145mph with passenger yesterday

[daddysbike]

I don't do stupid things with a passenger, I just risk myself (occasionally)

A couple weeks ago while riding 28 towards Deals gap where it is 4 lanes and straight (before the good part!) I was fiddeling with my new Zumo GPS and noticed the max speed read "110" I thought " I must have done that while passing a truck or something" then thought "it should read higher" so I looked front, back and noboday around so I tucked in and nailed until I started running out of straighaway. The FJR read 140mph and the GPS registered 133mph confirming a 5% error and giving a better max speed readout.

Dumb I know and I'm not really into top speed but prefer acceleration/handling and brisk back road riding but I still think there will be a new max speed readout in the GPS someday.

Steve

 

[Toecutter]

Only difference I can see between going down at 145 vs 70 (If you have the right gear on is) at 70 you only need one box to be buried in, at 145 you need a scoop shovel, and two or three bags and 4 boxes.
Check out photo,! (had all the right gear on too!!)

WARNING!!! PLEASE NOTE!!! GRAPHIC PHOTOS!!!! (SICKENING!)

Being stupid at 45 is just as risky as being stupid at 145. Doesn't mean everybody that does 145 is stupid, and definitely doesn't mean everybody who never goes over the speed limit is smart.

That's it! I'm going out to the outskirts of town for a fifth-gear-wide-open-haul-***-run down a deserted highway.

I hope my idea of fun doesn't offend anyone.

Put in a mile (or 20 seconds, whichever comes first) for me while you're at it!

 

[MCML]

My two cents. Take 'em for what they're worth:

It's not the things I can control that worry me in a nagging sort of way. No matter how skilled/prepared/smart/lucky a rider is, the unexpected will occaisionally, but inevitably, occur. Yes, the threshold will vary with each of us, based on own own skill sets, and for us, based on our personal mind set at any given time, but there is a reason they call it the unexpected).

A substantial time after personally experiencing an unexpected event, the possible repercussions for my own life and limb pop into my thoughts far, far less frequently than thoughts of what would have happened to my passenger if things had gone very slightly differently.

In short, 145 mph with a passenger is not something that I consider appropriate for me and I would reccommend against it for anyone in all but the most extraordinary circumstances.

 

[feejer222]

No matter how skilled/prepared/smart/lucky a rider is, the unexpected will occaisionally, but inevitably, occur.

Agreed, thats why the idiots who do it all the time get caught out, if you do it once in a blue moon you narrow the odds significantly of getting caught out by the unexpected.

 

[skyway]

No matter how skilled/prepared/smart/lucky a rider is, the unexpected will occaisionally, but inevitably, occur.

Agreed, thats why the idiots who do it all the time get caught out, if you do it once in a blue moon you narrow the odds significantly of getting caught out by the unexpected.

Damn straight, just ask Hugh Grant about them statistics. :lol:

 

[Clark Kent]

Being stupid at 45 is just as risky as being stupid at 145. Doesn't mean everybody that does 145 is stupid, and definitely doesn't mean everybody who never goes over the speed limit is smart.

I agree with your statement to a point. You pay a MUCH larger price for being stupid at 145 than 45. You may be able to survive a 45 mph crash. You wll NOT survive a 145 mph crash!

 

[johnniegoldfish]

:yahoo: Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death. -- Hunter S. Thompson B)

Effortless, rock solid and still pulling like a train. I love this bike. :yahoo:
I will sit staring at the post box in the front door every morning for the next week no doubt, willing it not to open.

 

[Toecutter]

You may be able to survive a 45 mph crash. You will NOT survive a 145 mph crash!

Maybe you missed the Gleno reference. He did just the opposite, rest his soul. However, he was only going 130 when he got off (on a public roadway) and walked away, so maybe the survivability threshold is right at about that speed. :dntknw:

Either way, I don't recommend running into solid objects at anything above a leisure walking pace.

You will NOT survive a 145 mph crash!

I'm certainly not going to try and prove you wrong there!

 

[feejer222]

It is amaizing what your body will survive. I think a lot of the guys on here might well be astounded at what gets passed as acceptable in the racing world. I know of lots who have had high speed step off's, and been unscathed.

Back in 1982, a very close friend had 2 at 130mph on the same day, and got away with a broken bone in one foot. In the second he was leading on a TZ 350. He knocked it into top as he entered the back straight at Mallory Park. The bike siezed and spat him over the top. He didn't stop bouncing and sliding until he reached the end of the straight. He crawled on all fours to the armco and scrambled over it. He raced in the Brit GP 3 weeks later after breaking a bone in the other foot whilst practising. We had to pull the zips up on his boots with pliers for the race because his ankles were so swolen. He finished 19th out of 38 starters.

