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Question for Motorcycle Riders

I ride and don't rev my engine , but maybe others do to keep the people in their cages aware that they are there?

After all it appears people in cars don't look when changing lanes...or even bother with directional anymore.
 
Depends why you're doing it. I like to engine brake (downshift to slow down if you have never driven a manual transmission) in my truck or on my bike. So its going to rev up as I slow down. The ironhead I ride has very low oil pressure from the factory, prolonged redlights or traffic I will bring the RPM's up a few hundred RPM to ensure my rocker arms are getting some oil, or I will shut it off. The oil pressure is not a modification or cool factor, its a factory flaw. I don't care, my bike is loud as crap, I bought it second hand that way and I don't feel like changing it.
 
Depends on the fuel in your bike and how long the bike sits before you ride it. Even premium has crap in it that shuts the bike down if you don't keep it reved. Fresh fuel and it's not so bad.
 
LuvToGoFast said:
I've never owned a bike so I figured I'd ask...
How necessary is it to continuously rev the engine as you are slowing down, and sitting at a stop sign?
Click to expand...

#1: Wrong forum area.
#2: It is not needed whatsoever for a four stroke bike, which is 99% of most road legal bikes in America.
#3: It can be amusing to hit the throttle some if you're agitated at traffic.
#4: If it's a two stroke, it is required to maintain RPMs to an extent.
#5: Harleyists will be Harleyists.
 
ToddDubya said:
I only do it when I've downshifted to N instead of 1st and the damn thing won't get going when the light changes [smile].
Click to expand...

Yeah, this too. Bikes just accelerate and rev more than cars or trucks. Or when you think you popped it into 1st but it's still in neutral, then you kick at the shifter and braaaaaa, away you go.
 
Bikes are manual transmissions with a clutch to disengage. Lousy fuel and letting out the clutch without review will kill the bike. Most of the world sits in their automatic transmission rig and have no understanding of the equipment next to them or the people.[smile]
 
I had an old chopper that ran an old magneto and cap. If I was sitting at a stop light it would slowly start to die, and the headlight would dim, I'd blip the throttle the build it back up.
 
Like stated above, my air cooled engine when sitting stopped is just a giant heat sink. Burping the throttle gets the oil to the parts that need it and keeps it circulating through the engine to wick away some of the heat.
when you run an old bike like mine which has a generator you need the rpms to keep it energized enough to run the bike.

Besides America

On my new bike I usually only do it so I can't hear that ghetto music banging from the weeded civic behind me or so i wash out the snivling brats from the back seat next to me.
Then there's always "cause you girls likes it"
 
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On Harleys, it is absolutely critical to keep the RPMs as high as you possibly can at all times, especially during your 6 second 15mph-45mph "speed run" up the hill and past my house as you exit the traffic circle at 11pm.

Remember, loud pipes save lives.
 
It's very necessary. Harley Davidsons are pieces of crap that have been using the same outdated motor for 50 years plus all those poseurs install bigger intakes and straight pipes without getting it re-tuned/mapped so it just runs like crap.

Yeah, even if you hate South Park, watch the "The F Word" episode. It's one of the best ones they have ever done. Season 13 Episode 12.

 
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namedpipes said:
WAT?!
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SRY BRO COULDN'T HEAR YOU, TOO BUSY SAVING LIVES WITH THESE PIPES!

ETA, just to qualify my statements, I rode a TL1000-R with a full Yoshi system when I was younger, and that thing was LOUD. I thought it was the coolest thing ever too. Then I turned 22 and was like damn, I need to grow up. [laugh]
 
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High RPM and Harley usually doesn't happen. I've ridden metric bikes before my ironhead, its rev limit is really low. Its underpowered, old generator bike with a tiny battery. I wouldn't change it for anything. Its just fun to ride. Everyone has an opinion I try and keep it as quiet as possible in residential areas and rarely ride through them if ever. I do enjoy the 38MPG I get and just being on a bike. The work commute is more pleasant on my bike. My landlord has a 2 year old, my loud bike doesn't ever wake them up when I leave at 530 for work. I just ride nice. The bike is not going to set any speed records, I want it to last a very long time so no reason to beat on it.
That said yes to accelerate in the heavy underpowered bike at any reasonable rate it will be loud. 6 seconds wouldn't get me from a stop to 45 MPH hahaha
 
