eddd Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 I'm curious about the top speed of a R1100RT. I've still haven't found the limits of mine. I've run out of safe road or ba**s before I ran out of throttle. Just curious. Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 I'm curious about the top speed of a R1100RT. I've still haven't found the limits of mine. I've run out of safe road or ba**s before I ran out of throttle. Just curious. Get to a track, or get to rural Utah: from RT to RT, top speed varies a little depending on state of tune, but at sustained WOT in top gear, you'll eventually see around 130 MPH on the speedo, which is going to be closer to 125 MPH actual. I believe GPS-confirmed top speeds of around 130 MPH have been observed on a few 1100RT's. Link to comment
redryder Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 From what I've gleaned from this forum and riding my own RT, it looks like they are speed governed at about 124 mph. U.S. bikes anyway. I read an article on the net once about a writer riding an 1150 across Germany on the autobahn at 135 mph, or so was his claim. My buddy has an 1100 and it appears to be a couple of mph faster on that governer/speed limiter than my 1150. All I know is that with my increased age and fear of my own mortality, I don't really ride in that range much at all anymore. Link to comment
Mike O Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 ...it appears to be a couple of mph faster on that governer/speed limiter than my 1150. It's the gearing. 1100's - 5 speed, 1150's 6 speed. Mike O Link to comment
SageRider Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 130MPH GPS indicated on my 1100. Still not into the rev limiter even though speedometer needle was right at red line in 5th. 1200 yet to be tested..... Link to comment
Woodie Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 120 mph. Tested. straight, slight down-hill. note: RT-P, w/ slightly lower gearing on #5. ...at least that's what I *heard*. Link to comment
AviP Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 I'm curious about the top speed of a R1100RT. I've still haven't found the limits of mine. I've run out of safe road or ba**s before I ran out of throttle. Just curious. 130mph indicated, 125mph actual! Link to comment
Tony_K Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 121 two up. Calibrated additional speedometer (Retains max speed). Flat land maybe a tail wind on roads out of DV. Chasing Gleno and Brian T Link to comment
philbytx Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 130 indicated on my 03 1150RT....running up to redline in 5th then changing up! Link to comment
eddd Posted February 26, 2007 Author Share Posted February 26, 2007 From the looks of the posts, I just need an extra 10 to be there. 115 was smooth and comfortable. Link to comment
Dan Gleebitz Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Is that with the luggage .. ? and top box? Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 131 GPS 2-up with full luggage (side bags and topcase), on a slight downhill. (Chasing Brian T) Same downhill, solo, I hit the rev limiter in 5th. I forget where that was on the speedo, but I think it was around 142. Probably 135 actual or something. Of course, this happened on a closed course with professional riders. And it wasn't us. And it probably didn't happen anyway. BTW, My favorite question/answer on this forum was several years ago. Someone asked: How long can I ride at full throttle? The answer (I wish I could remember who it was): About 2 hours, then you have to stop for gas. Link to comment
steve404 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 143mph speedo, 137mph GPS, Death Valley's Daylight Pass in early am on fresh blacktop. Probably three miles of straight and smooth 5% grade. Air was still and 35°F. Thought of trying to go faster without side cases but couldn't convince myself it was worth the effort. Link to comment
Steve1962 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 My 1100 RT [ 30 k on the clock at the time ] was clocked by a mate following with GPS ........ 128 mph on the flat - that engine ran sweet . Steve Link to comment
Brian PDQ Signs Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 120 mph. Tested. straight, slight down-hill. note: RT-P, w/ slightly lower gearing on #5. ...at least that's what I *heard*. What Woodie said on the flats ...at least that's what someone told me Link to comment
bross Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 OK this thread is no good without pics! Next time you guys play Burt Munroe on your RTs, just grab your camera and snap a pic of the dash would you? Those who have done it two up, just get the SO to snap one over your shoulder. Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 You have the wrong bike if you want to go faster than necessary to get you from A to B. Actually, who cares? Link to comment
Woodie Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 OK this thread is no good without pics! Next time you guys play Burt Munroe on your RTs, just grab your camera and snap a pic of the dash would you? Wait. You want US, who have "never" done this thing, only heard about it, to let go of the handlebars at 110+, to take a picture? Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I won't do that on the 'bird. 110+ is really only the upper reaches of third gear and if I back off the gas in that gear with no hands on the bars it could get ugly. Link to comment
bmweerman Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I live out here in the desert with endless long roads to play on. According to the speedo 130 is top speed...the GPS however says 117...so I would say the top speed of MINE is 117. Link to comment
redryder Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I live out here in the desert with endless long roads to play on. According to the speedo 130 is top speed...the GPS however says 117...so I would say the top speed of MINE is 117. Yeah, but is your GPS calibrated for a fine German ride and able to do those necessary metric to english conversions at such a high rate of speed? Perhaps you could ask one of the local CHP officers to help you calibrate your GPS with his radar. I'm sure he wouldn't mind and might even let you make a rather large donation to the state of California for the trouble. At least you'd know your bike was faster than 117. That's almost moped territory. Link to comment
