Do nakeds slow you down?

[BarBender]

I've been riding a Zed Thou for the last week as the 14 has been getting repairs done to it.
Took it down to the Bay of Plenty in the weekend and had a blast. Noticed that I wasnt in so much of a 'hurry' to get around. :ride:

Question(s): Is riding a naked bike an effective deterrent to speeding? (when compared to riding a faired bike).
Does riding them slow you down?

Thoughts??

[scracha]

IMHO no. Taking out your ear plugs or wearing an open faced lid is far more effective.

[Wasp]

I cant speak for bigger bikes but

on a 250 (gsf vs gsx) I definately go faster on the gsx (in a straight line only as its not mine), also on the naked gsf i've noticed slowing down is a fair bit quicker than the gsx

I guess the same can be applied for bigger bikes?

[Deviant Esq]

Depends on what you're riding, I guess. If you're riding a naked version of a sportsbike, maybe a Honda CB900 Hornet, it's probably not much of a deterrant to going fast because it's still a reasonably sporty bike. But maybe if you're riding more of a cruiser style bike it would? Possibly to do with riding position? In the sportsbike riding position (humping a coffee table as Toaster once put it... :lol:) you feel more like riding fast than in a more upright, cruiser style riding position? I dunno, speculating.

[Ixion]

Well, anything over 140 or 150 gets tiring after a while on a naked, from the wind blast. Depends on what you mean by "slows you down", slow down from what? . Dunno that I'd want to spend any prolonged time over 200kph on a naked. And by the 200 mark lack of a fairing will knock at least 40kph off the top end, so it does slow you down by at least that much.

[BarBender]

Well, anything over 140 or 150 gets tiring after a while on a naked, from the wind blast. Depends on what you mean by "slows you down", slow down from what? .

Not so much "from what?" Ixion
But more so - does riding a naked slow you down? as compared with a faired bike?
Agree that it higher speeds are not as sustainable because of wind resistance etc...

[Shadows]

Not so much "from what?" Ixion
But more so - does riding a naked slow you down? as compared with a faired bike?
Agree that it higher speeds are not as sustainable because of wind resistance etc...

I've never ridden a faired bike and probably never will, so I can't speak from experience. But most likely it does.

[scumdog]

I've been riding a Zed Thou for the last week as the 14 has been getting repairs done to it.
Took it down to the Bay of Plenty in the weekend and had a blast. Noticed that I wasnt in so much of a 'hurry' to get around. :ride:

Question(s): Is riding a naked bike an effective deterrent to speeding? (when compared to riding a faired bike).
Does riding them slow you down?

Thoughts??

Oooh Yeah!

Riding a 'naked' makes you more aware of your speed and your surroundings

(Have you EVER noticed your speed in a jumbo-jet)?

It's true, speeding is way too easy on a faired sprots-bike IMHO.

A 'naked' make you more 'aware':yes:

[Ixion]

Well, what I mean is, if you normally ride at , say, 120 kph, then a naked won't make any difference. But if your normal cruising speed is , say, 180, then it will.

Up to about 140kph or so you don't really notice much difference, just a bit noisier and more draughty. But higher up the dial, the wind blast gets tedious.

So that's why I say, "slow down from what".

Also depends how long your rides are. Even at highish speeds you'll probably run at the same speed if you only ride for, say, an hour at a time. For such a short time the extra load of the naked isn't really noticeable But if your rides are 4 or 5 hours, then you'll slow down on a naked if you rode a faired bike at speed. Cos 4 hours around the ton on a naked, will take a LOT more physical toll on you than the same on a fully faired.

[DMNTD]

.. does riding a naked slow you down?
In a weird way they encourage me to ride faster in the yummy bits and slow down on the longish straights.
There's something about that upright position the really does it for me especially in mid corner hanging it out laughing my tits off!
Would I have one instead on my ZX10? No definitely not,but as well as? YES in a heartbeat!

[Bren_chch]

I thought it would slow one down...

Ok i'll build a streetfighter. It didnt work, in fact its worse now because not only am i still riding as fast... but also I JUST have to do wheelies everywhere I go!

:Police: :nono:

[scumdog]

Hmmm, OK, I was talking about the open road, - around town it won't slow you down a jot I suspect.:yes:

[Big Dave]

Yes.
No screens, no fairings, no bodywork = far less tickets and much more 'immersive' fun at lower speeds.

