How fast is is your old GS?

[terry]

I love this thread, it's almost as old as the bible now, and has about as many words and more revelations, but anyway, I digress.

Last time (over a year ago, from memory) I replied to this post I had just seen 120 Mph in third gear at about 11000 RPM with an engine full of trick Yoshimura stuff, but I've just done an "el-cheapo" (read: no money spent on wasteful things like new rings or gaskets, just a good hone and careful re-assembly) top end rebuild on a spare engine while I do a proper restoration on my original, but tired engine.

Anyway, as I had nothing much to worry about, I took it for a wang, and saw 220 Kph at about 10,000 RPM. (that's 137.5 Mph according to my calculator) For a dead stock 1980 GS1000E engine, I was pretty impressed. Not very responsible, but good scary fun, ha ha! :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

i can go roughly 220mph on my 1982 GS 650

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

i can go roughly 220mph on my 1982 GS 650

Finally! Somebody doesn't hold back and tells the truth!

 

[Anonymous]

i can go roughly 220mph on my 1982 GS 650

Finally! Somebody doesn't hold back and tells the truth!

no doubt. Thats a pretty conservative estimation too... did I mention one of the cylinders has a hole in it?

 

[Hap Call]

Something must be wrong with my '81 GS1100EX. I've had it at 10,000 RPM (1000 past stock redline) in 5th gear but the speedometer said it would only go 85 MPH...

Hap

 

[argonsagas]

I have not seen him posting for quite a while, but the highest GS speed I can recall was by one our Members hitting 174MPH on an 86 GS1150.

Not too much question about it, since it was on police radar.

 

[jtcrespo]

I have not seen him posting for quite a while, but the highest GS speed I can recall was by one our Members hitting 174MPH on an 86 GS1150.

Not too much question about it, since it was on police radar.

I was once pulled over by a friend who was a cop. I was running over a hundred when he caught me. When he came up to me, he told me the speed and I laughed. He asked why and I said he should have seen how fast I was going before I saw him and got on the brakes. We both laughed and he said he would do a better job of hiding in the future. He still wrote the ticket though, but for 75 in a 65 because he had called in that he was pulling someone over. :lol: :lol:

Anyway, I actually have no idea how fast my 83 GS750ES will go. Never tested it.

 

[earlfor]

Uhhh, level ground, no wind, in perfect tune and having a light lunch, about 120-125 mph depending on how big you are. Or, to be more precise, faster than you want to fall off. heh heh heh

Earl

Anyway, I actually have no idea how fast my 83 GS750ES will go. Never tested it.

 

[argonsagas]

Uhhh, level ground, no wind, in perfect tune and having a light lunch, about 120-125 mph depending on how big you are. Or, to be more precise, faster than you want to fall off. heh heh heh

Earl

Earl, that was mean of you. Think of the effect of those words. Don't you know there will be wives/girlfriends seeing this?

More ammunition to use against the freedom-loving rider. :twisted: :twisted:


Of course, there may be some sensible ones among them :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[jtcrespo]

Uhhh, level ground, no wind, in perfect tune and having a light lunch, about 120-125 mph depending on how big you are. Or, to be more precise, faster than you want to fall off. heh heh heh

Depending on mods, right?

I have a good set of air paddles and I can kick my feet pretty well.
Does an aero-helmet and a hump on my jacket count as mods too?

 

[earlfor]

Every little bit helps, and a large bag of bean burritos may be just the ticket for increased velocity. Be the first to become a real Rocket Man. No burnouts though, there could be a fire hazard.

Earl

Depending on mods, right?

I have a good set of air paddles and I can kick my feet pretty well.
Does an aero-helmet and a hump on my jacket count as mods too?

 

[earlfor]

I'm sorry, I wasnt thinking. Perhaps for the ladies that may be considering a ride, I should mention that my 750E is in terrible tune and tops out at about 12 mph.

Earl

Earl, that was mean of you. Think of the effect of those words. Don't you know there will be wives/girlfriends seeing this?

 

[jtcrespo]

Mine's out of tune too, so it vibrates a lot, been wondering whether I should get that fixed.

I'm sorry, I wasnt thinking. Perhaps for the ladies that may be considering a ride, I should mention that my 750E is in terrible tune and tops out at about 12 mph.

Earl

Earl, that was mean of you. Think of the effect of those words. Don't you know there will be wives/girlfriends seeing this?

 

[jtcrespo]

Mine's out of tune too, so it vibrates a lot, been wondering whether I should get that fixed.

