[Terry Eade]

There has been much discussion about the new 650 overdrive feature on the new 2005 model, but I have not seen any information about it on this site from anyone who actually has one and tried it out. I received some information from a new 650 rider who has tried it out and gave this account. Apparently the only way you can be sure that you are in overdrive is in the manual mode, where there is an overdrive indicator to the right of the 5th gear indictor on the dash. It apparently drops the engine RPMs about 500-800 below the 5th gear level. According to Suzuki reps the final drive ratio drops from .9 in 5th geear to .8 in overdrive.

Also according to the Suzuki rep the same final gear is also in the automatic mode, it is just that you do not get an indication that you are in overdrive when you are running in automatic (probably not ever reached in the power automatic mode). That would make sense, since the manual mode just selects predetermined settings already available in the automatic mode range. Also according to the new 2005 owner there is a milage indicator for each of two trip meters, so you could then keep track of your milage for your current tank of gas and for a trip as well.

It seems to me that these changes, as well as the ambient tempature gage and the cosmetic changes are significant enough that they would be pointed out in the official Suzuki posting for their 2005 model. However, on their site the only thing listed under "New Features" is an emissions improvement available on the California models. Why would that be???

 

[seatec]

Strange we dont get any feed back from the 05 650 members out there, they must have it checked out by now if it works in auto mode, come on guys we want info

 

[Terry Eade]

I forgot to mention that the overdrive will not work at below 2500 RPM. If you are already in overdrive (in manual mode) and drop below 2500 RPM, the bike will drop you back into 5th gear. If you are below 2500 RPM and try and shift into overdrive, the 5th gear indicator will blink and you will not be able to shift up. The way you get into overdrive is to select the higher gear button when you are in 5th gear.

 

[PhilW]

I think the reason you haven't seen anything from the 05 owners yet is because we don't know yet. I am still working under the 4000 RPM break-in limit and I believe a number of the others are also. I have had it up to 62 mph indicated but have not seen a drop in the rpm (3700-3800 at that speed). So I don't know when it kicks into OD. I haven't used the manual mode to select OD.
I have been playing with the trip meters/fuel comsumption meters and they do seem to work (see related post in the 650 forum). Ambient tempature also seems to work as advertised.
What I need is better weather so I can put some miles on it.

 

[captainfish]

Seems to me, that if the OD is engaged automatically while in auto mode, then switching to manual will not change the RPMs. If you are not in OD, then switching to Manual, then up one more to OD should register a lower RPM than you had while in auto. RIGHT?

Seems like a very easy test.

 

[roy_ryall]

Seems to me, that if the OD is engaged automatically while in auto mode, then switching to manual will not change the RPMs. If you are not in OD, then switching to Manual, then up one more to OD should register a lower RPM than you had while in auto. RIGHT?

I am confused. How about getting the bike up to +5,000 rpms in the manual OD mode and shift to auto mode. If the rpms drop, Suzuki added a new OD ratio. If the rpms stays the same then Suzuki just added a OD selection to the manual mode.

I would also like to see a comparison of the rpms vs indicated speed on the 05s and the 04/03s.

 

[wasions]

It sort of sounds to me like a 6th gear in Manual Mode. Not much else. In Manual Mode, running at high speed in 5th (on my '04) the revs tend to be higher than in Auto Mode. So what we have here, is smoke and mirrors. (Suzuki, say it ain't so!)

Steve

 

[captainfish]

I am confused. How about getting the bike up to +5,000 rpms in the manual OD mode and shift to auto mode. If the rpms drop, Suzuki added a new OD ratio. If the rpms stays the same then Suzuki just added a OD selection to the manual mode.

If you are able to get to the point where the OD light is lit while using the manual mode, and you switch to auto, IF there is an OD (6th gear) then the RPMs should stay the same. If the RPMs rise, then the OD/ 6th gear is only available in manual mode.

Think about your automatic drive car. You are driving down the road with the cruise on at 65. You are coasting down the road at the lowest gear. Now, you reach up and hit the OD-ON/OFF button. At this point your RPMs rise due to being in a higher gear and jumping out of OD.

So, think of the burgy as in reverse. You drive up to highway speeds in manual mode to where the the OD light comes on. If you switch to auto, if the RPMs rise then the 6th gear is only available in manual mode (CVT speaking). If the RPMs stay the same, the the same gearing exists in auto mode as well.

Am I thinking this correctly?

 

[roy_ryall]

Captainfish, yes, you are correct. I think it depends on how you look at it. Did Suzuki add a new OD ratio, or did they add an OD to the manual mode which has the same ratio as the auto mode? We have had one report that indicates there may be a new ratio. However, I hope some other 05 owners make some additional tests at higher speeds. I would also like to some comparisons of indicated speed to rpms on the 05s and the 04/03s

Can one of the moderators combine the OD topics into one?

 

[billmeek]

Can one of the moderators combine the OD topics into one?

Nope. No way to combine topics.

 

[Terry Eade]

It sounds to me, from the comments made in this thread, like the pre 2005 model had a higher gear available in the automatic mode than the one which was available in the previous 5th gear. If that was the case, then perhaps all Suzuki has done is to give riders the ability to get at this higher gear from within the manual mode.

As I mentioned earlier, the Suzuki rep indicated that the change in final drive ratio in the manual mode has gone from .9 in 5th to .8 in overdrive. If someone who has a pre 2005 AN650 could look in the manual and see what the final drive ratio was in the automatic mode, we would have the answer we are looking for on this subject.

 

[captainfish]

YEP, that's another option. Testing by SOMEONE would play that out.