Cruiser newb seeking advice

[withoutatrout]

Just bought my first bike last week, a 99 shadow 1100. I've ridden dirt bikes my whole life but this is my first big boy and while I've become pretty well adjusted to the bike in just a couple rides, I wanted to get some input from you experienced riders.

Few questions:

When just "cruising" along (like a 30 mph road) do you guys tend to keep it in higher gear with low rpm's or a lower gear with mid rpm's? I like to keep it in the higher gear but it seems like sometimes there is a finer line between putting along and stalling than on a dirt bike.

It seems like I'm having hard time getting a smooth 1st up to 2nd transition. Seems like the gears are a little farther apart than I'm used to. Do I need to focus on building more speed and momentum in 1st before I switch or do you think I need to be more generous on the throttle?

[rkforrest]

They Like to rev and Hate to Lug.You will figure it out.The rev limiter will tell you if you go to far

[-AJ]

if you've rode dirtbikes all your life... you know about lugging and over revving. you'll get the hang of it. cruisers are just a different breed than you are used too. you'll eventually get the feel for when to shift.

[CrazyDave]

You did not specify whether it was A Sabre, ACE or Spirit. but The Sabre and ACE tend to run the same which translates that they like things about midway for the city..2nd-thrid gear do fine at 30 mph. I have never ridden a Spirit but have been told they seem to "hunt" for a place to be comfy. Then again some say a Sabre sounds like it's working too hard on the highway.. trust me.. it ain't

[tgelphman]

i tend to like to be in the lower gear and rev a little higher. It gives me more control if i need to slow or speed up by regulating the throttle only. I do hate that speed right in between though and usually will speed up just enough to warrant the next gear if possible.

As for going from 1st to 2nd it depends on what is happening when you are having the harder time going between the two. If it lugs down when u go to 2nd then you need to speed up a little before switching. It is probably just a feel for your bike thing more than anything else.

[Dauntae]

I too came from dirt bikes and took some getting used to with different shift points, just think of the fun I had when the dirt bike that felt like a big bike when on only dirt bikes, spent a summer only riding my shadow and then at the end of the summer went dirt riding, I felt like I just got on a bicycle lol so small and nimble and yet again shifting at all the wrong times lol but you'll get used to it.

Dauntae

[rb608]

Originally Posted by withoutatrout

Just bought my first bike last week, a 99 shadow 1100. I've ridden dirt bikes my whole life but this is my first big boy and while I've become pretty well adjusted to the bike in just a couple rides, I wanted to get some input from you experienced riders.

Few questions:

When just "cruising" along (like a 30 mph road) do you guys tend to keep it in higher gear with low rpm's or a lower gear with mid rpm's? I like to keep it in the higher gear but it seems like sometimes there is a finer line between putting along and stalling than on a dirt bike.

It seems like I'm having hard time getting a smooth 1st up to 2nd transition. Seems like the gears are a little farther apart than I'm used to. Do I need to focus on building more speed and momentum in 1st before I switch or do you think I need to be more generous on the throttle?

Since I have the same bike, I'll offer my experience. Yeah, there's a bit of a gap between too fast for 1st and too slow for 2nd. If I'm accelerating, I'll stay with 1st, but if I'm moving even a little bit, I go for 2nd. The 1100 has enough power to get it through that low rpm chugging. Don't sweat it, either way works.

At 30, I go with 3rd. It's at the low end of the power range for 3rd, but so long as you're not accelerating uphill, 3rd should do the job. If you need a little more power, go ahead and drop it to 2nd. No biggie.

It's taken me a while to get used to it, but when you're on the cusp between one gear or another, it really isn't too big a difference. If the bike is laboring, just drop a gear. No prob. The 1100 has a great power range.

[withoutatrout]

Originally Posted by CrazyDave

You did not specify whether it was A Sabre, ACE or Spirit. but The Sabre and ACE tend to run the same which translates that they like things about midway for the city..2nd-thrid gear do fine at 30 mph. I have never ridden a Spirit but have been told they seem to "hunt" for a place to be comfy. Then again some say a Sabre sounds like it's working too hard on the highway.. trust me.. it ain't

It's the Spirit 1100. I could say it seems to hunt a little for that comfy place, but this is my first bike so I don't really have anything to compare it to...

[withoutatrout]

Originally Posted by rb608

Since I have the same bike, I'll offer my experience. Yeah, there's a bit of a gap between too fast for 1st and too slow for 2nd. If I'm accelerating, I'll stay with 1st, but if I'm moving even a little bit, I go for 2nd. The 1100 has enough power to get it through that low rpm chugging. Don't sweat it, either way works.

At 30, I go with 3rd. It's at the low end of the power range for 3rd, but so long as you're not accelerating uphill, 3rd should do the job. If you need a little more power, go ahead and drop it to 2nd. No biggie.

It's taken me a while to get used to it, but when you're on the cusp between one gear or another, it really isn't too big a difference. If the bike is laboring, just drop a gear. No prob. The 1100 has a great power range.

Thanks, that helps a lot. I guess getting used to it is the fun part huh? haha

[rb608]

Originally Posted by withoutatrout

Thanks, that helps a lot. I guess getting used to it is the fun part huh? haha

Indeed. I've been riding for decades and have 13K+ on the VT1100, but I'm still getting used to it. Just have fun. Don't worry about "doing it right"; just keep the shiny side up and have fun.