It gets me every single time

If I had a dollar for every "phantom shift" attempted by myself in the last six months, i'd be able to fix the rest of my bike...

I just inherited an 82 xj750 seca about 6 months ago and was wondering how long it takes the average xj owner to stop expecting there to be a 6th gear.

-Mike

 

LOL yeah I do that now and again. Sometimes I forget I am in 5th gear doing 70 the bike is turning 5500 RPM and I try to shift... I've had my 82 XJ650 since 4/21/11 and have put over 4K miles on it. I still do that from time to time... Maybe never?

 

Going through the gears on a Maxim-750.

1st, ... 2nd, ..... 3rd, ....... 4th, ........ 4th 'n 3/8ths :::::

 

That was Rick's 11111th post. Nice.

Also, when you're going fwy speed most of the time you think "how nice it'd be to have 6th..." and then, a semi tries to change lanes into you, you book it up to 100mph (cause you started at 5000 rpm) and don't die, and you think "sometimes it's nice, though..."

 

I do it all the time on both of my bikes. The really fun part is switching back and forth from my right hand shift Ironhead. Got really pissed for a second when the XJ's brake pedal wouldn't upshift for me.

 

Definitely, I can't really complain about anything, i drive mostly on the interstate with it and still get about 38 mpg and it has plenty of power right around that 5500 rpm range.

 

I'm still looking for 7th gear!

 

I love 5500 at 70 mph. but then again this is my 1st bike and never had a 6th gear.

 

That threw me off too. I keep trying and trying for 6th but it just won't materialize!

 

I have been riding my bike as a daily now for two years. I thought I was the only one. I always think I must look silly trying to shift and there is nothing to shift to. The worst is when I think to myself... I am in 5th DO NOT TRY AND SHIFt.. but I have to try anyway. Then in my head I think.. AAWwww I told you. I am not ever going to get used to it, I have accepted it.

 

I try for 6th every once in a while on my Seca 750. Ya know what's worse? I actually reached for 7th on my newly acquired Katana 600 the other day. Where'd that come from?

 

Sometimes I second guess myself too - i'll know I'm in 5th but deep down inside I still reach for another gear...

my honda sabre had 6th gear that's why i'm always reaching for it.

 

Here's the trick I've learned:

When in 5th, if you pull up on the lever (slowly, gently when cruising, WITHOUT pulling in the clutch -- just put some upward, gentle pressure on the lever) you will discover it has a "significant" free range of travel when in 5th... There is a "good distance" of travel there (again no clutch).

When in 4th, when you apply the same gentle pressure, there is almost no free travel -- you can "feel" 5th gear "up there" when in 4th...

I've gotten into the habbit of gently pulling up on the lever to discover if I am "truly" in 5th or not -- It is immediately obvious through this gentle "up" pressure to "feel" if 5th is available or if you already in 5th.

Thanks

 

This thread was on life support, but we got a pulse!

I was doing this search for 7th gear (XJ550) for the first 2 weeks, but I finally developed an easy solution. I compared 5th and 6th gear rpms at various speeds and noted these rpms at about 3 speeds in 5th or 6th gear 45, 55, 65. Now I only have to check the tach to know what gear I'm grinding.

 

Some Suzuki models and BMW 3&4 cylinder bikes have a digital gear position indicator. But I think we are all victims to the phantom shift. Then there's Honda's CB 900 & 1000 which has a ten speed tranny!

 

I wonder if one of those "Gear Indicator" whatchamacallits for new sport bikes could be hooked up to, or adapted to work on these "old" bikes?
I read a bit about them, they require electronic speedo's and tachs, but they also can be hooked up to cable operated speedo's too.
The one they mention is a Ducati with a cable operated speedo though.

 

I only just stopped looking for sixth on my XJ750. I've loaned my bike to three experienced riders, all of whom really liked it but the common complaint is that it needs another gear.
At 65mph you know it has plenty more to offer, you just don't want to go there. High speeds don't seem as comfortable. I recently jumped on my buddy's 81 CB900f Super Sport and did over a ton much more comfortably than 65 feels on my XJ.
The shaft drive has its advantages but it would be nice to mess with the gearing a little. This is my first bike and I will never get rid but I might need a little more in a year or two...

