I recently noted going 110MPH (112 actually) on the internal Speedo, and people thought I was going to die from danger...
I don't see a drastic increase in danger going 100MPH vs going 80 or going 60..
What speed are you comfortable with going on your GS?
Mine is 85MPH. After 85, I need to duck forward, to get less wind. At 100MPH my front wheel vibrates, and at 112MPH the bike is topping out.
I've squeezed a GS until it about popped... with little to no issues.
that being said. I've also squeezed an 848, CBR600f4i, GSXR600, SV650, and plenty other bikes.
a bike DOES have its limits. depending on the persons riding said bike, determines the limits OF the bike.
Motorcycles are like old and new fighter planes. for example. the P38, got off to a bad start. It would literally freeze its pilots, causing frost bite up at high altitudes, but it was a high altitude fighter and bomber escort. So naturally it got a bad rep, most pilots didn't like it. Most HATED It. and got different planes. but in reality, it was top of the line for its time, its what the F22 is to the F14. but an american ace by the name of richard bong, one of the highest ranking aces of the war. Got that way, flying the P38. the plane was good, and even better after some kinks were worked out - yes. but skill played a huge part. he pushed the limits of that plane in combat, he learned his weakness and strengths. That's what you have to do with motorcycles. you learn them, every vibration, every bounce, every blip, that perfect time to switch gears, that perfect moment to go into a corner.. Once you have mastered the bike, and honed your skills on it, every possible variable is up to fate...
for what its worth, the GS isn't exactly a TL1000. [fun bikes, if you can ever find one to ride, do it, just easy on the throttle!]
With a lunchbox filter and fine tuning I feel pretty comfortable at 100 mph indicated :D. I wouldn't mind going faster but at that point I'm already at like 9k rpm. I don't want to blow my motor :/
You could go faster with a 17t front tooth, or reduce rear tooth by 3t.
You should aim to have 8500rpm at top speed.
Quote from: MeeLee on January 24, 2015, 02:16:24 AM
You could go faster with a 17t front tooth, or reduce rear tooth by 3t.
You should aim to have 8500rpm at top speed.
No, you can't, stop spreading your BS.
Stock top gear is already overdrive, you can't reach redline in 6th. A 17t sprocket would help if the redline was your limiting factor...
+1
Looks like this thread is going to degenerate into total BS like the other recent one about sprockets. Bike should reach top speed at max HP if it's geared right and the GS is geared right.
GS redline in 6th gear would theoretically be at 140 mph, it's meaningless on a stock GS where max HP is at 8500.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500gearing-rpms_zps86c965d4.jpg)
Max HP occurs at about 108 mph and that's about where top seed is reported in the many published road tests, give or take a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tests_zpsd738ea8a.jpg
I found max performance on a stock GS to be had in the 7-9k range and would keep my happy GSs in that rpm range for hours on end in the mountains.
How fast I'm comfortable with? Ten years ago I was very comfortable doing 400-500 mile interstate days at 75-85 mph indicated and the only time I opened up the 97 I found it totally smooth and stable up to 110 mph indicated and my only concern was with the cop that might be around the next corner.
Jack,
Geeeeezzz.........now your just clouding the issue by using math, physics, logic and facts! :icon_rolleyes:
Quote from: gsJack on January 24, 2015, 02:18:57 PM
Looks like this thread is going to degenerate into total BS like the other recent one about sprockets. Bike should reach top speed at max HP if it's geared right and the GS is geared right.
GS redline in 6th gear would theoretically be at 140 mph, it's meaningless on a stock GS where max HP is at 8500.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500gearing-rpms_zps86c965d4.jpg)
Max HP occurs at about 108 mph and that's about where top seed is reported in the many published road tests, give or take a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tests_zpsd738ea8a.jpg
I found max performance on a stock GS to be had in the 7-9k range and would keep my happy GSs in that rpm range for hours on end in the mountains.
How fast I'm comfortable with? Ten years ago I was very comfortable doing 400-500 mile interstate days at 75-85 mph indicated and the only time I opened up the 97 I found it totally smooth and stable up to 110 mph indicated and my only concern was with the cop that might be around the next corner.
"Feeling" comfortable does not mean "being" safe...
Driving over 100 mph and surviving does not prove safety...it just proves you got away with it that time....I have friends who have gone over 200 MPH on motorcycle...they didn't die....but even they realize it is not safe....I have a friend who fell down at over 180 MPH on a drag bike...and got no injuries...but even he knows that is not safe...
Then I have many friends who did die on motorcycles..and may who got severely injured....
There is not one set speed at which motorcycles become "unsafe" or one speed under which motorcycles are "safe".....But it is a fact that the faster you go...the greater the potential for bad things to happen....
Now for all you wanna be "speed racers" out there...who think you're hot sheet....
Why not take your "wonder bike" to the local track.....I guarantee there are some 12 year-olds who would easily embarrass you and send you home with your tail between your legs!!
Cookie
Quote from: twocool on January 24, 2015, 05:14:32 PM
"Feeling" comfortable does not mean "being" safe...
Driving over 100 mph and surviving does not prove safety...it just proves you got away with it that time....I have friends who have gone over 200 MPH on motorcycle...they didn't die....but even they realize it is not safe....I have a friend who fell down at over 180 MPH on a drag bike...and got no injuries...but even he knows that is not safe...
Then I have many friends who did die on motorcycles..and may who got severely injured....
There is not one set speed at which motorcycles become "unsafe" or one speed under which motorcycles are "safe".....But it is a fact that the faster you go...the greater the potential for bad things to happen....
Now for all you wanna be "speed racers" out there...who think you're hot sheet....
Why not take your "wonder bike" to the local track.....I guarantee there are some 12 year-olds who would easily embarrass you and send you home with your tail between your legs!!
Cookie
Yeah the big issue with speed on the GS is the suspension. The front wheel starts to wobble so it's difficult to get going really fast at all. Upgrade the suspension and you can probably pull 140 indicated comfortably. Not that I would want to do that outside of a track. Instant vaporization if you wreck on the highway at that speed...
Well, the big and fast bikes have all kinds of sophisticated steering dampers and crap like that.
My friend who went over 200 on the interstate told me a couple of interesting things..
First he said the bike gets REALLY stable...like a rock...
But he also said that what are just little tiny "bumps" in the road when you drive over them in your car at 65 mph...turn into "ski jumps" at 200.....he said he could feel the bike go "light" and take a long distance to settle back to the ground!
Cookie
Yeah the big issue with speed on the GS is the suspension. The front wheel starts to wobble so it's difficult to get going really fast at all. Upgrade the suspension and you can probably pull 140 indicated comfortably. Not that I would want to do that outside of a track. Instant vaporization if you wreck on the highway at that speed...
[/quote]
Quote from: MeeLee on January 23, 2015, 12:39:28 AM
I recently noted going 110MPH (112 actually) on the internal Speedo, and people thought I was going to die from danger...
I don't see a drastic increase in danger going 100MPH vs going 80 or going 60..
What speed are you comfortable with going on your GS?
Mine is 85MPH. After 85, I need to duck forward, to get less wind. At 100MPH my front wheel vibrates, and at 112MPH the bike is topping out.
wow
there is so much wrong with that statement.
if you do not respect the differences of 30 and 60 mph, you are NOT prepared for full on braking @ 100 mph.
and we're only talking straight line 100% duty braking, on a clean skid pad, with no obstacles, no cars BEHIND YOU to smash you, no turns, etc
please do some research into stopping distances alone, then realize that we rarely ride in perfect conditions with clean line of sight, perfect roads, warm tires, and everyone paying attention to their own cars/trucks/bikes around us.
to answer your question about what i'm comfortable with as far as speed:
i'm paranoid, of everything, all day long, while street riding. 5 mph, 65mph, i'm paranoid.
do not get complacent.
Quote from: ohgood on January 24, 2015, 06:32:02 PM
wow
there is so much wrong with that statement.
if you do not respect the differences of 30 and 60 mph, you are NOT prepared for full on braking @ 100 mph.
and we're only talking straight line 100% duty braking, on a clean skid pad, with no obstacles, no cars BEHIND YOU to smash you, no turns, etc
please do some research into stopping distances alone, then realize that we rarely ride in perfect conditions with clean line of sight, perfect roads, warm tires, and everyone paying attention to their own cars/trucks/bikes around us.
to answer your question about what i'm comfortable with as far as speed:
i'm paranoid, of everything, all day long, while street riding. 5 mph, 65mph, i'm paranoid.
do not get complacent.
Don't forget the GS500 doesn't have ABS, so not only are you trying to slow down on commuter brakes rather than performance rotors, you also have very little margin for error because you have no ABS to save you when you panic grab a handful of front brake.
I still don't think op is 'op' ... still think it's a mask. ..
But I'm just a cynical bastard!
I feel comfortable at 120 as long as I have a few drinks and a spliff first to steady my nerves. :icon_eek:
Definitely in that order! If you drink AND ride simultaneously you could spill your drink! ... as for the spliff. .. well that's just better to enjoy sitting still!, chill and mellow out first!
Quote from: Janx101 on January 25, 2015, 06:42:19 PM
Definitely in that order! If you drink AND ride simultaneously you could spill your drink! ... as for the spliff. .. well that's just better to enjoy sitting still!, chill and mellow out first!
so the cup holder is a good idea then? keeps the beer right where I need it. Now i just need to get a really long silly straw into my helmet lol
(http://images.leatherup.com/imagesproc/1756707_H_SH355_MW400.jpg)
(http://api.ning.com/files/T4luKa89OKmNImQe-G*NZtBB37dCe3tIhiw7Pe2geGxBoh-1tQQiXQqbwj3V-KIOnx5sNpI7ExkkfUHY3TiNZRMFifUXn81U/camelbackhydrationpack.jpg)
Quote from: GatorTrae on January 25, 2015, 08:54:55 PM
(http://api.ning.com/files/T4luKa89OKmNImQe-G*NZtBB37dCe3tIhiw7Pe2geGxBoh-1tQQiXQqbwj3V-KIOnx5sNpI7ExkkfUHY3TiNZRMFifUXn81U/camelbackhydrationpack.jpg)
you sir have solved 90% of my life issues...
now i just need to fill it with vodka lol
Alone on the highway?
speedlimit +15mph :police:
With the group I ride with? (where I have the least powerful bike by far)
top speed 116.
I got her up to 121 with my girlfriend on the back once... no idea how that happened, but it did.
Down hill? Big girl, is she?
Cookie
Quote from: Clutchup210 on January 25, 2015, 11:07:07 PM
Alone on the highway?
speedlimit +15mph :police:
With the group I ride with? (where I have the least powerful bike by far)
top speed 116.
I got her up to 121 with my girlfriend on the back once... no idea how that happened, but it did.
121 with pillion? Hmmmm. .. thinking thinking.....
!! ... secret aerodynamic drag coefficient increase!!
The lesser turbulence overcomes the increase in weight?!
Quote from: GS500Schultz on January 25, 2015, 09:06:57 PM
you sir have solved 90% of my life issues...
now i just need to fill it with vodka lol
Vid's Hungarian, so you won't understand what they're saying, but it's pretty well explained anyway :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
Quote from: Atesz792 on January 24, 2015, 04:12:55 AM
Quote from: MeeLee on January 24, 2015, 02:16:24 AM
You could go faster with a 17t front tooth, or reduce rear tooth by 3t.
You should aim to have 8500rpm at top speed.
No, you can't, stop spreading your BS.
Stock top gear is already overdrive, you can't reach redline in 6th. A 17t sprocket would help if the redline was your limiting factor...
gsJack just gave YOU the answer you needed.
The bike makes top HP at 8500RPM, all you need to do is make sure you're close to 8500RPM at top speed (mine is 112MPH indicated); and the way to do it is through a sprocket change.
Quote from: Clutchup210 on January 25, 2015, 11:07:07 PM
Alone on the highway?
speedlimit +15mph :police:
With the group I ride with? (where I have the least powerful bike by far)
top speed 116.
I got her up to 121 with my girlfriend on the back once... no idea how that happened, but it did.
Sometimes a small downslope, and a tail wind can help out a good 10MPH.
If there's a headwind, the wind gets fatiguing over 80 MPH. Power starts to drop over 90 MPH. I've topped out around an indicated 120 MPH and didn't feel uncomfortable at all, but the bike really had to work to maintain that speed.
Quote from: twocool on January 26, 2015, 12:09:18 AM
Down hill? Big girl, is she?
No to both, dead flat (could have been slightly downhill, but we're talking <10degrees) and she's on the average to skinny side, as am I.
I'm almost certain it was the collective soul of Suzuki reaching out, in response to her telling me "[Our friend] took me up to 80mph on his bike, (an 09 r6) and he said that was really fast for two people!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTwnwbG9YLE
Quote from: Clutchup210 on January 28, 2015, 12:22:48 AM
Quote from: twocool on January 26, 2015, 12:09:18 AM
Down hill? Big girl, is she?
No to both, dead flat (could have been slightly downhill, but we're talking <10degrees) and she's on the average to skinny side, as am I.
I'm almost certain it was the collective soul of Suzuki reaching out, in response to her telling me "[Our friend] took me up to 80mph on his bike, (an 09 r6) and he said that was really fast for two people!"
