is it bad to hit the rev liner?

 

The rev limiter is there to keep you from over revving your engine and introducing the valves to the pistons for one thing and to keep from overstressing the oil pump gears for another.The fact thattwo valve V8's have a powdered metal crankshaft shouldn't be overlooked either.
The rev limiter isadjusted from the factory at a setting that will allow you to bounce off the pre-set limit without damaging the engine.For this reason you need not worry about hitting this limit IF you don't do it every time you leave a stop light.I have a Raptor shift light thatallows your eyes to look out the windshield instead of having to concentrate on a tach needle.

 

Most stock motors have stopped making peak power long BEFORE the rev limit,, so the only reason to rev to the limit(er) is you'll still be in optimal powerband after the shift. How good of a driver are you?

 

um... pretty new with stick, tryin to learn all the ins and outs

 

GreyStang is right and I'd like to add that I have my shift light set about 200 rpm below the setting where the rev limiter starts limiting the revs.(about 5800 according to the factory tach which by the way aren't known for their striking accuracy) This gives me time to react to the light and shift before the rev limiter come into play.
Here's a link to Raptor.
http://raptorperformance.com/
I like the Raptor above the others because of the ease of installation,adjustability,and small size.This last feature allows you to mount the light just about anywhere and doesn't detract from the look of the interior of the car.I hate those great big shift lights (and tachs) that some guys like to put up where everybody can see them.My head voices say"these are great for a race car but for a street car they're overkill".