I don't know how tall the gearing is, but generally if you shift before you reach redline, you're ok. Same goes for down shifting to bring the rev's into the power band. If the clutch is engaged (out all the way) and your rpm's a few thousand below the redline, you're good to accelerate. The most power is near the peak of the range!
You may be a bit nervous hitting the on-ramp and for a few seconds while merging with traffic. Then it's meh, no big deal, riding is awesome! Next skill--spotting airport cabs and avoiding them like the plague.
Never ridden a cruiser but I assume the concept is the same - After a while, I stopped looking at the tach most of the time and shifted based on "power" produced by the bike or sound of my bike.
On the CBR125, if you're not in the right gear, you won't go anywhere for a while... Don't know if its the same for you.
This brings up a question as to what is the "right" gear? Most certainly a newbie question...but there it is. The Virago 535 has five gears. The manual says it should be in fifth from 40 km/hr and up. If I need to accelerate quickly to highway speeds, I'm assuming I'll need to downshift to 4th and "wind the bike up" to a higher speed before putting it into fifth. Is that a correct assumption?
I've read that the 535's v-twin engine is designed to work at higher rpm for long stretches of time so putting it at higher rpm for getting up to speed doesn't seem to be out of line. In my limited riding in the 80 km/hr range on the country roads in the area I have simply been going through the gears and it gets up to 80 km/hr in decent time in my opinion. Obviously when there's a limited-space on ramp I need to get moving much faster. Feedback for this newbie question certainly welcomed!
Ignore the manual shifting suggestions - it is there entirely to satisfy legal nonsense about either tailpipe emissions or noise emissions. The best way to figure this out is by feel, it's just something you'll get used to over time. Don't be afraid to wind it out.
Interesting to know, but it's still all book knowledge. One more week (and a couple of days) before getting on the highways. Thanks to everyone's responses re: safety & technique, I can hardly wait.
You will get the feel but it IS important to used to riding the bike at the higher RPM so it you are accustomed to it.
Really too bad no tach.
146 redline in 5th.....hmmm . I'd tend to say take up to 100 in 4th and leave it there for a while so you get a feel for what power is left then shift to 5th for cruising - get used to shifting down instead of just braking when traffic slows.
Good luck - it'll get easy soon enough. A few rides along the Niagara Parkway in the middle gears will get you shifting lots. You just need saddle time under varied conditions.
I used to ride a cm400t on the 400 series, in fact I used to take it to Haliburton from Mississauga every other week. Sounds like the people who gave you this advice could use some themselves.
"I have been told by many (well-meaning) riders that my bike is not suitable for riding on 400 series highways."
they're idiots, so they ain't that well meaning, your bike is more than enough to go damn well anywhere you want, i'd ride that round the world...
you could ride a 125 or a huyabusa, to a driver/non-rider, you look the same...and if they're gonna pull a lefty infront of you, it won't make a difference what you ride...
now, how you ride is something else, don't sit in blind spots and look ahead, keep an eye on things, you will mean well, other vehicles ont he road won't...
you could ride a 125 or a huyabusa, to a driver/non-rider, you look the same...and if they're gonna pull a lefty infront of you, it won't make a difference what you ride...
When I drive my van, I usually do just that. My philosophy is that driving/riding is supposed to get you from point A to point B. Ideally, one will do that in as safe and efficient a manner as possible. I leave tons of space, drive according to conditions and am very aware of what's around me and what's coming up from behind. And that's in an Odyssey with tons of steel and airbags between me and the road/other vehicles. I guess the ones giving me the advice figure I'll turn into a raging moron once I'm on two wheels. Not likely. I guess we'll see in a week.
a few extra HP can be useful. Not saying buy a 600 SS, it just gives you another option if the situation gets ugly. On 400 highways, it doesn't matter who is right, your the little guy and even if your right, you might still loose. Better to have a few extra HP you don't need than not enough when you do.
You can be the best rider in the world, the most defensive rider in the world, but when someone else makes a mistake you need to have the ability to take action, your life may depend on it.
I ride a Honda Vtwin 500, similar to your Virago in size, era, weight (~400 lb), HP (~50hp), though I have 6 gears. On the 401 I can cruise at 110 kph at 4,200 rpm, while redline is 9,500 rpm. I have no issues with getting to 140 kph if necessary. There is absolutely no problem keeping up with traffic on the highway, and even passing cars.
If an 800cc Smart car can safely drive on the highway with 2 people a 500cc motorcycle should have no issues.
That being said if you want to ride for many hours a larger bike would cruise at a much lower RPM and be more comfortable. Lower RPM means much less vibration and therefore more overall comfort. Larger bikes are harder to handle in local traffic and drink much more gas.
Get a windshield for your Virago and you will be more than able to keep up with your friends. Bigger is not always necessary.
Your friends may be well meaning, but they really need some education. Show up and cruise with them on a couple of rides and maybe they will wish they had smaller bikes, especially in parking lots.
If an 800cc Smart car can safely drive on the highway with 2 people a 500cc motorcycle should have no issues.
That being said if you want to ride for many hours a larger bike would cruise at a much lower RPM and be more comfortable. Lower RPM means much less vibration and therefore more overall comfort. Larger bikes are harder to handle in local traffic and drink much more gas.
Get a windshield for your Virago and you will be more than able to keep up with your friends. Bigger is not always necessary.
Your friends may be well meaning, but they really need some education. Show up and cruise with them on a couple of rides and maybe they will wish they had smaller bikes, especially in parking lots.
All true but I would like to add that sometimes the low frequency vibration can be annoying as well. And as far as slow speed manuevering as long as the bike has a low center of gravity it's not TOO bad. My Vulcan 2000 was 800 lbs and while the turning radius sucked it was okay as long as it had some momentum.
140 km/hr on a Virago 535 is no sweat, past that its a slow climb.
All day highway riding is not a problem, great on gas, if looked after properly will last decades. Great smaller shafty bike.
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