How fast was I really going??

[bsrigley]

Ok so I've got my first high speed/comic relief/ sad story to tell....skip to the last paragraph for the technical part if you aren't interested in the story... (and BTW, both me and the bike are just fine.   no gnarly wrecks to report or anything, thank God)

I've had my '03 'busa for almost 2 weeks now.  I love it.  I have totally respected the break-in guidelines (5krpms to 500 miles, 8krpms to 1000 miles)  Without thinking too hard, I believe I've had about 10 different bikes from my first Honda CM450E to a then-four year old (1988) Honda Interceptor 750, a Yamaha FZR600, etc., etc.  I am 29 years old, and an experienced and generally conservative rider, so please don't reply with "Man, you shouldn't have been going that fast that soon!" etc.

'cause I know.  Anyway...

I went for a ride today on Skyline drive.  I obeyed the speed limit, within reason, for the entire 40-50mile trip from Rt. 33 to Wanesboro.  (probably spent a total of <30 sec. @ 15mph over the 35mph speed limit)  My intent was to relax after a long work week.  Instead this gave me time to think about my cousin, just 5 months older than me (with 2 small kids and a wife) who was just diagnosed with really serious mouth cancer and a thyroid disorder.  Tough time for him and our family.  So I get on I64 for the 30mile run headed home and I get behind a car in the left lane running 60mph or so right next to another in the right lane running 59.9mph (speed linit is 65mph) for what turned out to be about a 3 mile passing maneuver.  During that 3 miles I rolled 1000 total miles on my bike.  I'm thinking about my cousin.  F*#@ it, when Mr. left lane got out of the way I dropped her down to third and went through the gears.  Pegged it at 185. (The road was clear and straight, BTW)  Rolled past a trooper at an interchange.  Started thinking about the police helicopters that patrol the area. Took an exit ramp 10 miles from home but near my parents onto country roads that I know like the back of my hand and that I knew had good tree cover and lots of outlets.  Opened her up again on a straight away with a hump in the beginning that brought the front end up a foot in 3rd gear.  Got to the main roads to my house.  Calmed down, did some head shaking, grinning, etc.  Got to my house and headed for the front porch where I keep my bike (building a garage this summer)  and Guess what? After all that high speed running and inherent danger to me and my ride, I pull accross the walkway in my front yard at too shallow of an angle, the back tire pops back down, my foot slips on the wet grass, and i drop my bike on the edge of the concrete.  More head shaking, no grinning, cursing.

My questions: I had the speedo pegged for about 10 sec.  I never felt the throttle go limp as I had expected.  I still felt like it was accelerating.  When I rolled the throttle back the bike declerated, of course, but the speedo didn't start going down for several more seconds.  Is it possible that without the post stopping it the speedo would have indicated more than 186mph?  Isn't the TR linked to the speedo?  Since I have no plans to try this again in the near future, Can you guys tell me how fast I was actually going?

Thanks, and sorry for the long post.

 

[rubbersidedown]

 Since I have no plans to try this again in the near future, Can you guys tell me how fast I was actually going?

Thanks, and sorry for the long post.

never worry about a long post....if some dont want to read it,then...some dont want to read it .

Nobody will be able to tell you exactly how fast you were going . The Busa's speedo , like many others is not that accurate . Indicated speed and actual speed vary quite significantly . Some will suggest a certain inaccuracy percentage based on yer bikes yr/mods/etc....but there is also rider weight/head or tail wind/uphill or down/etc...these sound insignificant , but they're not .
THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING I GOT FROM YER WHOLE POST...... dont ride angry .
Dont do it man . It's not a happy trail , especially on "The World's Fastest Organ Donor Machine" .

This puppy has the ability to grow into a full sized angry Rottweiller in a few micro-seconds.

Twist it for fun....
Twist it because you have NO FEAR...
Never twist it because yer pissed at sum1 or sumthing.

It can land you in the "Hurt-Locker"....real qwik .

It's a kind of old corny saying, but I still try an' follow it :
If you cant get it outa yer head , when you put yer helmet on
STAY HOME .

Just Rubbers 2 cents....have a good 1.....RSD.

 

[Revlis]

Well, I dunno how to respond to this, I guess I am happy and sad for you. Happy cause you didn't hurt anything, sad for your tip over and your family...

Saturday I was out late with Mikeyusf. There are some prime areas in the Tampa area for top speed runs. Had the speedo pegged like you said at well beyond the "end" of the speedo for about 30-40 seconds. It did still feel like it was pulling but you can feel the limiter when it gets tapped...
The key to this kinda riding though is location. You have to find a stretch, that has no rough patches, NO INTERSECTIONS, and NO place for anything to hide. The Bay bridges down here work well, 5-12 miles, no turns, over water, 2 or 4 lanes wide. Isolated interstate stretches could be your best bet... The right setting for a high speed run is the difference between fun and FUBAR.
Pick your location, plan ahead, and don't ride when your head isn't clear. Oh, and try not to ride angry...I got pulled over a few years ago for just that...turned into a real long night...

 

[Big Wall]

Carry a GPS receiver with you if you want to know your actual speed.

 

[Big Wall]

Welcome to the board and congratulations on the new bike.

 

[bsrigley]

Thanks all for the feedback.  Revlis, Rubber, you guys are right on about the riding angry.  I think my whole long story made that part of it sound worse than it was.  I wasn't really mad about my cousin's cancer.  More like it reminded me about how fragile life is.  Walkin' around scared to die is no way to live.  Without that attitude at least some of the time, none of us would have bought 'busas in the first place.  Hell, none of us would even ride motorcycles.

Still unclear about the speedo thing.  I really feel like if the little post had not been physicaly stopping the needle in my speedometer it would have displayed more like 200 or even 210 mph based on how long it took for the speedo to start winding down after I let off the throttle and started decelerating.  BTW, I am not suggesting that I was actually traveling 200-210mph because of the up to 8% difference between dipsayed and actual speed.  And I understand that a GPS would give my an accurate speed reading.  What i don't get is why, if my TR is linked to my speedo, would I be able to surpass the 186mph (186; is that right?) threshold.  And why didn't I feel a definitive lack of power when I know I had to of hit the point at which the Timing Retarder should have kicked in?  What does it feel like? Could I have simply mistaken that point for wind, increased road vibrations, etc. or is it real obvious?