79KZ650 - RPM and shift points

Yesterday my friend took my bike out for the first time and reported the shift points were"weird". He noted getting to fifth gear at around 35 MPH and 3000 RPM. From what I understand the 650's are high rev engines and read that at highway supersonic speeds of 80 MPH the tach will be around 7600 RPM. I looked at my friend and his HD Sportster 1200R and figured the 2 bikes had no relationship when it comes to RPM and shift points.

At this point my project hours are complete, however the fine tuning will continue. Wondering if there is something based on his remark that I need to look at... timing, carbs running lean/rich?

No he is just jealous.

peter1958 wrote: No he is just jealous.

Actually he's already talking about a project bike for himself, I recommended a Z1.

Try it yourself. I believe you will find he's wrong. In 5th gear at 35 mph the engine will turn 2625 rpm if it has stock sprockets and if the clutch is not slipping. In 5th gear at 3000 rpm the bike should be traveling 40 mph.

I don't know where you read what, but at 80mph the engine will be turning 6000 rpm. At 7600 rpm the bike will be traveling 101 mph. It tops out at 9000 rpm at 120 mph.

Frankly, I don't shift into 5th gear if I'm only going 35 mph, but that's just me i guess.

If you find your rpm for a given speed is higher than I stated something on the bike is wrong. Either you have the wrong size sprockets; the clutch is slipping; the tach is reading higher than the real rpm; or the speedometer is reading slower than the actual speed. Ed