All my favourite street bikes are nakeds. All of them.

[Bren_chch]

Hmmm, OK, I was talking about the open road :yes:


Same applies for open road... maybe its even worse, wheelies galour... no fairing at 100k = big high speed wheelies!

:scooter:

but yeah i guess on the naked u seem to have more fun at lower speeds, unlike for example a gsxr600/750/1000 where u need to have that sucka wound up to make it come alive!

[Holy Roller]

After riding a ZX10 on the weekend, I know its not a naked bike but it sure wanted me to ride faster than my old sofa ever does.Made me realise how comfortable the old girl really is. Must be getting old or something as I prefer riding non naked these days.

[Insanity_rules]

Yeah I find you get blown round a bit and it slows up faster when you sit up from a crouch at speed. But on the other hand when your mixing it up on a nice bit of twistie you get way more involved.

[Gremlin]

No screens, no fairings, no bodywork = far less tickets and much more 'immersive' fun at lower speeds.
ol Dave has touched on the key really, imo. At any given speed, the naked bike will feel faster than a sportsbike. Wind resistance also uses up more energy. Did a longer ride on the hornet, and at the end of the day, found myself much more tired.

Sportsbikes are wickedly fast, spesh the thous. It doesn't take much more than a couple of secs with a bit of throttle to go into license losing territory. The hornet is annoying even at 120, from the wind resistance, fighting the buffeting winds etc, say, going down the motorway. Sportsbike is much more stable.

Top speed, sportsbikes are just getting into their stride at 200, the hornet was doing a fair old dance all over the road, with a light front end, etc. Definitely felt faster than a sportsbike doing 200-220. Cornering... depends how the naked is set up, they can be fun. The hornet I ride has wider motox style bars, which make it real easy to flick through tight corners.

License aside... I would choose a sportbike, as I just love riding them :love:

[scumdog]

Top speed, sportsbikes are just getting into their stride at 200, the hornet was doing a fair old dance all over the road, with a light front end, etc. Definitely felt faster than a sportsbike doing 200-220. Cornering... depends how the naked is set up, they can be fun. The hornet I ride has wider motox style bars, which make it real easy to flick through tight corners.

License aside... I would choose a sportbike, as I just love riding them :love:
Try a naked-bike at 200kmh+ with two up and camping/raly gear - then you'll REALLY know what 'speed' feels like.:yes:

[Highlander]

Try a naked-bike at 200kmh+ with two up and camping/raly gear - then you'll REALLY know what 'speed' feels like.:yes:

On the track of course. :msn-wink:
We all know you wouldn't be advocating such behaviour on the road. :nono:

[Insanity_rules]

We were talking Naked bikes not being naked on a bike right? Cause I was considering streaking the next fine day ride.

[scumdog]

On the track of course. :msn-wink:
We all know you wouldn't be advocating such behaviour on the road. :nono:
Quite right, quite right!

Very remiss of me to not point it out myself.

[SPman]

Does it slow you down?



Dunno - but the corners are more fun, so who notices.

[DesmoJohnny]

Pretty much what everyone else says .......
Changing from a sports bike to a naked has probably knocked 20kmh off my open road speed.......down to a 'reasonable' 125-130 now. Mainly for comfort reasons as well as being a nana ! :scooter:
But through the twisties its better, maybe slightly faster.
Definitely more wheelies too though :Punk:

Wouldn't go back to a sports bike - too uncomfortable for this fat bloke.

[Back Fire]

In a weird way they encourage me to ride faster in the yummy bits and slow down on the longish straights.
There's something about that upright position the really does it for me especially in mid corner hanging it out laughing my tits off!
Would I have one instead on my ZX10? No definitely not,but as well as? YES in a heartbeat!

+1... put beautifully

[Dooly]

Yep slows me down.
Most of my riding is country and it seems I'm always being buffetted by the wind.
Over 120kph its annoying especially in a big wind, but on the Duc being faired I can cruise far faster and not even notice.

