Kookaloo and beyond!

[ribbert]

I was going to ask, why does everyone keep wanting "6th" gear...

Randy - RPM

Exactly!

The other one that appears here regularly that I don't get is "I keep going for the next/6th gear" Just how long does it take to get used to your own bike?
Not that you should need to, but a quick look at the tacho will confirm that you're already in top.

I don't have an issue with the gearing on mine (18/41) but then I don't do a lot of constant speed riding either. On the odd occasion that I do, I don't mind the constant high cruising revs. I suppose it depends a lot on how and where you ride.

Noel

[movenon]

The FJ wasn't designed to be a cruiser.  It is more efficient and smoother at higher RPM's.  At least that's how I see it.  I ran 18/38 combo and went back lower to 17/38 and am happier with the bike all around.
George

[ribbert]

The FJ wasn't designed to be a cruiser.  It is more efficient and smoother at higher RPM's.  At least that's how I see it.  I ran 18/38 combo and went back lower to 17/38 and am happier with the bike all around.
George

George, you are spot on, the FJ motors definitely get sweeter from about 4000+

Noel

[FJ_Hooligan]

If you could get a 6th gear, then you'd just be searching for 7th.

That's what I do on my FZ1

[Burns]

Even if you could swap out the entire 6 speed transmission from a Busa, you wouldn't really be happy with it ...

Gear it for what you want on top and first will take care of itself   

Chris, you stole my thunder...

I was going to ask, why does everyone keep wanting "6th" gear...

The 6th gear tooth count & ratio for the busa is;  24/23 (1.043:1)

for the FJ it is; 29/26 (1.115:1)

So, all one can hope for with a "6th" gear is overdrive, but there is not enough room in the case for additional gears.

Like just stated if you want to slow the engine down fro cruise efficiency then the larger 18T front sprocket and the smallest rear sprocket you can fit is what you are looking for.

Randy - RPM

it really doesn't matter "why does everyone keep wanting "6th" gear..." if they do, they do. 
The ride experience is subjective and tastes vary.

For every tooth up on the counter or down on the rear there is less "snap" everywhere in the rev range.

The bike is buzzy in the  65 to 75 mph range in  5th with the sprockets that  I've ridden.  That is the speed range where you spend most of your 2-lane time.
Are you and others suggesting folks should drop into 4th in that neighborhood to get the motor happy? 

Well, to each his own, but that would not be my personal riding style.

Some (me e.g.) would like to keep as much  "snap" as we can and still smooth things out a bit at 2-lane highway cruising speed; we don't plan to require the torque needed at the rear wheel in 5th to exceed 140 mph or so.   If there is a mileage improvement with the taller gearing - yahoo! that's a bonus.

The bottom line here is that riders want the ride that they want and there is no scripture to quote on the subject nor moral authority to chide riders whose tastes do not mirror your own.

With all due respect.

[motohorseman]

Add me to the list of those that was a 6 speed.

I remember reading somewhere about a direct bolt in from some other model - anyone remember that?

It's not just the 6th gear, it all of them, properly spaced.

[FJscott]

 Have you ever heard a rider with a six speed tranny say" damn, wish it only had five gears"?

[ribbert]

Have you ever heard a rider with a six speed tranny say" damn, wish it only had five gears"?

No, but a lot of guys short shift through them, particularly with a torquey motor. I even do that on the 5 speed more often than not.

Porsche at one stage went from a 4 speed back to a 3 speed box in the 911's when the motors were powerful enough not to need the extra ratio, and they were faster.

Noel

[Burns]

I short shift and double shift my FJ's all the time.  The bike seems happiest pulling a bit of load.
For me the spacing of the bottom 4 is fine.

  With a tall 5th you could add some teeth to the rear and make the bike quicker if you wanted too, not overdoing it to the point of defeating your original purpose of course.

Replacing the entire transmission is rather extreme, 2 each and all that.

As far as that goes, I personally would not open up the motor just to change the top cogs but would put those parts in at rebuild time if they were available. Someone suggested that there might even be such things in other Yam transmissions.

There's a research project for ya.

[racerrad8]

The bottom line here is that riders want the ride that they want and there is no scripture to quote on the subject nor moral authority to chide riders whose tastes do not mirror your own.

I am sorry you feel that I have chided you, it was merely a question to the topic not directly to you specifically.
 

...why does everyone keep wanting "6th" gear...

