Top Speed

[XJOK2PLAY]

Most of the speedos on these bikes are off considerably. Even more so at the higher speeds. Get, or borrow, a GPS and check your speed versus your speedo.

Through around 75 mph I've observed mine & a few others being about 5mph fast compared to GPS readings...

Although it sure doesn't seem to help much if you're travelling across the Ok. Panhandle in the month of June... on vacation, minding your own business...
I have since wondered... Why couldn't it have read at least 10 faster than actual speed that day??? Coulda saved a few points on the old record...

[Codger]

Not the fastest- but nice enough.

I am at the point in life that top speed and 1/4 mile times are not that important. I find the old XS has more than enough for an old man like me. I also like the fact that with the 750 final drive I cruise 80 mph at 4500 rpms, and at that speed the engine responds like a locomotive coming off Pikes Peak- ie- with alacrity. Just not interested in cruising around at 6K plus at 60 mph- just feels to "busy" for me. The new bike bores are a pure adrenalin rush- but I'm done rushing- and only have so much adrenalin left.

[Ivan]

Through around 75 mph I've observed mine & a few others being about 5mph fast compared to GPS readings...

Although it sure doesn't seem to help much if you're travelling across the Ok. Panhandle in the month of June... on vacation, minding your own business...
I have since wondered... Why couldn't it have read at least 10 faster than actual speed that day??? Coulda saved a few points on the old record...

Ugh, the OK panhandle is almost entirely financed by traffic fines it seems. When I lived in Liberal KS RoM (Republic of Mexico) the ex wife and I used to drive to Gymon OK for the theater, which was much better than the dive in Liberal.

That all stopped when I got a $200+ ticket for doing 2 over.

Many many stories of the small towns there writing frivolous tickets.

[jeffe]

I recently installed one of the Cateye digital bicycle speedos. I wanted to make sure it was calibrated right. I took it to place just west of Columbus where there is a marked measured mile. I held the new speedo at 60 and it took exactly 60 seconds to travel mile. So I am pretty sure the new speedo is correct. At 60 on the new seedo the stock speedo is showing 65. As you go faster the difference is even more. At 90 on the digital the stock is showing almost 100. I've also checked it with my Garmin and the new speedo and it agree.The funny thing is the stock odometer is right on. Not to rain on anyone's parade but my experience with most mechanical speedos is they almost always read fast.

[madmax-im]

Damn, and I thought 90mph in second on a 83 GS1100 was fast... I really am a Geezer...

maybe but at least you're around to tell us about it

[subike]

The xs may be "old" may be low on HP compared to the new rockets.
I have had mine to an indicated 130mph.
But the beauty of these bikes , as stated before, they are raw power.
no computors, no injectors, no computor management systems.
thus RELIABLE!
I would rather have an honest 81HP that have a tone of tourqe I can fix on the side od the road, that 150 computor created HP that needs a tow truck when it stops
Yeap the XS will be here for many years past the others,
like the vicent black shadow, 80 years old and can still do 130mph!

[Shuriken]

This is an older speed thread...

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5198

[Guy_b_g]

Actually the Vincent Black shadow was first produced in 1948...so it's 60 years old now.

The black shadow was quoted as having a top speed ranging from 110-125mph depending on who was doing the quoting.

Not taking anything away from it..it's a hell of a bike and I've always wanted one.

There was a race prepped version of the Black Shadow called the Black Lightnng that did over 150mph in 1948 at Bonneville and here is one of the most famous photographs of any bike attempts there.



and some info:

Also in 1948 a full race spec custom machine ' The Vincent Black Lightning ' appeared and won acclaim as a living legend almost straight away as the Worlds fastest standard motorcycle with a top speed of 150mph.

A Record Breaking Bike.

It was on the 13th of September 1948 that a man by the name of Rollie Free smashed the world motorcycle speed record previously held by Harley Davison by riding a Vincent HRD 998 Black Lightning at 150.313 m.p.h. on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. A speed that was astonishing when you think that the average bike of the time had a top end of about 90mph.

To minimize weight and drag Rollie had the seat, front mudguard and headlight removed, he didn't stop there and stripped down to his trunks ! accompanied by only a shower cap and a pair of sneakers. He lay flat over the bike to reduce drag even more.

The photo that was taken of Rollie during his successful record breaking attempt was soon called " the bathing suit bike photo" and became perhaps one of the most famous motorcycle photos of the time.

Not sure it was a comfortable ride for Rollie...and the safety police sure won't allow a repeat of that pass...

[Geezer]

Not sure it was a comfortable ride for Rollie...and the safety police sure won't allow a repeat of that pass...

I used to hang out with some Vincent grurus and one thing I picked up was that was Rollie's second run. The first run he was all dressed up with leathers and he stripped down to how you see him in the pic to set the record.

I was fortunate to attend a lecture the last time Phil Irving (the designer of the Vincent) passed through Portland, OR...

Geezer

[trbig]

Not to rain on anyone's parade but my experience with most mechanical speedos is they almost always read fast.

Yeah, my first one was that way. I changed out the cluster with a much nicer one recently and it's the other way around. 70mph indicated is about 77-78 now according to the GPS.

You are right though in that the odometer will read correctly even though the speedo needle is off. The odometer is directly gear driven, but the speedo is dependant on a bell shaped magnet spinning to drag it up the gauge. Either that or the other piece is the magnet and the bell is just steel... BUT. It isn't actually driven by any gears or anything.


Tod

[Ivan]

THe issue with the speedometer being off and the odometer being right is the spring in the instrument getting weaker over time. Mine reads high up through about 80, then when it gets to wrapping that spring tighter than normal use, the needle starts indicating slower. The bad part is that right around 80, it isn't accurate at all. If I lock the throttle on a level road, it will creep all over the place, when the gps indicates a nice even speed.

Such is the way of my finicky old bike. It only gives it character.

[tw1980]

Hey Guy b g,the fact that you have that picture saved makes me a little nervous lol

Terry

[Guy_b_g]

LOL..

I hear ya. I pulled that off of a Vincent site just for this thread.

[Geezer]

The really amazing thing about that pic was he was going 156 MPH back in 1950...

Geezer

LOL..
I hear ya. I pulled that off of a Vincent site just for this thread.

[Guy_b_g]

Imagine if he had crashed at that speed...it'd give a whole new level to the term "rubbing salt into your wounds"