rocks Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 that's almost moped territory. Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Please do remember that top speed is governed by two things, HP and aerodynamics. Those who live at higher altitudes are not gonna get the top speed of those at near sea level. Motor HP drops off a bit faster than drag so the guys who live in the high desert suffer more than those in say, eastern Kansas. Drag factor is a huge thing. My VFR has reached 143 mph, GPS, on only a little more power than an R1200RT. Easy to understand if you compare the frontal area of the two bikes. Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 OK this thread is no good without pics! Next time you guys play Burt Munroe on your RTs, just grab your camera and snap a pic of the dash would you? Those who have done it two up, just get the SO to snap one over your shoulder. Wasn't me (I was in front of him ). Link to comment
Lone_RT_rider Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 OK this thread is no good without pics! Next time you guys play Burt Munroe on your RTs, just grab your camera and snap a pic of the dash would you? Those who have done it two up, just get the SO to snap one over your shoulder. Wasn't me (I was in front of him ). And he was closing on you......two up! (no, not me)..... but he was piped and chipped. Shawn Link to comment
eddd Posted February 28, 2007 Author Share Posted February 28, 2007 OK this thread is no good without pics! Next time you guys play Burt Munroe on your RTs, just grab your camera and snap a pic of the dash would you? Those who have done it two up, just get the SO to snap one over your shoulder. Wasn't me (I was in front of him ). Why isn't this picture properly focused? I thought RTs were always smooth as silk! Link to comment
Husker Red Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Why isn't this picture properly focused? I thought RTs were always smooth as silk! Three possibilities: 1) With only 15,000 miles on that bike it isn't broken in yet. It will smooth out around 40K. 2) At 120 the bike is steady, but the rider was shaking a bit. 3) After photoshopping the speedometer it's best to blur everything just a bit... Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Why isn't this picture properly focused? I thought RTs were always smooth as silk! The bike's good, but at that speed the roads and winds carry no such guarantee. Link to comment
SageRider Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Why isn't this picture properly focused? I thought RTs were always smooth as silk! Stock shocks instead of Ohlins... Link to comment
blaisew Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Flat, straight, not normal, 96 RT top end at 127.5 before the engine cut out (assume electronic governor) according to my Sigma bicycle speedometer. I don't know what the rpm was showing because I was looking down the road and not at the instruments (the Sigma has a Max Speed feature). 'Don't think my 1150 will do that as 5th gear is too low and 6th prohibits reaching the red line. Link to comment
redryder Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Flat, straight, not normal, 96 RT top end at 127.5 before the engine cut out (assume electronic governor) according to my Sigma bicycle speedometer. I don't know what the rpm was showing because I was looking down the road and not at the instruments (the Sigma has a Max Speed feature). 'Don't think my 1150 will do that as 5th gear is too low and 6th prohibits reaching the red line. The altitude factor is very true. If my aeronautic ground school learning is correct, at 7 thousand feet above sea level, a normally aspirated engine will only produce 75% of its rated horsepower at WFO. As the air gets thinner, drag will decrease, but not as much as available power. My RT, I think, would get awfully close to redline in 6th gear, but the speed limiter in the Motronic will not let it. I think you'd find your 1150 would run a bit faster if you could get ahold of an European Motronic without the speed limiter. Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 There is no speed limiter in the Motronic, only a rev limiter and most 1150's lack the power to reach the rev limit in 6th gear. Link to comment
RT Pilot Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 These speeds aren't too bad. . .considering the RT has the drag coefficient of a small bus! Link to comment
BUSTED Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Looks are deceiving as a R1100RT has the amazingly low coefficient of drag(0.49 Cd)! Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Looks are deceiving as a R1100RT has the amazingly low coefficient of drag(0.49 Cd)! Modest Cd, maybe, but it's a fat pig with humungous frontal area; the net effect is pretty big actual drag. Link to comment
bross Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 These speeds aren't too bad. . .considering the RT has the drag coefficient of a small bus! I thought it was "the drag coefficient of a Buick?" ;-) Link to comment
Tim Yip Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 A 0.49 Cd is not particularly aerodynamic. A good car these days has a Cd of 0.30. Some examples, IIRC: 1983 Porsche 944: 0.34 Cd 1998 Madzda Millenia: 0.29 Cd 2006 Corvette: 0.28 Cd 2007 Cadillac Escalade: 0.36 Cd Motorcycles are relatively inefficient from an aerodynamic perspective. Link to comment
eddd Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 A 0.49 Cd is not particularly aerodynamic. A good car these days has a Cd of 0.30. Some examples, IIRC: 1983 Porsche 944: 0.34 Cd 1998 Madzda Millenia: 0.29 Cd 2006 Corvette: 0.28 Cd 2007 Cadillac Escalade: 0.36 Cd Motorcycles are relatively inefficient from an aerodynamic perspective. I'll suffer with the inefficiency. No other vehicle I've ever driven/ridden put a bigger smile on my face, and can keep it there during a 700 mile day. I wonder what the Cd is for one of my other rides. Link to comment
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