Mark in Idaho,
Is the sidecar on a CX or GL? What make/model is the chair?
Willj wrote:For me it seems 110Km/hr - 68mph is about the maximum thrill I can take. I start getting a little terrified after that. I`m relatively new ( yeat and a half ) to motorcycling so maybe in time I`ll relax a little bit more. Tunnels and going down hill and driving at night at higher speeds seem to be a bit of a challenge too. I find myself holding on to the bars quite tightly and my throttle hand ends up with a cramp. Some days my fear is a little more amplified and some days less. It`s all very exciting but sometimes, honestly, I`m scared shitless!
Blindstitch2002 wrote:...otherwise I think I am over cautious.
I find that it depends. On the highway I try to go with traffic flow - 65 to 70 mph. On 2-lanes I keep it within 10 mph of the posted speed (but then again I have too many tickets with the 4-wheel vehicles).
I have the problem where if I get up to 80 mph the wind funnels into my helmet from underneath and into my jacket and I feel like it is going to literally pick me right up off of the bike. That may be a side effect of the equipment I am wearing.
The fastest Ihave been on a bike is 110 mph, but that was as a passenger ona bike my brother had borrowed and ridden over to my place.
Before I took the sidecar outfit off the road for the summer I was limiting myself to about 105 Km.h as a fuel economy measure. The increased frontal area of an outfit makes a huge difference to the mileage and I have discovered that if I keep it below 95 it gets almost 45 MPG but if I run it around 120-130 it gets about 38! With the price of gas these days that is substantial.
I haven't been going as fast on the GoldWing this year as I did last. With Ontario's new laws (automatic suspension & vehicle seizure for 50 Km over the limit) I won't do 130 in an 80 zone any more. But it is getting 48.5 MPG now.
I hear you Bob and haven't rode much over any speed limit (max. 100 kmph - er 50 mph) as outlawed on most highways in Nova Scotia - in fact - on my favorite shoreline roads it's a lot slower at 80 kmph .... and in the city a max of 50 kmph ...... whereas I've also found myself a lot more comfortable ridin' slower - (even with the cars piling up behind me) - as I'm first in the parade - and will occasionally pull over to the side to let them pass - but overall it's my road too - as I pay my taxes ....... so speed isn't everything - especially when your retired an just out for a Sunday stroll n' smell the flowers n' check out the bikini's on the beach ........
Also probably a reason why I'm still ridin' - as speed kills in more ways than obvious !!!!!!!!
Cheers, n' Happy Trails Ahead,
Bryan
roadster5580 wrote:WOT where I can get away with it. I figure I'm not going to live for ever and at least I may go out as a legend to the local rescue squad.
I got up to 110 MPH on my Nighthawk once. Fast, seemed faster than the 130 MPH I did in my '66 Mustang.
I made it from Hayward Ca. To Battleground Wa. in just under 8 hours once, on a 400 A, with a "Rooster" Fairing on it, and an African Grey parrot in a cat carrier on the passenger seat. Man that was a fun run, I was beat to snot, the bird loved it. Averaged 85 MPH the whole way, got off to use the can, not much else.
The fastest I've done on the 500GLI is 85 MPH, the front end was feelling kinda squirrelly, so I backed down to 70, I can go all day at that speed.
czech wrote:How did you get 120 mph from a 1980 CX500? Do you have different gear ratios that is normally on the 1980 CX500? That would be around 12500 rpm on my 1980 model. My tach goes only to 10,000 rpm. Will the CX500 turn 12000+?