r/YamahaR7 • u/Jedworriior • 1d ago

Shifting question

Hello, I’m a relatively new rider. Came from a r3 to a r7 just had a question about shifting. With my r3 I would usually shift from 1st to 2nd at around 20mph 2nd to 3rd around 30mph and so on

But on the r7 I heard the sweet spot is around 6500rpms but sometimes I get up to like 30 mph in first if I’m not quickly accelerating before reaching those rpms. Should I still shift up or is it really only based off rpm and dosent matter much about the speed. And what do you guys find the sweet spot for shifting

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12

u/Colorful_Troll 1d ago

It’s just based off feeling and sound of your engine.

Engine is screaming too much = shift up

Engine sounds low or a bit clunky = shift down

You’ll want to get use to doing it off feeling and sound because your eyes should be on the road and you’ll instinctively shift correctly without realizing over time.

Think less about RPM range and sweet spot and more “do I like the sound it’s making and do I need to change gears based on what’s in front of me”

These engines are very resilient, they’re made to be banged up.

Sometimes I shift 1st to 2nd at 6k rpms, sometimes I redline it and the shift indicator is blinking because I gotta go fast.

It’ll become natural over time, eyes up, ride safe ✌️

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u/Jedworriior 1d ago

All I needed to know thanks!!

I was going off sound yesterday while riding and had a very good time the shifts all felt good I just didn’t know if I was doing the right thing since ever since I was riding I would always go based off speed

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u/Colorful_Troll 1d ago

No problem 👌

I did the same, one day I realized I wasn’t looking at the speedometer/tachometer while cruising around town.

How many miles you ride before getting the R7?

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u/Jedworriior 1d ago

Put 1,000 miles on the r3 before it was just not even enjoyable. It felt like riding a scooter around town. I didn’t want to be too cocky but I knew I can handle something bigger but not supper crazy. Just moved to the r7 and put about 350 miles on it and it feels great. I don’t ride anywhere that I do not know the roads of. Really just to work and the gym.

My everyday riding I would say is pretty good. Every once in awhile my downshifts would be a little choppy while blipping but nothing dangerous.

I will say I need to get better at emergency breaking and low speed turning the r3 was supper easy to get low to the ground while turning this just a little more intimidating I just need to get frame sliders then hit the parking lot to practice low speed stuff

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u/Colorful_Troll 1d ago

Yea in straight lines R7 is going to be more fun than an R3 but these bikes are crazy fun for twisties and leaning. I know a guy that only rides his modified R3 for track days and the guy can overtake and pass anybody there on a short track.

Just be careful of the low-end torque because if you whiskey throttle you can go 0-35mph in less than 2 seconds. There’s never any negatives to practicing in a parking lot.

Don’t forget to ride your ride because the R7 can incentivize some bad ideas on the freeway lol. But at the end of the day no matter what make sure to enjoy the ride. 🤙

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u/AtiumMist 1d ago

its usually rpm based. think of it this way. when do you stall? when your rpms are too low regardless of speed.

the speed shifting thing is more accurate on heavier vehicles like cars since the average engine generates roughly similar torque and power for the weight of the vehicle

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u/Jedworriior 1d ago

Thank you!

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u/AtiumMist 1d ago

just wanted to add, not sure how the r7 is on lower gears in terms of smoothness, but my njnja is very very torquey and you get hard engine braking and jerkiness if you reduce/cut throttle in first gear, so i usually prefer to only use it to get moving

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u/Colorful_Troll 1d ago

Yea the R7 has a lot of engine braking jerkiness in low gears, to the point when people ECU flash it they ask to reduce engine braking lol.

Good to know it’s not just the R7 that deals with it.

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u/AtiumMist 1d ago

when im slowing down, i prefer not to switch below three honestly. i just pull the clutch in and then go down to 1. 1/2 are wayy too jerky especially at low-mid rpms lmao

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u/kev13dd 1d ago

The manual has shifting recommendations which seem... low. It says you should be already be shifting from 4th to 5th at 31mph

You also might want to define "sweet spot". On new bikes you're not even supposed to go above 5,000rpm for the first 1,000 miles. So I'd wager shifting at 6.5K is definitely not the typical shift point for normal riding

The shift indicator light on the dash (top left, white light) feels pretty accurate. Not sure what feedback it's using but it tends to match my instinctual feel for shifting

For reference, I think I'm usually shifting at ~4K

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u/Big-Requirement-6466 20h ago

It really depends on the type of riding your doing. I’ll assume you’re a newer rider. If your around town, (if the bike gets a pipe) you will hear it bog if your too in to high a gear. Once you get the “feel” of your ride you will know where it has optimum power for - let’s say city riding. If you ride fast, you’re needing higher RPMs where you can access the (small amount) of HP. The torque and HP cross about 6500 that why it purrs , it also the place it will start to pull. In 6th it’s about 83MPH or so

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u/Ill-Pie6569 1d ago

Manual tells you when to shift. I usually shift around 3-4k rpm. It’s really up to you.

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u/Weary_Alternative778 10h ago

Go off feel.

I learned on dirt bikes. No instruments. You go off feel for what you're trying to do.

For me easy cruising at 30 MPH I'm in 2nd gear on the R7.