[Buzzy]

ok, this is my first wing ever. I only rode a wing once before buying this one and never at highway speed.

Is it me, or do these bikes beg for a 6th gear? My average cruising speed on any bike here in my area is 75-80 depending on conditions and what highway I am on.
Just seems like there should be a 6th to me.

 

[Taco Bender]

Every Wing I've had felt the same way. All I can say is Honda must have a good reason or they would have changed by now.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

5th gear ( od ) is configured so that you don't have to down shift to pass or accend most incline so wings feel like they need another gear. then there is the weight / cost factor that honda considers too

 

[Radarsdad]

5th gear is more than adequate to scare the hell out of me!

 

[drmcmtru]

I guess that's why they put the OD lite on it so you know there isn't another one. Sometimes when i'm not paying close attention i'll try and shift her up one more time.6th gear would be great,but like Taco said,Mother Honda must have a reason.(sure would like to know what it is though)

 

[drmcmtru]

I was typing when you posted,as usual you are probably correct detdrbuzzard.

 

[Chopin]

I's not just you , Buzzy. One of my first impression posts here also made reference to that question. I also feel first gear is too low. You're barely across the intersection and your hitting second. I also subscribe to dedrbuzzard' reason ( or excuse ). I spend a few days each year riding a Harley out in the Southwest and it's sixth gear is a real drag. Any incline and that engine feels like it is stalling out. Well anyway, great minds think alike.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

If you check your manual, I believe the ratio on 5th gear for the Wing is under 1.0 which technically makes it overdrive. I think most are around .85. Because of the size and power of the Wing engine it could go lower, but as some have said it would require some downshifting under certain passing situations. My Wing gets about 40 - 45 MPG on the highway as long as I keep it under 3k rpms which translates to about 70 MPH. Works for me, but I can see where some who prefer to go faster (80+) could use a higher end gear. Maybe the new Wing will have a 6 speed. I personally would like to see the new Wing with a CVT transmission, but then again I'm lazy...

 

[bobby2407]

what is the deal with OD? i ride my bike like any other 5 spd.when i first got my wing and put it in 5th (OD) i looked for a OD switch or shifter (like on my old cb900 custom) to shift it again.so why the OD light,should i ride around town in 4th gear?honda doesn't condone pulling a trailer ,so what's up? they were better off replacing the OD light with a gear indicator.

 

[FL-510]

Hey Buzzy. I just came from a VTX 1300, and that bike really needed a 6th gear. I don't have much motorcycle experience, and I never rode a 6th gear bike, so I have no 6th gear to compare to our 5th. The wing seems to do really well even up at 85mgh, which is as fast as I have gone. Smooth too!

 

[Buzzy]

Hey Buzzy. I just came from a VTX 1300, and that bike really needed a 6th gear. I don't have much motorcycle experience, and I never rode a 6th gear bike, so I have no 6th gear to compare to our 5th. The wing seems to do really well even up at 85mgh, which is as fast as I have gone. Smooth too!

Oh I have no doubt that this bike handles the rpm range quite well at 80 mph. But it would just be nice if there was a wider gear range for those who live in states with higher speed limits or those who just plain choose to haul arse when it is safe to do so.

Me my self? I live in Houston and I drove to Shawnee Oklahoma to buy this bike. I picked it up with less than 1 mile on the Odometer. We hit the interstate and this bikes very first ride was done at 80-90 mph non stop except to get fuel for 475 miles back to Houston. Yes I had to deal with Traffic in Dallas but other than that, including all stops, we made it back in 7 hours.

The tech at the Dealer in Oklahoma told me that these engines are "Bench Broke" and require no break in procedures. I told him it was 475 miles and we had to haul tail to get home at a decent time. He said "You'll have no problems".

I can tell you though, it was hard looking at the tach watching 4000 rpm for hours at a time without wondering if I am being too hard on a brand new engine!

 

[budoka]

Buzzy the dealer told you right. The engines are good to go right out the door. Same with the VTX's and CBR's. You just don't want to get crazy and bounce into red zone or prolonged ultra high rpm range 5.5k plus. It's actually good to twist it every so often and let 'er inhale a bit, and lugging the engine is punishment too. The OD on the Harley is fine for straight and level, but for passing punch or hills, forget it. Those engines loafing along at 2000 rpm (still plenty of torque because it's a V-twin) just don't build rpm and thus more hp with a mere twist of the throttle. You have to drop a cog (or 2) to get things cooking again, and don't forget there ain't as much beans there as a GL engine to start with. I'm all but convinced that the next Wing will have the dual clutch system like the new VFR model, and likely a 6 speed box. Doubt they will leave the opposed engine platform; too much tradition to mess with there (yeah I used the 't' word). Maybe some form of weight reduction/frame and suspension changes and likely a displacement increase. Don't expect anything new until at least 2012 since the new facility is still cutting its teeth

 

[G I Feelgood]

Hey Buzzy. I just came from a VTX 1300, and that bike really needed a 6th gear. I don't have much motorcycle experience, and I never rode a 6th gear bike, so I have no 6th gear to compare to our 5th. The wing seems to do really well even up at 85mgh, which is as fast as I have gone. Smooth too!

I ride a 1300 and a Goldwing. your are right! If you ever rode a 1300 you would know what needing another gear sounds like, but quess what. Honda has always encouraged high rpms, because it runs better at high rpms.
Honda doesn't want you to "lug their engines", never have, never will.
they are build to reve and run, not like a Harley or some other low rpm engines.
I run 75+ highway speed and the wing is not even trying to need another gear. Maybe at 110+ you may think that, but why ride that fast (normally)