How fast have you had your ST?

rjs987 said:
I am one in the touring/cruising club. I don't need to go all that fast to enjoy the ride. But I have had my ST1100 up to around 90 once and my CTX1300 up to 85 once just to see how they rode at faster than I usually go. I usually don't ever see over 4000 rpm, 75 mph, and most often run on the highways between 3250-3500 rpm, 60-65 mph, where those little white and black signs say to. Even at 85 mph I was getting around 37-38 mpg. and went up to 85 mpg when I backed off.
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here in Texas the regular speed limit outside the big cities is 75 even on many two lanes (basically if they can paint a line for the shoulder, it is 75, if not, 70), and we have a few 80 and 85 limits (80 on the interstates out west, and 80/85 on certain toll roads)
 
With my Honda Blackbird i was allways much to fast, the result was 1 or more speedtickets on a day i decided to ride with the beast.
After selling it i bought the ST1300 and promissed myself i would never ride the bike like i did the Blackbird.
Don't laugh, my highest speed on the highway in the last year was 170 km/h, when the police caught you with that speed you may keep your drivers licence and only gets a speedticket.
 
thumperjdm said:
My GPS read 142 one day.

But, I plead the 5th as to who was operating the motorcyle...
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I read somewhere that the top speed of an ST is 141. Guess your bike can't read. Here's one place where ignorance is bliss.
 
With passenger and luggage 135mph (GPS indicated) on a German Autobahn otherwise I would have been run over by a Merc! I normally don't exceed 100mph because I don't want to lose my license, but on the non-normal times I tend to keep it to an absolute max of 120mph.

Highest ever? 133mph on calibrated speedo riding a Police BMW K1000 (regularly), 165mph (indicated) on my own ZX10 in Lincolnshire following a YZF750, and about 200mph on an Anniversary Honda V&M 1200 Blackbird on the Isle of Man when I was working for Honda as Motocycle Instructor... I say 'about' because I didn't dare take my eyes off the road to glance down, but I was flat out in top gear....and it was too quick so I backed down to a more 'reasonable' speed!
 
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Even more terrifying because you were riding on the wrong side of the road. ;-)




Steve398 said:
With passenger and luggage 135mph on a German Autobahn, I normally don't exceed 100mph because I don't want to lose my license, but on the non-normal times I tend to keep it to an absolute max of 120mph.

Highest ever? 133mph on a Police BMW K1000 (regularly), 165mph on my own ZX10 in Lincolnshire following a YZF750, and about 200mph on an Anniversary Honda V&M 1200 Blackbird on the Isle of Man... I say 'about' because I didn't dare take my eyes off the road to glance down, but I was flat out in top gear....and it was too quick so I backed down to a more 'reasonable' speed!
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Steve398 said:
With passenger and luggage 135mph on a German Autobahn, I normally don't exceed 100mph because I don't want to lose my license, but on the non-normal times I tend to keep it to an absolute max of 120mph.

Highest ever? 133mph on a Police BMW K1000 (regularly), 165mph on my own ZX10 in Lincolnshire following a YZF750, and about 200mph on an Anniversary Honda V&M 1200 Blackbird on the Isle of Man... I say 'about' because I didn't dare take my eyes off the road to glance down, but I was flat out in top gear....and it was too quick so I backed down to a more 'reasonable' speed!
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2013, I was at the IOM. I was on the new GS1200 WC. Mountain section, doing an indicated 125 when I was passed, like I was stopped, by a couple of bikes that went by so fast I had no idea what they were. That was bad enough, but the next day, about the same place, passed by a WRX like I was standing still. Either braver or new the road better than I. Probably a combination of both.

Rod
 
Steve398 said:
With passenger and luggage 135mph on a German Autobahn, I normally don't exceed 100mph because I don't want to lose my license, but on the non-normal times I tend to keep it to an absolute max of 120mph.

