Yes.. Save your pads for when you need them.. Just enough pressure on the brake to turn on the lights so the fellas behind you know your slowing down.
Fuel economy and gear ratio are all relevant to where the engine makes power. Dropping in a different 5th gear to drop the rpms might not be a wise idea, depending on what ratio it is, It might bog the engine down, and bogging can sometimes consume more fuel and be harder on the engine.
Its kind of like.. well.. My western star has a 13 speed. 3 of those gears will hold the truck at 105 k/ph. In one gear it will be 1700rpm. Another 15, and the last at 1200rpm. If im unloaded, the gear that will keep the truck moving at that speed by using the least amount of power is best.. So 13th. Runs the engine at 1200rpm... If im loaded, then I need to select 12. Holding the engine at 1500rpm. And if Im super heavy or have some light hills, sometimes even 11th, to hold it at 1700rpm, where the engine makes the most power. Its designed this way.
Another example was my Honda CBR125R.. On the 401 to do 105kph It was doing 10500rpm. (Yes. TEN THOUSAND) and it did this all day, every day because it was designed to run this way.
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View my fuel log 2015 Micra S automatic: 7.9 L/100 km ... 35.7 mpg (Imp) ... 12.6 km/L ... 29.7 mpg (US) ...