Is it hurting anything? If the engine is still idling the gearing should be getting lubrication?
Also, what if the engine is off?
Just wondering because I'm planning on going to Death Valley a couple of days and the chance to coast for several miles is there. Fast coasting if I want. I've got a good plan for gas along the way but if you can coast in some places just as fast as you could normally ride then why not?
If you combine the road west from Beatty, Nevada, and several other downhill roads in DV like Dante's view, I bet you could coast at pretty high speeds a minimum 40 miles and probably more. Traffic can be almost non-existant sometimes so you wouldn't need to worry about cars that much either. Kinda cool just hearing the tires and the wind.
I once coasted a little Kia rental car down one of their roads (engine on of course)and we hit 103 mph before it slowed down.

* Last updated by: KAK on 12/4/2011 @ 12:58 AM *

Is this a stupid question? I did just add "long distance" to the title.
After thinking about it I suppose with the motor running there's no problem. Still have the oil flowing in the gearing. If you thought you might need to conserve fuel then idling would save some. Without the motor running I'm not so sure it's safe.
I thought I read somewhere that even with the motor running it could do damage but it's been awhile and I'm not sure what was said. Any thoughts?

I heard it was NOT good to coast even with the motor running.IDK for sure.Something about the way the trans(gears) moves the oil in the case.Something like that.

Yeah. I read something somewhere too but can't remember it. Not something I HAVE to do but just wondered if it was Ok if I felt like it. I've coasted maybe up to a couple miles at a time here and there over the years on my GS and never really gave it much thought if it was doing something harmful. Didn't notice anything on the GS but I try to be over-protective of the 14 and so I bring it up.

Pg. 9-45. Bottom right picture.

Free wheeler:
When we are in N, we have to have gears that free wheel or we would be direct drive. We have a brass cage locked around a splined shaft. The free wheelers or the gears that roll free is when the clutch is spinning with engine; They are on the one countershaft gears too. They need to be lube via pressure feed, just like a crankshaft bearing, or splash to the wrist pin. This hole is on top of the rod; so oil enters via splashed drops into that hole that lubes the wrist pin.

How can we drill a hole in a few free wheelers and not create a stress crack that might compromise a gear. We are stuck coasting in N with engine on. We need to feed that bearing or a galling effect will happen. The oil cannot enter as that flat [the rear gear in the photo] begins to heat up, expand, touch metal to metal; scores the softer material with the harder one. Off she goes snowballing that galling effect in a fast circular motion. Now the gear is all wobbly and not tight on the cage.

Roller needle bearings:

We have the [front gear in the photo] with the needle bearings. The shaft now, stops being a spline. Now it is looking like the back gear's I/D is the shaft's O/D for the rollers now spin on that shaft area. The rollers needing lube is again, a needle cage needing lube. With the excess room in the cage, the extra oil rolling over the others, it takes a little longer to take out a roller type bearing. None the less, this needs idle lubing on the coasting just as well.

Between splash, transmission pressure via engine running, bring that clown forward who said splash and lube will hurt miles of coasting, we have both covered lube wise. I would think there is less stress on the trans. So wear is the damage coming from? I coast down canyons more than I wanna say. Show me the 14's problem I keep the engine on, knowing that trans on the 'freewheeling side' needs it there.

Will coasting a mile without lube cause a problem? I can't say for sure. If I 1/4 mile a few seconds of idle within 4 times to lube [the wheelers] within that distance?; I may have a better chance at the starter button every now and then, than just flat out let the gall do its thing and worry miles down the road later.

I've coasted lots on my motorcycles, and never had a problem. Never heard any reason it could cause a problem.

If there was, it was a long time ago, and has been solved for a long time.

Fast coasting if I want.

Without the motor running I'm not so sure it's safe.

don't forget about the danger of crashing. Are you sure your brakes will not overheat without engine braking? If there are places to pull off to let brakes cool, i think I might be a little careful. This actually sounds a little more dangerous than doing a top speed run on a public road. Ah- IDK, if you were going to lay on a skateboard and do it with no brakes I wouldn't discourage you as long as you knew how to ride the thing.