I thought the "vibration" I was feeling at 4.5-6K RPM meant I was revving too high. I was wrong. For the past 3 months+ I have been trying to ride my bike within the the 0-5k range because of this vibration.

This weekend I got to talking with some other riders about what RPM they are running.I was astounded to learn they not only run above 6K RPM, but they never run BELOW 6K RPM! I never would have guessed that based on how my bike feels. What an eye opener!

So I tried going higher. Another eye opener! Vibrations STOPPED at 6K and the bike runs much more smoothly up to 10k (as high as I've gone)! I have more control and more torque. And this helps the bike's handling.

Now when I am riding for fun, on twistie roads, I normally run in 3rd or 4th gear only (not exceeding 80 mph). The bike feels better in the 6-10k RPM range than it does from 4-6K RPM.

To tell the truth, I'm not sure why the EX500R has a 6th gear... this engine does not seem to produce enough torque in 6th gear to even combat wind resistance!

Anyway, I made this post to encourage other beginner riders to explore their whole RPM range and go from there. I know most of you will think this is pretty basic stuff. But a lot of us riding EX500's are just starting out, so I hope this helps out some of you new riders.

 

revvin over 6k is really fun...altho if ur worried bout gas mileage kiss it good bye lol over 6k shifts will eat that up ...but....its alot more fun to open her up a bit just to know she is alive ...i pull out onto 80 mph traffic from a dead stop every morning and afternoon so i generally crank it up fast or take the chance of bein plowed over by oncomin traffic so 6-10k shifts were what i learned right off the bat...anyways enough rambling from me ...have fun and be careful

 

And the engine really makes some music in that range.

 

I usually shift her in the 6, 7K RPM range. I told someone before that I shifted gears at a lower RPM, but that was wrong. When I took a look at the tach while riding it was higher when I shift. I was going off feel and sound rather than reading the tachometer. No drop in mileage either shifting in the 6, 7 K+ RPM range. The thing I've noticed with sixth gear is I can't shift into it unless I'm opening her up speedwise. 6th doesn't even really exist until I've got her going in the 65-85 range and then it kicks open if I want to shift up from 5th but she won't even let me do it if I've got her crawling on all fours at 50 or 55; only when I've got her humming at a good clip. Is that normal for other Ninja 500R riders ? Mine's an '05.
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hmmm mines a 92 and i can pop in 6th @ 45mph ...it pulls ok, not real great ...maybe the gearin on the newer(94and up) makes the difference?

but i also never see 50 mpg, the best i ever saw was 47 and that was only once i average 43-45mpg

 

I know exactly what you mean. I usually don't have to take mine past 5K to keep ahead of commuter traffic, but whenever I take her out for a fun run and let the needle rip, it's like finding a twenty in the couch-cushions: "Oh yeah, I forgot about this!!
And riding without looking at the tach is even better. When you take your eyes off the tach, it's somehow easier to concentrate on the road ahead, your line, your smoothness, everything.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

Good to hear from you Calamari Chris. I'm actually in Athens at the moment though I haven't had any calamari yet; sticking to the mousaka, Greek feta salads and spinach pastries to put a little hair on my puny chest to hide its scrawniness. If I can get some of that calamari through customs I'll send it on to you if I can resist eating it myself.

I am seriously curious though if anyone else has that problem with 6th not being there until I give her a chance to run free instead of being cooped up in a cage with the rest of the chickens sitting on their eggs. I really don't get a 6th gear at 45 mph, but when she's running at 60+ or so its there. I haven't taken her above 100 yet(close but not quite and on a private road naturally) so I don't know if there's also a seventh gear, but I doubt it at least not according to the specs.

And I agree its actually much nicer to ride going off 'feel' instead of instruments; I'd say the same thing about male-female relations too. It gets a little mechanical and boring the latter way.

Best to Angel and hope she's back on the bike with you on regular occasion.

Oh, and for what its worth I usually get between 55 and 65 mpg and that hasn't changed the whole time I've had the bike(about 9,000 miles so far).

Peace.

Chris
(John Christopher Hall[Jr.])


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I have an '06 and I can always shift into 6th gear. Even when th RPM are sol ow there is no power at all. not sure what speed that is exactly. but I KNOW I can shift into 6th at 45 mph.

 

Thanks. I thought I should be able to too. Any other transmission and that's always been the case, but on this one for some reason, its not there at all until clipping at a good rate of speed.
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Hi JChris and thanks for the kind words.
I envy you being in Greece. I don't know why those mediterranean women do it for me like no blonde California bombshell can. And don't knock those female instruments--they're lots nicer to look at than some needle on a plastic gauge. 8D

What happens when you try to shift into 6th? Does the shift pedal come up at all?
Have you put the bike up on the centerstand and shifted through the gears? (You'll have to waggle the rear wheel back-n-forth a little to make this happen while the engine isn't running.) Are you able to get it into 6th then?
Have you snugged up the clutch cable with the adjuster barrel in the clutch lever?
Are you the original owner of this bike? There is always the chance that the previous owner was a ham-fisted lackwit who got excited (or thought it was cool to 'powershift' without using the clutch) and the shift fork could be bent.

Another thing I noticed when revving the p33-p33 out of this bike: as the RPM get higher, so too does the tendency to shift quickly (aka force-it). So while you're gleefully revving that smooth motor, please resist the urgency, take your time and make your shifts smoothly and deliberately.
This bike shares many components with the ZG1000 Concours, which has a vintage/tried-but-true gearbox, which doesn't appear to appreciate the hard/fast shifts that the larger Ninjas do.

Hope you're having fun in Greece! (Done any kayaking there? I hear they have great kayaking!) Take lots of pictures.
-CCinC