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.

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... ) 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.

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'

[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:Me]

.. 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!

[scumdog]

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

[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

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



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.