[Leo Knightus]

Been a couple of weeks with my 2019 R NineT Pure. Been daily-ing the bike to work on nice days. About 13 miles each way with a nice amount of country road and freeway miles.

I am here to ask everyone's opinion on gearing for the bike. My take away is low gears. Maybe too low? I like 1st-4th an awful lot. Especially 2nd and 3rd...great acceleration, and just tall enough.

4th is nice, and gets you up to meet some cruising velocity.

....But then comes the weak point?....5th and 6th.

5th seems to pickup nicely and have legs well into the med-high revs, although too low a cruising gear for speeds above 45-50 mph....Sooo...up to 6th...(which is almost a carbon copy of 5th)

Top Gear now....Incredible top-gear pull.....the 110 ponies really getting to the ground...but the engine seems to be labouring at the 85-95 mph range I am cruising at on the freeway here in New Mexico...(yes...we haul ass here).

Why not a taller 6th gear? This bike could do better on fuel economy and cruise at 90 at lower revs, I would think...and shaft drive....so no option of dropping a tooth or two in the rear sprocket.

Overall...I am curious...with such a well thought-out machine...why not a taller 6th?

What say you classy NineT riders?

 

[pjensen641]

The naked R9T isn't really meant for 85 mph freeway blasting. Wind blast is also uncomfortable at those speeds. In its environment its geared well. In the tight twisties and and back roads its great.

You could fit a final drive from and RT or R and get longer legs.

 

[DomNineT]

I don't mind 6th, but feel that first is way too short and second needs to be at leqst 25% longer too - riding tighter twisties has you changing between 2nd and 3rd very often vs being able to leave it in 2nd to fire out of corners but still get to at least 60mph.

 

[Kickstand_Down]

1-4 is fine, but I do wish 5 and 6 were a bit more "overdrive". I spend a ton of time on 2 lane 55mph roads. 4th is a bit buzzy, but gives decent engine braking for the 40mph corners, while 5th just wallows below 45mph. At the same time, 5th get silly at 60 and 6th gets silly at 75. The bike has plenty of low down torque to let me dig and pass beyond 3k RPM, make 5/6 (especially 6) the 70-90+ comfort gears.

 

[DaveSnowPros]

It's a European bike that is very at home on secondary twisting roads. It was never designed to cruise along the freeway at 85-95mph.

 

[Foxster]

I agree that 6th feels a bit high geared i.e. it cruises at too high a RPM on the highway. At 80 mph it feels buzzy and I'm a bit surprised at that with mine being the latest /5 model that's tuned well for economy.

The rest of the gears I'm happy with. 4th seems just right for longer stretches of around-town 30mph speed limit. Same with 5th for 40 limit areas.

I suppose the ratios are well in keeping with its café-racer ethos though. Its not really designed as a tourer/cruiser.

 

[Dauphinais]

I always say that my bike has two 5th gears. Not much difference between 5th & 6th.

 

[Leo Knightus]

It's a European bike that is very at home on secondary twisting roads. It was never designed to cruise along the freeway at 85-95mph.

I understand the deliniation there....however at the same time, I have been on dirt roads on the R1200 GS with the cruise set at 90mph tearing through the New Mexico high desert valleys and scorched mesas for 50 miles.

We can easily agree the R1200 GS is also made for secondary roads, or even no road at all.

To be clear, I am very happy with the bike. I love the fit and finish and the spirited ride harkens me back to what motoring is all about. I ride more canyons, Twisties, undulated elevation changes and mountain 2 lane roads here than just about anywhere in the US. From the Santa Fe National forests to the cliffs of the pueblo indian reservations, to cactus, rattlesnake, and roadhouse littered desert floor.

I am interested in hearing what fellow riders think of the gearing of the machine (specifically 6th gear), not so much about what preconceptions riders have about my riding.

 

[Baloo]

I personally have no problem with the gearing in sixth. It is what it is.
High or low rpm, the bike seems to do its job properly. That's just me. My 2014 standard feels like it runs lower RPM in sixth gear but I haven't paid much attention to it.

 

[Kickstand_Down]

It's a European bike that is very at home on secondary twisting roads. It was never designed to cruise along the freeway at 85-95mph.

Funny, why does it have cruise control then?

 

[Baloo]

It's a European bike that is very at home on secondary twisting roads. It was never designed to cruise along the freeway at 85-95mph.

I must respectfully disagree.
A few of us roll 70+ miles per hour on long highway stretches around here. I don't really know many places other than out west that you can run 85 or 95 miles an hour legally for any length of time. I do find I average 80+ miles an hour on our 70 mile an hour speed limit roads around here. Out west we were probably 85+ Nobody that I know has complained about them winding out. I know it's not a GS with a windshield but I prefer it that way even at high speed. I do envy the newer bikes with cruise control.

 

[Kickstand_Down]

I must respectfully disagree.
A few of us roll 70+ miles per hour on long highway stretches around here. I don't really know many places other than out west that you can run 85 or 95 miles an hour legally for any length of time. I do find I average 80+ miles an hour on our 70 mile an hour speed limit roads around here. Out west we were probably 85+ Nobody that I know has complained about them winding out. I know it's not a GS with a windshield but I prefer it that way even at high speed. I do envy the newer bikes with cruise control.

Granted, I wasn't implying I go down the interstate at 80+ for any amount of time (I avoid interstates on the bike in general). I bought it knowing quite well that it wasn't made for chewing up 500 miles a day. I do wish the higher gears were geared longer for the inevitable "fast roads you have to use to get to twisty roads", but it is what it is. Just turn up the music a bit lol. Heck, some of our interstate adjacent roads have been bumped up to 75 MPH speed limits, and the turnpike I have to take to my nearest dealer is 80 MPH.

