Guzzi G5 RPM sweet spot

[Allflatblack]

This may sound crazy, but since completing the resto of my G5 this spring and riding it everywhere, I am left wondering where I should be running it RPM wise. I assumed that it being a 1 Liter twin it would lope like a Harley and hang out in the low ranges with gobs of torque. I find that it is not very impressive power wise in the lower ranges, but when I scream it, it really changes character. Im running an aftermarket tach. Whats the redline, and where do others find the most power and ideal running range for this bike? If it really is in the 4-5k range I will never use 5th gear except on the super highway.

Thanks for any input

John

[fotoguzzi]

It REALLy is in the 4-5k range, Guzzi loves to rev. You don't lug these like a Harley.

[oldbike54]

 No snark intended , but there are at least 10,000 posts on WG re the fact that all V twin Moto Guzzis like to run between 3,500 and 5,500 RPM's .

 Dusty

[oldbike54]

It REALLy is in the 4-5k range, Guzzi loves to rev. You don't lug these like a Harley.

 Now there are ten thousand and one posts on the subject 

 Dusty

[chuck peterson]

"If it really is in the 4-5k range I will never use 5th gear except on the super highway...."

you got it. I think guzzi made it a religion to use top gears for full flight mode...not full out, but steady cruising at ahem, a brisk pace. Try third at 5-6500rpm with a steady throttle, you'll start finding smooth/rougher spots, but singing all the way...you'll realize you can't grenade it...redline at 7-7500? don't know myself with a G5

[Allflatblack]

I would not have thought to search for "G5 RPM sweet spot" in other posts.

Thanks guys! Rev it out.

[Groover]

The sweet spot may have bumped up if you are running K&N or other free-er flowing air filters.

[Two Checks]

And you don't have to spin the guts out of them. IOW 5th gear (on a 5spd) is fine on the highway. You don't need to run in 4th on the Intestate. Sure it accellerates well but you aren't looking for acceleration, you are looking for lower (not lugging-and
 4k is not lugging at 70) rpm and mileage.
Let the flames begin but if you are cruising 5th is what you want. Ifyou want accelleration, you get on a different road.

Red Line on the Tonti big block is 8100 but you run out of steam before that unless you have rejetted, etc.

[Allflatblack]

Thanks guys. So I'm not crazy

[oldbike54]

Thanks guys. So I'm not crazy

 We didn't say that 

 Dusty

[charlie b]

You bought a Guzzi so that means you are crazy  :)

Like others said, don't be afraid to rev it up.  I try to not go into the 'yellow" on my T5, but, it is an 850 and yellow is 7k, redline is 8k.  5th gear and 80mph is 5k for me, but, I have the 16" wheels.

When in town I am usually in the 3k to 4k range.  Pushing hard it likes to pull from 4500 and up.

[Guzzistajohn]

Years ago a dude bought a cal 3 from Ace in st Joseph mo. He brought it back looking for a refund for 5th gear. The gut said he had no need for it. (Joking of course)

[tpeever]

I have always found 4K to be the sweet spot with the big blocks and rarely get into 5th gear (or 6th on my Sport) except above 70 mph or so. Rarely rev above 6K. The Guzzis I have owned are long-legged. Seems like sweet spot is a bit closer to 5K with the small blocks.

[Tom]

 :1: as stated by others.  1st gear to 20mph.  2nd to 40mph.  3rd to 60mph.  4th to 70mph.  5th at 70mh and above.  1st -4th are accelerating to shift.  No need for a tach.  You'll get a feel for it.  Around town, you'll rarely get it into 3rd gear.  1st and 2nd.  The flywheel will spin and you'll have torque on tap when you need it.

[oldbike54]

 Wait a minute , you mean my Jackal has a 5th gear ? Now you guys tell me 

 Dusty

[Tom]

and when you use it properly, you'll meet new friends on the highway.    I did with 5th gear on my Strada. 

[tpeever]

and when you use it properly, you'll meet new friends on the highway.    I did with 5th gear on my Strada. 

Now that is a cryptic comment. Do elaborate!! You meet the nicest people............. .....

[twowings]

Friends with badges? 

[redrider]

Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

Being blessed with 3 iterations of the big block, all prefer 3k and above. The Sport is the least happy below that. The V11 will trundle along at 2K but do not expect acceleration. More like Ion Drive than solid fuel power. The Mille is smooth everywhere but really on the boil between 3 and 7. It has been ported, polished and runs Lafranconi's. With exhaust mods and the Ti map, the Café sport pulls well to 7 with a final lunge to redline. Thankfully there is a rev limiter.

[wymple]

I have no problem loping along on my Cal II at 3500 rpm in 5th gear, but it smooths out at a 4000.  I pretty much stay below 6000 rpm anyway. There is a fellow from Wisconsin I used to see at the rallies who toured with no 5th gear for a long time. It was broken & he didn't want the down time. I think that was a G5.

[TOMB]

I had one of the first G5 in the country was a 1978(250,000 + miles never had the heads off) try shifting from first gear and start shifting between 3500  and 4000 RPM keep the bike in that range and it will go very nicely down the road you can use 5th gear on the highway no problem with 7:33 gear ratio it is not like the later EV where it is basically impossible to use 5th gear keep your shifting + 3500 - 4000 RPM of your very wonderful bike the drive and yes you can flOG  it red line is around 6500 to 7000

[ITSec]

And you don't have to spin the guts out of them. IOW 5th gear (on a 5spd) is fine on the highway. You don't need to run in 4th on the Intestate. Sure it accellerates well but you aren't looking for acceleration, you are looking for lower (not lugging-and 4k is not lugging at 70) rpm and mileage.
Let the flames begin but if you are cruising 5th is what you want.

With the modern 6-speed CARCs, you can cruise even in 6th.

Nobody ever said downshifting for acceleration is a bad thing!

[nick949]

This is NOT an argument for lugging, but..............

One of the many reason I like riding my Eldo (1000cc big block, older cousin to the G5) is that it is such a jack-of-all-trades. When I'm riding on a squirrely gravel road, especially going in to a corner where there are piles of loose gravel, there are times when things just get too busy to throw in a gear change.  No matter. Even if the road speed drops to a crawl and you're still in 4th gear, it WILL tractor its way through with just the perfect amount of soft power.

Then, when it's time to hit the main roads, it will accelerate briskly up to traffic speed (or whatever speed I choose when there's no traffic - which is often), and hold whatever speed you choose for as long as you like.  I tend to run between 3600 and 4200 - at least, that's what my erratic tach tells me during the 10% of the time it seems to be functioning properly.  At that speed, it feels like it will go for ever, and there's a ton or power available if needed.

Good bike!  Don't be afraid to use low revs as well. It may not be perfect for the engine, but how many hundreds of thousands of miles do you expect to ride it?  It will outlast you.

Nick

[Tom]

Now that is a cryptic comment. Do elaborate!! You meet the nicest people............. .....

I'll start a different thread.  Don't want to hijack the thread.

[luthier]

The day I bought my Cali3 I had 1000k's to get home. I had only briefly test ridden a Guzzi EV for a few minutes and was straight off a Norton Atlas.
I had been reading lots specially on this forum so I already knew I was supposed to keep up the revs.
The bloke I bought it from said as we left, Keep her up around 4500rpm, that's the best.

So with my wife on the back and really heavily laden with all kinds of stuff I headed down the road. After a small time I noticed the speedo seemed to be getting slower, in fact I couldn't even get it to 100k's and then it died altogether.

Never mind, I still had the Tacho so i dutifully held her up to 4500rpm and got into 5th as often as possible, even taking it to 5500K.
When we stopped for the night I told my wife I wasn't too sure about this bike. It seemed a bit bouncy.
So I was careful next day I thought, but still at 4500 in top it really seemed a bit weird. The roads we travelled were old tar with lots of bumps.

Long story short when I got a new speedo cable and took her out at those revs, with the 8:33 rear drive, I found I had been cruising at 150-170k's per hour. It was quite a buzz then, till I discovered all the cracks in the rear wheel rim. Even after I had that fixed I was pretty shy of doing those speeds as getting caught was instant license cancellation and a huge fine.

I think the 7:33 rear drive is probably a much better thing, but they are pretty scarce. The other one is almost useless for legal speeds in top gear.

[charlie b]

If you want a 7:33 the gears are easy to get.