I have been really happy with the purchase I made on my 2005, but this weekend brought me to a big question.....should I have went bigger? While on a poker ride for MS, among 50 HD's, one V-star, and one Big Dog, I ran out of go during a pass. This was the first time I had pinned my Vulcan. Is there any way to change the 5th gear to a taller ratio to give it more top end, or do you have to change the entire final drive? Seems like the mileage would go up too if 5th was taller during normal riding. :confused:

I have been really happy with the purchase I made on my 2005, but this weekend brought me to a big question.....should I have went bigger? While on a poker ride for MS, among 50 HD's, one V-star, and one Big Dog, I ran out of go during a pass. This was the first time I had pinned my Vulcan. Is there any way to change the 5th gear to a taller ratio to give it more top end, or do you have to change the entire final drive? Seems like the mileage would go up too if 5th was taller during normal riding. :confused:

There'd be ALOT of work involved in trying to change the gearing. Not as simple as chaindrives, where ya just pull one gear off and put another one on.
But I don't understand what ya mean about running out of go.
The Vulcan will pull pretty good/easily up to 100mph. Did you downshift before attemping the pass?
Just twisting the throttle, while in 5th at highway speed, and expecting the bike to really pick up wont happen. Ya need to get the revs up by downshifting, then twisting the throttle and making the pass.

Even going uphill the bike's never farted out before I did. I've gotten up to 100 pretty quickly even going up hills.

The main thing, as hyper said, is to not be afraid of the RPM's (the redline on these bikes is around 9 k - and they like high rpm's). In a pass - drop her into 4th (sometimes third), hit that throttle, and don't shift up till your nearing redline.

I've had bigger bikes try to loose me and I've had no problem keeping up or even passing em (and mine's the 700).

When I pulled out to pass, I was running at about 80mph. I guess my thought was the Rpm would have been up to the red if I were to downshift. I was able to catch about 97mph when I pulled back in, but I guess I was looking to fair better with the american machines around me. No doubt cubic inches come into play. Thanks for your input, this is a great site!

The main thing, as hyper said, is to not be afraid of the RPM's (the redline on these bikes is around 9 k - and they like high rpm's).

The way I ride (fairly cautiously most of the time), I don't think that I need to worry about using the downshifting technique! When on a long highway ride I might go 80 or even 85 mph, but that's about it.

But I HAVE wondered about the high RPM's on my VN 750. (And I know that some guests on our web site have complained about it.) When I'm puttering along at 55-60, my bike seems to prefer hanging out around 5000 RPM's. But, primarily to keep gas mileage high but also to protect the engine, I've tended to bump it up into 5th gear and drop the RPM's down to around 4000. Are you suggesting that a better riding technique is to keep the bike in 4th at the higher RPM rather than chug along in 5th?

When my 750 lost a head gasket, one of the main reasons I bought the 1500 was the highway rpm's.

Here in Florida, normal highway speed is 75 - 80. That's close to 6K rpm on the 750 and under 4K rpm on the 1500. My commute is 37 miles each way, mostly interstate.

The 750 is built to and will do 6K rpm all day and not show the worse for it, but it is quite a buzz for 35 - 40 minutes at that high an rpm.

I do agree that the 750 should have a sixth gear, but that's a big wish.

Jon

If you're cruising - it's best to keep the bike in the highest gear it aint chugging at (about 45 plus that'd be 5th).

There's more power available to ya from 5k rpms plus - so if you're riding in heavy traffic, trying to pass, going uphill, etc. it's better to be in a lower gear with higher rpms (not 7k all day long though!) so you have instant power available if ya need it.

I shoot for about 4k rpms cruising along (higher if I'm going faster and in 5th gear of course), about 5-6 k up to near redline if I'm passing, etc. I mostly ride by the sound (easy for me since my previous bike was a high revver too) - if it sounds like it's lugging, shift down - if it sounds like it's about to explode, shift up. When passing I generally come damn near to redline (maybe not a great idea) then shift up - that way I'm still in the powerband when I shift. I'm able to do an average pass in less than 5 seconds, though I'll get caught by a trooper one of these days doing it!

I'm not going to recommend that anyone ride how I do - ride how you feel most comfortable - but don't be afraid to rev the engine into the 7k rpm range if needed for a moment. Probably try shifting before 7k if the situation warrants it (redline is 8500).

At 97mph anything other than 5th gear would be darn near (if not at) redline - but in my passes (I ride like an *******) I've rarely if ever needed to be going that fast.

After I rejetted - I be in 5th putting along around 70 or so and when I twist the throttle to pass it has plenty of go in reserve. I'm still trying to get use to not turning the throttle to much at once because of the sudden burst snaps my head back (feels like whiplash)!

After I rejetted - I be in 5th putting along around 70 or so and when I twist the throttle to pass it has plenty of go in reserve. I'm still trying to get use to not turning the throttle to much at once because of the sudden burst snaps my head back (feels like whiplash)!

lol :rockon:

[QUOTE=curtis97322;41240](I ride like an *******)QUOTE]

LMAO
http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/blackeye/lol.gif

You can get up to 70 in 3rd gear without hitting the red line and you can do 100 in 4th at which point shes doing about 7000 revs - still another 1500 revs to go with the engine making a lovely howling noise. Come on guys give her some throttle - she loves it.
S

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CZzNAuhDIM) is a clip of one of my typical passes.
At about 5 second, you can just hear when I downshift to 4th, then get on it to pass. I was probably doing about 70 as I passed.

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CZzNAuhDIM) is a clip of one of my typical passes.
At about 5 second, you can just hear when I downshift to 4th, then get on it to pass. I was probably doing about 70 as I passed.

Pretty cool ~ who's taking the video from the top of your head?! :)

Pretty cool ~ who's taking the video from the top of your head?! :)

LOL, I had my cellphone attached to my communicator mount on the handlebars. I also had the windshield on, so that's what gives the weird reflections.

I've been riding VN750 for 3 years, and I am still trying to shift up while in 5th just because RPMs are too high. 4th and 5th are way too close to each other.

I do that too, but I have also been going along in fourth gear without realizing it. Duh, no wander it picked up so well.