Restricted Power

[felix]

Folks,
So I had chance to actually take it for a ride today about 100 miles, now also know the bike has 49 miles on it.

So is it just me or does the bike at 70 mph / 4k RPM seems like it needs another gear or it will it wake up after some time... feels like a banana is stuck in the exhaust.

Again my first Triumph ever...

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by felix

Folks,
So I had chance to actually take it for a ride today about 100 miles, now also know the bike has 49 miles on it.

So is it just me or does the bike at 70 mph / 4k RPM seems like it needs another gear or it will it wake up after some time... feels like a banana is stuck in the exhaust.

Again my first Triumph ever...

I keep on trying to shift to 7th gear too on my TTSE. I am more used to my 1984 Venture that is the opposite. I can feel that I am in 5th gear (the top gear) when I am in as low as third gear. It seems to me that my 84 Venture has more torque at lower RPM's than my  TTSE. But that is to be expected. More sporty bikes like the TTSE will run at higher RPM's (which I am not yet used to) then the 84 Venture (a pure touring bike).  But no doubt the TTSE can run all day and night at much higher RPM's than my Venture. It's just a matter of getting used to it.

BTW, even with my 1971 four speed 750 CC BMW, I can be in third thinking I am in 4TH. So the TTSE has a very different feel to me too, than what I am most used to.

I could feel just right on the freeway in 3RD on my BMW or my Venture, but I look for 7th gear in my TTSE.

Perhaps those who are more used to super-sport bikes feel the TTSE runs low RPM's, so I assume it is simply what we are most used to.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Ernest T]

At 4K, you're almost lugging the bike--Twist the throttle!  once you hit about 6K the bike comes alive. I normally don't shift to sixth until I'm going to be running over 75 mph for an extended period of time.

Another thing, at that rpm the alternator is barely making enough juice to charge the battery.

[Verdun95]

Originally Posted by Ernest T

At 4K, you're almost lugging the bike--Twist the throttle!  once you hit about 6K the bike comes alive. I normally don't shift to sixth until I'm going to be running over 75 mph for an extended period of time.  Another thing, at that rpm the alternator is barely making enough juice to charge the battery.

According to the manual the alternator delivers 70A under 12V at....4000 rpm

[w8d4it]

Every Triumph Triple (actually every Triumph) I've ever ridden has felt like it needed another gear.  With both my ST and my Trophy I often find myself searching for a non-existent 7th gear.  On my Thruxton I often felt it needed a sixth gear.  That is just the way Triumph bikes are.  Having said that, Earnest T is correct:at 4000 RPMs the engine is barely starting to wind up.  The fact is that the engine has good tractability but there are limits.

By the way, Earnest T, does your user name come from Earnest T Bass?

[Cide1]

I guess I am confused by this thread.  If the power output seems low at 4k in 6th, you would downshift to 5th gear to raise the revs and get more in the power band.  Adding another gear would only put you further down the power band where the bike would make less power.

Torque is virtually flat across the whole range at about 90 ft lbs (from 3300 to about 7500 RPM).

At 3k, the bike has been dynoed at about 50 HP
At 4k, the bike has been dynoed at about 70 HP
At 6k, the bike has been dynoed at about 100 HP
At 8k, the bike has been dynoed at about 120 HP

[w8d4it]

Valid point.  I think we were all just taking off on the first response which said that at 4000 RPMs the bike is virtually lugging.  Those people used to riding the old Triumph Twins were used to redlines around 7000 so 4000 might have seemed mid range.  You are correct of course, if the bike is lugging, then down shift.

[Ray_B]

I came off a V-twin with much lower revs that the TT. Most of my TT rides have me in that 4000-4500 range while 'cruising' at steady highway speeds. There's enough torque in that range to pass cars without downshifting most times but if I need quick acceleration, I kick down 1 or 2 gears. Have yet to come close to the rev limiter.