How fast is is your old GS?

[MikeW665]

The guy I bought my bike from said he had it up to 140 mph. 8O I have NO intention of going anywhere near that fast. Half that speed is about my limit

 

[Guest]

My 77 GS550 cruises effortlessly at 100...


kph that is

Redline in 6th works out to about 105 mph though I've never tried to go that fast on it.

Debby

 

[oldschoolGS]

I get real sceptical when I hear speeds over about 135mph on 20+ year old unfaired bikes with the aerodynamic coefficient of a brick. Lets not forget that full factory Superbike GSXR750's were just touching 160 at Daytona back in the late 80's. And that is with bodywork designed with wind tunnel input. Above about 135, aerodynamics really comes into play and increases in power are not proportunal to increases in speed. I like to be optimistic too, but reality tends to overcome wishful thinking. Ride On, Ed.

 

[earlfor]

85 1150E......an honest 140-145 anytime and it doesnt waste any time getting there either.

Earl

Above about 135, aerodynamics really comes into play and increases in power are not proportunal to increases in speed. I like to be optimistic too, but reality tends to overcome wishful thinking. Ride On, Ed.

 

[lhanscom]

With Skip on my 1150, it did 147mph with the nitrous in the Quarter mile. Just goes to show that with enough horsepower anything is possible. Someday, when I lose 100lbs or so, I hope to see that trap speed in the 1/4.

 

[oldschoolGS]

I believe an 1150 is good for 135-140- nitrous is a little over the top and more the exception than the rule-didn't say it was impossible- just highly unlikely. What I doubt is the talk of an 850 or 1000 with a pipe and a jet kit doing 145 with no streamlining at all. Also indicated speed vs actual ground speed can be very different. Horsepower alone will only overcome drag to a point. Look at the Reno unlimited air racers- 475-500 mph is about max regardless of power due to the huge increase in parasite drag as speed increases. Ride On, Ed.

 

[MikeW665]

I get real sceptical when I hear speeds over about 135mph on 20+ year old unfaired bikes with the aerodynamic coefficient of a brick.

The guy that owned the bike before me was the orignal owner and he did it after the break in period. I know the guy well enough to know he wasn't lying. It's possible that there is an error in the speed-o, but I'm sure he was going like a bat out of he**.

 

[Anonymous]

124mph. GS550ES on stock pipes, well.......stock everything back then. New and improved hopefully coming soon.

Manish

 

[gsbill]

There are tons of old, unfaired bikes that will go over 140 easily, maybe not totally stock, but not radically modified. Yamaha XS 1100, Honda CBX, Kawi 900/1000, Suzuki GS 1000/1100/1150. Just to name a few. The difference between "how fast" and "how quick" seperates the big dogs from the puppies...In ones opinion...I'm more of a how quick guy, then you can be a how fast guy automatically!

We used to race against a guy on a turbo busa, he was quick(faster than us), he went on to set a land speed record with that busa and made it on to the Discovery Channel..John Noonan!

So he was fast & quick or quick & fast???

 

[DMPLATT]

Let ya know if I ever get my speedo cable fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

Noonan went 246mph on the salt flats with that bike. Still it was street driven motorcycle. Nothing like a turbo to have that extra WHAM BAM thankya MAAM horsepower. Me 143mph 1974-900kaw(1018) and 146mph 1985 yamahopper V-MAX. Don't know yet on my 1981GS1000 or my 1991GSX1100. I'm older now and body parts heal slower.

 

[pntrdave]

Dunno, I suspect ~130 on my '82 GS1100EZ a few years back.

Going from San Diego to Yuma for a training op in '94 (USMC), The bike was new (to me). I had just gotten it back from the shop where I had a tune-up, safety check, and tires done. I had not ridden it any real distance yet, and had not ridden a bike that could move for years (traded my old '80 Honda CM400 for it. 'nother story).

