V twins

[Pwalo]

Are jolly deceptive when it comes to judging your speed. I must admit that I've been caught out a few times on the SV.

Pull out to overtake a car (on the motorway of course), look down and find I'm doing 145 ks. On all my other bikes I've always 'felt' the acceleration, but the V twin just doesn't seem to give you the impression that it's actually accelerating. (You do notice that the cars in front of you are getting close really fast and the cars behind are receding at a similar rate).

What do you chaps reckon?

[vifferman]

What do you chaps reckon?
Yes.

I got a ticket on my VTR for 132km/h in a passing lane, when I overtook a little faster than I ought to have done, after following some pillock in a fume-belching 4WD behemoth for about 15 minutes.
The lazy nature of many v-twins makes them relaxing to ride, but means you can get caught out going faster than intended.
Conversely, IL4s sound busy even when they're not revving much. When I test-rode a 2005 CBR600RR, I thought, "Man, this thing's revvy!", and when I looked at the tachometer, I was doing the same revs as I would've been doing on the VFR.
Hmmmmm....

[Motu]

Flat twins also feel gutless for their capacity,flat and unispiring....until you see how fast you are covering ground.First day on my XLV750 I was stopped and asked by a Cop - ''Do you realise what speed you were doing?''

[V4ME]

Totally agree - on my SV I've got to really watch going into corners as I often do not realise how quick I'm coming into them, (the very reason I came off a few weeks back in a tight corner - ended up crossing well over the centre line). And I agree with vifferman that riding an IL4 you tend to know when you are going quick due to the reviness and scream.
I love the feel of my SV. But it is very deceptive.

:Punk:

[Juud]

Pull out to overtake a car (on the motorway of course), look down and find I'm doing 145 ks.
Been there as well, great for overtaking but not for fines. I used to ride a CBR600, what a difference. In town I really have to keep an eye on the speed as well, it's like you said, so deceptive. In the beginning I had some trouble with the smaller roundabouts (eg outside the grumpy mole in Lower Hutt) until my partner said, yeah I'm not surprised, the speed you're going. I didn't have a clue.

[NighthawkNZ]

Yes they are very deseptive and you don't really feel the acceration/pull as such, then you look down at the speedo and say awwww crap... as the little blue lights flash in your rear veiw mirror.

been there... :(


but its so much fun

[Dave C]

For me on my SV it's a bit of a mixture. I find that around the 'middle' of the range - like you say, sitting at 90-100k then giving it some stick to get clear of traffic you can very quickly and without really 'feeling' it find yourself well into the numbers where Mr P :nono: requires you to 'get off and walk home'. But when you get up to serious high speeds i.e 200k+, (always on private roads under controlled conditions of course...honest...) it is more evident that you are hauling arse than it was on my dear old Gixxer 11, which didn't give you quite the same sensation at the big numbers. All very subjective, but interesting to know it's not just me! Makes me think I must jump on a big multi and see what that feels like again after over a year riding only the double-thumper.

[98tls]

With my TLS i find i ride it on the revs all the time or else it feels like a big fat lazy sack of shite and its rather loud so have no problem with getting lulled into a false sense of what speed i am doing...........:innocent:

[JimO]

as some of you will know i have only had the vtwin for a few weeks but it reminds me of a big trail bike .....just the way it feels not the way it goes

[doc]

I felt the opposite going from a sporty to a 4cyl (aren't an IL4 to me) V-twin's with the noise and vibration when you are going fast you know it, where as with a 4 you look at the speedo after you have passed and are pulling in and think Feerkin hell. (Miss that noise of the V-twin tho) The 4cyl freaks should try a V-Twin before they chuck off at them.

[Buster]

Twins are easy to keep at legal speeds. They are just so lazy. Get the revs up though and the noise starts, along with the vibes. Thats a good indicator. They feel more 'alive' at pace than cruising. Certainly not the fastest things out there. I think inline fours are alot more deceptive at 2 times the speed limit.

I wont be going back to a IL4 for a while :nono:

[spudchucka]

With my TLS i find i ride it on the revs all the time or else it feels like a big fat lazy sack of shite and its rather loud so have no problem with getting lulled into a false sense of what speed i am doing...........:innocent:

I found with my TLS that it had massive top end for a twin. It didn't do much until mid way through the revs and then it just pulled like pubescent school boy all the way to the red line.

