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Doing... did ... the ton on an 81 GS450E

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    Doing... did ... the ton on an 81 GS450E

    Well.... I got the testicular fortitude to try for a ton today. With everything dialed in ( valves adjusted, carbs cleaned and sync'd, fresh oil, etc ) everything but the hood meter cover (Thursday get new one), new sprockets and chain and new chain guard/cover (expected Monday) is completed on the bike. So I decided to see what she would do. Previously the best I could do was around 85-90, I had to have someone follow me to help me on the speed. So today on a clear Florida back road, I attempted and did THE TON at around 8700-9000 RPM's in 6th gear for about 5 seconds at the most, just long enough for the person following me to confirm at/over 100, I still had a little room on the throttle but was not willing to push my luck. Bluetooth helmet was a plus as I could get real time speed. Yes, a 36 year old bike will still do it. The first and only time I will have my 450 at/over 100mph. If I were to do it again, it would be with video...but I don't see a need, my curiosity is satisfied.

    The 450 is running the best it has since I bought it. Everything is tuned... now she just needs a bath/degreasing and a wax job before the bike show.

    I will have a "FOR SALE" sign on my bike this weekend at the Vintage Bike Show in Eustis, FL... ambitiously asking $2000 and will see what kind of offers I get. I may be moving up... if that is the case, I will be looking for a vintage GS650-GS1000.

    #2
    Originally posted by Blue Falcon View Post
    Well.... I got the testicular fortitude to try for a ton today. Yes, a 36 year old bike will still do it.
    I don't think age vs 100 mph is the point here. My 35-year-old Suzuki does the ton nearly every time I ride it. (I think it would do the buck-and-a-half if I had the fortitude.) I think the point is that our aged bikes are performing as claimed when they were brand new.

    My third-hand '71 CB350 (325 cc) indicated 96 mph until I bored it to 435 and installed the most extreme cam available, at which point it developed extreme throttle-response characteristics (nothing, nothing...BAM!)

    I think the point is two-fold: how far the state of the art had advanced by the early 1980's, and good on you for the good maintenance. Keep it up!
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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      #3
      Congrats to the ton!

      Coincidentally, it's the quoted top speed of the 450, right?


      Referring Rob's 1000E;
      Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
      (...) (I think it would do the buck-and-a-half if I had the fortitude.) (...)
      ...but then you'd be well past redline, wouldn't you?
      #1: 1979 GS 550 EC "Red" – Very first Bike / Overhaul thread        New here? ☛ Read the Top 10 Newbie mistakes thread
      #2: 1978 GS 550 EC "Blue" – Can't make it a donor / "Rebuild" thread     Manuals (and much more): See Cliff's homepage here
      #3: 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer – One needs a runner while wrenching
      #4: 1980 Moto Guzzi V65C – Something to chill

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        #4
        I don't recall anyone ever having the final, definitive, answer to why we do these things, except we want to see IF we can.

        I recall doing it on my CM450 Honda for exactly that reason. Actually, the speedo hit 180kpoh/110moh., but I was never sure of its accuracy.
        "If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny."
        Elon Musk Jan, 2022

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          #5
          Did it the last time my 850 was on the road, most scary bike moment ever, was pretty squirmish the entire bike so I quickly let down and returned to normal speeds. My sv1000s though does the ton with an uncanny calm stature, even pushed it to an indicated 220km/h and not a thing, solid a set rock. Could probably be described as being in the eye of the storm 😄

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            #6
            [QUOTE=argonsagas;2378909]I don't recall anyone ever having the final, definitive, answer to why we do these things, except we want to see IF we can.

            I recall doing it on my CM450 Honda for exactly that reason. Actually, the speedo hit 180kpoh/110moh., but I was never sure of its accuracy.

