What is the calculated top speed of an S10?

[KYwoodsrider]

So, wait a minute....the above calculations show 135 is possible....Don has seen 133 with GPS, and 142 on the speedo....and I'm the liar at 138? With the average speedo error, how is my speed suspect? I know nobody knows me, but I'm THAT type of guy.

It could depend on engine RPM.
If your bike was turning 7500 you should have seen 139 mph.
Also a tire with a slightly larger dia than the stock BW could also result in a higher speed.

 

[KYwoodsrider]

Someone should go out to the Bonneville Salt Flats with their gps and settle this.

Sounds like an opportunity for a Tenere gathering

 

[Sierra1]

It could depend on engine RPM.
If your bike was turning 7500 you should have seen 139 mph.
Also a tire with a slightly larger dia than the stock BW could also result in a higher speed.

When "regular" folk ask me what her top speed is, I tell them 130+. I feel that's accurate enough, considering speedo error. I didn't buy her for her top speed, but it is a pleasant surprise to have the ability.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Well now we know what Seirra1 looks like
Thought he did that with his bike though

A. You can attack an argument but not a member.

B. Given a long downhill, better density altitude, tire diameter, or many other factors, the speed for an individual bike can be unusually high. Sierra's been here a long time and always been a straight shooter.

 

[Mak10]

I didn’t take it as a put down on Sierra. I thought the Isuzu commercial was perfect for my Tenere.

I get juvenile requests as how fast does it go all the time.

It goes plenty fast for me. I’ve had it over 120 two up while pushing a barn door for a windshield and big boxes on the side. Not something I want to do often. I won’t have a license long if I do that often.

What I care about is that it has the torque to keep up with traffic and have the power to pass a semi at will. It does.

I do appreciate the effort of figuring out speed based on rpm, ratios and wheel circumference. And if that kind of figuring is interesting to some people, great. Somebody has to like that.

I’ll just be out riding my bike.

 

[bamajoe]

I've hit 110 mph (gps) and that was way to fast... I've also traveled 160 miles in 2 hrs 10 minutes and that was on a lot of 2 lane roads...so it's more than fast enough...

 

[Scoop47501]

So, wait a minute....the above calculations show 135 is possible....Don has seen 133 with GPS, and 142 on the speedo....and I'm the liar at 138? With the average speedo error, how is my speed suspect? I know nobody knows me, but I'm not THAT type of guy.

Not meant as an attack. I was kidding
Sorry

 

[Scoop47501]

A. You can attack an argument but not a member.

B. Given a long downhill, better density altitude, tire diameter, or many other factors, the speed for an individual bike can be unusually high. Sierra's been here a long time and always been a straight shooter.

Not meant as an attack.
My bad
I will lock myself out for a while

 

[Sierra1]

WHOA!! I was just asking. One of the biggest problems with written words....is there's no body language....hard to tell the sender's mindset. I wasn't offended, yet. That's why I was asking. Scoop, we're good. It would have been much better/funnier if we were having a beer at the same time.

 

[dannyv]

If we really want to geek out on this- okay, I did.... found this-
https://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=955

What I can not find is- what is the drag coefficient of our bikes. Guessing a larger wind screen, and the wings, would slow things down. Panniers and top case- would really slow things down. My fat ass and wide shoulders would slow things too.

To go back to my earlier post- this discussion doesn't hold much air without including drag. (pun intended)

And - my S10 is faster then I care to ride. Hell, I almost never use the Sport setting. Just not in that big a hurry. Okay, once in a while, with no traffic around, it is fun to accelerate as fast as the bike can.

 

[cyclemike4]

All my bikes i have owned i liked calculating the top speed based on gearing and engine rpm. Just something i have done for years. I have taken a couple bikes to their top speeds. I thought they were pretty quick but my buddy in an old $400 Gran Prix with a 455 literally blew me off the road like i was sitting still. I though heck if i can't do any better than that i am not even going to try. ha ha. Don't think i have ever had another bike to its upper limit sense.

 

[raynchk]

Best I ever got was 115 then got a death wobble. Might do better if I took the factory panniers off the back, tho.

 

[Sierra1]

Best I ever got was 115 then got a death 1300 wobble. Might do better if I took the factory panniers off the back, tho.

That's one of the reasons that LE ST 1300s have a 120mph speed limiter; the fuel pump shuts off until the speed drops to 119mphgd. In the UK, one of their officers crashed out, and perished, at close to 130mph when the bike got the wobble. The other big contributor to the crash was their electronic message board mounted to the rear of the bike; acted as a wing, and provided unwanted lift. I'm not 100% sure, but I THINK that Honda & BMW have stickers in their bags that advise to not exceed 88mph with the bags attached. Aerodynamics is a fickle mistress.

 

[EricV]

I've been leaving this thread alone... But, top speed is about aerodynamics, gearing & Hp, more or less in that order.

You can have the gearing, but w/o the HP to push it, you won't achieve top speed. You can have the HP, but with moist ass aero, you won't achieve top speed.

If you have the aero and the HP, top speed is achievable.

Bikes rarely have the aero to achieve top gearing calculated speed.

Speed runs are done twice, once in each direction for an average. Anyone can have an exceptional run once. Getting that great top speed twice over the same measured mile in both directions is a true measure, and a joy.

Can't say I've done that myself.

On my '12 I saw the same 125 GPS indicated, but no more. (NV test track.) I haven't tried on the '15. Feels like it may have a bit more. I don't doubt Sierra1 for a moment.

My tired 'ol FJR would hold 155 all day on level ground. You get used to going fast. Speed just costs money. How fast do you want to go?