Motorcycle Club » Star 1100 Classic & Custom

6th gear on V1100

29 posts from 22 voices
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  1. Member
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    Stupid question (thinking if I happen to apply too much pressure), but what does the "speed shift" feel like, when you fail to pull the clutch during an upshift? I vaguely recall hearing that an upshift is OK sans clutch, but a downshift can easily screw up a clutch/gears. sorry for the thread hijack, but curious minds...
    I used to "speed shift" my '78 Honda 750 all of the time. It would just jerk a little bit and take off. It got up to top speed a lot faster that way. It helped to ease off the throttle a bit before shifting. The owner's manual for that bike indicated that it was OK to do that, but downshifting without using the clutch would result in bent clutch forks (if I recall correctly). I only downshifted without the clutch once with that bike, making a panic stop from a pretty high speed. Went all the way from 5th to first, with all of the brake I had full on. No damage to the bike (or me, either).

    I haven't tried to speed shift or downshift my Classic without using the clutch. I don't know if the rules for my old Honda apply to the Stars. The way I ride today, I have plenty of time to shift using the clutch; just not that into speed any more.

    g

  2. Member
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    I hardly ever use the clutch shifting up, but it is a little tricky trying to down shift without the clutch, you need to get your revs just right. You can't really hurt anything by not using the clutch. If you over rev the engine trying to shift without the clutch it still isn't the clutches fault, you just blew a shift.

  3. Member
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    So is the 1100 straining at 75 mph? I went with the 1100 over the 650 because I knew I would be doing a bunch of 65 to 75 mph driving on the interstate back and forth from work. I was hoping that with the bigger engine
    it would not be in a strain and last a long time.

    Just wondering......

  4. Member
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    Cruising at 75 will not hurt these bikes at all. I would imagine most people on this board a propably doing the same speed when they are out on the highway. No worries about that.

  5. Member
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    So is the 1100 straining at 75 mph? I went with the 1100 over the 650 because I knew I would be doing a bunch of 65 to 75 mph driving on the interstate back and forth from work. I was hoping that with the bigger engine it would not be in a strain and last a long time.Just wondering......
    the 1100 cruises fine at 85..... even faster if you want.

  6. Member
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    Yep, at 70mph my V Star is reving 3400rpms and it revs at 3100 at 60mph. My brother in law has an 08 Electra Glide and he was told to keep it over 3000rpms in 6th gear other wise it lugs the engine and wears off the cam lobes. At 3000rpms he is going about 80mph.
    so at 70 it's 3400, whats a true redline on the 1100? im sure everyone here has heard it. if you havent, take first gear from a rolling start and then give it all it has got. shift to second. (i use the clutch) and roll the throttle right back to the bottom of the bar. then shift to fourth and continue cruising at 55-60. you can come out of 2nd at 55, 60 if you are really pushing it. while you do this listen to the 1100's exhaust note while you pull through the full speed acceleration. 3400 rpm doesnt sound so bad anymore. do this a couple times and listen to what that 1100 is made of and the highway trips wont sound like its over-revving by much at all.

  7. Member
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    If it had a sixth gear you could go faster than the o.e. tires speed rateing-if you can go 120 mph in 5th just imagine how fast you could go if you had 6th!

  8. Member
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    so at 70 it's 3400, whats a true redline on the 1100? im sure everyone here has heard it. if you havent, take first gear from a rolling start and then give it all it has got. shift to second. (i use the clutch) and roll the throttle right back to the bottom of the bar. then shift to fourth and continue cruising at 55-60. you can come out of 2nd at 55, 60 if you are really pushing it. while you do this listen to the 1100's exhaust note while you pull through the full speed acceleration. 3400 rpm doesnt sound so bad anymore. do this a couple times and listen to what that 1100 is made of and the highway trips wont sound like its over-revving by much at all.

    This is exactly how i got over my feeling of needing a sixth gear. After pushing her real hard a couple times i really realized how much this engine can rev up!!!!

    -Mike

  9. Member
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    No pro here but I spend a lot of time on another dedicated 1100 site and the guys there are amazing. They do all thier own customising, mods and engine work. Love this site and appreciate all the posts as well but what can I say, I like to read and learn.

    I was worried about the high revs on my bikes and did a LOT of reading over there. The BEST thing I have learned about my 1100 is not to baby it. I don't abuse it but it likes high revs. There is a limiter on it but I have never come close.

    We just did a 13 day 5400 kilo ( 3375 miles) trip of the east coast here in Canada. I took all the advice I got from the guys at the other site and started to ride my bike that way. It cant be beat!! I paid cash for my bike and I can buy another if I want but,I dont want,I like this one. Since I started to ride it in a way that I make it want a higher gear and I dont give it a lower gear until the situation warrants I honestly think my bike runs better.

    We did the Cabot trail and your in a low gear due to the hills for what seems like forever,but it just keeps on ticking so to say. And we rode for hours at 120 and passsed at 130 to 140 and the bike just plugged along. I know it makes lot more noise than we are use to but, it is the nature of the beast.

    Like I said at the start, I am no pro but I like this bike and since I started to ride it with a new respect for the high revs, well if it was human I would think it was happy as &^^%

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