| Author | Message | ||
     Gonen60 |
I love being able to open My garage, gear up and hit the streets. I hate that the bike is built for high performance riding and by following all traffic laws and posted speed limits the Bike is not even able to stretch it's legs...our posted interstate speed here is 55MPH and the XB has a hard time obeying that law. i love modding and adding little HP tricks and upgrades, but then I think about it, and have to ask Why?..My bike is not going to be a track bike, I may get there once every blue moon, but it's going to be for street use 99% of the time. So why upgrade, Why mod?...it's a simple question with a complex answer. Like My Bike, I love My car..a 00 Mustang Gt, 5spd, racing exhaust and suspension, 4.10 rear end, full Nitrous 125hp system...etc got my first speeding ticket three months ago...first one ever..I am still many points away from having to worry, but just the fact knowing, anytime I twist the throttle for more than a few seconds I am entering the reckless driving zone...So why even own a sportbike or HP hot rod ? Do I need to know, that My car will run in the 12 second range in a 1/4 of a mile, or my motorbike will hit triple digits on a whim ??? Is it Male ego ? are we spoiled, maybe a bit silly?...Why do the make 150hp sportbikes for the street, or 500 hp cars...the interstate speed is still 55mph no mater what ! Just curious what everyone thought or thinks about, when they are doing a mod to there bike, to gain a few HP here and there..is it just knowing it's there, is it just something to do to keep busy, is it for the fun ? Why do we ride sportbikes? | ||
| Koz5150 |
Laws where meant to be broken, Rules where meant to be bent, and guys where meant to butt heads for bragging rights. Here is a thought to ponder... if there where no laws would bench racing become obsolete? | ||
| Mikej |
Tangenital thoughts (Might as well go tangenital now since all discussions here meander eventually anyway.)  In Martial Arts, what is the point of learning more since 99% of the people doing the training will never have a "need" to utilize what they are learning. How often will you need to dislocate someone's shoulder, bust someone's nose, or end someone's life? If you look at needs and laws, then there is little "need" to progress beyond the most basic of instruction to fend off the slight chance of being mugged or attacked on the street. Back to bikes, there have been a few times where the available power was good to have, like when crossing a busy street and the only way across was with a holeshot. Or when merging onto a busy freeway from a short onramp after sitting at a rush hour metering light and you have 1/10th of a mile to hit 70mph. Or when you're tooling along on the freeway and you happen to see in your rearview mirrors some jerkoff lanedancing behind you and coming up fast and you find the need to squirt between a couple of cars to avoid becomming bugsplat on the jerkoff's front bumper as he weaves around the front of the Kenworth to get to the exit he is about to pass so he can get to the McDonalds and order his fresh fries. Ultimately there is no real legitimate reason why. You basically only have to decide for yourself what you're looking for. A rider can have great fun on a 50cc bike, and a rider can have great fun on a 1450cc bike, and a rider can get into trouble on either one legally or physically. The bottom line is it is not what you got, it is how you use it that counts. Ultimately the final decision is up to you, but the answer is not one of need, instead it is one of want. For me, I don't need a 250-300mph bike, but someday I might want one, might even build one, but I don't need one unless I have a goal that makes the want become a need to acquire that goal. In the mean time I'm perfectly content to ride a bicycle at times, and ride a basically stock Buell at other times. YMMV | ||
| Hootowl |
Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to twist, and fly. | ||
| Buckinfubba |
because I refuse to sell my soul to devil! | ||
| Daves |
For me it's not about the top speeds but the handling. I've always loved curves. When I was a youngster(a long time ago) my Dad used to give me a hard time because I'd drive pretty close to the speed limit on the straights but speed up for the curves! I went too many years of my riding time on bikes that did not handle well(HDs). I then found Buell, or they found me, I'm not sure. I was instantly hooked on the handling. I ride pretty sane on the public roads but turn into an animal on the track. The thrill,rush, whatever you want to call it,of dragging a knee at,oh let's say,70-80-90-100 MPH is just about nirvana for me! I would've NEVER thought I could do it if you'd have asked me 5 years ago. So for me, the whole sportbike and Buell in particular thing is the exceptional handling and control that these bikes give you. Do I need to go 150? No. Do I want a bike that handles great? Yes!!!! Ride to the edge! Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Bomber |
I'm with Dave -- it ain't the speed, necessarily (although that's fun) it's about the transistions! Gs are where it's at for me . . . Mike raises some good points, too . . . there have been times when the added performance available has kept my butt out of a sling . . . I also LIKE knowing that my scoot can do more than I NEED it to . . . .it allows me to push my personal envelope . . .. all that said, I traded my 99 stang gt on a pickemup, cuz I was never using the anywhere close tot he car's potential (it was my winter transport, and, as a winter transport in my neck of the woods, Mustangs are really pretty poor excuses!) | ||
| Xb9er |