[Babelfish]

My old naked didnt slow me down at all....that said it was a '75 RD250 so it did fuck all anyway until the corners arrived

[Guitana]

At least the maintenance on a naked is'nt as expensive you dont have to remove fairings etc!! The only difference is at high speeds so it really dosent matter cos none of us speed right???????:nono:

[Jimmy B]

Yes it does,

Heres my thoughts from another post:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=794739#post794739

:Punk:

[Dazza]

In a weird way they encourage me to ride faster in the yummy bits and slow down on the longish straights.
There's something about that upright position the really does it for me especially in mid corner hanging it out laughing my tits off!
Would I have one instead on my ZX10? No definitely not,but as well as? YES in a heartbeat! Fuck your scaring me, where not related:yes: I couldn't have said it better. Slow you down my arse, as said before you are more aware. I thought "hey why not a naked, it'll slow me down !" Tui add !
:innocent:

[Babelfish]

At least the maintenance on a naked is'nt as expensive you dont have to remove fairings etc!! The only difference is at high speeds so it really dosent matter cos none of us speed right???????:nono:

Yeah, but the fairings hide the greasy engine so you dont have to get yer toothbrush out :shutup:

[Back Fire]

ol Dave has touched on the key really, imo. At any given speed, the naked bike will feel faster than a sportsbike. Wind resistance also uses up more energy. Did a longer ride on the hornet, and at the end of the day, found myself much more tired.

Sportsbikes are wickedly fast, spesh the thous. It doesn't take much more than a couple of secs with a bit of throttle to go into license losing territory. The hornet is annoying even at 120, from the wind resistance, fighting the buffeting winds etc, say, going down the motorway. Sportsbike is much more stable.

Top speed, sportsbikes are just getting into their stride at 200, the hornet was doing a fair old dance all over the road, with a light front end, etc. Definitely felt faster than a sportsbike doing 200-220. Cornering... depends how the naked is set up, they can be fun. The hornet I ride has wider motox style bars, which make it real easy to flick through tight corners.

License aside... I would choose a sportbike, as I just love riding them :love:

aaaah yes... but on your sportbike... I destinctly remember you struggling to keep up with me when I was on my 'slow cause its naked' DR super-retard... and being a motard doesn't count! it's affectively longer, shittier suspension, and much much much less powerful than a naked sport bike... and both have the sameish seating possy

[Pixie]

IMHO no. Taking out your ear plugs or wearing an open faced lid is far more effective.
Riding in pyjamas is good too

[Shadows]

Riding in pyjamas is good too

The problem is that you can't wear paisley in public any more unless you are queer.

[Pwalo]

The problem is that you can't wear paisley in public any more unless you are queer.

What's paisley?

[Babelfish]

Riding in pyjamas is good too

or tying a brick to yer balls and draggin it behind :crazy:

[DMNTD]

Fuck your scaring me, where not related:yes: I couldn't have said it better. Slow you down my arse, as said before you are more aware. I thought "hey why not a naked, it'll slow me down !" Tui add !
:innocent:

LOL...yep I test rode a KTM Super Duke and I believe they have two speeds, ye ha and parked :shit: Was going to say they're too much fun but that's just being stupid :yes:

Similar thing applies re the vtwin and inline4 buzz. I actually ride faster on a twin. I'm just very fortunate that I have a Lady that shares my "illness" so we have one of each to satisfy

[Maha]

Similar thing applies re the vtwin and inline4 buzz. I actually ride faster on a twin. I'm just very fortunate that I have a Lady that shares my "illness" so we have one of each to satisfy



Twist ya nipple an try a Triple ya big softie......:scooter:

[Shadows]

What's paisley?

This stuff...

[DMNTD]

Twist ya nipple an try a Triple ya big softie......:scooter:

Well I suppose ya could say I've done a triple nipple then as I test rode a Speed Triple a few months ago. Shyte loads of fun mate! Dang!

[NighthawkNZ]

Question(s): Is riding a naked...

Yes I get very cold... naked female also slow me down as I have to turn round and have another perve :yes: :dodge:

[beyond]

If you like speed and like riding fast, then a naked is not going to slow you down at all.

Once you have built up the neck muscles to cope with the extra buffeting, it won't make any difference at all, except my 1400 will do 260kmh flat out with everthing tucked in including head between the dials and I've heard on a dyno they will do 290kmh without the wind resistance.

