might hurt your wallet.

[97RedBird]

I have the 16T up front and 45T in back and I cruise at an indicated 80-82 mph at 5,800 rpms.  I rode this for 6 hours one way, then two days later 6 hours home.  Watch out for anything that may wiggle itself loose.

[ray nielsen]

I've got a 2003 Bandit 1200 and I went to a 16 tooth front sprocket to drip RPM a bit on the highway.  You need to grind some clearance on one of the aluminum bosses on the mounting bolts for the sprocket cover.  You take off about 1/4" of metal on the rearmost bolt boss.

Now, I'm at 5800 RPM at an indicated 100 MPH.  This is down from about 6200 RPM originally.

70 MPH crusing is now about 4000 RPM the vibration is reduced a bit too compared with the original 15 toogh countershaft sprocket.  Since the Bandit has such good mid-range torque I haven't noticed any bad trade-offs.

[Bob Holland]

INPUTS      1998 GSF1200S Bandit Gearing Calculator        
Front Sprocket (Teeth) 16          
Rear Sprocket (Teeth)  45          
Final Ratio   2.81          
Primary Ratio 1.565          
Rear Tire Diameter (inches)  24.79          
Tire Circumference (Inches)  77.88          
GEAR 1  2  3  4  5
Internal Gear Ratio   2.384 1.631 1.250 1.045 0.913
Overall Gear Ratio   10.493   7.179 5.502 4.600 4.019
 RPM  MPH   MPH   MPH   MPH   MPH
 1,500  10.5  15.4  20.1  24.1  27.5
 2,000    14.1  20.5  26.8  32.1  36.7
 2,500    17.6  25.7  33.5  40.1  45.9
 3,000    21.1  30.8  40.2  48.1  55.1
 3,500    24.6  36.0  46.9  56.1  64.2
 4,000    28.1  41.1  53.6  64.1  73.4
 4,500    31.6  46.2  60.3  72.2  82.6
 5,000    35.1  51.4  67.0  80.2  91.8
 5,500    38.7  56.5  73.7  88.2  100.9
 6,000   42.2  61.6  80.4  96.2  110.1
 6,500   45.7  66.8  87.1  104.2 119.3
 7,000   49.2  71.9  93.8  112.2 128.5
 7,100   49.9  72.9  95.2  113.8 130.3
 7,200   50.6  74.0  96.5  115.4 132.1
 7,300   51.3  75.0  97.9  117.0 134.0
 7,400   52.0  76.0  99.2  118.7 135.8
 7,500   52.7  77.0  100.5 120.3 137.6
 7,600   53.4  78.1  101.9 121.9 139.5
 7,700   54.1  79.1  103.2 123.5 141.3
 7,800   54.8  80.1  104.6 125.1 143.1
 7,900   55.5  81.2  105.9 126.7 145.0
 8,000   56.2  82.2  107.2 128.3 146.8
 8,100   56.9  83.2  108.6 129.9 148.7
 8,200   57.6  84.2  109.9 131.5 150.5
 8,300   58.3  85.3  111.3 133.1 152.3
 8,400   59.0  86.3  112.6 134.7 154.2
 8,500   59.7  87.3  113.9 136.3 156.0
 8,600   60.4  88.3  115.3 137.9 157.8
 8,700   61.1  89.4  116.6 139.5 159.7
 8,800   61.8  90.4  118.0 141.1 161.5
 8,900   62.6  91.4  119.3 142.7 163.3
 9,000   63.3  92.5  120.6 144.3 165.2
 9,100   64.0  93.5  122.0 145.9 167.0
 9,200   64.7  94.5  123.3 147.5 168.8

[BANDIT#999]

Since the Bandit has such good mid-range torque I haven't noticed any bad trade-offs.

The only trade off I noticed was getting on it in 1st brought the front wheel up to about 10 o'clock, instead of going almost vertical   . It does feel nicer cruising at the lower revs and does up the gas mileage a bit too   !