Knuckle head, shovel head, iron head, big twin ,twin cam , even a liquid cooled engine and an electric model also
Not the same motor for 50 years
 
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Not sure with fuel injection, but I have only ever owned old bikes with carbs. My last, which I just sold, was a 1979 Honda CX500. Once it was full of fresh fuel and warmed up it was normally fine but if it was the first time I had run it in a few day I would sometimes need to keep it a bit over idle at stop lights until it was good and warmed up.
 
jbehuniak said:
High RPM and Harley usually doesn't happen. I've ridden metric bikes before my ironhead, its rev limit is really low. Its underpowered, old generator bike with a tiny battery. I wouldn't change it for anything. Its just fun to ride. Everyone has an opinion I try and keep it as quiet as possible in residential areas and rarely ride through them if ever. I do enjoy the 38MPG I get and just being on a bike. The work commute is more pleasant on my bike. My landlord has a 2 year old, my loud bike doesn't ever wake them up when I leave at 530 for work. I just ride nice. The bike is not going to set any speed records, I want it to last a very long time so no reason to beat on it.
That said yes to accelerate in the heavy underpowered bike at any reasonable rate it will be loud. 6 seconds wouldn't get me from a stop to 45 MPH hahaha
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For the non-bikers out there or for guys looking at bikes and aren't sure what they like yet - watch Youtube videos of Harley reviews and watch supermoto or sportbike reviews and watch the tachometer or listen to the guy describe the RPMs. It's like a T34 versus an airplane.
 
tk421991 said:
For the non-bikers out there or for guys looking at bikes and aren't sure what they like yet - watch Youtube videos of Harley reviews and watch supermoto or sportbike reviews and watch the tachometer or listen to the guy describe the RPMs. It's like a T34 versus an airplane.
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It's not any different in the gun world.

Glock vs 1911

AR vs AK

Bolt vs SemiAuto



The point is, shoot what you like. Ride what you like. If somebody doesn't like it, and they have a shred of class, they'll keep it to themselves. If they don't it won't make me shed a tear that someone disapproves of me. Better people than they have hated me for worse reasons.
 
namedpipes said:
It's not any different in the gun world.

Glock vs 1911

AR vs AK

Bolt vs SemiAuto



The point is, shoot what you like. Ride what you like. If somebody doesn't like it, and they have a shred of class, they'll keep it to themselves. If they don't it won't make me shed a tear that someone disapproves of me. Better people than they have hated me for worse reasons.
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Wasn't implying right or wrong in regards to RPMs, just that it's not accurate to say "high RPMs" and "cruiser" in the same sentence. It would be like saying "oh yeah, .45ACP is a really hot round!" Some people want to hear the whine of a high RPM engine, other people want torque.
 
SCR73 said:
its necessary for down shifting. At a stop light/sign not necessary at all.
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Why is it necessary for down shifting?

Now, this is common for bikes running on a TRACK, down shifting is going to increase your rpm's so riders will blip the throttle to get the engine to match the gear box for a smooth transition such as entry into a corner.
 
Its not necessary at all to downshift. But meh I just do it.

Makes me think of the movie Dodgeball with Patches O'Hoolihan "Is it necessary to drink my own piss, No! But its sterile and I like the way it tastes"
 
Stape said:
Why is it necessary for down shifting?

Now, this is common for bikes running on a TRACK, down shifting is going to increase your rpm's so riders will blip the throttle to get the engine to match the gear box for a smooth transition such as entry into a corner.
Click to expand...


If I drop a gear without blipping the throttle after I pull in the clutch, I'm gonna get a serious dose of engine compression braking. How serious a dose depends upon the gear and the rpm I was at originally. If I'm exceptionally careless I can lock up the rear wheel momentarily. This is on a not quite stock '99 FXR-2.
 
Downshifting properly means bliping the throttle to match rpms to the lower gears. Downshifting/engine braking is freaking awesome on manual transmissions, motorcycles can decelerate with engine braking nearly as fast as a car jacking it's brakes hard.

And... why all the Harley hate? I've ridden everything in my time and I'm currently enjoying a Harley. It doesn't do much of anything measurable well but it's really fun to cruise on all day and gives me a big smile, that's why *I* ride.

-chris
 

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