RPMS spiked out of nowhere.

SHTF Rat · 05-07-2009, 12:00 AM

I have questions about RPMS.

At 55MPH my bike would run at anywhere from 4800 to 5000 rpms.

Today all of a sudden, out of nowhere it spiked past 6500+ while cruising.. I could hear the engine going faster, but the bikes speed didn't change. Naturally, I double checked to make sure I was in 5th gear and it was.

All I did before this happened was wash the bike and add seafoam to the fuel.

Anyway, what's the usual rpm ranges for certain speeds?

I always have been gearing up to 5th gear for cruising.. is this correct, or should my gear be based on speed?

Obviously I know I want 5th for highway, but what about just cruising along at 30/35? At 35 in 5th I'm running somewhere around 3000+ rpm

SHTF Rat · 05-07-2009, 12:08 AM

Oh no!

I think I know what I did.. Are my gears slipping or maybe I messed up my clutch?

I took a rag and put it behind my shifter to clean the grease/grime/dirt off the part it attaches to and slid my rag back and forth, and around it to clean it.

primalmu · 05-07-2009, 12:16 AM

What kind of oil are you running?

FlyBy · 05-07-2009, 03:19 AM

I have the same problem, well i wouldn't say its a problem coz its intermittent. It doesn't happen always but happens when its around 45 to 55 mph.. the engine revs up too much and the speed doesn't increase.

I too wash my bike regularly.

Dodsfall · 05-07-2009, 08:23 AM

It sounds like the clutch is slipping. Possibly using an oil with friction modifiers?

Badlands-4-2 · 05-07-2009, 09:20 AM

I agree, sounds like a clutch issue.

FlyBy · 05-07-2009, 10:08 AM

so how can this be resolved ? by loosening the clutch a little bit ?

daw840 · 05-07-2009, 10:14 AM

Yup. That almost HAS to be a clutch problem. If the engine is increasing in speed without the bike increasing speed there is only one possibility.

Chuck289 · 05-07-2009, 10:43 AM

+1, clutch. What oil are you using. I used oil with friction modifiers when I didn't know any better. The clutch slipped a little, but then I used the proper oil and I no longer have that problem.

Also if your clutch cable is too tight then the clutch might not fully engage when you let go of the clutch lever.

FlyBy · 05-07-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck289

+1, clutch. What oil are you using. I used oil with friction modifiers when I didn't know any better. The clutch slipped a little, but then I used the proper oil and I no longer have that problem.

Also if your clutch cable is too tight then the clutch might not fully engage when you let go of the clutch lever.

what do you mean by friction modifiers ? are they any kind of special oils ?

SHTF Rat · 05-07-2009, 12:36 PM

I did an oil and filter change about, I guess a month ago and about 1000+ miles since and this just started on day I posted.

I forgot about it when I posted, but just realized that maybe something got messed up when I dropped my bike in the driveway.

My feet were greasy and wet from washing and I was trying to push start the bike, so here I am trying to run along side the bike in the driveway and my neighbor stops right in front of me just when I'm about to release the clutch and I go to squeeze front brake and dropped the bike onto the hood of his minivan.. Right side mirror/throttle area hit side front of his van.

As for the oil, I used a regular Pennzoil 10w40. I'll change the oil again and see what happens. I wanted to change it again anyway since I want to put some seafoam in there

FlyBy · 05-07-2009, 12:39 PM

I wash my bike with a hose pipe (not too much force, just the garden hose) allow it to dry a little bit then i wipe all the water and then start the engine heat it and make sure everything is fine.

so my question is .. does water go into any internal organs of the bike while washing with a hose ? or riding in rain ? can this mess up the clutch and create this problem ?

primalmu · 05-07-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyBy

so my question is .. does water go into any internal organs of the bike while washing with a hose ? or riding in rain ? can this mess up the clutch and create this problem ?

No.

SHTF Rat, I think the oil you're using has friction modifiers, which are BAD for wet clutches. The first thing I'd do is change the oil out immediately. I highly recommend Shell Rotella-T conventional for older bikes (synthetic for newer ones).

Out of curiosity, why are you wanting to put Seafoam in the oil? Do you suspect a problem? Honestly, unless you suspect something is wrong I think you're best to just leave it alone. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Chuck289 · 05-07-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHTF Rat

I did an oil and filter change about, I guess a month ago and about 1000+ miles since and this just started on day I posted.

I forgot about it when I posted, but just realized that maybe something got messed up when I dropped my bike in the driveway.

My feet were greasy and wet from washing and I was trying to push start the bike, so here I am trying to run along side the bike in the driveway and my neighbor stops right in front of me just when I'm about to release the clutch and I go to squeeze front brake and dropped the bike onto the hood of his minivan.. Right side mirror/throttle area hit side front of his van.

As for the oil, I used a regular Pennzoil 10w40. I'll change the oil again and see what happens. I wanted to change it again anyway since I want to put some seafoam in there

Look on the back of the bottle for the SAE "donut" label. I can almost gaurantee that it says "energy conserving". You do not want to use that. It has friction modifiers in it, which means you're clutch wont have enough friction to grab.

EDIT:
read here and learn from my mistakes. starting with post #43
http://www.motorcycleforum.com/showt...t=86289&page=2

FlyBy · 05-07-2009, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the info. I recently did my service and oil change and that could the the reason.

Also shiftRat herez a video i found which explains about how wet clutch works.. good information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzIjHdEcdJ0

FlyBy · 05-09-2009, 06:59 PM

Update:

I took my bike to the dealer today for clutch inspection, they did a good test ride and said therez nothing wrong with it. since its a small motor (650) it take little longer to speed up the guy did certain "clutch tests" and said.. looks good no issues.. but told me to keep an eye on it.. if i feel that there is some issue then we can replace the clutch.

Oil is good.. non-synthetic so that issue is ruled out. I guess i will put couple thousand miles on it before i go for the clutch replacement.

Dodsfall · 05-09-2009, 07:49 PM

There are a lot of non-synthetic oils that contain friction modifiers. What type did you use?

SHTF Rat · 05-09-2009, 09:48 PM

I haven't been able to replicate the problem.. Hopefully it's gone.

After posting this, I added seafoam to the oil and went on a cruise, total mileage around 45 or so miles.. I then changed oil and filter. I also removed left side cover and cleaned all the gunk out of there and removed sprocket for a good cleaning and inspection. Also cleaned off chain and then oiled it all up. I used a motorcycle specific 10W40.. She purrs like a lion

She roars when accelerating and I can feel an increase in power.

Sapper81 · 05-09-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHTF Rat

I haven't been able to replicate the problem.. Hopefully it's gone.

I used a motorcycle specific 10W40.. She purrs like a lion

She roars when accelerating and I can feel an increase in power.

After reading everything, I think that is your best bet. I've been trying to use motorcycle specific lubrications and liquids just to make sure I don't put anything it doesn't like in there.

daddymikey1975 · 05-10-2009, 10:34 AM

(nice bike sapper)
is that a VLX 600 ??

mine is about due for an oil and filter change too.. going to use motorcycle specific oil just for this reason.

Sapper81 · 05-10-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daddymikey1975

(nice bike sapper)
is that a VLX 600 ??

mine is about due for an oil and filter change too.. going to use motorcycle specific oil just for this reason.

Yes it is, love that bike!

Is it the first oil change on a brand new bike? That's always a pain because Honda uses a machine to tighten everything so it's always overtighten.

I believe the oil I used was actually made by Honda.

05-07-2009, 12:00 AM	#1
SHTF Rat Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 324	RPMS spiked out of nowhere. I have questions about RPMS. At 55MPH my bike would run at anywhere from 4800 to 5000 rpms. Today all of a sudden, out of nowhere it spiked past 6500+ while cruising.. I could hear the engine going faster, but the bikes speed didn't change. Naturally, I double checked to make sure I was in 5th gear and it was. All I did before this happened was wash the bike and add seafoam to the fuel. Anyway, what's the usual rpm ranges for certain speeds? I always have been gearing up to 5th gear for cruising.. is this correct, or should my gear be based on speed? Obviously I know I want 5th for highway, but what about just cruising along at 30/35? At 35 in 5th I'm running somewhere around 3000+ rpm

05-07-2009, 12:16 AM	#3
primalmu 2005 Bandit 1200S Join Date: May 2008 Location: Starkville, MS Posts: 4,303	What kind of oil are you running? __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-07-2009, 08:23 AM	#5
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,975	It sounds like the clutch is slipping. Possibly using an oil with friction modifiers? __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-07-2009, 10:08 AM	#7
FlyBy Motorcycling Unplugged !! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 1,263	so how can this be resolved ? by loosening the clutch a little bit ? __________________ kawasaki zx6r

05-07-2009, 10:14 AM	#8
daw840 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,032	Yup. That almost HAS to be a clutch problem. If the engine is increasing in speed without the bike increasing speed there is only one possibility. __________________ 1984 Honda Nighthawk 700S 2009 V-Star 650 Custom

05-07-2009, 12:08 AM	#2
SHTF Rat Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 324	Oh no! I think I know what I did.. Are my gears slipping or maybe I messed up my clutch? I took a rag and put it behind my shifter to clean the grease/grime/dirt off the part it attaches to and slid my rag back and forth, and around it to clean it.

