RPM/Engine Speed & Riding Style

[omgyouresexy]

I was reading through Vulcan gadgets site to try to learn the new Nomad a little better and I came across the part about maintaining the right gear to keep your RPM up above 2500. The speed/RPM calculator was especially eye opening. The specific text reads:

"Lugging the engine (riding at too slow a speed for the riders choice of transmission gear) causes the engine to be very sluggish so the rider rolls on more throttle, dumping a lot of fuel into the cylinders that can't be burned so a lot of that turns to carbon. Eventually the carbon sticking to pistons and valves develops little feathery edges which become hot spots.

DO NOT LUG THE ENGINE.

Different engines like different rpm ranges but for the Vulcan 1500/1600 torque is being made beginning around 2500 rpm, peak horsepower around 5000 rpm. The riders job is to keep the rpm inside that range at all times and higher is generally better."

My riding style has always been to find the RPM that keeps the bike "quiet" and generally try to minimize the RPM. My first bike has loud pipes (which i didn't like) and I developed that habit that has stayed with me. I just assumed keeping the RPM low was good on mileage and better for the engine, at the expense of slower acceleration in that higher gear.

For example, on the Nomad/sidecar setup, I may be going 45 or 50 in 3rd and drop it down to 4th to keep the RPM low. I'll usually roll on the throttle while staying in 4th, accepting that acceleration is slow. When I do this, am I dumping a bunch of fuel in the engine? Is this a poor way to ride? Should I always be downshifting before accelerating? Would I be getting better mileage by running at slightly higher RPM, even though that seems counterintuitive?

My previous bikes have always seemed to have the HP to accelerate reasonably well no matter what hear I'm in, but I'm really noticing the chugging and lugging on this heavy sidecar rig (and I am stalling out more frequently because of it). If I don't need to be scared of revving the engine, be it for mileage or engine life, someone set me straight by confirming Gadget's info.