What's it like to do 150 mph on a bike?

[shoestring7]

Its a while since I did big speeds on a bike. One thing I do remember is the gyroscopic effect of the wheels at >140mph made the bike massively stable, to the extent that getting the bike to turn for motorway sweepers took a surprisingly large amount of effort.

SS7

[TT Tim]

150 (indicated) on the FJR is uneventful, you're sitting upright and the world is just flashing by, its remarkably smooth and quiet.

You get there very quickly with none of the build up you get in a car.

My Cerbera get's to those speeds quickly, and you know it, its fast and noisy! The bike is just fast.

Tim

[Zachlain]

Have done a speedo indicated 172 on my GSX-R.
The first time was interesting, but after that it gets boring so I dont do it.

You wont fly-off of the seat (as many non-bikers think), just put your head down, tuck your arms and legs in and keep your eyes peeled as far ahead as possible.

The one thing it made me appreciate was the skill and bravery of competition road-racers who are battling each other at 170-190mph at some events!

[moanthebairns]

Just don’t do what I did one day.

I was doing about 140 on the motorway and coming to a junction. I came off the gas and sat up right from behind the fairing.

I noticed one of my gloves had became loose and took both hands off to fix it.

Yah , I just about flew off the back of the bike. I looked down at the Speedo and was still doing over a hundred.

It’s amazing after doing 140 odd something like 100 or 90 mph feels like 40 or 50.

[roboxm3]

The second time you crack 1.5 Leptons is relatively drama-free, although still pretty exhilarating particularly if it's on a warm summer's day.
But if the first time you do it, it's winter and cold and dark and you're on an R1...which is your first road bike it may go a little something like this...

"please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road, please don't get a puncture, please don't snap chain, please don't let a rabbit / deer run out into the road"

[LouD86]

As a pillion, or a rider?

Both are achieved in my bucket list, as a Pillion its not sooo much fun to be fair!

[Fort Jefferson]

Going fast on a bike in traffic, go's something like this.

100 to 120 is pretty uneventfull.
120 to 150 is like the traffic is standing still.
over 150 is like the traffic is driving towards you.

It's stupid and dangerous, so don't do it.

[Nels0n]

150 with a fairing is relatively easy. A proper job would be to do it without.

[gradderszx10r]

I once asked myself what 200mph was like, i dont ask myself any longer pmsl

[Pixelpeep]

BaronVonGrumble said:

Agree - its pretty effortless. managed to get 170+ on my gixxer down a runway with a camera on my head..! Vid here:

http://youtu.be/i1GBN5w56YM

Great video... enjoyed that.

[996 sps]

I found the M5 and M3 unstable and didn't trust them....I find the bike just nips up to these speeds safely, stable and with not really any skill needed, most probably as bikes are designed for racing foremost.

[Ninjaboy]

996 sps said:

I found the M5 and M3 unstable and didn't trust them....I find the bike just nips up to these speeds safely, stable and with not really any skill needed, most probably as bikes are designed for racing foremost.

I found this too, cars generate lift and wonder all over the road. Bikes just seem to get more stable. Also bike brakes are far better (6 pot tokico) on the ninja and bring the speed down easily. Car brakes bring you down 80mph and the rest is a battle.

[Spanna]

Someone I know has done an indicated 170 on a naked Bandit. That must have taken some doing and fair sized coconuts. I've been 150+ as a pillion on a GSXR1100 and ZZR1400. The Kawasaki was smooth, planted and I could hardly tell it was much over 100. The GSXR was terrifying.

120 is what my bike will manage, it's unfaired, doesn't have a screen on and I maintained that speed for about 30 seconds.

[MocMocaMoc]

My mate took me out on his monster 1.3ltr thing. 150 on a bumpy B-road felt like...

... I'm imagine what it feels like going toe to toe with a f*ck off big Grizzly Bear.

And is the reason I dont own a bike! Not because it's scary, but because I know if I had one Id want to do 250mph. And my mother doesnt like me doing things like that.


Edit. My old VX220 saw 155 in Germany (no, honestly it really was in Germany) and it felt... fine. Canny boring.

[srob]

MocMocaMoc said:

Edit. My old VX220 saw 155 in Germany (no, honestly it really was in Germany) and it felt... fine. Canny boring.

Cool car

I worked on the prototypes of them (well actually the first, N/A 'Skippy' cars). And the reworks, which basically involved taking out the dashboards and plugging in the starter buttons as they forgot every other one on the production line

[Fire99]

ZX9 was easy. GSXR1100 was easy (if a little ungainly with a cross wind) TL1000 was no issue.
130mph on a KR1s was far more fun than all of them.

[norfolkscooby]

y2blade said:

LordFlathead said:

I've done 202mph in my old car at Brunters.. and it was hard work. I bought this bike to do the same but it's no easy task!

If you wanted to see over 200mph on the clock would you not have been better off with an early Hayabusa? (indicated 215mph..(Genuine 194mph) stock .......then add NOS for the final 6mph)

Circa 1999 BEFORE the manufacturers started slapping 186mph limiters on everything

2011 BMW, bit of aero tape, full system & 1 tooth on rear, 203mph at brunters (recorded)

[CBR JGWRR]

Fire99 said:

ZX9 was easy. GSXR1100 was easy (if a little ungainly with a cross wind) TL1000 was no issue.
130mph on a KR1s was far more fun than all of them.

Because or despite it trying to tankslap into a hedge?

[With these feet]

Had my ZX7R to the stop for a few minutes on a peage in the SoF. Indicated 178 on the clocks but what surprised me was the way the bike wanted to stay upright. Even slights bends needed a firm push on the bars, so been there done that! Destroyed a new set of tyres doing 1700 miles in that week.

[Mad Jock]

GTIR said:

I often hit 160/170 on my Ninja on my families private drive.

It's very windy and I'm not sure if it's because I wear glasses but things do get blury, especially police cars. (That I can see in the motorway opposite, obviously)
Little undulations in the road feel like hills and get the back/front end wobbling slightly but you've just got to keep it pinned.

I find after a 30 min ride my forehead hurts from the wind pressure.
Doing 70 is so sloooooww, much like Pistonheads servers.

Umm, just how long is your family's private drive?

30 minutes at 160/170 (mph?) is 80 to 85 miles long! Which county do they own?