Wow
Go by the RPMs.
Shift at about 11.5k.
It's fun.
HOLY SMOKES!! Its dark out now, just got back. I never felt more scared yet thrilled at the same time. WOW, Thank you. I know its only a 250, but this bike is really FAAAAST and this fastness maybe enough to last me for awhile lol. If this bike goes this fast imagine me on a 600cc, no thank you lol.
So I I know I took her up to 7k-9k RPM every shift starting from first. I probably avg 8.5k RPM every upshift. All I got to say is WOW. I don't think I even got past 4th gear due to limitation of area. I maybe got to fifth but honestly I lost count. I was just playing it by ear and the limitation of area I had. I know I reached 55mph when I slightly glanced at the OD but that was probably one time, most of time I was looking at the road, Ill tell you that.
All I know is that I shifted at what I heard could be the peak of the engine sound for that particular gear and I downshifted at what I heard is the lowest engine sound for that particular gear. That got to the point where I thought I was in 3rd gear to down shift to 2nd when I was already in 2nd and downshifted to 1st which is a big NO NO. I started getting the hang of that aspect but still I got alot to learn. Because of that I even started try to Blip the throttle at some down shifts but I don't think I needed to because I did rely on Engine Braking to hear the lowest sound of the engine before downshifting a gear.
Am I making sense? (my writing is not the greatest)
Honestly, I was too scared too look at the MPH I just aggressively opened the throttle up and went by ear, eyes in front at the road and slightly glancing at the RPM tach just to verify. I was using my ears the most though when shifting. When I did look at the Tach I know I hit anywhere from 7.5 - 9k a shift.
Wow what fun. ONce I got home I took a shot of this rum.
All this time I was using the manual's recommended speed. Though do I know why they have it because the manual's recommend speed is really useful in city driving where there is alot of stops.