I would to like know opinions on what is “lugging” the motor. I never had a tach on my RoadStar, but I did follow a chart posted by Stanag and personal experience as to where my bike ran well.

I have read comments like “I’m not lugging the motor mind you; I am doing 35 in 3rd gear.” Or I am getting a terrible knock when going up hill in 4th at 40 MPH.” I know my bike ran best when I was running at least 2300 rpm. (Based on the chart provided by Stanag and his Tach).

I know I am guilty of “lugging” especially when I put the V & H Propipe on and the bike got louder. I loved the sound of the thump, but in reality these are not thumpers. They like RPMS. With louder exhaust I think we have a tendency to run them at lower rpms. JMO.

What is the optimal range for power and performance on your bike? Do you feel like you are lugging the motor or running it just fine? We all know the shift points in the operator’s manual are bogus. When you are cruising 35 through town, what gear are you in? Based on the charts I have seen and personal experience I should be in 2nd, but I don’t think most of like the feeling or the sound of turning 2700 rpms. We like the sound and feel of 2000 rpms. Opinions?

On my way to work, I have a long stretch that's 55 mph, another stretch that's 45, and another that's 30.

I was trying to keep it in 5th gear for the 45 mph zone, and felt like I was lugging it.

It seems happiest when I'm in 3rd gear for 30-35 mph, 4th gear for 45-50 mph, and 5th for 55+ mph.

That is a very good question. My bike hits the rev. limiter at 40mph, 60mph, and 80mph in 1, 2 and 3rd gear respectivley. I always like to keep it below 3k rpm's but after reading about svs here I shift around 3500 to 3800. My bike just seems like it's screaming loud at those rpm's. I noticed around low to mid 2k is lugging a bit. It even seems to lug on the interstate in 5th gear doing 75mph(2500rpm) I've got a tach so I tend to watch it more than my speedo.

I've only got about 1800 miles on it, but what seems to work for me is pretty simple: lowest speed in 3rd is 30mph.....4th is 40mph.....5th is 50mph. These are the basement of the range for my bike. Accelerating, I typically won't put it 5th until 60mph or so.

One thing I've noticed is that by design this thing won't lug down quite as well as most HD products. I have a theory that it's due to the tranny being geared to the crank instead of a primary reduction chain like HD. Comments?

I feel like my bike runs best (smoothly with power) at about 15 mph X the gear, so....15 mph in 1st, 30 mph in 2nd, 45 mph in 3rd.

I hardly touch 5th gear any more since I went to the 33-tooth front pulley. When accelerating, I don;t hot 5th until 75-75 mph. If I'm cruising, I'll stay in 5th down to about 68-70, then downshift.

I may be wrong, but I seem to get better gas mileage when I'm not running too low on the rpms as well, like the bike is more efficient at higher revs.

SobaCracka wrote:
I may be wrong, but I seem to get better gas mileage when I'm not running too low on the rpms as well, like the bike is more efficient at higher revs.

Yeah... It seems the opposite of a car, doesn't it? But you're right. I think the engine is perhaps more fuel efficient at the higher revs. I've noticed the same thing.

Frank_W wrote:
SobaCracka wrote:
I may be wrong, but I seem to get better gas mileage when I'm not running too low on the rpms as well, like the bike is more efficient at higher revs.

Yeah... It seems the opposite of a car, doesn't it? But you're right. I think the engine is perhaps more fuel efficient at the higher revs. I've noticed the same thing.

Phew! So I'm not crazy....or maybe we both are!

SobaCracka wrote:
Frank_W wrote:
SobaCracka wrote:
I may be wrong, but I seem to get better gas mileage when I'm not running too low on the rpms as well, like the bike is more efficient at higher revs.

Yeah... It seems the opposite of a car, doesn't it? But you're right. I think the engine is perhaps more fuel efficient at the higher revs. I've noticed the same thing.

Phew! So I'm not crazy....or maybe we both are!

Hrmmm... I'd be willing to bet good money on the latter...

I think you are both coming to the same conclusion that i am. These are higher RPM bikes. At 30 mph in 3rd thats only 1700 rpms. way below the operating numbers on these things. Even my HD, which does pull harder at lower rpms than the Star is below its power band at 1700 rpms. I think you get better mileage, power and alot less noise when running in the 2300 range. That would be 40 in 3rd gear. It might well be some of the SVS and or knocking issues we talk about. We run these at way too low RPMs. Even at idle we set them too low to get the "sound" and try to get the "lope". But they need to be up in the 900 range for idle.

I'm still getting used to this whole "Big Twin" thing.

I Do have a tach and have found that the engine works best at no less than 1800 rpm.s.
This seems to be the lowest level of RPM. that isn't "Lugging" the engine.

On the other scale, 2200 RPM is it's sweet spot.
That gets you around 70 MPH in fifth gear.

Much beyond that, and it feels like the engine is working more than I'd like.

Again though. I'm still a bit of a Newbie with these twins.
BTW this is a stock bike with stock gearing.

Interested to hear what the Pro.s think.