I remember Carl Foggarty crashing at 140mph coming out of the Curve de Grande at Monza breaking a bone in his hand. He had a pain killing injection and went out to win race 2 on the same day. Most of the guys in any paddock that race all season I would seldom go a year without a big crash and breaking a collar bone or 2. It's all down to frame of mind.

Come to think of it there are lots of 100mph plus crashes every week of the racing season. So to say that you WONT survive a 145 crash is silly.

 

[Clark Kent]

It is amaizing what your body will survive. I think a lot of the guys on here might well be astounded at what gets passed as acceptable in the racing world. I know of lots who have had high speed step off's, and been unscathed. Back in 1982, a very close friend had 2 at 130mph on the same day, and got away with a broken bone in one foot. In the second he was leading on a TZ 350. He knocked it into top as he entered the back straight at Mallory Park. The bike siezed and spat him over the top. He didn't stop bouncing and sliding until he reached the end of the straight. He crawled on all fours to the armco and scrambled over it. He raced in the Brit GP 3 weeks later after breaking a bone in the other foot whilst practising. We had to pull the zips up on his boots with pliers for the race because his ankles were so swolen. He finished 19th out of 38 starters.

I remember Carl Foggarty crashing at 140mph coming out of the Curve de Grande at Monza breaking a bone in his hand. He had a pain killing injection and went out to win race 2 on the same day. Most of the guys in any paddock that race all season I would seldom go a year without a big crash and breaking a collar bone or 2. It's all down to frame of mind.

Come to think of it there are lots of 100mph plus crashes every week of the racing season. So to say that you WONT survive a 145 crash is silly.

I would ask that you re-read the post I made. I made it clear there are different circumstances in racing and highway riding.

To go off a bike at 130mph on a race track is quite different than a highway. You yourself said your friend didn't stop bouncing and sliding until the end of the straight. (No trees, no fences, no CARS or TRUCKS or FENCE POSTS!!! The ihighway is a different thing my friend.

Take a look at these photo. VERY GRAPHIC! https://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/ck409/1accident73.jpg

https://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/ck409/1accident59.jpg

He was going over 100 mph, but he was not on a track. He hit a tree! Do you want to count the number of parts he is in?

I raced a long time. I have walked away from accidents that would have killed anyone in a passanger car. Here is a end over end 4 times.

I walked. Anyone in a Chevy or Ford on the highway would have been killed. But I had the BEST safety Equiptment and a clear track in front of me!

The only thing that ever worried me on the track was Fire and flying parts of fences and parts of race cars. The only thing that almost got me was a flying half shaft that hit me in the helmet and fractured my skull.

So enough about how one can fall off at 130 and be ok. I will agree if he is on a track. BUT--- 99.999999999999% of the riding talked about here is HIGHWAY riding. You can't fall of at 145 mph on the highway and survive! (at least not 99.999999999999% of the time!) AND that IS a fact!

 

[Toecutter]

So to say that you WONT survive a 145 crash is silly.

One of my all-time biggest pet peeves: Representing opinion as fact.

Also way up on the list: Apologizing for something you'll do again sooner or later.

 

[Toecutter]

So enough about how one can fall off at 130 and be ok. I will agree if he is on a track. BUT--- 99.999999999999% of the riding talked about here is HIGHWAY riding. You can't fall of at 145 mph on the highway and survive! (at least not 99.999999999999% of the time!) AND that IS a fact!

It's only a fact in your head, and if that works for you, fine....

Gleno's story, with pictures. Notice the lack of a racetrack in the background.

Part II

I'm done with this NEPRT

Thanks again, Gleno :rip_1:

 

[ponyfool]

Do you want to count the number of parts he is in?

I only counted 14, did I miss any?

 

[Clark Kent]

So enough about how one can fall off at 130 and be ok. I will agree if he is on a track. BUT--- 99.999999999999% of the riding talked about here is HIGHWAY riding. You can't fall of at 145 mph on the highway and survive! (at least not 99.999999999999% of the time!) AND that IS a fact!

It's only a fact in your head, and if that works for you, fine....

Gleno's story, with pictures. Notice the lack of a racetrack in the background.

Part II

I'm done with this NEPRT

Thanks again, Gleno :rip_1:

First, Your saying 130 mph. I'm saying 145. Second how do we know he was going 130? I've seen many who think they fell off at a higher rate of speed than they actually did. Second you said "notice the lack of a race track in the background" Yes, I also (as I said before) I see the lack of Cars, trucks, trees, guard rails, etc!)