Highest ever? 133mph on a Police BMW K1000 (regularly), 165mph on my own ZX10 in Lincolnshire following a YZF750, and about 200mph on an Anniversary Honda V&M 1200 Blackbird on the Isle of Man... I say 'about' because I didn't dare take my eyes off the road to glance down, but I was flat out in top gear....and it was too quick so I backed down to a more 'reasonable' speed!
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To-to fast for me, and I've heard of the ole' Blackbirds getting a 'headshake' at the 165mph mark. Don't think anyone(including magazine track testing) ever really knew the top-end speed of those NOR the V65Sabre, as the handling went array before they ever REALLY topped out on the other end:eek::D:).
 
The Blackbird was a 50th Anniversary Special Edition designed by John Keough (my avatar is #1 of the VFR800fi of the same series which I sold after a divorce :( )
Only 25 of these were ever produced to celebrate Honda's 50 years of racing success and featured a race-tuned engine by V&M producing 174bhp (40bhp more than stock), paintwork by Dream Machine, full Akrapovic exhaust system (road legal), Harris rearsets, Penske rear shock, Ohlins steering damper, Goodrich brakelines, carbon hugger and Limited Edition numbered plaque.
These bikes cost over ?2500 more than the standard model when sold.



At full speed it was like something out of Star Trek as the hedges flew past... then the thought occurred to me that if I hit a stray rabbit I stood no chance, so I knocked it down to around the 100mph mark which seemed positively pedestrian!

I have to say it takes no intelligence or bravery to go too fast... stupidity can get you there every time.
 
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Brant said:
To-to fast for me, and I've heard of the ole' Blackbirds getting a 'headshake' at the 165mph mark. Don't think anyone(including magazine track testing) ever really knew the top-end speed of those NOR the V65Sabre, as the handling went array before they ever REALLY topped out on the other end:eek::D:).
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I had my stock 1997 Blackbird to 175 (speedo) and it was solid as a rock. My ST1300 to 145 (speedo), also like a rock. Neither bike has ever shown any instability.
 
Steve398 said:
The Blackbird was a 50th Anniversary Special Edition designed by John Keough (my avatar is #1 of the VFR800fi of the same series which I sold after a divorce :( )
Only 25 of these were ever produced to celebrate Honda's 50 years of racing success and featured a race-tuned engine by V&M producing 174bhp (40bhp more than stock), paintwork by Dream Machine, full Akrapovic exhaust system (road legal), Harris rearsets, Penske rear shock, Ohlins steering damper, Goodrich brakelines, carbon hugger and Limited Edition numbered plaque.
These bikes cost over ?2500 more than the standard model when sold.



At full speed it was like something out of Star Trek as the hedges flew past... then the thought occurred to me that if I hit a stray rabbit I stood no chance, so I knocked it down to around the 100mph mark which seemed positively pedestrian!

I have to say it takes no intelligence or bravery to go too fast... stupidity can get you there every time.
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who was the sidecar pilot who lost part of an arm and got other bad damage from hitting a hare during the TT a few years back?
 
fuelpincher said:
I had my stock 1997 Blackbird to 175 (speedo) and it was solid as a rock. My ST1300 to 145 (speedo), also like a rock. Neither bike has ever shown any instability.
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I have seen 300 kph indicated on my '01 Bird once. Rock solid. Here is a video, that probably many have seen, of a Blackbird on the autobahn. As you can see, he hits 310kph and it is right at redline. Pretty sure that is about all it can do with stock gearing. Factor in Honda's infamous speedo error and he is probably doing about 290kph or 178 mph. Talk of a 'Bird being able to do 200mph, was just that. Talk. To the best of my knowledge, no "stock" BB could do it. Interesting to watch the gas gauge during the video. Also of interest.....watch how quickly it gets to 240 kph where he shifts into top gear. I do know, that at that kind of speed, you have to look a LONG way ahead of you. Things come up on you very quick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr5htdqgU5E


Rod
 
drrod said:
I have seen 300 kph indicated on my '01 Bird once. Rock solid. Here is a video, that probably many have seen, of a Blackbird on the autobahn. As you can see, he hits 310kph and it is right at redline. Pretty sure that is about all it can do with stock gearing. Factor in Honda's infamous speedo error and he is probably doing about 290kph or 178 mph. Talk of a 'Bird being able to do 200mph, was just that. Talk. To the best of my knowledge, no "stock" BB could do it. Interesting to watch the gas gauge during the video. Also of interest.....watch how quickly it gets to 240 kph where he shifts into top gear. I do know, that at that kind of speed, you have to look a LONG way ahead of you. Things come up on you very quick.

