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 . 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.



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!

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.



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.

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

Quote from: GatorTrae on January 25, 2015, 08:54:55 PM

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

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.