I'm sorry, I wasnt thinking. Perhaps for the ladies that may be considering a ride, I should mention that my 750E is in terrible tune and tops out at about 12 mph.

Earl

Earl, that was mean of you. Think of the effect of those words. Don't you know there will be wives/girlfriends seeing this?

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Some of these rpm readings in top gear (level ground) are interesting too.
I know all bikes are different. My '79 GS1000E which runs well, will pull about 7,400 rpm's in top gear. This is with stock gearing and pipe/pod/ 1085 pistons. I'm about 195 for what it's worth and I'm in a crouch. Not trying to lay as flat as possible, but crouching some. I could possibly get a little more but why push it. My red line is 8,500 rpm's.
So I would say 7,400 rpm's is it. I can only assume the tach is working well enough. It's almost new too.
I've heard many other models won't come close to their red line in top gear. What are your TRUE top rpm's in top gear, under the same conditions? Be honest.

 

[Anonymous]

When I was young and thought I was bullet proof I did reach 135 mph. I would never try that now on my 750 ex.

 

[earlfor]

Its difficult to say exactly. On the 1150, I turn 4200 rpm @ 70 mph in 5th.
I've replaced the factory electric tach with an aftermarket electronic racing tach thats made to couple directly to the electric tach drive lead on my Dyna 2000 module. I know my rpm readout is accurate. The speedometer is likely a liar. Anyway, I have the Dyna set to cut out the ignition at 9000 rpm. The bike will reach 9K and cut out in 5th gear. I think the speedo is pegged at that rpm, but its difficult to read precisely. My ignition timing is altered from stock, my carbs are jetted a size larger and my air intake is increased slightly. Also, I have Accel high output coils and graphite plug wires on the bike. I suspect that if I turned off the rev limit, I could probably pull close to 10K rpm and maybe 155 mph actual. I weigh 160 and am not THAT big. I've never felt the
bike was lacking in the power and speed department, so I usually dont think about it.

Had a little fun today. Was cruising one of my favorite twisty roads at about 70 mph, (which is a relaxed, sit back and enjoy pace for me) when I caught up to a pick up truck moving along at about 55 mph. Well, I waited for a switchback "S" I knew was coming and could look through the next curve to see if it was clear for a pass. It was, and I did. Seems it piqued the cager off being passed, so he stepped on it and thought he was going to ride my tail. He followed me into the next curve at 75 and as
I was coming up on the power for the 2nd half of it, I could see his truck's front suspension compressing as he found he needed brakes in the middle of the sweeper. LOL I left him behind as I exited with the needle passing 90. Never saw him again after that. I think he gave up. I think he would have felt really bad if he knew I wasnt up to a range where I was pushing it hard, just funnin with him. heh heh

Earl

Some of these rpm readings in top gear (level ground) are interesting too.
I know all bikes are different. My '79 GS1000E which runs well, will pull about 7,400 rpm's in top gear. This is with stock gearing and pipe/pod/ 1085 pistons. I'm about 195 for what it's worth and I'm in a crouch. Not trying to lay as flat as possible, but crouching some. I could possibly get a little more but why push it. My red line is 8,500 rpm's.
So I would say 7,400 rpm's is it. I can only assume the tach is working well enough. It's almost new too.
I've heard many other models won't come close to their red line in top gear. What are your TRUE top rpm's in top gear, under the same conditions? Be honest.

 

[terry]

Ok, now I checked my speedo this morning on one of those radar speedo checking things, and at 120 Kmh/75 Mph (on my speedo) I was actually doing 114 Kph/71.25.

My gearing is standard for a 1981 "S" and at 100 Kph/62.5 Mph the engine is revving to 4000 RPM, so at 9000 RPM the bike should be doing approx 225 Kph or 140.625.

Of course that's the theory anyway. Now I'm a big fat bastaard, 6'4 and 240 pounds, and I was sitting upright at the time of my latest pass (looking for cops) but the conditions were ideal, as it was a nice sunny day, around 20 deg C and I was travelling down a slope over a distance of about 5 miles.

Even though I was crapping myself at the time, I reckon my eyes were working ok, and the bike absolutely raced to the reported 220KPH/137.5 MPH. Cheers, Terry. :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

Been up to 108mph (170kph) on my bike once. That was pushing a slight quartering wind, and I didn't feel like twisting it anymore.

oh yeah, fully stock '83 GS650GLD

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Anyone else? How many rpm's will your bike pull in top gear on level ground? What is your rpm red line? Top speed not important.