Rod
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Absolutely... except the V&M 1200 was certainly not stock and carried another 40bhp to standard. Whatever, I enjoyed working for Mr H and didn't intend to end my days on the Island playing silly buggers, so I backed off after a few seconds. I've previously owned a standard Blackbird (see gallery) and the V&M was waaaay quicker than that! May I also add that I wouldn't do it nowadays, I'm older and perhaps a bit wiser...
 
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Here in Queensland Australia if you do 40 kph ( 25 mph) over the speed limit you can loose your licence for up to 6 months.

That said the GPS on my bike has read 194 kph (120.4 mph). I may or may not have been the person riding it and the report back was that it was rock steady but vibrated a lot due to the road conditions. Apparently the 200 kph was not reached because 1) it was fully loaded - side and top box chocka block full and 2) the road ran out of straightyness.

:)

there will be a top boxless and empty attempt once again by the unknowen rider to break the 200 kph (124.5 mph) at a later date.

Just for interest sake this is from the Department of Transport web site regarding our demerit points.

We are only given a total of 12 points. These are renewed over a 12 month to 3 year time frame depending on type of opffence.




Current penalties for speeding - Queensland
  • Less than 13 kilometres per hour (km/h) over the speed limit:
    $151 + 1 demerit point.
  • At least 13km/h but not more than 20km/h over the speed limit:
    $227 + 3 demerit points.
  • More than 20km/h but not more than 30km/h over the speed limit:
    $379 + 4 demerit points.
  • More than 30km/h but not more than 40km/h over the speed limit:
    $531 + 6 demerit points.
  • More than 40km/h over the speed limit:
    $1062 + 8 demerit points and 6 month suspension.
[h=3]Double demerit points[/h]Double demerit points apply in Queensland to drivers and motorcycle riders who commit more than 1 of the following speeding offences within a 12 month period:
Penalty set (km/h over speed limit)First offenceSecond offence (within a year)
Demerit point penalty​
Monetary penalty​
Demerit point penalty​
Monetary penalty​
21-30km/h4 points$3798 points$379
31-40km/h6 points$53112 points$531
41km/h and above8 points and 6 months suspension$106216 points and 6 months suspension$1062
For example, if you commit a speeding offence of 25km/h over the speed limit, you will be allocated 4 demerit points for that offence. If you commit a second speeding offence of 32km/h over the speed limit within 1 year after the first offence, you will be allocated 6 demerit points for the second offence, plus an additional 6 demerit points for it being within 1 year after the first offence. You will have 16 demerit points allocated to your traffic history, which will result in a driver licence sanction.
 
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Ouch!

I understand that France has it's own penalties for speeding which include huge fines and confiscation of your machine, which will later be sold at public auction.

It's not unknown in the UK for Crown Prosecution Service to use a high recorded speed as contributory evidence to a charge of Dangerous or reckless driving (riding) for which you get incarcerated!

The Isle of Man has no maximum speed limit, but when I was there the local Police were pulling in riders who exceeded 135mph to 'have a word'... so my little moment on the V&M Blackbird contravened no regulations in regard to the high speed.
 
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110 mph indicated on my '01 ST1100 with top box, just the other day. She still had a little left but ran out of road. 130 mph indicated on my '84 Ninja 900 going down I95 through NC or SC (can't remember exactly where) many years ago. That speedo was pretty far off though, probably only 115-120 in reality. Seems the older I get, the slower I go...
 
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