 

[Baloo]

Agreed , I have a couple 500+ days on the R9T platforms and it is not a wonderful feeling in the moment 🔥.
SmilesDavis did a coast to coast to coast on her 2015 classic and logged a few 500+ days. She said That Sergeant seat helped.
In my opinion these bikes are mainly "lifestyle" bikes. There are other bikes that go faster and go farther but what's the fun in not pushing your toy to it's limits now and then.

 

[Kickstand_Down]

Agreed , I have a couple 500+ days on the R9T platforms and it is not a wonderful feeling in the moment 🔥.
SmilesDavis did a coast to coast to coast on her 2015 classic and logged a few 500+ days. She said That Sergeant seat helped.
In my opinion these bikes are mainly "lifestyle" bikes. There are other bikes that go faster and go farther but whats the fun in not pushing your toy to it's limits now and then.

It's definitely possible, just not the best tool for the job. Heck, folks have done thousands of miles trips on/off road on groms... I personally have done 300 miles in a day on the R9T, but that basically took the entire day because it was on roads that varied between 35 and 55 MPH speed limits. Sargent seat is a game changer for sure. My hands give up before my butt after swapping that.

No one (I assume) buys a 9T because it makes the most sense for any particular task on paper. Same with a lot of bikes. Moto Guzzi would never sell another bike if spec sheets determined purchases. I just love the boxer, and wanted something that didn't weigh 800 pounds. It's got plenty of torque, is faster than I ever want to be, and it has a lot of character (especially once you kill the flapper valve and remove the Akra DB killers... with a dremel on euro 5 yay).

It is (or was, haven't shopped recently) the most feature rich and sporty of the "retro naked" segment. It also doesn't go overboard in the retro department (looking at you Ducati). I eventually might get an R18 for more of a distance bike, but for now my biggest issue with the 9T is honestly the lack of not god awful looking storage available. I'm not trying to long way round the thing, but something like 10 liters to store sunscreen, hat, bottle of water, rain jacket, etc. that doesnt involve bungeeing a generic dry bag would be nice. I do have the grossly overpriced Wunderlich tail bag, but i'm afraid to get the "fine handmade italian biscotti" whatever leather caught in the rain lol.

 

[TimC]

I share @Leo Knightus 's discontent about 6th gear. It's a complaint I've had since I bought my 2020 Pure a couple years ago. And it's been a sore spot for many R9T owners -- 6th gear just isn't tall enough -- though thankfully as issues go this one isn't too bad. But it does sometimes feel like the bike is working too hard at a steady 70 mph on the highway, and even worse at 80. A few folks have swapped the final drive for an R1200R or RT, but it's rare. That's too extreme a solution for me, considering I don't ride that many interstate miles. (I try to avoid freeways most of the time.)

But I was also coming from a 6th gen. VFR 800 that just felt fine in 6th gear from 60-80 mph. Didn't seem like the engine was working hard at all.

Now, here's what I did to help alleviate my minor angst about 6th gear: I trained myself to delay upshifting an additional 5-10 mph in each gear.

For example, where I had been upshifting from 3rd to 4th around 30-35 mph, now I only go up to 4th once I've hit at least 40 mph. And into 5th at 50+ mph. The bike can cruise along a backroad at 45 mph at 5th or even 6th gear, but then when I hit 60+, it seems like it's revving higher than I'd like. So I basically got used to higher revs at lower speeds, and now higher revs at freeway speeds in 6th gear isn't seem as bothersome.

 

[Baloo]

The ADV / GSA rider runs deep in me. I still carry a comprehensive tool kit on the Urbane and Scramablamber.

 

[BlitzSchnell]

I’m good to go with the gearing although I did have to get used to first gear. I wasn’t shifting soon enough in the beginning and always held it in first just one second to long and the rev limiter would kick in, I hate that !
So now when I accelerate hard I’m in and out of first pretty quickly .. then it’s make sure I’m pointed straight down the road because I’ll be spending the next 100’ or so up on the back tire with the front wheel about a foot off the pavement. After I did this a few times I’m amazed how comfortable I’ve become and how stable the bike is … at my age I don’t think I’ll be riding the back tire down the highway but I can hold my own in any streetlight to streetlight drag races … as I aim to misbehave that happens often … FUN !
I love to go fast .. as fast as I can go .. but cruzing at more than 80 or so (easy to do) but windy as hell … when I had Blitz set up for touring and a full windscreen in place .. 100 for long periods was easy .. with out the screen 70 for an hour is very tiring on my neck. Cruze for me with out a wind screen is 70/75 or by the time I get off I’m wiped out from fighting the wind … I’ve taken to tail gating a diesel truck and staying just far enough to the left that the driver can see me at all times … they don’t seem to mind as long as they know where you are and the draft is amazing at around 80. For a Classic Road bike I think BMW set it up well and the gearing is pretty good for the horse power to weight ratio … that 500 pound bike will romp ……….Blitz

 

[Kickstand_Down]

I’m good to go with the gearing although I did have to get used to first gear. I wasn’t shifting soon enough in the beginning and always held it in first just one second to long and the rev limiter would kick in, I hate that !

I thought you were going to end that with "I was waiting to shift until like 20MPH" lol. Hitting the rev limiter! Simmer down 😅

 

[Vectorbug]

I always look for a 7th gear when I get up to 6th the first time on a ride but otherwise I've only hit the rev limiter once - in second gear iirc. Love the torque down low.

 

[Baloo]

I always look for a 7th gear when I get up to 6th the first time on a ride but otherwise I've only hit the rev limiter once - in second gear iirc. Love the torque down low.

I do the same on almost every ride. I attribute it to my ADD.