            My 86, 450 Rebel tops out at 110 as well.
            Gustov
            80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
            81 GS 1000 G
            79 GS 850 G
            81 GS 850 L
            83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
            80 GS 550 L
            86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
            2002 Honda 919
            2004 Ural Gear up

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              #7
              I think that doing 100mph on an under 600cc bike is allot more "exciting" than on a larger more powerful bike because you have more time to think about what you're actually doing. My 1100 will hit the 100mph mark in way less than a 1/4 mile, but doing it on a 250 or 450.. heck a 550cc, requires allot more road, allot more time, and sometimes more technique (laying down on the tank, pulling elbows in, etc). I think its excellent that got out there and did it on your 450!
              1982 GS1100E "Jolene"

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                #8
                [QUOTE=gustovh;2378941]
                Originally posted by argonsagas View Post
                I don't recall anyone ever having the final, definitive, answer to why we do these things, except we want to see IF we can.

                I recall doing it on my CM450 Honda for exactly that reason. Actually, the speedo hit 180kpoh/110moh., but I was never sure of its accuracy.

                My 86, 450 Rebel tops out at 110 as well.
                my speedometer doesn't hit 100... hence the rider behind me.

                we do these things...simply because we can.

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                  #9
                  My sister had a newer 450 Rebel than ran like a top. 90 would be a stretch. It takes a lot more to get to 100. I've never seen a 450 GS that would get there. I remember guys with CB450's that claimed an easy 120. I once got an "indicated" 108 on a new XS650, and no 450 twin anything stayed with me back then.

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                    #10

                    GPS Documented -- 1983 GS850 GL with windscreen - (easy for an 850)
                    Currently in the Stable :
                    2002 Honda Goldwing GL1800 Sunburst Pearl Orange
                    1983 Suzuki GS850 GL Blue & Black

                    " I am never lost until I run out of fuel...until that moment I am EXPLORING."
                    - Carl R. Munkwitz

                    Munk's Maxim: "There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle"

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by wymple View Post
                      My sister had a newer 450 Rebel than ran like a top. 90 would be a stretch. It takes a lot more to get to 100. I've never seen a 450 GS that would get there. I remember guys with CB450's that claimed an easy 120. I once got an "indicated" 108 on a new XS650, and no 450 twin anything stayed with me back then.
                      We have a 2006 Rebel 450 now, and agree 90 would be about its limit.

                      The mentioned CM450 was a 1982 model, and it was decidedly better at high speeds than the one we have now. I say "we" because this one is for my wife.

                      My old Bandit 1200 would clear 100 in second gear, but it had a few engine mods and would happily pull to just over 11000rpm before the power curve dropped away, really quickly.
                      "If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny."
                      Elon Musk Jan, 2022

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by wymple View Post
                        It takes a lot more to get to 100. I've never seen a 450 GS that would get there.
                        Come on down to Florida, we will hit the same road. I ain't skeerd to do it again. You will have to be on a call with me and tell me when I do hit 100, or I could do the GPS thing if I had a GPS.... My speedo is a little short over 85mph. No more tick marks past that.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by roeme View Post
                          Referring Rob's 1000E;


                          ...but then you'd be well past redline, wouldn't you?
                          Yes I would be past redline. But that's no reason to short me 74 cc's!
                          1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                          2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I've topped out the speedo on my GS450 but wasn't near 100mph. Definitely had a little more but at that speed on that bike (at least on my bike) hitting a pebble on the road can give you the wobbles
                            1980/1981 GS450 - GS500 Cylinder + Piston Swap - "De-L'ed", custom seat, CB350 bits, 18" rear, etc.
                            1977 GS550
                            1977 GS750 - Cross country trip thread

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                              #15
                              I had my 81 GS550T up over 105mph, then a glass fuse vibrated sideways and slipped out of contact. Did not know what happened but found the issue very quick and rode on.
                              No biggie except with the law.
                              Had my 82 GS1100G up over 115mph last summer no problem, only worried I was close to the bias ply's H rating of just 130mph. Not a limit I wanna explore.
                              "Only fe' collected the old way, has any value." from His Majesty O'Keefe (1954 film)
                              1982 GS1100G- road bike, body, seat and suspension modded
                              1990 GSX750F-(1127cc '92 GSXR engine) track bike, much re-engineered
                              1987 Honda CBR600F Hurricane; hooligan bike, restored

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