Seriously now...well....121 indicated is believable....
With speedo error figured in... it's right about 108 MPH "true"....this is Dr. Jacks "magic" number, where the Sun, Moon, Planets and Stars all line up! (HP, RPM, Gear ratio in 6th, Top Speed)
Two up riding COULD possible improve aerodynamics...smoother airflow due to the second person.
Less drag...more top speed..
ANY down hill...and two up is a big advantage to top speed....an extra 100 lbs....when you do the vectors, you see that the gravity vector gets bigger, therefore the "normal" force of the hill pushing, gets bigger, so the resultant force along the line of travel gets bigger...this means you can over come more drag...means higher top speed....
A 10 degree hill is a really steep hill...it would be considered almost 20% grade...
So if the road "looked" flat....it was probably less than one or two degrees....but this still makes a big difference in top speed...as would a tail wind....
Our sailplanes go easily 60 MPH when flying downward at less than 2 degrees....At 5 degrees we can go 200 Kilometers per hour....(125 MPH)....this is speed achieved without any propulsion at all...just using the energy from gravity alone!...
For "racing" we fill the wings with water, to add a few hunderd pounds...Contrary to what , at first, is logical,... A heavy glider will ALWAYS go faster than a lighter one!
Cookie
Quote from: Clutchup210 on January 28, 2015, 12:22:48 AM
Quote from: twocool on January 26, 2015, 12:09:18 AM
Down hill? Big girl, is she?
No to both, dead flat (could have been slightly downhill, but we're talking <10degrees) and she's on the average to skinny side, as am I.
I'm almost certain it was the collective soul of Suzuki reaching out, in response to her telling me "[Our friend] took me up to 80mph on his bike, (an 09 r6) and he said that was really fast for two people!"
Heavier glider.. water wings. . . . Wow!!! .. now that's some curious and interesting info! :) :cheers:
Would never have thunk it! ... is that just for gliders/other unpowered aircraft? .. or does it factor in with all aircraft? ...
Brain still going. . Yeah but nah! Yeah but nah!! Lol
Applies to anything going down hill...
Glider, airplane...motorcycle...soap box car...bowling ball...bicycle....
Now level....as in airplane flying level...weight is a bit of a penalty...
And going UPHILL...well...weight is bad bad bad...
Here's the principal....
1) height is energy...the higher up something is... the more stored energy it has..
2) more weight at a given height is more energy than lighter weight..
So let's say we have 2 bowling balls....both up a 10' high hill......
But one ball weighs 8 lbs...and the other weighs 16 lbs...
The 16 lb ball has twice the energy!!
So if we let the balls roll down the hill...at first they will slowly start rolling.. and at the same speed....
But as the speed increases...drag from air increases...holding the balls back....
soon the balls will reach a speed where the drag is so great that the balls will not go any faster...they will just keep going at one steady speed...
But since the heavy ball has more weight (energy)..it can push harder against the drag of the air...so it reaches a faster speed before it evens out to one steady speed....
When they explain all this stuff in science class...they always assume the balls rolling in a vacuum, on a frictionless surface...if that were the case the balls would roll down the hill at the exact same speed, no matter what they weighed...and they would keep going faster and faster...
Bottom line...your motorcycle will have a faster top speed DOWNHILL with a rider on the back, than it would solo......up hill, the two up bike would be MUCH slower than a one up bike...
Cookie
Quote from: Janx101 on January 28, 2015, 08:58:14 AM
Heavier glider.. water wings. . . . Wow!!! .. now that's some curious and interesting info! :) :cheers:
Would never have thunk it! ... is that just for gliders/other unpowered aircraft? .. or does it factor in with all aircraft? ...
Brain still going. . Yeah but nah! Yeah but nah!! Lol
Quote from: twocool on January 28, 2015, 09:32:16 AM
Applies to anything going down hill...
Glider, airplane...motorcycle...soap box car...bowling ball...bicycle....
Now level....as in airplane flying level...weight is a bit of a penalty...
And going UPHILL...well...weight is bad bad bad...
Here's the principal....
1) height is energy...the higher up something is... the more stored energy it has..
2) more weight at a given height is more energy than lighter weight..
So let's say we have 2 bowling balls....both up a 10' high hill......
Bottom line...your motorcycle will have a faster top speed DOWNHILL with a rider on the back, than it would solo......up hill, the two up bike would be MUCH slower than a one up bike...
