Redline Question

[rescue50]

Hi again

I was just reading Gramatrons build post and noticed that his 78 Special SOHC redlines at 9000. My 81 special shows redline at 6500. Both motors appear to be identical on the surface, so why the variation?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Wolfe_11B]

Well the 'redline' on the tach is just that, a redline. It's based on where the power drops off in the rpm range. Pretty sure these bikes have no rev limiter, so if you do some mods you could in essence increase your 'redline' to take advantage of more power. The bottom end should be able to handle quite a bit of spinning, don't know how much the top can handle. 9k sounds like a good number, if you are still making power at that point.

 

[xschris]

Tach is off another bike. 9k is what these are. The xs360 and some early xs400's say 9400. A good running well tuned xs400 will pull to 9-9.5k without much of a problem. These have no rev limiter. Just remember it's a 35+ year old bike. Metal can and will fail

 

[bcware]

Yep, my '78 had like 9400 on the stock tach. Not much benefit to going above about 8k, however; I don't feel much more power by then.

 

[rescue50]

Okay guys, thanks for the info. I looked when I got home, redline is actually 7500 on the tach, but either way. The fact that it's a Canadian bike wouldn't make a difference would it?

Posted via Mobile

 

[bcware]

No, being Canadian makes no difference.

The only regional model differences I have ever heard of are for California. Other than that, never heard of anything different. Especially no difference in something like redline; only in emissions requirements or certain anti-pollution add-ons.

Your tach may not be original. Take a photo.

 

[xschris]

Sounds like it is off a xs650.

 

[Lou Ranger]

No, being Canadian makes no difference...

Except in the winter, right? I knew you wanted to say it
Actually, there is some truth to it - we tend not to get too revved up until the play-offs.

 

[rescue50]

Except in the winter, right? I knew you wanted to say it
Actually, there is some truth to it - we tend not to get too revved up until the play-offs.

True enough. There are few things as depressing as seeing the bike insurance payment come out when there's still two feet of snow on the ground.

 

[BBS360]

We don't get snow in my part of Canada.

 

[Lou Ranger]

What does snow have to do with getting revved up by the playoffs?
By that late in the spring, the snow's all gone and we've had at least one heat wave to make us look out our summer riding gear ...