This bike definitely needs a sixth gear! It seems to have the horsepower to handle it. At 70mph it acts like it´s winding out... Keeping up with sport or sport/touring bikes of the same size is out of the question! It´s OK for putzing around time but I wouldn´t want to try any long-distance highway riding! I had a 1971 Yamaha XS2 650cc twin that would run circles around this thing!