So, yes. The design of the bike is the limiting factor to the top speed but any speed up to that is achievable and for prolonged periods too.

My rapid sojourn to Napier last week, was accomplished at speeds seldom below 200kmh. I was angry and upset as previous posts point out but enjoyed the ride immensely with no ill after effects. Much of the plains were taken at 250kmh.

And yes, all done on private roads and race tracks but personal lap records were well and truly beaten :innocent:

[Big Dave]

If you like speed and like riding fast, then a naked is not going to slow you down at all.




You've answered a different question:
'Can you ride nakeds as fast as a faired bike?'.

But generally on a bike without bodywork and fairings it feels like you are going faster than you do at the same speed behind the plastic.

Subsequently You don't need to go as fast for the same jolly/sensation/buzz - whatever you call it.

Thus it generally slows you down.

[idleidolidyll]

"my 1400 will do 260kmh flat out with everthing tucked in including head between the dials and I've heard on a dyno they will do 290kmh without the wind resistance."

i find this incredibly hard to believe, i suspect the speedo is extremely optimistic
dyno speeds are obviously a waste of time, the lack of wind resistance adds up to many tens of kph's

my old XJR1300SP was liberated and made 129HP with nearly 90lb torque. It has about the same frontal aspect as your zooky but no way in hell it would do 260 even tucked in. Tops maybe 230/240 but frankly, after 200 it was just plain silly

an oldy but still a truism: to go twice as fast, you need 4x the horsepower on the same bike.

No mate, i'm not calling you a liar, I'm calling the suzuki speedo a liar..........

[idleidolidyll]

just looked at the spec of the 06 naked 1400

105BHP/91lb torque

20HP less than my old XJR (dynoed before and after) , much the same torque

much the same profile

yamaha's speedo? looks like it was more honest mate

[MikeL]

I think it's only the perception and sensation of speed that differs from a naked to a faired bike at legal and middling sorts of speeds. I imagine being forced to keep to 100-110 on a GSX-R or R1 would be not only tedious but very difficult to maintain - at 140 the sensation is probably not much more than at 100.
But at higher speeds (from about 160 on) its the aerodynamics that start to predominate and set the naked bike apart. However the effects won't be the same for all naked bikes. When I tried to see how fast my 400 would go the wind rush forced me down so low that my nose was on the dial and I couldn't actually see where the needle was. Also the buffeting was severe enough to deter me from maintaining the speed for more than a few seconds. On the other hand the XJR has a Spitfire screen which does an effective job of smoothing out the airflow at higher speeds and were I reckless enough to contemplate such a thing I think 200 would be fairly effortlessly maintained.
I've only ever owned naked bikes and in the present circumstances that is unlikely to change.

[kiwifruit]

that gsx1400 pulls pretty hard from 220, so i hear


just looked at the spec of the 06 naked 1400

105BHP/91lb torque

20HP less than my old XJR (dynoed before and after) , much the same torque

much the same profile

yamaha's speedo? looks like it was more honest mate

[idleidolidyll]

MikeL

that XJR of yours can be liberated very easily if it's like the 1300. Yamaha used tapered rubber manifolds to reduce flow to the head but the head itself had larger diameter ports. When the std rubber manifolds were replaced with those from an FJ1200, they matched perfectly and the flow area increased by over 30%.
Now that's all well and good but there's no point in allowing more air through the manifold if it just doesn't have a chance to enter the airbox. Dave Cole and I spent some time on the dyno putting a K&N filter in the bike and boring another entry hole on the other side of the airbox. That hole was about 60% of the diameter of the original and to that we added bellmouths both sides (we also had to seal it against the filter inside). Lastly of course we rejetted so it wouldn't seize. Result was an increase from 95BHP to 127 or 129 (gave away the chart to new owner).

Interestingly, aftermarket mufflers, although free flowing and loud, gave just 1 BHP.

Yes, suspension was modified too

[Jimmy B]

III thats one stonkin XJR mate.

My X11 has 130ish rwhp and 84Ftlbs. Reputed to manage genuine 256kph. My best effort has been breifly north of 210kph and it was pulling like a train. Not too sure when it would suffocate but thats way too much for me anyhoo. Most Nakids are all about heaps of grunt from 3000rpm and impressive performance from 0-100mph....long live the nakid bike :rockon:

[Beemer]

It does when it's only a Goose! If you (heaven forbid) got up to say 140kph, you KNOW you are going that fast as the buffeting can be quite fierce. But at normal road speeds I don't find it a lot different from bikes with fairings. I do get a slightly cooler chest but that's about all.

[beyond]

[QUOTE=idleidolidyll;983599
my old XJR1300SP was liberated and made 129HP with nearly 90lb torque. It has about the same frontal aspect as your zooky but no way in hell it would do 260 even tucked in. Tops maybe 230/240 but frankly, after 200 it was just plain silly

an oldy but still a truism: to go twice as fast, you need 4x the horsepower on the same bike.

No mate, i'm not calling you a liar, I'm calling the suzuki speedo a liar..........[/QUOTE]


Had the spped of 260kmh verified now on more than two occassion and riding with others on different bikes, unless all the speedos are out on different brands as well.
The GSX1400 turns out 106bhp and 126nm or 96lb's torque. Guys in the UK where there are heaps of 14's get around 250-260kmh out of them tops.
Mines nicely loosened up after a good running in. My K2 would do 253kmh flat out and that was verified on many occassions and would do no more than 230kmh two up.

[Back Fire]

I imagine being forced to keep to 100-110 on a GSX-R or R1 would be not only tedious but very difficult to maintain

hmmmm... I find it quite the opposite... cruising along at 110 on my K6 is bloody comfy, easy and rather relaxing

[Babelfish]

hmmmm... I find it quite the opposite... cruising along at 110 on my K6 is bloody comfy, easy and rather relaxing

How about when the front wheel's down? :whistle:

[Back Fire]

How about when the front wheel's down? :whistle:

is there any other way?....

[laRIKin]

Question(s): Is riding a naked bike an effective deterrent to speeding? (when compared to riding a faired bike).
Does riding them slow you down?

Thoughts??

With out reading all the post's, I will comment.

We that SDU and I bought a pair of Moto Guzzi V11 Sports for that reason.

The short answer is yes.

Not a lot but it does as you are aware of the speed you are doing.
And that will depend on what speed you use to do.

The best thing is that you do not get the buffering that you get off a fairing blade.
We can (on a closed road of course) ride at 120K's and are happy doing that speed and that would be our normal speed now.

But if a push comes to a shove I can cruise for a while at 140k's. (on a private track of course)

So for me, it's a big ticket and I keep my licence.
For SDU she likes riding with out a Fairing as it takes the weight off she wrists, as she is short and any fairing blade is as big as a barn door for her and she hides behind it with out to much trouble at all.
So gets no relief off her wrists at any speed.

[pritch]

Well, anything over 140 or 150 gets tiring after a while on a naked, from the wind blast.

Yup. It doesn't matter how much power you've got the wind pressure sets the limit. All of which makes me wonder what Yamaha (FZ1?) and BMW (1200S?) think they are doing making uber horse power bikes that nobody can use. Nakeds best use beefy torque not peak horsepower.

[BarBender]

Yes.
No screens, no fairings, no bodywork = far less tickets and much more 'immersive' fun at lower speeds.

I find riding the naked very absorbing - but a different buzz to the type of buzz I get on a sports or faired bike.
For me the naked is 'fun' or as is as DMNTD described ...There's something about that upright position the really does it for me especially in mid corner hanging it out laughing my tits off!. The faired bikes I find are a bit more of a 'lid on-visor down lets get serious' buzz.



The hornet I ride has wider motox style bars, which make it real easy to flick through tight corners.
:love:
I find nakeds easier to flick through traffic...making for a much faster ride in built up areas. Maybe I can see more??




LOL...yep I test rode a KTM Super Duke and I believe they have two speeds, ye ha and parked :shit: Was going to say they're too much fun but that's just being stupid :yes: Similar thing applies re the vtwin and inline4 buzz. I actually ride faster on a twin. I'm just very fortunate that I have a Lady that shares my "illness" so we have one of each to satisfy

Yeah I think if I were to get a naked - it would be a twin or a triple. There's something cool and exhilirating about riding upright and hearing the pipes gurgle underneath you.


