Hello folks:
First an introduction:
I'm a retired millright/machinist living in Ontario Canada, on an inland waterway which technically makes Prince Edward County an Island in Lake Ontario.
I just moved up from a 750 Virago to a 1600 Roadstar. The owners manual recomends shifting into 5th gear at 50kph(31mph), but if I do, the engine bucks and it sounds like the primary chain is jumping. The dealer says that is normal, and all Roadstars are like that. He says that the recommended shift point must be a misprint.
I have been riding on motorcycles since the early fifties, and I am quite familiar with the long stroke, large displacement principle, and I say that the dealer is full of BS. To me, the problem is one of two things: the timing is too far advanced, or it has burnt valves.
It starts and runs beautifully otherwise, and it gives me much better gas milage then I could ever squeeze out of the Virago, so I am inclined to think the valves are all right. The dealer tells me that the timing is fixed, and cannot be adjusted.
Can anyone explain what the problem is with my bike?

I don't hit fifth till bout 65mph

At that point you are severely lugging the engine. Not good for the roadie. I don’t shift to 5th until at least 55, 65 if I am still accelerating. I looked and my manual says the same thing. But don’t you believe it.

Hay Bay Woody

The shift points are a joke. These bikes hate to be lugged. They even hate to be in the lugging neighborhood. Run it out in each gear. You don't have to race it but don't shift until your ear says it's time to shift. The bucking will go away. These bikes love RPMs.

Dealers like to say things are normal. When ever they tell you that just read it as - "Got me. I don't know anything about these bikes"

Woody Like Musky said! I don't think mine would even run in 5th gear at 31 mph. I think I'm in second gear at that speed.

Glad ya made it.... Don't lug the motor that much please.. at 31 mph in 5th, your fighting the idle setting...

Just don't lug it 5th gear about 65 also glad to have stay here you will learn alot I also came up from a Virago 750 The R* is by far a better ride

Hay Bay Woody wrote:
The dealer tells me that the timing is fixed, and cannot be adjusted.
Can anyone explain what the problem is with my bike?

That is correct.

I don't use 5th until I'm at least over 95 usually over 100 kph.



Doc

These bikes have a 5th gear?

Hay Bay Woody...

Let's see...
31 mph...
5th gear...
Full throttle...
That would be like...

Yep! Pretty much sums it up!
If'n you don't have a hat like that... I'd stay out of 5th until at least 55!