Randy - RPM

That was followed by the gearing information of the two transmissions indicating the transmission final drive ratios.

Everyone compares the want or desire of 6th gear to the busa so based on the gear ratio of the busa, there is not a benefit that can be obtained other than a closer split of the mid gear ratios.

I am not sure how you found my question to be preaching or for that matter on a moral level, but you did...

The ride readers experience is subjective and tastes vary.

The bike is buzzy in the  65 to 75 mph range in  5th with the sprockets that  I've ridden.  That is the speed range where you spend most of your 2-lane time.
Are you and others suggesting folks should drop into 4th in that neighborhood to get the motor happy?

No, that is not my recommendation to eliminate buzzing vibrations at highway speed.
     I recommend maintenance of the motor mounts, properly built, jetted and functioning carbs, carbs synchronization at higher rpm range than idle, proper tune up, timing plate advance modification, proper chain maintenance with free moving links, better handle bar grips, RPM Vibrantators, rubber mounted foot peg upgrade on the early model bikes, lower frame rails tight and no broken bolts and insure there are no cracks in the frame.

I fully enjoy all of my FJ's vibration free at highway speed due to many if not all of the above recommendations.

In fact the FJ I rode in Australia was a vibrating machine. I was unable to service the motor mounts or sync the carbs before we had to start off on the journey. I did install foam grips and RPM Vibranators which eliminated the vibrations in the handlebars, but I could really feel it in the foot pegs.

So, the same statement or question that has been asked multiple times over the years since this forum was founded seems to be different for each and every rider. Some guys want it for higher top speed as they felt they needed to shift because the wanted to go faster or for others to slow the engine down in the quest for better cruising mileage and your reasoning;

Some (me e.g.) would like to keep as much  "snap" as we can and still smooth things out a bit at 2-lane highway cruising speed; we don't plan to require the torque needed at the rear wheel in 5th to exceed 140 mph or so.   If there is a mileage improvement with the taller gearing - yahoo! that's a bonus.

Sure, by slowing the engine RPM's down via sprocket changes, you lose the "snap" and the drop of a gear brings it right back as the engine is now back closer to or within the power band instead of down at the lower RPM range where the engine is basically lugging when asked to accelerate.

As far as my "taste" is concerned for this, I use what Yamaha provided to obtain the best performance I can obtain. This past week, with my 93' running up towards the red line in the twisties and I still got 39 MPG on the highway to & fro with 18/38 sprockets. I think Yamaha came up with a good all around package that if someone wants to tweak with sprocket changes they still keep the engine in the preferred operating range.

Wonder if Randy could get a set of final gear cogs cut with one more tooth on the input cog and 2 less on the output cog.

No, I will not be investing any time or money for different gear ratios for the FJ since I am investing my time & monies elsewhere to improve the FJ.

I can tell you that since I have been riding the 86' with the development RPM EFI system, there is all kinds of "snap". Now when I ride my carbed FJ's they are very "sluggish" as there is the time that the throttle opens before the fuel in drawn from the emulsion tube as there is no acceleration pump.

Randy - RPM

[FJscott]

Is this horse dead yet? let me shoot it one more time. everyone in this conversation makes good, valid arguments supporting their position. For me, I would prefer a 6th gear or taller 5th. that being said, I would rather be riding my bikes than splitting the cases to install it. would it be nice? yes. doesn't make me wrong or right, just my position.

My Ninja1000 is a 6 speed. I don't feel the need to shortshift nor do I search for 7th

Scott

[racerrad8]

Is this horse dead yet? let me shoot it one more time.

Scott

FTFY...



Randy - RPM

[Bones]

The Japs aren't stupid, if they thought the FJ needed an extra gear don't you think they would've added one. The FJ will cover the quarter mile in 11sec and top 240kmh/150 mph, which in the era it was made was top performance and still respectable in this day and age. Personally I think the ratios are spot on with the standard gearing, I think it's the torque of the motor giving some people the impression it's under geared, but if you want higher or lower, just change your sprockets.

[fj1289]

Wow - didn't think I'd hurt anyone's feelings - just wanted to point out that six speed tansmissions don't necessarily offer any advantages over what we already have!

But I guess we can always pretend it will be better than reality...

[Steve_in_Florida]

"...these go to ELEVEN!"

Nigel Tufnel - Spinal Tap

Spinal Tap - "These go to eleven...."