 

Don't take this the wrong way but it sounds like your 750 isn't tuned quite right, or your getting too much vibration from somewhere. It would be nice to have a longer gear on my XJ550, but not for comfort or vibration-just for better gas mileage. Sometimes I am riding around 65-75 in fifth gear and don't notice it because I don't feel significant vibrations. If it is tuned right and still seems too wound up you could try a bar snake to soak up those harmonics. The last 750 I rode was plenty tall to cruise around 75 with no discomfort.

Of note the CB900ss rate 95bhp and redlines below 10000, and your XJ750 rates 86bhp and pulls past 10000. Not sure but I think the CB was geared longer as well. So 10% more HP plus a longer gear and heavier bike would translate into more comfort at the same speed. But a properly tuned XJ750 should be just a smidge quicker in the 1/4mile.

 

Thanks for the feedback Mercury. Like I said, this is my first bike so I don't have much of a frame of reference. I don't get vibrations, maybe it's the naked standard/cruiser setup that feels weird at speed. I'm getting over it though, hitting highway speeds much more comfortably in the last week after 1000 plus miles of back-roads. Leaning down and having the correct riding gear helps.
That old CB900 is sweet though, I can hit corners at nearly twice the speed, I should probably stay away from sports bikes...

 

YankshirePud does your XJ have the stock bars? I thought because this thread was referencing the extra gear hunt that you were uncomfortable riding your XJ because of the high rpms, but it sounds like your just not feeling comfortable/confident at speed.

Your friends CB puts you in a different riding posture, mostly because of the flatter/straighter bars. I greatly prefer this type myself. The bars I use are about 3 inches lower than stock and the angle is almost the same as the CB. Similar to modern sport bikes and improves your control and ability to go low. Have you seen any race bikes with cruiser style bars? I promise you I can out corner any CB900 on my XJ550.

Of course you want to be sure everything else is working right that could effect the way it feels at speed. Like the stearing head, all your bearings, your tires, your forks & shocks. For example-when I got my XJ the po weighed twice as much as I do and he had the rears shocks at their maximum setting which was not right for me, and the front tire was at 16psi. So needless to say I didn't feel confident at speed until I got it home and fixed this.

 

You have given me much food for thought. My 82 750 Maxim has those stock adjustable bars, I may have to experiment. I have been having too much fun riding to be tinkering but winter is fast approaching.

 

And (pardon my ignorance) what is a Bar Snake?

 

They slide inside (regular tubular bars) or are poured inside your bars and take up all that empty space and press against the metal to minimize vibrations-its a polymer and weighs very little. I have never tried one, but I have a buddy from Florida that says it smoothed out the higher rpms on his 900.

http://www.barsnake.com/

The whole deal with handlebars is what suits your riding style and a little to do with your frame. I'm average height 5'9" but I have broad shoulders so the stock bars don't feel right. Plus I like to have maximum control over the load when I'm cornering and sport style bars allow me to use all my arm strength and don't require as much grip from my hands.

I have no idea how those custom guys maneuver their bikes with those arms above your shoulders bars! Seems like you would get tired easily.

Since you liked your friends CB900ss you could try and find bars that would position you in a similar way. Best to take measurements while sitting on the Honda then figure out what you'll need to make that happen on your XJ. When buying bars there are three dimensions that determine your grip location: width (tip to tip), rise (from clamps), and pullback from center.

One thing to consider is if the changes from what you have now are significant you might need new cables or reroute the ones you have. Primarily brake and clutch are the ones you have to worry about.

 

To add to what Merc said, I used steel shot (smallest available) from a gun shop, seal one end and just fill up the bars from the other end, then seal it and you're done.
Adds more weight than the polymer stuff and can be taken out if you don't like it.
2 cents.