Ditto, I ride road bike (bicycle). And we have a Husband + Wife tandem crew in our group. Down one certain hill I can i can reach terminal velocity (just me on my single road bike) without pedaling at about 38mph. The tandem will reach will pull away from me like they have a motor. They usually reach about 46mph. Wait till an uphill grade though.. They work like a dog and go about as fast as turtle
This however is down a pretty steep grade.
I was just about to say that i small grade wouldnt have much of an effect.. but then I thought of pedaling on false flats (those roads you think are flat but really arent.) Pedaling up a false flat is a CHORE! Its pure torture. Going down a false flat you'd swear you could keep with Lance Armstrong without breaking a sweat. And you dont even realize that youre changing elevation..
Which brings me to another observation: HWY 76 traveling from Nebraska into Denver, CO. Fuel mileage on my bike was lower, and the water temp was up a little hight. It looks relatively flat, but you climb probably 3500ft in elevation from North Platte to Denver.
The motorcycle is definitly working a bit harder, even though you swear its dead flat!
Back to the core of the Conversation..
I dont like that thing at more than 100mph. It just doesnt feel like the bike is happy to be at that speed.
My FZ6 on the other hand, stable as a rock over 100. And gets there in a quick Hurry!! :woohoo:
Yep...back in the day...I was a semi pro bicycle racer....
You learn quick about headwinds, tail winds, drafting, hills, and gearing.
Tandems are cool...never rode one, but we also had a few of them who rode with us on training rides....You have to figure it this way...they have 2x the horsepower, but only 1 x the frontal area...so they go good on the flats, or down hill....
BTW... I once met up with a guy who was riding a fully enclosed (faired) three wheeled recombent bike....It looked slow to me....on the flats we were about equal, maybe my normal road bike was even a bit faster.....uphill that bike was a real dog...heavy...but down hill...I just could not keep up no matter what I did! And there was not much of a slipstream to draft in...
Cookie
[/quote]
Ditto, I ride road bike (bicycle). And we have a Husband + Wife tandem crew in our group. Down one certain hill I can i can reach terminal velocity (just me on my single road bike) without pedaling at about 38mph. The tandem will reach will pull away from me like they have a motor. They usually reach about 46mph. Wait till an uphill grade though.. They work like a dog and go about as fast as turtle
This however is down a pretty steep grade.
I was just about to say that i small grade wouldnt have much of an effect.. but then I thought of pedaling on false flats (those roads you think are flat but really arent.) Pedaling up a false flat is a CHORE! Its pure torture. Going down a false flat you'd swear you could keep with Lance Armstrong without breaking a sweat. And you dont even realize that youre changing elevation..
Which brings me to another observation: HWY 76 traveling from Nebraska into Denver, CO. Fuel mileage on my bike was lower, and the water temp was up a little hight. It looks relatively flat, but you climb probably 3500ft in elevation from North Platte to Denver.
The motorcycle is definitly working a bit harder, even though you swear its dead flat!
[/quote]
As for "comfortable" speed on the GS500...I like the posted speed limit plus or minus a couple MPH....
I not in a hurry...I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody or myself...
Other than long continuous highway driving...going real fast and driving like a maniac..doesn't really get you there all that much faster anyway...
One of my "hobbies" is driving the speed limit...letting a tailgater pass me...and then seeing what happens 10 miles later...usually I end up catching them at every red light....or they pass me only to get caught up in traffic ahead...or by a stopped school bus...or they suddenly see a cop parked with radar, and they slow way down...it's really comical...
Cookie
Omg I totally agree with that... I let tailgaters pass me too. I don't intentionally slow down to piss them off or speed up just to make them happy... just let 'em by so they can do what they want and I most often times end up laughing at them when I see them again. Glad to know I'm not the only one that feels this way!
Cool thanks guys! .. yeah it was in my head about ground vehicles being heavier/faster downhill ... seen a b-double semi truck (two trailers linked by a extra turntable on end of front trailer) grossing at about 70ton roll in angel gear down a freeway slope ... topped 160km/h! ....
Just didn't make the mind leap to aircraft! Lol. .. makes sense now it's explained. .. but in my head it wasn't working! ... I'm always open to learning new stuff. .. mostly. ..... and pineapple donuts!
Oh and a occasional driving hobby. .. watching out for p platers that are driving like dickheads! On the freeway mostly. .. listening on the cb radio for trucks calling LEO radar traps. ... pacing the p platers and gradually speeding up a bit. ... they usually want to roar ahead. ... straight into the radar/laser trap. ... by which time I have dropped right back again. .. it's not very fair or nice really. .. but it's a learning experience for them!