Today I had the bike speed up to 90kph in an 80 zone. 

The previous owner was saying the bike is not good for long distance distance feels a bit jittery at 90+.

I had some weird crosswinds, but kept calm and ma sure I was going with the flow and not over handling the bars.

I didn't find the bike jittery at all, it handled beautifully. I can see taking th bike comfortably for some long highway cruises.

What speeds do you take you GS comfortably, and do you do any extended cruising?

M

We did 400-500 mile first and last days traveling to the Aderondak and Smoky mountains from NE Ohio to ride there for a few days in the mountain twisties back in 01-02-03-04 which was at 68-72 years old for me.  I always found my 97 and 02 GSs to be steady at speed and they handled like sportbikes for me in the mountains.  I opened up the 97 to 110 mph indicated once which was probably about an honest 100 mph and it felt smooth and solid all the way up to speed and down.

Wow Jack, that sounds like a great trip.  I do not suppose you posted any pictures of the trips on here?

I was happy to see there was no such issue as the previous owner described, and why should there be?  These bike were made for enjoyable riding!

I don't know when it will be that I am at 100mph, for now I am happy with 100 kph.  My hog riding friend and I, (actually my brother in law), are planning to repeat our cruise next weekend.  It was good training for me to keep up to him, he is on a much bigger bike.

M

I was always riding with guys on bigger bikes on my GS500s, that was part of the fun of it.     I lost most of the pictures I had in a computer crash a while back but I did retrieve this strip of pics from the top of an old iGoogle home page I had:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GSsigpic4.jpg

The pic of me that I use for my avatar was taken in the southwest corner of Virginia.

I have never ventured too much yet north of 7000 rpm, and I may wait until I have more experience but I think I can take him. He say I will outgrow this bike but I think I may be perfectly satisfied.

Nice photos!

*thinks* I've never really had any problems with higher speeds... I'd imagine I have had my gs up to 90 maybe 95 mph before? Just for a short time though, I don't wanna get into that habit !!

Highway I'm normally at 60 or 65mph (speed limit is 55 around me)... if it's windy like cross winds it really irritates me 

I don't do much extended cruising... I wish I had more time to just go out and ride but my summer was very busy and evidently so were the summers of the few friends I have that also ride 

On a longer ride I took last summer with a friend I found myself getting bored on the highway after about an hour or so. Wished I had some music or something at that time !!

Awesome. I actually just did my first long distance trip too. 600 miles around New England. Took it up to 100mph a few times, and it got 56mpg. Spun like a top.

Fantastic Darkstar! New England, M have been beautiful!

What did ou guys do, go with a group? Did you camp via tent or hotel?

Not sure what 90KPH works out to in MPH, but I've had my bike over 90MPH which is quite a bit faster.  It does get vibey, but doesn't feel like the bike is gonna fly apart or anything.

Just be smart about where you speed and in what conditions.  As someone who has fallen suddenly for no explicable reason I'll definitely be minding my speed more...

I was doin 145km in a 60 today lol.

Yeah, so 90 kph is not that fast in terms of miles...but think of "new rider perception" where they feel they are being all racey, when they are shifting at 5,000rpm just to get to regular driving speeds.

LOL

Ummmm 145kph is fast.

I am such a cautious driver, (in a car), new rider, (on a bike), there is no need to remind me when to speed and when not to.  I am constantly frustrated when I am in a 50kph zone, and all the other traffic is going 70kph, which is always the case in this city.  I have to come to terms with the fact, and I know this, that it is safer to be on top of the traffic, than the slowest one on the road who just happens to be obeying the law. 

I need to stop watching the speedo and start integrating with the traffic around me.  I know this.

M