[Detroitdiesel]

I have owned a couple of 4 cyl bikes and in comparison the boxer twin is deceptivly fast on the open road and on more than one occasion I have been caught out doing 140 when I could have sworn I was only doing around 110 Ks, I am not to sure as to why twin cyclinder bikes seem to do this?

[98tls]

I found with my TLS that it had massive top end for a twin. It didn't do much until mid way through the revs and then it just pulled like pubescent school boy all the way to the red line. Dead right mate............about 6-61/2 it just roars away............kind of addictive.

[McJim]

I want a big V-Twin so I can join in the conversation - My V Twin is 250cc and is therefore pretty gutless all over the range.

[Clivoris]

I want a big V-Twin so I can join in the conversation - My V Twin is 250cc and is therefore pretty gutless all over the range.

An admirable sentiment he whose name must not be spoken. They are more fun than a pair of shorts full of blow flies, but track days are littered with sub 400cc bikes scalping big boys on their V2 thous'.

[98tls]

An admirable sentiment he whose name must not be spoken. They are more fun than a pair of shorts full of blow flies, but track days are littered with sub 400cc bikes scalping big boys on their V2 thous'. :gob: mate you other islanders are into some weird shit.................

[JimO]

I want a big V-Twin so I can join in the conversation - My V Twin is 250cc and is therefore pretty gutless all over the range.

why dont you have a more manly bike McJim are you on restricted???

[NighthawkNZ]

Dead right mate............about 6-61/2 it just roars away............kind of addictive.

Pretty much the same on the VTR

[nudemetalz]

The Guzzi is like that....cruising at 100km/h, go to overtake, no need to go down a gear, just pull out and roll on the throttle, then look down, hmmm...150km/h,...better slow down !!!!
(Big) V-twin's are the way to go.

[spudchucka]

Pretty much the same on the VTR

I've owned a VTR and a TLS, the TL had mad top end compared to the VTR.

[Shadows]

Take off your fairings and you won't have so many nasty surprises.

[thehollowmen]

Dead simple. You're listening to the noise and feeling the vibration. Twins only have half as many firings per rotation so you get a lower pitch for the RPM




I have owned a couple of 4 cyl bikes and in comparison the boxer twin is deceptivly fast on the open road and on more than one occasion I have been caught out doing 140 when I could have sworn I was only doing around 110 Ks, I am not to sure as to why twin cyclinder bikes seem to do this?

[Grahameeboy]

Agree the SV is deceptive and now and then I get caught out but one good thing is that the engine braking saves you so there is no panic.

When you look at 0 - 60mph the SV is actually on a par with the Gixxer thou.....

But I will never go back to a IL4....

[jade]

I ride a twin but not so much like your ones.. a 2stroke 250
I think that bigger twins are sweet - they are fast by most peoples standards but I found at pukekoe that a couple sv 1000's werent really faster than my bike at the speeds we were doing - I imagine from 180 up they would keep pulling but a il4 600 smokes me going into 3rd
Ill be upgrading to a suzuki il4 but If I had to own a twin it would be the vtr sp1/2
Hondas best looking bikes.. and they sound good too
Also the 1098..

[RC1]

I found with my TLS that it had massive top end for a twin. It didn't do much until mid way through the revs and then it just pulled like pubescent school boy all the way to the red line.

totally agree, seem a bit boring around town under 5K revs ,once out of town riding from 5k- redline just puts the biggest grin on your face and before you know it you hit 220+ just seems to only take a few seconds,i luv the twins i dont think i will ever go back to a il4 after riding one for the last year,:Punk:

[Kelem]

Pig around town speeds, but great out in the open as the white lines flash bye, speeds tend to creep up around the walk home zone before i realize it.
Luv the induction roar thru the airbox.:yes:

[idleidolidyll]

Are jolly deceptive when it comes to judging your speed. I must admit that I've been caught out a few times on the SV.

Pull out to overtake a car (on the motorway of course), look down and find I'm doing 145 ks. On all my other bikes I've always 'felt' the acceleration, but the V twin just doesn't seem to give you the impression that it's actually accelerating. (You do notice that the cars in front of you are getting close really fast and the cars behind are receding at a similar rate).

What do you chaps reckon?

I remember the commisar of police on tv a few years ago being challeged about speed in overtaking.
essentially some research proved that we HAVBE to speed most of the time to overtake safely. One figure was something like it would take 1 kilometer to overtake a car doing 90 if you stuck to the speed limit but since you must keep a 100 metre extra clearance AFTER the move, it could never be done except south of Chch or highway 27.

The commisar stated on tv that "Of course we won't book people for speeding when overtaking......"

Bullshit! happens all the time.

[desmo dave]

i love the vtwin power. ive never ridden a big bore multi to compare the rush. the biggest jap bike ive ridden was a xj550 years ago.the motor sounded like it was doing a couple of hundred mile an hour.but the bike was going know where fast.all noise no go...... on ya Casy Stoner

[blueblade]

Had fireblades and suchlike in the past but cant imagine myself ever going back to an IL4. They are way too easy to cruise on at ridiculously high speeds but for real world riding in the twisties I find the v twin way quicker and easier to ride. Massive low down grunt and traction coming out of corners. And the engine braking means you hardly need to touch the brakes - which in my opinion makes them a much safer bike for sporty twisties riding, particularly in the wet. Top end is more than enough for road riding and even on the track, it takes a very good rider to be able to use the 150-160 hp of a four and get away from the 120ish hp of the vtwin who will be on the gas way earlier coming out of the corner.

[idleidolidyll]

Had fireblades and suchlike in the past but cant imagine myself ever going back to an IL4. They are way too easy to cruise on at ridiculously high speeds but for real world riding in the twisties I find the v twin way quicker and easier to ride. Massive low down grunt and traction coming out of corners. And the engine braking means you hardly need to touch the brakes - which in my opinion makes them a much safer bike for sporty twisties riding, particularly in the wet. Top end is more than enough for road riding and even on the track, it takes a very good rider to be able to use the 150-160 hp of a four and get away from the 120ish hp of the vtwin who will be on the gas way earlier coming out of the corner.

indeed, rode a gsxr1000 recently and couldn't wait to get rid of it. too cramped, silly power delivery for the road and well it was a japper.....................

[Dooly]

I love V twins and its only now after getting another one as a second bike, its made me realise I should of brought one istead of the Triumph (which is wicked, but different).

Anyone want a Speed Triple?:scooter:

[McJim]

why dont you have a more manly bike McJim are you on restricted???

Yup. Until early May - only a month and a half so why bother not being insured fully comp? The longer I leave it the more I'll have to spend :devil2: Tee hee.

[T.I.E]

i have been riding twins for a little bit.with the new SV i have a few times noticed i have been going faster than i thought, also with the standard cans on i had been reving it harder.
i have just got yoshis on now dam sound horny and mean, but have noticed i have slowed down slightly. as now i realise how hard i was working the bike. twins are deceptive.
dam i need a dectector.

[T-Thunder13]

yea i had a virago v-twin and it was such a peice of shit. so i sold it. barely did a 100. just waitin on my full, c'mon harley!

[APPLE]

sounds to me,that some one needs to start a vtwin ride up?im a big fan of the twins man,there a bit of a pig to ride,but i love it.......:rockon:

[Simon A]

What about those of us with a parallel? Can't say I've been on a proper v-twin but my bike rides a lot like the v's by the sound of it. Doesn't quite have the rorty thump of a v but does sound good regardless!

[spudchucka]

Singles, twins (parallel & V) and triples have always been the most appealing bikes to me but its always been the v twin that has turned my crank more than any other engine configuration.

I'll miss my 650 single but I can't wait for the new 1000cc twin to arrive!

[98tls]

Lucky bugger...........tell us more..........

[spudchucka]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=967866#post967866

This thread.....

[Pwalo]

What about those of us with a parallel? Can't say I've been on a proper v-twin but my bike rides a lot like the v's by the sound of it. Doesn't quite have the rorty thump of a v but does sound good regardless!

Yep, my previous bike was GS500 parallel twin. There is a lot of similarity between the engine characteristics, but I think that the V twin feels a bit lazier and a wee bit more tractable (mind you the SV makes about twice the hp and weighs less so that probably helps).

[aprilia fan]

With my TLS i find i ride it on the revs all the time or else it feels like a big fat lazy sack of shite and its rather loud so have no problem with getting lulled into a false sense of what speed i am doing...........:innocent:

you will have to trade up to a 97 TLS, I took one of those for a ride and couldnt keep the front wheel on the ground, so I choose a VTR1000 so i didnt kill myself. Very happy with the aprilia though, best V2 I have ever ridden.
Your right about the sound, you cant beat the V2 rumble,