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What rpm do you plod along at ?

Sprocker

Sprocker

Joined Oct 2010
4K Posts | 0+
Pontefract
Well I've had the mille six months now and I think I've been riding it wrong all that time :confused
I went out today for a blat on my own, normally I change through the gears before the revs got too high, but today I ragged its arse off keeping the revs high in all gears, even the times when not accelerating, and fook me it was like owning a different bike, it felt really responsive and Sooooooooooooo Smoooooooth :doug

What rpm would you experienced mille riders normally ride at various speeds and at what point do you change up when your making progress :dunno ( i don't mean when your really nailing it as i would imagine your going to change up at red light limit) Not sure if i'm explaining this clearly but any help will be welcome :thumbup
 
Ive only had three good days out on mine and I rag the living crap out of it in every gear, bang it on the back wheel in first changing into second & set the stupid flasher thingie at about 10k, I know when it flashes I got another second to change.

But I am a :jack on a bike, I even got bored of ragging the crap out of my moded Busa.

Sorry but that me. :thumbup
 
Alreet buddy not really classing myself as an experience mille rider but another view is always good,

I normally settle in at 3k personally buddy and change about 6k thats just untill i get my confidents back:pirate
 
I try to keep it between sort of 6.5 and upwards, it feels a lot more responsive and pulls better out of the corners, I dont go anywere near 5th or 6th gear unless I'm just chugging up the motorways.
 
rsvnelly said:
I try to keep it between sort of 6.5 and upwards, it feels a lot more responsive and pulls better out of the corners, I dont go anywere near 5th or 6th gear unless I'm just chugging up the motorways.
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Thats about what I was using, 6000-7000 in the 40mph and above zones,changing up at 9000ish unless really going for it, and i dont think i went above 4th gear on the B-roads until i got onto the long straights. I was always worried that keeping the revs high in the lower gears was going to do some damage to the engine, i wouldn't drive my car with high revs like that and always change up as soon as possible and I think i was doing the same with the bike :roll
 
sprocker said:
Well I've had the mille six months now and I think I've been riding it wrong all that time :confused
I went out today for a blat on my own, normally I change through the gears before the revs got too high, but today I ragged its arse off keeping the revs high in all gears, even the times when not accelerating, and fook me it was like owning a different bike, it felt really responsive and Sooooooooooooo Smoooooooth :doug

What rpm would you experienced mille riders normally ride at various speeds and at what point do you change up when your making progress :dunno ( i don't mean when your really nailing it as i would imagine your going to change up at red light limit) Not sure if i'm explaining this clearly but any help will be welcome :thumbup
Click to expand...

I had the same problem - trying to ride the RSV the same as my old TL. Tootling along at 2.5 -3k I could whack open the throttle for a quick overtake on it and rarely needed to go much above 6k for quick progress.

Was beginning to think summit was up with the RSV until I read this in an old copy of Bike circa 1999:

Image1-1.jpg


Since then I've kept the revs up and as you've found sprocker it gives a much smoother and crisper ride. Trouble is I hate revs - that's why I bought a V-twin in the first place so am looking in to either trying to improve the bottom end or maybe swapping to a Falco. If that doesn't work it'll be back to a TL :eek:.
 
Hiya Gray, I thought the Falco was the same engine as the mille :confused or is the gearing different on those :dunno
 
back to a tl from an aprilia, sacre bleu. Love my mille, pulls anywhere from 3 thou smooth as, usually change around 8500-9, find am in 4th most of the time on our roads, pulls well in 5th but 6th is just for plodding or motorway/ going past plod (exhaust is sooo loud). Previous bike was gixer 600 and you had to have it high in rev range for it to shift i was fed up of changing gear constantly so changed to a twin and fell in love instantly, would only swop my mille for a newer one.
 
sprocker said:
Hiya Gray, I thought the Falco was the same engine as the mille :confused or is the gearing different on those :dunno
Click to expand...

Same engine but lower compression and different mapping. Not sure if it pulls any better low down though but definately has more mid midrange - will have to ask on a Falco forum.

Don't really want to go back to a TL but I really miss plodding along at bugger all revs listening to that thud-thud sound :)

I'll have to put my titanium pipe and chip back on and see if that helps :devious.
 
tantrum said:
I'll have to put my titanium pipe and chip back on and see if that helps :devious.
Click to expand...

Yeah you need to lose that bucket you had on when i met you :biggrin

You'll have to meet us at Squires sometime and have a go on falco69's (on here) if he'll agree, give you a good idea what they're like ...
 
Hi,

A lot will depend on what final gearing you are running, if you've still got the standard 17/42 then try dropping the front to a 16 tooth. If you already have a 16 tooth front fitted then try a 15 or up the rear to a 44. It really surprised me how much difference the gearing can make.