Kind of like the fish that gets bigger every time the story is told. You sure he wasn't going 50 or 60 or 70 at the time he fell off and it's now up to 130 and next year it will be 145?

Just wondering.

CK

AND if he did survive a fall at 130 (and he may have) he is the 00.0000000000000001%er

I was talking about.

So what is your point again?

CK

 

[Karmak]

I must say I've ridden a time or two in ways I realized I shouldn't...after I asked myself what I would tell my passenger's kids or family after I killed their mother (brother, sister, etc.), I became more responsible. I accept my own risks, but have no right to risk someone else. As I said, I've done it, but won't again.

 

[rogdeb]

[
Actually I am surprised at the amount of supportive posts, and even more surprised at the rsponse in general.

You really didn't think that this post would get no response did you? :lol:

BTDT ----- we ride a machine that's capable of these speeds -- our inner child has to be satisfied once in a while huh?

Me and Deb - "private road" - side cases and top box fully loaded - 140mph per GPS. I remember most seeing Deb's left "thumbs up" as I backed off for the upcoming bend What a girl :air_kiss:

 

[daddysbike]

My one (so far) ride over 120mph on the FJR actually was not all that fun. I felt like I opened it up and sat and waited, I was hoping to reach 150 or so before running out of straightaway/view/safety and felt it took too long to get there. I also was riding a CBR and VFR the last couple years and the CBR accelerates faster.

Also a few months ago I rode a friends ZX14 and speed/acceleration will never be the same after that 100+ mile ride on mostly twisty mtn roads and a little 4 lane. Talk about acceleration/power/pull and Holy s!!t Batman!!

Pin the throttle on the ZX14 and you better be holding on realllll good because it will throw you off. I seriously felt like I could get thrown off a couple times. From a dead stop on vacant 4 lane I redlined (11k rpm) 1st, 2nd, and 3rd then checked the speedo after redlining 3rd to see 145mph. It took no time at all to do that and the acceleration was ready for more. I didn't even mess with 4th, 5th, 6th, I got the point (and the thrill!). The FJR doesn't have much on the top end compared to the ZX you open it up and wait and wait where the ZX had incredible pull/power everywhere, very linear it just keeps pulling and accelerating. I'm babbling I know but that ZX, wow!

I love the FJR for SPORTtouring and am really past squidly behavior but could/may get a ZX14 someday as a 2nd bike. After that kind of brute/smooth 200hp nothing feels powerful/fast except maybe a GSXR1000 but not comfortable for long.

Steve

 

[feejer222]

Second how do we know he was going 130? I've seen many who think they fell off at a higher rate of speed than they actually did. CK

TZ350 mid way through 6th gear = 130 plus. You dont bounce and slide the entire length of the straight from 40mph.

Anyway whatever, you win whatever it was you wanted to argue about. I can't be bothered with pissing contests. (Not a good idea at my age anyway ).

[
Actually I am surprised at the amount of supportive posts, and even more surprised at the rsponse in general.

You really didn't think that this post would get no response did you? :lol:

BTDT ----- we ride a machine that's capable of these speeds -- our inner child has to be satisfied once in a while huh?

Me and Deb - "private road" - side cases and top box fully loaded - 140mph per GPS. I remember most seeing Deb's left "thumbs up" as I backed off for the upcoming bend What a girl :air_kiss:

Take care hope things are OK now in your world.

 

[Malve]

I think that the only thing that could be said on this topic for abslolute certain is that with 4,000+ members on the forum...

It would be naive to not expect the occassional thread about riding the bike at max speed especialy in light of it's capabilities and...

It too would be naive to think that the topic wouldn't draw harsh criticism by some and support by others. I think that it would be hard to dispute that opening up the FJR offers a rush and potential danger, to what degree is all subjective.

 

[kiwi]

Afterwards, did she at least ride you like you rode the Feej??? Or did she beat the crap out of you for scaring the hell out of her?

B) Well both actually, and I enjoyed it all.

, I love speed, that comes with the territory....bikes , power to weight ratio, wind, G force etc....just try this... choose a spot on the the road some distance ahead, do 120 or what ever, try and stop as fast as you can before passing it....whats the bet it takes longer then you thought. ( Ok those who race you no doubt get it) . I realise that anyone can go fast in a straight line, and not many people get killed doing it, :huh: unless they have to stop......and remember you choose the spot that time, next time you may have to instantly react, so that will be more then the few feet grace you just had, not to mention the extra added for road/tire/shock and brake condition , that of course you will instantly allow for if **** happens. Apart from that , if it got you heart pumping, no one got hurt , your alive , which is more then a large percentage of the "general population" :yahoo: