so this is my first v twin and not sure how low I can cruize in 6th it don't seem to like below 80 mph, I know twins are more torquey but any slower seems to be lugging?

It's a performance V-twin, not a harley, so it doesn't like low rpm neither.
80mph is more 4th gear territory.
It took me a while to get my head around it. I had a aprilia RSV before the SD990 and the same story, give it some beans!

Kyle, sounds like your bike is still fairly new.
let the motor free up and 80mph will be fine in 6th and give you good fuel economy.
Not sure if your speedos are like ours in Oz; if so then 80 indicated is probably 70

I don't use 6th at all. Tried it a few times its way to tall for anything remotely legal on the streets.

Drop your front sprocket down 2 teeth. You'll be needing the extra acceleration. **cough**

Settle down fellas!
He said 80mph - that's about 200 KTM/hr by my speedo - 6th gear is OK

Ditch the Cat and its a different bike....happy at any revs.

No problems lugging around my 1290 at 80kph in traffic with a 16T front sprocket in 6th gear then blasting off in a flash, the bike is well over geared for us in Oz the 16T front helps the motor rev up much quicker & smoothens out the motor at Oz legal cruising speeds.

the 1290 has a 6th gear????

So how much does the rpm increase by with the 16 tooth sprocket at say 110kph, could do with a little more punch, then I will be able to power wheelie 5th gear

6th gear is fine for cruising at 100mph. It doesn't pull hard until 140+ though...

The motor pulls better in the lower RPMs through all gears, you can't use anything over 4000rpm in traffic over here in Oz so for general riding day to day it is an improvement to the over geared ratio, if you are an open road rider 120kph + I would stay with the 17T. The sprocket choice would be a personnel thing depending how & where you ride your bike, the 16T would not suite all riders & conditions the same as the 17T front does not work well everywhere.

You can ride in a gear higher in the twisties & in fact most places I find I am using a higher gear with the 16T front.

Hmmmm, 16T counter sprocket ??? That sounds FUN.

Holy two year old thread resurrection!

I ended up getting the 16T front sprocket fitted. It was a bit of a giggle - bike will try to headbutt you in 1-4 now and 5th is a bit lairy over crests.