How do you ride your 1150?

[DAM650]

Coming from a twelve year love affair with a GS650 thumper, aka Black Betty "bam a lam", I am fluent in just about all things rotax.
Keep her humming over 4K rpm and she is happy.
She has not once failed me, left me stranded in over 80K miles since I have owned her. a 2002 bought with just 4050 miles in 2004.

Now that I have added another 2002 to the flock I am wondering about the nuances, and trickery that goes with the oilhead boxer motor.
I find myself wondering if i am not pleasing the motor running in sixth at 60mph turning 3K rpm? Or musing, if I might cause harm lugging it down to 2K rpm and just throttling out of corners versus downshifting?

Right now I am getting 37-39 mpg running shell premium fuel. low fuel warning light has come on between 135 and 150 miles on the trip.
In the past couple of weeks I have logged near 1000 miles just running around the hills on long sweeping twisties and back country 30mph posted roads.

It almost feels like a crime to ride this bike at anything less that 65 mph. Will I hurt her running the rpm's down low?

[riceburner]

Like I stole it.

[riceburner]

Coming from a twelve year love affair with a GS650 thumper, aka Black Betty "bam a lam", I am fluent in just about all things rotax.
Keep her humming over 4K rpm and she is happy.
She has not once failed me, left me stranded in over 80K miles since I have owned her. a 2002 bought with just 4050 miles in 2004.

Now that I have added another 2002 to the flock I am wondering about the nuances, and trickery that goes with the oilhead boxer motor.
I find myself wondering if i am not pleasing the motor running in sixth at 60mph turning 3K rpm? Or musing, if I might cause harm lugging it down to 2K rpm and just throttling out of corners versus downshifting?

Right now I am getting 37-39 mpg running shell premium fuel. low fuel warning light has come on between 135 and 150 miles on the trip.
In the past couple of weeks I have logged near 1000 miles just running around the hills on long sweeping twisties and back country 30mph posted roads.

It almost feels like a crime to ride this bike at anything less that 65 mph. Will I hurt her running the rpm's down low?

In all seriousness - down to 3K won't hurt it, but rev it hard and it will respond better.

[Buckster]

I wouldn't let it go below 3k while in 6th gear......ever.

[lcarlson]

I wouldn't let it go below 3k while in 6th gear......ever.

I disagree. Low load cruising at steady 60mph/3000 rpm would be just fine. Whacking open the throttle under the same conditions, not such a good idea.

[DAM650]

thanks everybody

[peels]

mine loves 4000-4500 rpm. so i generally ride 80-85ish. drop to 5th in the mid 60's.

going slow through town at 25... it seems to like to be in higher gear, putting along, less snatchy, and I like the quiet.

[towerworker]

I routinely cruise it at 3K/60mph. But gentle acceleration in 6th is ok, WOT w/o downshifting and it will rattle and shake. May not hurt it but sure isn't good for it.

[sweatmark]

Oilhead boxer is like a small block V-8 in a trusty old pickup. Lugging along happily or WFO, it just wants to go, anywhere and everywhere.

The 1100/1150/1200 R bikes are excellent real world do-all motorcycles... hence the longevity and loyalty of this group here.

But you're going to have a hard time beating "old black Betty bam a lam" as a great bike name.

[DAM650]

Oilhead boxer is like a short block in a trusty old pickup. Lugging along happily or WFO, it just wants to go, anywhere and everywhere.

The 1100/1150/1200 R bikes are excellent real world do-all motorcycles... hence the longevity and loyalty of this group here.

But you're going to have a hard time beating "old black Betty bam a lam" as a great bike name.

correct sir, hence we have postponed the christening

[sjbmw]

Your bike has the tall 6th gear, or overdrive gear. Made for the autobahn, and cruising at 80mph, at 4k rpm.
I have found that 73mph is the lowest speed that gear likes.

The "OD" gear went away with the 2005 models, it became an option, and very few USA bikes arrived in 2005 with it.
2004 was the last standard OD gear model.

The US speed limit at 65 mph, I use 5th gear. But the bike will cruise at 3k rpm, but it just don't feel right!

