Super Mario Gear test ride

Seat of pants OD test ride opinion.

First,

1999 Valkyrie Standard, with hard bags and a windshield

No mods, except de-smog

34,000 miles, non-California bike.

230 pound rider

Now for the ride.

1^st 2^nd and 3^rd are of course the same as before.

4^th gear has plenty of acceleration, it’s a very long gear, and will take you to triple digits no problem, though you can tell shifting from 3^rd to 4^th that 4th is geared higher.

5^th gear is smooth and quiet. It seems like the bike is barely running.

5^th gear will accelerate, its not earth shattering though.

I tried several different acceleration scenarios,

Run through the gears,

You’ll want to hang in 4^th a little longer than normal to keep a good rate of acceleration. But it ran right up to cruise speed with out a problem.

Throttle back to 60mph, and then accelerate in 5^th gear

Well this is where driver skill is going to count. Sensible acceleration achieved a better rate of acceleration than wide-open throttle. It will definitely accelerate, not earth shattering, but the speed will continue to climb at a steady rate with an even throttle roll-on. Wide-open throttle produces less rate of climb, but it would still climb, though I’m sure this would negate any fuel savings.

Throttle back to 50mph, and then accelerate in 5^th gear.

Same situation, easing into the throttle showed the same rate of acceleration as a 60mph pull.

I was following a slow car and the driver waved me around, I was able to pass her at 55mph without downshifting, though down shifting would have been required for a quick pass situation.

How slow will 5^th gear go?

I throttled back and let the bike come to idle in 5^th, it pulled the bike along at about 20mph, I gently eased into the throttle and went back to highway speed.

Mileage report will have to come from the owner.