I went out on Interstate 8 or 10, I forget which. The one that is a straight shot to Yuma anyway. After a bit, I noticed the roads open, clean, and dry. It was a warm day, but not hot yet, so melted asphalt was not a problem yet. I decided to go 85 and watch the radar detector. I lay down on the tank bag, feet back, and cruise....
semper fi
I notice I am passing cars like they are standing still. No radar, a sky scan tells me no speed planes... So I just keep going and watching.

A few hours later, "Yuma 14". What? Yuma is still hours away! I notice I am near redline. At 85? Quick check, Yup, top gear. Hmmm... And what's this little peg by the 85 on my speedo?

D'Oh!

Nearly out of gas, I let the throttle go, and the needle finally moves off 85 at about 3500 RPM. Sunofa...

I was checked in, got my room, a base pass, and already back out the gate headed for town before my next fastest colleague came in. Another bike, of course (Honda V45). His speed was intentional, though.


God, I miss that bike. Beyond doubt the best bike I have ever owned. Blew the shifter shaft O-ring while a friend was riding it. Seized up once it ran out of oil. I sold it to him for $500, about what I had invested in it.

 

[oldschoolGS]

Did a little research out of curosity, after reviewing several bike publications and road tests of the period, I came up with the following MEASURED top speeds for several models discussed. This into was found at several bike sites with road test info incl. bikez.com(an encyclopedia site)
All speeds listed are actual :
1980 GS850- 123mph
1982 CBX- 129mph (aerodynamic coefficient of 2 bricks)
1981 GS1000- 130mph
1981 Z1000- 131mph
1981 XS1100- 133mph
These were new, freshly built bikes run by professionals.
I believe it is a bit of an overstatement to suggest slight mods such as a pipe, jet kit and gearing changes will "easily" add 15mph on the top end
of any of these machines. These mods will increase quickness and help with throttle response, but not produce that much difference. Even the mighty 1990 GSXR1100 was "only" listed at 144mph, with wind tunnel designed streamlining at that. I don't know much about dogs or puppies, but I do know that there are not many unstreamlined 1980's street bikes that will "easily" top 140mph

 

[Anonymous]

What is the conversion for km's to miles? I can do about 160km/h with my dinky 400. Oooo yeah! 8)

 

[Anonymous]

fast/ Tiff

fast/ Tiff

1965 BSA lighting Rocket with full sifton motor built, to max street 127mph , 1971 triumph street tracker, 650 .040 over ported, forged pistons, mega cycle cams 124mph, 1979 gs 1000L stock about 120mph according to speedo but may have been more or less the other 2 bikes where on radar, the bsa at 127 got me in jail, but my court date was the day before Xmas and the highway patrol cop didn't show and the judge had to let me go, may xmas to me oh Tiff 160khm is about 100mph

 

[robinjo]

What is the conversion for km's to miles? I can do about 160km/h with my dinky 400. Oooo yeah! 8)

One mile is 1.602 km so about a ton then, did you know you are not allowed to ride that fast? Bad girl! :twisted:

 

[jjnorc]

KM * 0.621371192237334 = Miles

 

[earlfor]

I guess then the 1150E is one of the "not many" huh?

Earl

Even the mighty 1990 GSXR1100 was "only" listed at 144mph, with wind tunnel designed streamlining at that. I don't know much about dogs or puppies, but I do know that there are not many unstreamlined 1980's street bikes that will "easily" top 140mph

 

[oldschoolGS]

Yes, I would say you are correct. The mighty 1985GS1150E was listed at 139mph. I suppose with a pipe, jetting and regearing- 140+ should be attainable, if you can hold on. The GS1150 and Yamaha V-Max were probably the two strongest bikes prior to 1986 and are certinely capable of 140mph.

 

[earlfor]

Holding on is good.

Earl

Yes, I would say you are correct. The mighty 1985GS1150E was listed at 139mph. I suppose with a pipe, jetting and regearing- 140+ should be attainable, if you can hold on. The GS1150 and Yamaha V-Max were probably the two strongest bikes prior to 1986 and are certinely capable of 140mph.