The USA highway speed limits put this 5th/6th gearing "in between" comfortable.... It really is a PITA on group rides, when the leader is fixed and set on 65mph.

I prefer the "5 miles over under 50, 10 miles over above 50" highway speed rule, my bike demands it.

[Sunbeemer]

I concur with what's been posted previously. The boxer twin is a remarkably strong motor with a great torque range. I love not having to shift endlessly in the twisties, and find most mountain roads are easiest on the bike in 2nd & 3rd running between 2000-5500 rpm depending on the radius of curves, road surface and conditions. In these gears she'll pull easily from 2000rpm+ without overstressing rods, bearings and wrist pins.

A problem I've found with sustained long, low-rpm, running (like going 60 mph in 6th gear overdrive at 3000rpm for several hours) is that the cylinders will carbon up. But a higher rpm thrashing (5000+) will clean them out, and is both good fun and good for the motor after a stint on the slab
I also think that premium gasoline contributes to carbonization, and use mid-grade in mine.

[DAM650]

I concur with what's been posted previously. The boxer twin is a remarkably strong motor with a great torque range. I love not having to shift endlessly in the twisties, and find most mountain roads are easiest on the bike in 2nd & 3rd running between 2000-5500 rpm depending on the radius of curves, road surface and conditions. In these gears she'll pull easily from 2000rpm+ without overstressing rods, bearings and wrist pins.

A problem I've found with sustained long, low-rpm, running (like going 60 mph in 6th gear overdrive at 3000rpm for several hours) is that the cylinders will carbon up. But a higher rpm thrashing (5000+) will clean them out, and is both good fun and good for the motor after a stint on the slab
I also think that premium gasoline contributes to carbonization, and use mid-grade in mine.

on my F650 I have always run regular, when it calls for mid grade. gets better mileage and performs better. in 87K the inside of the motor looks as new clean too. thanks again for your replies.

i am going run a few tanks for mid and see what happens

[beemerron]

A good rule of thumb is to run it +/- 500 rpm of 1/2 red line.

[towerworker]

My R has 70K and really does run better on mid grade (89-91) rather than 93. But there is only one local station (Southern States Farm Co-op) that offers mid grade ethanol free. I buy there when it's convenient but more often than not I end up at another station that has hi-test ethanol free. The other station mentioned has mid-grade but it's 7% ethanol.

[skylarmav1]

I always strive to find the highrest octane (I'm in PA so that is typically 93) to ensure the best performance. I'm hearing that is not the case? Can I get some info?
Thx. very much.

[DAM650]

A good rule of thumb is to run it +/- 500 rpm of 1/2 red line.

thats gonna take a lot of practice

[DAM650]

My R has 70K and really does run better on mid grade (89-91) rather than 93. But there is only one local station (Southern States Farm Co-op) that offers mid grade ethanol free. I buy there when it's convenient but more often than not I end up at another station that has hi-test ethanol free. The other station mentioned has mid-grade but it's 7% ethanol.

here is Texico the pumps merely say "may contain up to 10% ethanol"

where you are at do the pumps state ethanol free, or is that found out by researching ?

[sweatmark]

here is Texico the pumps merely say "may contain up to 10% ethanol"
where you are at do the pumps state ethanol free, or is that found out by researching ?

http://www.pure-gas.org

They have an iPhone app that makes it easier to find non-ethanol gas.

I received a bottle of BMW's branded fuel treatment when I picked up my new S bike last week. Dealer's recommendation was to use same or similar every 3K miles because of ethanol concerns. My S bike will be seasonal, so winterization will include tank fill with pure gas and Stabil. The old Rockster is year-round and suffers the abuse of 10% ethanol, though it seems pragmatic to throw some Seafoam in the tank once in a while.

[Sunbeemer]

I always strive to find the highrest octane (I'm in PA so that is typically 93) to ensure the best performance. I'm hearing that is not the case?

I don't want to hijack this thread, but the gasoline you use in your 1150R should be based on the tuning of your motor, temperature, and altitude. If you notice pinging under hard acceleration you need higher octane. If you ride consistently at high altitudes (6000'+) you need lower octane.