Anyone actually use 6th gear?

[JuiceSC]

How do you guys lose traction in tripple digits? I can't even spin it much in 1st, bike just wheelies.

(on the stock rubber)

 

[HRJR]

I only use 6th gear when I am on a long highway ride without much traffic. In CT, many of the highways have enough traffic to warrant staying in a lower gear (in case I need "warp speed" to avoid a problem).

I usually run in 4th.

 

[johnnycrash]

(NightCrawler @ Aug. 29 2007,10:58)

(johnnycrash @ Aug. 29 2007,11:17) I lost sixth two weeks ago completely.  Try riding around without it and you'll realize how much you miss it.  With 17/44 gearing I'm buzzing pretty bad at highway speeds.

Going to start tearing it down this weekend - new tranny and motor work = big $$$ and I'm going to miss the fall riding season this year.  Sucks.

You lost 6th?

I know the Busa has issues with 2nd, but 6th? How'd that happen?

As far as the topic goes ... 6th on the highway, 3rd on low-roads.

Pretty weird I know. It's always had a slight false neutral between 5th and 6th but wasn't that noticeable till this.

I think how it happened is 2nd and 6th share a shift fork. That fork is probably bent from abuse and caused 6th to miss and eventually wear out - second is starting to slip some now as well.

The bike has 15k+ miles and has had an air shifter and a 50 shot for half of those miles. It's had a rough life - can't blame Suzuki at all. Once I get a new undercut tranny it'll be fine.

 

[NearDeath]

20/40 setup here with a 236 top-speed and I still use 6th gear for highway crusing... before the gearing and turbo, I used 6th to even cruise at low speed... Better gas mileage, not to mention when I was riding with an old buddy with a GXSR750 and we would turn it up, I wouldn't even drop out of 6th... Just do a 6th gear roll-on and I would still smoke him...

Cloud

 

[TurboSN95]

I use 6th very often...

 

[cutter]

(HRJR @ Aug. 29 2007,14:46) I only use 6th gear when I am on a long highway ride without much traffic.  In CT, many of the highways have enough traffic to warrant staying in a lower gear (in case I need "warp speed" to avoid a problem).

I usually run in 4th.

My sentiment as well. When I first got the Busa I was hunting for 7th all the time. Now I cruise in 5th mostly, as my highway driving is usually around Boston area- few long stretches of wide open road. I love pulling the disappearing act by downshifting 1 (or 2) gears to blast away from a pack of cagers. I use 6th for the infrequent long trip or if I am droning along in heavy traffic moving at a steady speed.

It does not seem to affect my mileage by more than 1-2mpg- I usually get about 35 and I dont drive my Busa to conserve fuel

 

[BowDown]

(cutter @ Aug. 29 2007,13:51) It does not seem to affect my mileage by more than 1-2mpg- I usually get about 35 and I dont drive my Busa to conserve fuel

My thoughts exactly. Maybe on a long stretch I can see 6th, but 5th is good enough for me. Only 1 click away from nice acceleration, 2 clicks from daymn!, and 3 clicks from holyshit!

 

[Revolution]

^

6th on the highway.

 

[Rayabusa0818]

6th

Like Ninja Killer said sometimes a 7th would be nice.

 

[stlbusarider]

I use it everyday. It's too easy to just downshift when needed.

 

[rockadaous]

all the time unless ride'n with the fella's

 

[edubb1971]

When cruising on the highway long distance. doesn't burn as much gas

 

[Justyntym]

(Ninja Eater @ Aug. 29 2007,08:59) Yes I wish I had 7 gears.  

My thoughts exactly

 

[crepitus]

where do you guys usually keep the rpms when just crusing? i am around 3k unless i get into the curves then i like 4-6k.

 

[The Big Red One]

(BowDown @ Aug. 29 2007,07:37)

I have yet to use 6th gear!

I just find it more fun to keep the bike between 4k -> 5k while crusing.

I just started using 5th gear on the highway at 65->80mph.


Just curious. What gear are you normally in for 65-80mph?

I use 6th all the time on my busa...it has so much low end I can lug it down to 2000 rpm 2up if need be and accelerate back up no prob. My 14 on the other hand I like to keep at 5 grand or higher so it see's fifth more than 6th. At cruising speeds my busa has absolutely no lack of power. I rarely have to shift down for anything....including roll on races...passing ect. Use 6th cruising and you'll see better mileage and the motor will last longer

 

[PDBusa]

Use 6th on highway, usually try to find 7th too.

 

[The Big Red One]

(PDBusa @ Aug. 29 2007,14:37) Use 6th on highway, usually try to find 7th too.  

Thats one thing I like about the 14 and new busa...gear indicators

No more having to try for a 7th gear or trying to remember what speed/rpm combo equals 6th.

 

[busadrive]

6th gear on the hiway for me too, plenty of kick even from there. And who wouldn't want to save a little gas money now days? save gas $ = more mods $

 

[DaCol.]

(Gunnybusa @ Aug. 29 2007,08:35)

(BowDown @ Aug. 29 2007,08:07) 6th just seems kinda doggy compared to 4th or 5th.

Course I really have yet to go more than 2/3rds throttle. When I was in the break-in I really avoided 5th and 6th to keep from lugging the motor, or putting added stress on it. I usually get about 29-31mpg. This last tank pulled in 33.8mpg by using 5th more.

When I was riding a 100 miles a day I used 6th more than any other and got 43 MPG.

+1 on the mileage and on long trip use, makes me less tired at the end of the day  

 

[dadofthree]

Forgot, this is what 6th gear is good for too