How fast do you go?

[S3Pilot]

I had the XJ up to maybe 100 once or twice in her heyday. Sadly shoe wont go anywhere until the project on her is done.

On the S3 I found i would go too fast, but fortunatly given its naked nature it lets you know when you are acting foolish.

On the Harley, the only way to go is low and slow haha

[RDC]

My '94 will only do something like 110 due to gearing and timing, but that's uh, entirely theoretical.

Speed limits here are 55-70 depending on the area. When the highways are open enough, people do 90+

On weekends on certain canyon roads, you kind of get a pass. But a lot of people get pulled over too so yeah just ride within the limits of your surroundings

[TonyKZ1]

My '94 will only do something like 110 due to gearing and timing, but that's uh, entirely theoretical.
Speed limits here are 55-70 depending on the area. When the highways are open enough, people do 90+

I like that "entirely theoretical"...

I normally do around the speed limit up to +5 over, since the Seca II's speedometer is a little high anyhow. I still get passed though, by people who's got to be first or just can't be bothered by a silly little thing like a speed limit. Occasionally after someone passes me, I'll later see them getting a "performance award" from the local County Sheriff or Highway Patrol. I just smile as I go by...

[radare]

Since Bigfeet raised this question, I've been paying attention. I tend to like to ride 5 to 15 mph under the speed limit. I find myself most happy, tooling along at 45 mph and enjoying the world I'm riding through. When I'm on the bike, I'm never on my way to anywhere in particular and I'm out for the moments on the bike; not the destinations. I think that sets my frame of mind. Because of this, I often ride the lesser-traveled routes.

[SpeedRacerOnline]

That does make a world of difference, too. I ride Ruby anywhere I can, and am often so busy that I'm always either just on time, or hurrying to not be late. I don't very often find time to just "pleasure cruise", but on those rare occasions, I too enjoy running around 45-50 mph just enjoying the ride.

There's also the difference in enjoyable scenery. Michigan is beautiful...if you like fields...lots and lots of fields...big flat fields...with nicely chiseled long straight roads with stop signs exactly every one mile... Oh yeah...one big scenic vista...

[RDC]

Maybe it's because I used to race mountain bikes, then road bikes, then downhill skateboards, then street luges (which don't have a throttle, only brakes)
Maybe it's because I enjoy physics too much
Maybe it's because I've watched Twist The Wrist too many times and like improving my cornering skill
Maybe it's just the canyons here (that can't be it...)

Maybe it's genetic that I just like to go fast, but I could not ride a whole day at 45-55 MPH (55-65? Sure. The speed limit? Of course!) on my XJ. The bike doesn't like it - that's pretty much idling in high gear. If I twist my wrist in 4th and the revs go up to 7k+, guess what - I shift up. Then I keep twisting. The bike doesn't like to sit at half throttle in low gear. It wants to keep rolling up into the 70's.

Don't get me wrong - I take things in, but I tend to ride at the speed that situations safely allow me to. In traffic, it's idling and using 25-50% of how hard I could be riding. In the canyons, on a Sunday, with full leathers on? Then 75-85% of my own personal capability, whatever that means.

Or, in a quote

[Slartibartfast]

the speed limit here is 60mph on normal single-lane roads (about 96kph) and on dual-carriageways/motorways is 70mph (112kph)

I generally either keep to the speed of the rest of the traffic (its the safest way to ride) or if its empty as fast as feels safe. that said, anything above 80-85 is uncomfortable - on a naked it feels a lot faster!

Mine seems quite happy at about 75 which is roughly the normal speed on a motorway anyway

I prefer an empty twisty stretch where my approach is to try and keep in one gear at a constant ish speed and just swing through the twisties, or my busy commute - I also enjoy filtering/overtaking/generally showing car drivers why bikes are best!

[xjardin]

Well I can put it this way: I didn't buy a 600 because I like to go slow. Speed limits on most of the roads here are 55 but I find myself going 65 just to keep tailgaters off me. When I hit the highway, speed limit is 70 so everyone is doing 80 and I find myself doing 85 to stay out in front of traffic. Going slower or keeping pace with traffic is just asking for trouble. If I wanted to putt around I would have just bought a 250 ninja or something. A 600 feels pretty good to me. I might want to get a 750 next. Liter bikes are just insanity afaic.

With that said, it all depends on road/traffic conditions and how I'm feeling that day. I enjoy a chill cruise through the canyon roads, hitting smooth lines in the corners (I did read The Pace and I can relate), but in the words of the great Ricky Bobby, "I wanna go fast! (when conditions permit)"

In general I go as fast as feels safe/about 5 mph faster than the flow of traffic.

[Siper2]

I'm a putterer, too. Which sounds better than "I'm a putz." :lolno:

I've had my '94 up to about 75, no more, and that was only once or twice. I live quite close to a two-lane (each direction) highway with a 65 mph limit for much of it, with very little traffic. So when I'm feeling speedy I'll take the bike out there, but usually I go for back roads.

I ride about 5-10, usually 8mph over the limit. Just where I'm comfortable.

[Siper2]

Since Bigfeet raised this question, I've been paying attention. I tend to like to ride 5 to 15 mph under the speed limit. I find myself most happy, tooling along at 45 mph and enjoying the world I'm riding through. When I'm on the bike, I'm never on my way to anywhere in particular and I'm out for the moments on the bike; not the destinations. I think that sets my frame of mind. Because of this, I often ride the lesser-traveled routes.

Same here. I regularly let people pass me; not all the time, but it's pretty common. Just not in a rush.

If I were to buy a new bike, I think I'd enjoy something like a BMW R1200R simply for the torque and smooth acceleration ability, plus the aesthetics which I enjoy. But I'd never buy a supersport, it would be entirely wasted on me - heck, even something like that Beemer might be.

Or the new RnineT in blue... man, that paint!