Tangenital thoughts I get those kind of thoughts about biker babes. It makes it tough to concentrate at work.  I notice on the BadWeb, posts tend to get tangential, eventually. Mike. | ||
| Mikej |
Hey now, I only transposed two letters. Like yesterday I only crashed two computers. Tangenital => tangential. | ||
| Aesquire |
Time spent over 120mph is inversely proportional to time left on license. That said, having a machine more capable than you need is better than needing more & not having it. In the first case, you show restraint, most of the time, but have a reserve of performance. In the second case you are running the QEW to Toronto, are being passed by everything, and even laying on the tank with the carbs to the stops, you are in dire danger of a Kenworth suppository. ( GT380 ) As a first case example, I was cruising rt390, left lane of 4, where 590 splits off, the car in front slams on his brakes as he is cut off, the car behind is fast approaching & clueless, and the car in the next lane decides to move over into my space. ( dang bikes are invisible!) Tapdance 2 gears down, hard, fast input on the bars, and I draw a "s" on the pavement in rubber, grab an upshift, and wheelie past the NY Trooper in the median. ( modified GS750 ) I didn't die in either example, but I felt helpless in only one. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
As has been said before about traffic here in AZ...Traffic cruises between 85-90 inbetween towns. When you come up on a Semi, the last place you want to be is behind it so you have to wick it up to get around. Having to grab the throttle and wait can be just as bad as stayign behind him. Grabbign the throttle and squirting around him is what I want. | ||
| Austinrider |
You know, since I discovered that my gearing has lowered my top speed, I've pondered this thought a few times. What I have come up with is this. I dont need to go over 100 mph. AT TIMES, being able to get to that 100 mph in a hurry can save my life - more often it will just get my insurance rates to go up though. I do have a lead foot. I often am going 5-10mph than traffic. I've done that all my life. Riding a bike is teaching me to be a safer more defensive driver. Yeah, I get carried away sometimes and open 'er up for a small stretch of straight road. It aint safe, its careless, but its fun. Do I want a bike that can get over 100mph in 2nd gear (like my buddies GSXR 1000)? Nah. Damn thing scares the piss out of me, I refuse to ride it (I think secretly he brings it up so I will let him ride the Buell and he can see wtf Im grinning about all the time). I had a Camaro Z28 before my current vehicle. The car was fast, to fast. I got a ticket for "racing" . I quickly realized that just because I can accelerate quicker and go faster than everybody else - doesnt mean I have to. I like my Buell. As I have gotten more saddle time, and gone to more track days - I've realized the real fun (for me anyways) is on the track. Seeing how far I can push myself in the turns. As its often said here - any idiot can go fast in a straight line - lets take it to the twisties and see whats up. Ya'll keep it safe now, no sense in getting the biek all mangled up before the season actually gets started here. | ||
| Phastphil |
Well i was with gonen when he got pulled over for wreckless and as a matter of fact we both got pulled over for wreckless driving(speeding) well i ended up with $450 fine suspended licence and 4 days in jail and it was my first ticket ever. so at this point I am not really into breaking any of the traffic laws. | ||
| Koz5150 |
I can honestly say that since buying my bike I also have slowed down my driving. Maybe I am just more aware of the dangers (drivers) around me. Maybe its the fact that I drive my Jeep more now then I drive my 375 hp Camaro. The Jeep deffinately does not corner like the Camaro! The acceleration is still pretty good though Twisties = those little wire ties you get with a package of garbage bags... | ||
| Fullpower |
austin. no disrespect intended. but i am still having a tough time figuring out how you lowered the top speed of an XB to 110 mph. my XB12 will easily make 110 in 4th gear. the XB9 will pull 98 mph in 3rd. not trying be a pain in the ass, but what did you do to the bike? is speedo working correctly? | ||
| Jmartz |
Bikes that can go 180 usually are also capable of accelerating faster. Proper gearing is everything. The new R1 is 20% weaker at the bottom (to 8000 rpm), however, gearing is much taller to compensate and with an additional 2000 rpm of red line, top speed has actually gone up 12 mph. 4th gear Dyno runs show the earlier models whizzing by the 2004 edition but actual running in the proper gear is a different story. My S1 has a 26 trans pulley but with a Baker 6 top end has actually risen to 150. | ||
| Gonen60 |
The new R1 is 20% weaker at the bottom (to 8000 rpm), I would think for a street bike you would want all your major strength down low, where you can use it on the street..who cares if a street bike tops out at 150 or 170 in 6th gear | ||
| Jmartz |
The necessary loss of low end is compensated with lower gearing, kind of in the same way guys will go to a 3.73 in their Mustangs after the installation of a hot cam that trades low for top end. Acceleration in math is a square term or miles per hour per hour. Light (crank) and short (stroke) results in a quicker, but weaker spin up. With the help of proper gearing some of the weakness can be overcome. Yes opening the throttle will result in slow acceleration but when the right gear is selected, the period of weakness is shortened and the rate of speed change (acceleration) enhanced. This is japanese philosophy of engine design. Sort of fun also. | ||
| Mookie |