05-07-2009, 03:19 AM	#4
FlyBy Motorcycling Unplugged !! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 1,263	I have the same problem, well i wouldn't say its a problem coz its intermittent. It doesn't happen always but happens when its around 45 to 55 mph.. the engine revs up too much and the speed doesn't increase. I too wash my bike regularly. __________________ kawasaki zx6r

05-07-2009, 09:20 AM	#6
Badlands-4-2 Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Badlands of North Dakota Posts: 9,671	I agree, sounds like a clutch issue.

05-07-2009, 10:43 AM	#9
Chuck289 too slow Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SF Bay, California Posts: 440	+1, clutch. What oil are you using. I used oil with friction modifiers when I didn't know any better. The clutch slipped a little, but then I used the proper oil and I no longer have that problem. Also if your clutch cable is too tight then the clutch might not fully engage when you let go of the clutch lever. __________________ -Charles "Enjoy life. This is not a rehearsal."

05-07-2009, 12:36 PM	#11
SHTF Rat Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 324	I did an oil and filter change about, I guess a month ago and about 1000+ miles since and this just started on day I posted. I forgot about it when I posted, but just realized that maybe something got messed up when I dropped my bike in the driveway. My feet were greasy and wet from washing and I was trying to push start the bike, so here I am trying to run along side the bike in the driveway and my neighbor stops right in front of me just when I'm about to release the clutch and I go to squeeze front brake and dropped the bike onto the hood of his minivan.. Right side mirror/throttle area hit side front of his van. As for the oil, I used a regular Pennzoil 10w40. I'll change the oil again and see what happens. I wanted to change it again anyway since I want to put some seafoam in there

05-07-2009, 12:39 PM	#12
FlyBy Motorcycling Unplugged !! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 1,263	I wash my bike with a hose pipe (not too much force, just the garden hose) allow it to dry a little bit then i wipe all the water and then start the engine heat it and make sure everything is fine. so my question is .. does water go into any internal organs of the bike while washing with a hose ? or riding in rain ? can this mess up the clutch and create this problem ? __________________ kawasaki zx6r

05-07-2009, 02:28 PM	#15
FlyBy Motorcycling Unplugged !! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 1,263	Thanks for the info. I recently did my service and oil change and that could the the reason. Also shiftRat herez a video i found which explains about how wet clutch works.. good information. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzIjHdEcdJ0 __________________ kawasaki zx6r

05-09-2009, 06:59 PM	#16
FlyBy Motorcycling Unplugged !! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 1,263	Update: I took my bike to the dealer today for clutch inspection, they did a good test ride and said therez nothing wrong with it. since its a small motor (650) it take little longer to speed up the guy did certain "clutch tests" and said.. looks good no issues.. but told me to keep an eye on it.. if i feel that there is some issue then we can replace the clutch. Oil is good.. non-synthetic so that issue is ruled out. I guess i will put couple thousand miles on it before i go for the clutch replacement. __________________ kawasaki zx6r

05-09-2009, 07:49 PM	#17
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,975	There are a lot of non-synthetic oils that contain friction modifiers. What type did you use? __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-09-2009, 09:48 PM	#18
SHTF Rat Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 324	I haven't been able to replicate the problem.. Hopefully it's gone. After posting this, I added seafoam to the oil and went on a cruise, total mileage around 45 or so miles.. I then changed oil and filter. I also removed left side cover and cleaned all the gunk out of there and removed sprocket for a good cleaning and inspection. Also cleaned off chain and then oiled it all up. I used a motorcycle specific 10W40.. She purrs like a lion She roars when accelerating and I can feel an increase in power.

05-10-2009, 10:34 AM	#20
daddymikey1975 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: central Illinois USA Posts: 337	(nice bike sapper) is that a VLX 600 ?? mine is about due for an oil and filter change too.. going to use motorcycle specific oil just for this reason.

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