I'm now running a 16/45 set up and the difference over even the 16/42 is brilliant. It pulls so smoothly from low down right up to 10K. Now I can bumble along at 3-5k short shifting through the gears at 6-7 when I'm feeling lazy or when I want to smack it's arse cane it through the gears changing when the light comes on at 10k. Mega fun:thumbup
 
I recently fitted a 16 tooth which helped but I just think the motor's not happy unless it's revving :) might try a 44 on the back though.

Or maybe I've just reached that 'Harley' age :uhoh.

Yeah would love to meet at Squire's - when you going next?
 
im so glad this thread was started, iv just moved from a SV650 and when i was being lazy on that i was at about 2-3k revs, got the RSV did the same and was getting nasty chain noise's opening it up, even worse when my G/F was on the back.

I checked the chain, that was ok so been keeping the revs up now and seems to be loads better.

i still may look at the gearing tho as with 2 up i have to be very, very smooth and slip the clutch alot to get away from standstill without the chain banging/engine labouring.

May be me but i find me clutch very heavy too, went to brands sunday and the traffic was nasty near by, could def feel it in me left hand.....does not get as much use as my right hand:)



Throttle hand i mean....:biggrin
 
For those feeling the chuggyness of the standard Aprilia gearing, change your gearing fellas, it's said time and time again. It's simply the best cheap mod you can do.

Old style Mille and Mille R - 16/44 is best but a new 110 link chain is needed, or just fit a 15 tooth front sprocket to make 15/42 and keep the standard length chain

Newer RSVR and Factory - 15/42 is best i.e one down on the front, 2 up on the rear and this can be done without changing the chain.

You'll be amazed at how much better the bike is :thumbup
 
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I'm interested in the notion that the RSV is a 'revvy' bike....Coming from an in-line four I initially found it difficult to avoid finding the limiter in every gear...but once used to the lower rev ceiling it started to make sense pulling from 3k onwards rather than 9/10k on in-line four. I would also say that the bike is very deceptive at hiding the speed you're travelling at and this has made me feel like I'm not making the type of progress I was seeking until I took a quick look at the 3 figure speedo reading! This is certainly not the case on non-V Twin bikes where the frantic gear changes and screaming revs give you the inpression of speed even within legal limits. However when comparing to a TL, I guess it's the way the whole drivetrain makes it's power, a mate who had a TLS and now has an RSVR has made similar comments and has even suggested the brakes on the RSVR are crap(!!!!), which seems to suggest they offer radically different riding experiences and consequently will appeal in differing ways to individual riders...Horses for Courses and all that!
 
In the main I ride in the 6k - 9k range. If I need more on an overtake it's there but generally that range is really responsive and more than enough. I did find when first riding the RSV that it is more of a rev beast than the Ducati I had last. It seems to fly up the revs. Now being used to the bike it can be ridden lazily but I certainly wouldn't want it to be anymore rev happy than it is, may as well buy an IL4 otherwise.
 
mickyboy said:
im so glad this thread was started, iv just moved from a SV650 and when i was being lazy on that i was at about 2-3k revs, got the RSV did the same and was getting nasty chain noise's opening it up, even worse when my G/F was on the back.

I checked the chain, that was ok so been keeping the revs up now and seems to be loads better.

i still may look at the gearing tho as with 2 up i have to be very, very smooth and slip the clutch alot to get away from standstill without the chain banging/engine labouring.

May be me but i find me clutch very heavy too, went to brands sunday and the traffic was nasty near by, could def feel it in me left hand.....does not get as much use as my right hand:)



Throttle hand i mean....:biggrin
Click to expand...

Hi Mickey,

If you find your clutch a little heavy try one of these:-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/APRI...004QQitemZ140231052029QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD2V

Got one on my mille and they do help.

Have you fitted the steering damper yet???

Cheers
Chris
 
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tantrum said:
Yeah would love to meet at Squire's - when you going next?
Click to expand...

Were going there tonight :thumbup weather permitting of course :biggrin

rsvchris...i'm on 16/42 gearing, i'm happy with the acceleration but as i said i've been running my revs too low for a crisp responsiveness do you think this will improve much running 15/42 :dunno
Badger said using 15/42 would give virtually same results as 16/44.... going to 44rear would also mean a longer chain also
 
sprocker said:
Yeah you need to lose that bucket you had on when i met you :biggrin

You'll have to meet us at Squires sometime and have a go on falco69's (on here) if he'll agree, give you a good idea what they're like ...
Click to expand...

Would be interested too in meeting at squires, was up there sunday and it was rammed.
 
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