[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by vid6639

I'd like to know how difficult it is to sown shift to 1st at really slow speeds.
Usually there are a few speedbreakers that one needs to negotiate in 1st gear. While approaching the hump at a really slow speed, many a times the car refuses to slot into 1st.

Vid, I push to neutral for a moment and then shift to first when the car is almost dead slow. This helps the plate and flyweel to arrive at almost similar speed.
Of course you cant shift like in a WRC car.....

[spetnaz]

May be off-topic, and may have been answered somewhere else: Is it ok not to use first gear at all - except when really needed, like a start up a ramp or something?

I used to skip the first gear in the scooter and the Yamaha YD125 I used to drive, and carried on the habit to cars. I rarely use first gear - except may be a start up the ramp or when the car is loaded. This gives me a slower start, but there's one less gear shift to do. Is this ok for the car/gear box/FE in the long run?

[DieselFan]

Originally Posted by spetnaz

May be off-topic, and may have been answered somewhere else: Is it ok not to use first gear at all - except when really needed, like a start up a ramp or something?

I used to skip the first gear in the scooter and the Yamaha YD125 I used to drive, and carried on the habit to cars. I rarely use first gear - except may be a start up the ramp or when the car is loaded. This gives me a slower start, but there's one less gear shift to do. Is this ok for the car/gear box/FE in the long run?

Skipping gear 1 is not at all advisable as it puts heavy load (Due to inertia) on the engine. Gear 1 is to overcome inertia of the car, and once the car is in motion switch to gear 2.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by spetnaz

I used to skip the first gear in the scooter and the Yamaha YD125 I used to drive, and carried on the habit to cars. Is this ok for the car/gear box/FE in the long run?

This is what bus drivers do. They start with 2nd gear. You are likely to wear your clutch faster than normal.

[revvedup]

Slightly ot but when trying to derieve maximum perfomance from my car for eg. those 0-100 runs I usually shift at rpm at which the car develops maximum power output but some also say that we should shift gears at the rpm at which your car produces max torque.Out of the above which is more appropiate.

[sarath]

Originally Posted by revvedup

Slightly ot but when trying to derieve maximum perfomance from my car for eg. those 0-100 runs I usually shift at rpm at which the car develops maximum power output but some also say that we should shift gears at the rpm at which your car produces max torque.Out of the above which is more appropiate.

I think its more appropriate to shift at the rpm at which the car produces the maximum torque.

[Shan2nu]

I think its more appropriate to shift at the rpm at which the car produces the maximum torque.

It's the rpm band between max torque and max power that gives you best performance. Shifting at max torque rpm will not give you any gains.

Shan2nu

[revvedup]

How can one do this like if the car produces max power at say 6000 rpm and max torque at say 4500 rpm so where should one shift or one should just shift once the car refuses to accerlate more in that gear.

[sarath]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

It's the rpm band between max torque and max power that gives you best performance. Shifting at max torque rpm will not give you any gains.

Shan2nu

You are right Shantanu. I've put it in a wrong way in my post.

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by revvedup

How can one do this like if the car produces max power at say 6000 rpm and max torque at say 4500 rpm so where should one shift or one should just shift once the car refuses to accerlate more in that gear.

Shift when u reach 6000 rpm..

[Nitronium]

I'm not sure whether this topic has already been discussed, so mods, delete if so and point me towards the right thread

The query is simple. How do you determine the ideal gear shift pattern on the car you're driving. Of course, i refer to performance driving, where economy is NOT the prime consideration.

I assume it is foolish to assume red lining is not the best rpm level to shift up?

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[Hashim]

When I am driving alone on good road in my M1000 and not in mood to rev high, I just shift from 2nd gear (25-30kmph) to 5th gear (call me lazy) and car go smooth without any knocking! I can even turn in 5th gear if I maintain speed while turning. However this is just for good with not much traffic (inside my campus roads).

[SirAlec]

@ hashim
dude your car sure has the carb set for higher rpm than normal!!

[DieselFan]

Originally Posted by Hashim

When I am driving alone on good road in my M1000 and not in mood to rev high, I just shift from 2nd gear (25-30kmph) to 5th gear (call me lazy) and car go smooth without any knocking! I can even turn in 5th gear if I maintain speed while turning. However this is just for good with not much traffic (inside my campus roads).

By doing this you are consuming more fuel. Try shifting the gears at 2500-3000 rpm band and see the difference. Also get your carb tuned to a lesser idle RPM level (If it is high).

In addition to low FE driving in higher gears means lesser control over the car. So you need to be careful in that aspect.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by DieselFan

By doing this you are consuming more fuel. Try shifting the gears at 2500-3000 rpm band and see the difference.

Actually, you can shift lower (say <2000 rpms) in a petrol if FE is what you are looking for.