Cruising RPM - Ducati.ms

ptourin · Nov 19th, 2011, 7:20 pm

The last few threads on gearing started me thinkng of this. I haven't been able to take a multi-day trip on the ST yet - it's all been commuting to work, riding locally, and a few half-day rides on the back roads. When you're out for longer cruises, either riding back roads or on the highway, what's the sweet spot for these bikes? Mine definitely doesn't like to be much below 4000 rpm, and around 5000 seems to be comfortable cruising territory. Right now I've got 80 mph at 5000 - dropping a tooth would give me about 75 at 5000, plus a bit less clutch slipping at low speeds in 1st. That seems pretty good for New England - in Vermont we start getting tickets if we go over 75 - in New Hampshire they're stricter, and I always keep it in the very low 70's.

Just wondering what's the sweet spot for engine speed, for the ones of you that do longer rides.

And I'm noticing that those FBF pipes that seemed so loud when I first got the bike don't seem so loud any more - just sweet <g>...

tonered · Nov 19th, 2011, 7:44 pm

Mine will cruise at 4k and about 70mph all day. Roll ons pull well and gives good fuel mileage. Of course, it is even happier north of there. I have found that the more mods, the more useable power in the lower end of the rev band as well as the typical better breathing up top.

On the sound, I have found that it will vary with the weather, which is interesting. It seems to be a bit quieter and deeper with lower temps and higher humidity and a bit more loud and barky otherwise.

Have a good one.

ptourin · Nov 19th, 2011, 8:03 pm

You're geared a bit differently than I am then - 4000 would be about 64 for me. Also, I don't know what a stock ST2 is like, since the original owner put the FBF's, chip and Power Commander on it and had it dyno'd. But it's sure nice like it is - tons of passing power at any road speed and any engine speed as long as I don't let the revs drop too low. I've got a bit of popping/backfiring when I back off on the throttle, and I've never gotten 40 mpg, so I may have some tuning issues - haven't even thought about getting those sorted out yet, I've spent most of my time so far sorting out riding position - I want that to be where I want it before we take trips next spring - hoping we'll take a week in NC next spring as we've done in the past.

Bill_Anderson · Nov 20th, 2011, 2:12 am

I always had my 02-ST4s and 04-ST4s equipped with 42T rear sprockets. This put the bikes in the 4,000-4,500 sweet spot at street and highway legal speeds. The ST4s does not like life below 3,000 rpm, but it will start to smooth out between 3,000-4,000 rpm after 10,000 miles are on the odometer.

With a 42T rear sprocket, the sweet spot on my 06-ST3s is the same as that of my two ST4s bikes: 60 mph = 4,000 rpm, 70 mph = 4,500 rpm.

For extreme twisties, I try to keep the bike in the 6,000-7,000 rpm range. This allows me to accelerate/decelerate using the throttle only and not touching the brakes.

Puffin64 · Nov 20th, 2011, 3:02 am

On my 30 mile commute to and from work I prefer to cruise at around the ton which is 6-7k rpm on a two way country roads (no coppers or cameras!), but invariably get caught up behind traffic so have a few overtakes along the way.

ptourin · Nov 20th, 2011, 6:39 am

Ow, Tim, wish I had some of those roads here! I can't think of any place I ride on the east coast where I could go over 75 without risking a rather large ticket - that's one of the reasons I'm going for acceleration instead of speed. Cruise at the ton? - I've just had brief bursts of it, looking around nervously all the time - I've had a few too many tickets, don't want any more...

Bill, that's the sort of comment I've been interested to hear - I've had just a bit of time in the local twisties, and the bike is really nice for engine braking - except for the rare real slow switchbacks in the mountains where it's too slow even for 1st gear and I end up riding the clutch. But I've had no sustained high speed riding. From what I've seen so far, I can drop below 4000 OK - the bike will certainly do it - but not as nicely. So I'm thinking the sweet spot is going to be about 500 rpm higher for trips. #%%^#$@% - wish I'd bought it a month earlier, now I have to wait till Spring to find out <g>...