austin. no disrespect intended. but i am still having a tough time figuring out how you lowered the top speed of an XB to 110 mph. my XB12 will easily make 110 in 4th gear. the XB9 will pull 98 mph in 3rd. not trying be a pain in the ass, but what did you do to the bike? is speedo working correctly? yeah im wondering what has happened as well seeing how i did 110 in 4th last weekend with no problem. I have gotten my bike up to 125 and there was room for more, i just ran out of balls. | ||
| Blake |
JM, That is racing engine philosophy, the Japanese have no claim to the laws of physics. Ducati, Ferrari, and plenty of other racing factories are well versed in the physics of generating mas HP from a given displacement engine. Me, I'd rather have a bigger torquier engine. Also, there are plenty of Japanese engines that make good power down low. Look to the Busa or the non-repli-racers like the Bandit. | ||
| Mookie |
ok. Im gonna play dumbass again. I dont understand what you are talking about when you talk about the torqueness of the xb. I was thinking that it was the acceleration but it seems that some of the superbikes have better. im not complaining at all. this is my first bike, and after i got it, i did consider the price that i paid vs what i could have gotten. One thing i hear about is not having to go through so many gears in traffic. this makes me happy as I can usually do what i need in 3rd gear on my bike. it used to be my favorite gear seeing how once i got to the power band, it seemed as if i was gonna throw myself from the bike with a small turn of the throttle. 4th gear was a good friend this weekend when i wanted to go a bit faster on the freeway. I got to ride with an old co worker this weekend that has a CBR. he was always ahead of me when he needed to be but i was and am happy with what i have. but I just dont understand the whole "torque" thing. signed Dumbass. | ||
| Darthane |
Mookie, when did you get a XB12? | ||
| Mookie |
um... when idd i say i had a xb12? nope just my 9 and me. now youve got me really confused darth. not good. Hows japan? | ||
| Dynarider |
because I refuse to sell my soul to devil I thought that was part of the contract to be a Buell salesman? | ||
| Darthane |
Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 04:51 pm: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- austin. no disrespect intended. but i am still having a tough time figuring out how you lowered the top speed of an XB to 110 mph. my XB12 will easily make 110 in 4th gear. the XB9 will pull 98 mph in 3rd. not trying be a pain in the ass, but what did you do to the bike? is speedo working correctly? See above post. Neither of the last two posts under your name (before this final one) really souund like something I'd expect you to say. Somebody nix your password? Anyhow...fine. I can't wait to come home and ride, though, even if it is just the Blast. And drive. It's been 6 months since I've driven anything other than a bicycle. Driving me crazy. Bryan | ||
| Mookie |
ah. no i copied and pasted the top of the line. my reply is at the bottom of that post. did you ever get t's from the dealer out there? | ||
| Darthane |
Like the dealership here has t-shirts. Well, okay, they do, but none that say "Hiroshima HD/Buell" or anything like that, which was the whole point. I can get the standard Buell stuff at home a helluva lot cheaper. | ||
| Blake |
Mookie, For a given engine speed (RPM), an engine with more torque will have better performance (more HP) than an engine with less torque. HP=T*RPM/5252 See, if T is bigger, HP is bigger. So a Buell will have a lot more HP at 5,000 rpm than a 600cc IL4 at 5,000 rpm. But at 13,000 rpm, that IL4 will be putting out over 100rwhp. Engine speed makes up for lack of engine torque, but where the guy with the high revving low torque engine will need to downshift to accelerate, you on your torque rich Buell can simply roll on the throttle. There is little less satisfying in life than riding a 600cc repliracer at cruising speed in 6th gear and whacking the throttle open... nothing. Where your friend on his CBR whips you on your Buell is that he probably has comparable torque AND his engine will rev to over 10,000 rpm. Power (HP) is what accelerates. I can pull a train with a 2 HP motor. If I gear it down enough, the torque at the output can easily exceed tens of thousands of FT-LBs. But is sure isn't going to move very quickly or accelerate quickly. Now, give me a jet turbine that puts out a measely 20 FT-LBs of torque but does so at 40,000 rpm. Calculate the HP... You can do a google.com search on HP and torque and find some good discussions. | ||
| Blake |
I tell ya what. If I weren't so frugal, I'd have a mess of different road bikes. I choose the Cyclone for it ability to do just about everything pretty darn well. The big V-Twin makes for a relaxing Sunday cruising bike, but if I want, I can ratchet it up and blast the back roads or even hit the track. That's my idea of the perfect sport bike and that's why I ride one. | ||
| Sportyeric |
When I was in my early twenties, I had a Datsun 240Z. Living on the prairies, it only got to be fun at speeds over 120mph. (It would do 145. I'd cruise at 135 for hours.) After John Law threw a couple of scares into me, I decided to trade it in for an MGB, which I could row through the gears on the occasional twisty road and never break the speed limit while I pushed the machine to its max. The Sportster is like that. I'd like to own an R1 for a season, just to try having that surplus of power. But the safest fun from an LEO-avoidance point of view is the twisties, and for that you don't need the power, just handling, which I have now.  Strangely, I used to like to ski the same way. Don't like full speed straights. Like to mash through the mogels. Grooving on the transitions. |