If you like speed and like riding fast, then a naked is not going to slow you down at all.
:innocent:
I found I slowed on the highways but picked the pace up in traffic and through the twisties on a naked. Perhaps the different positions on the bike are the difference for me. The naked encouraging more visibility and therefore confidence and fun seeking attitude in built up areas....whereas the faired bikes I ride faster on the highway/track/strip due to less air resistance and more serious riding mindset etc...

Which gives the bigger buzz? Now there's a question.

[DMNTD]

Which gives the bigger buzz? Now there's a question.
Very open question there big fulla but...ouch...ouch...ouch...naked, well the right naked does.
Queue KTM Super Duke :not:

[BarBender]

Very open question there big fulla but...ouch...ouch...ouch...naked, well the right naked does.
Queue KTM Super Duke :not:


Yeah...Riding bikes should be fun...
...so I personally aint arguing with ya!

Tuono
SuperDuke
Speed Triple
:drool: :drool: :drool:

[Big Dave]

Buell Lightning Super TT
City - X
Cb900 Hornet
etc etc etc

[Skunk]

Well, they slow me down. But I'm slow anyway.

ZX6R made me cruise at 120-140. The ZRX and Z1000 keep me closer to legal. That doesn't mean I don't go faster ever - just not all the time.

[idleidolidyll]

Had the spped of 260kmh verified now on more than two occassion and riding with others on different bikes, unless all the speedos are out on different brands as well.
The GSX1400 turns out 106bhp and 126nm or 96lb's torque. Guys in the UK where there are heaps of 14's get around 250-260kmh out of them tops.
Mines nicely loosened up after a good running in. My K2 would do 253kmh flat out and that was verified on many occassions and would do no more than 230kmh two up.

well what can i say but i'm seriously impressed.

to be honest i never tried to get the absolute top speed out of my xjr1300; at speeds over 200kph it was almost impossible to hang on any longer and the one or 2 times i hit 220+ were just plain scary.

the real bonus IMO was that it'd pull in top gear cleanly from 1400rpm all the way through to whatever speed you wanted to do and, after i tuned it up that extra 25HP, I raised the gearing and could get 350km from a tank.

i had a bit more of a look yesterday and found a dyno comparison between the Honda CB1300, GSX1400 and XJR1300. The dyno charts torque and HP against speed and revs in 1 gear lower than top.
On the XJR that's 4th, on yours 5th.
By the time the bikes reach 220 or so, their torque is way down on peak (std specs) but yes, the Suzuki is pulling more than the other 2.
It looks like the XJR will get 225 in 4th and yours about 240 in 5th. Both have another gear left so speed on dyno indicates maybe 240/250 for the XJR and 270/280 for the Suzuki on standard gearing.
Add wind resistance though and the speeds on the dyno are not achievable. Here's the link: http://www.mcnews.com.au/Testing/Honda/CB1300/Dyno/Comparo.htm

I recall once riding with an Aprilia Mille and Ducati 999. We were all doing about the same speed and afterwards they both said we were doing 240ish but the XJR speedo had read 220 max. Having had Italian bikes, I'd be more inclined to believe Yamaha's speedo.

For me though, this is all academic. I bought my first KTM to go fast slower and continued that theme with the 950. The top speed of the 640 was 180kph and that just didn't change even when i tweaked an extra 20% more HP from it. The aerodynamic effect was just too much to overcome. The 950 might do 220 but I've never bothered trying. Nowdays I'd rather ride slower down the straights and 'relatively' faster in the twisties.

[Jimmy B]

Yup. It doesn't matter how much power you've got the wind pressure sets the limit. All of which makes me wonder what Yamaha (FZ1?) and BMW (1200S?) think they are doing making uber horse power bikes that nobody can use. Nakeds best use beefy torque not peak horsepower.

* 0-100k 60-140k
Honda CB1100SF X-Eleven 2.9 7.8
Yamaha FZS 1000 Fazer 2.9 7.9
Kawasaki ZRX 1200 2.9 8.5
Suzuki GSF 1200 Bandit 3.0 9.2
Yamaha XJR 1300 3.1 9.3
Suzuki GSX 1400 3.2 10.0
Cagiva X-Raptor 1000 3.3 8.9
Aprillia RSV Mille Tuone 3.4 9.4
Triumph Speed Triple 950 3.4 9.8
Voxan Roadster 3.4 10.4
Ducati Monster 1000 S 3.6 9.4
Moto Guzzi V11 Scura 3.7 10.8
Buell XB 9R Firebolt 3.9 10.5
Bimota DB 3 Mantra 3.9 12.2
BMW R 1150 R 4.0 9.5
Buell XB 9S Lightning 4.2 11.3

0-100 km/h 60-140 km/h
Suzuki GSX 1300 R Hayabusa 2.7 7.2
Honda CBR 1100 XX Blackbird 2.9 8.2
Ducati 999S 3.0 9.1
Yamaha YZF-R1 3.1 6.8
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 3.1 7.4
Kawasaki ZZ-R 1200 3.1 7.9
BMW K 1200 RS 3.1 9.1
Honda CBR 900 RR Fireblade 3.3 7.7
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R 3.4 8.7


* The pull-through from 60 to 140 km/u was, in all cases, tested in HIGHEST GEAR (37.3 mph to 87 mph).
Originally published by: Motorad

Pritch, even the uber horsepower bikes you mentioned make little advantage over some of the more “conservative” nakids. I guess its just a numbers game which make little difference in the real world.

For me I like the grunt because its easy to ride,more relaxing with minimal gear changes to fire our of corner or execute a quick pass. You are right in some respects, the wind blast could be a limiting factor, but in my experience you get used to this pretty quickly, its more the sensation of speed that keeps me slower that a sprots bike and fear of losing my license

[idleidolidyll]

Jimmy B

Your charts are interesting but since they are probably based on standard gearing, not specifically an absolute guide.

My KTM for instance, has a 16t front sprocket rather than the 17 that comes standard: it pulls way faster now than the 0-60 in the specs.

Common modification on Ducati 900ss was to do much the same and 'sacrifice' some top end (that was never used anyway) for better acceleration. That probably applies to many bikes on NZ roads.

IMO the same applies re sport bikes versus nakeds. Sport bike std gearing is usually set up for max top speed while nakeds are generally for mid range and better pulling power lower down.

Obviously then, changing the gearing on a sport bike like the R1 to give it say 240kph top speed (still practically irrelevant on NZ roads), would give it way quicker acceleration as long as you are able to keep the front wheel in front of the rear.

But yes, I'm more interested in torque and driveability than sheer horsepower. i know that as long as the bike handles well, a torqey bike makes a better road bike.

[Jimmy B]

'Morning III,

A few guys on the X11 forum, believe it or not it does exist, have done just what you mentioned with sprockets and it becomes a control issue as you stated with sportsbikes until about 4th gear. I havent considered it cause I need a tankslapper/highside like a hole in the head. One nutter has got his X to 150rwhp, thats right rwhp, with torque to match :yes: but Im not convinced he has really improved the bike, rather has just made it slightly mental and less enjoyable to ride.

I guess where I was at is despite wide range of output, the times from fastest to slowest are really the blink of an eye. Quite interesting really. And yes I believe the charts are standard bikes out of the box.

[idleidolidyll]

Zaoxiang hao Jimmy B

Yes, on some bikes, like my example the R1, lowering the final gear ratio by changing sprockets WOULD turn them into almost uncontrollable pieces of lunacy.

However, on other bikes with far less horsepower and torque, a sensible gearing change will make them competitive with, or better than, many std sport bikes on the road.
Racers gear their bikes to suit the track they are riding and road riders would benefit also by gearing their bikes to suit their riding style and the roads they ride. Sometimes that'd mean gearing up and other times gearing down (gear down for acceleration and up for fuel economy and low revs cruising).
My 55HP KTM 640 for instance, was geared to do about 175kph top speed and that gave it acceleration that often embarassed sport bikes, particularly coming out of a corner when the single could get on the power earlier taking better advantage of that gearing.
With the gearing change on my current KTM 950, I don't know what it's top speed would be but its acceleration is excellent and bordering on manic with regard to keeping the front wheel on the ground. Going even lower though would be worthless as 1st gear might become redundant and fuel economy would suffer greatly.
In std spec the 950 KTM Supermoto is overgeared: it won't pull max revs in top gear. That makes it very sensible to gear it down. It may even be faster now in top speed but for me that's not even relevant as I'm not interested in doing 200kph+.
In addition I run the suspension quite soft. With NZ's roads being the minefield of potholes and subsidences they are, I like to have all 9" of travel available and I take advantage of that to use lines that most sport bikes just can't use (because of the road surface). Potholes and many other road dangers are obviated by the longer travel and the fact that the KTM comes std with top quality White Power forks and rear shock.
In the same theme, I have had Gaudenz Gisler rework my wifes Buell Blast suspension completely. He gave both ends more travel and fitted his own 'gold valves' in the forks and air valve in the rear shock. Wifey is well pleased.
The downside of the soft, long travel suspension is that it seems less stable on fast sweepers. That's not too relevant though since these make up such a small part of my riding.

The upshot? Take a standard naked bike, gear it for your favourite roads, set up the riding position well, tune the motor for efficiency and set up the suspension to suit riding style and road condition: and for 99% of the time, you have a better road bike than almost any sport bike.

[Jimmy B]

Zaoxiang hao Jimmy B


The upshot? Take a standard naked bike, gear it for your favourite roads, set up the riding position well, tune the motor for efficiency and set up the suspension to suit riding style and road condition: and for 99% of the time, you have a better road bike than almost any sport bike.

Hey III where you at? China?

A lot of great points in that post and in particular the one above, which probably applies equally to any bike. Close second was the comment about Mrs III being most pleased, you are a wise man :yes:

[idleidolidyll]

Hey III where you at? China?

A lot of great points in that post and in particular the one above, which probably applies equally to any bike. Close second was the comment about Mrs III being most pleased, you are a wise man :yes:

Nah, didn't go to China, I've got a cold and it wouldn't have been wise. Beijing this time of year is about -8 degrees

Might end up working there for a few years though and that would pose a real motorcycling problem

[Jimmy B]

Nah, didn't go to China, I've got a cold and it wouldn't have been wise. Beijing this time of year is about -8 degrees

Might end up working there for a few years though and that would pose a real motorcycling problem

Yep and yep to that, although there are worse places to work I guess.

Hadn't heard of the Buell Blast before, just googled it up, looks like a great piece of kit, I think I prefer it to the baby Monster. Bit surprising we dont see more of both around.

[Big Dave]

The upshot? Take a standard naked bike, gear it for your favourite roads, set up the riding position well, tune the motor for efficiency and set up the suspension to suit riding style and road condition: and for 99% of the time, you have a better road bike than almost any sport bike.


Oh? You mean exactly what I have been harping on about on here and elsewhere for the last 3 years???

Search 'Dinosaurs'.

[idleidolidyll]

Yep and yep to that, although there are worse places to work I guess.

Hadn't heard of the Buell Blast before, just googled it up, looks like a great piece of kit, I think I prefer it to the baby Monster. Bit surprising we dont see more of both around.

The Blast is a fine bike for those like my wife who have full licences but are ummm, 'vertically challenged'.

It comes with either a low or std seat and at 5'1, she likes the low seat around town but the high seat on long trips. The bike is not powerful; we tweaked it from 26BHP rear wheel to about 35BHP but it does make good torque and it sounds great (wifey loves that Vance and Hines muffler). Top spoeed is about 160kph and that's more than enough for her.

A few tuning shops in the US make hot up kits and boring to 600cc with 50-60HP is not beyond the pale.

Like most Buells nowdays the bodywork is plastic and bolt on. Wifey has both the red and the black set.

Eric Buell says that this is his second best handling bike after the XB's.

She also has a Ducati 350 desmo from 1974 and one day it will even go again :shutup:

There are few options for her really. Being vertically challenged seems to restrict one to a 'cruiser' or a learner bike with only a few exceptions. The new Kwaka ER6 is one that'd probably be a fine ride for her but she's even more 'anti japper' than i am ;-)

[idleidolidyll]

Oh? You mean exactly what I have been harping on about on here and elsewhere for the last 3 years???

Search 'Dinosaurs'.

sure Dave but you KNOW i've been a convert for a very long time. Hell, you've ridden with me and know what bikes I've had at least since 2003

NZ STILL has an enourmous quantity of unsealed roads where most sport bikes dare not travel and that's apart from the sad state of the sealed roads.