84 fj 1100... What's the fastest you've gotten her to go??
Just curious :)
IF I had an 84 FJ1100 I wouldn't answer this question.
I also wouldn't post a public video that showed either the speedo or a gps readout of speed that was in excess of legal posted limits.
My other bike has a computer with one function being to record max speed (since last reset) I really don't want to get stopped by a LEO and not have time to reset this tattle-tale device.
I have seen a GPS max speed from an '86 at 131 MPH, but I won't say who, when or where... But I also understand they can go faster....
:nea: I wouldn't have any worries about answering this, all of my top speed runs are done down the back straight of Willowbank Raceway officer.
Are people scared of prosecution from posting speeds on a forum, really?? It would never happen, where's the evidence, except for a bit of bragging. Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door..........
I believe the speedo is pretty inaccurate. Better suspension and big bore kits mean that near the limit of the speedo, it is hard to say how fast an 1100 is. Also 'tunnel vision' and rates of closure dictate that watching your speed is a dangerous thing.
They do get to 200 really easy and really quick.
Had mine up to 140mph according to the bob n weave speedo...then backed off. I believe she'd do a bit more but the old dry and cracked tires she had on at the time had me too scared to really push it...that and fear of arrest. Did I ever mention the time I met a police interceptor while seeing how fast my '75 H2 would go? That's a good one for the campfire someday...young, dumb and full of bad decisions! "84 FJ1100-140mph+ Charley.
Ray said" Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door.......... "
HEHE, i was behind you that day at willowbank, I actually hit 220 kph trying to keep up with you..
Road tests circa 1984 had the small-fairing '84 FJ1100 pushing beyond redline (9,500 rpm) in top gear, to over 150 mph.
The Cycle magazine road test of an '89 implied that one of those would reach redline in top gear, 149 mph.
I have seen 9,500 rpm indicated on both the '89s I have owned. I am sure the statute of limitations in the US has long since expired, so I am not shy about reporting that I did this often enough to be satisfied that 95 rwhp (dynjet measured power on my bike, at redline) is enough for 149 mph, with my assumption that my tach is reasonably correct. My bike peaked at 103 hp a solid 1,000 rpm earlier, which tells me I could go up a tooth on the front sprocket and probably gain enough theoretical top speed to reach an even 150. These days, I doubt my 112,000 mile motor is still making enough power, although it will still pull an indicated 8,500 rpm in top gear even with an FJ rally's worth of tent and sleeping bag bungeed on the back.
In other words, "fast enough to get yourself arrested, but not fast enough to impress anybody likely to be impressed by how fast you can go in a straight line." Aero and power have both come a long way in the last 30 years. You can buy naked bikes, ADV touring bikes, 600cc sportbikes, and even cruisers today that will match or beat the FJ's abilities to run fast in a straight line.
The FJ's strengths remain not in how fast they go, but in how they go fast.
Quote from: X-Ray on June 01, 2015, 01:16:29 AM
:nea: I wouldn't have any worries about answering this, all of my top speed runs are done down the back straight of Willowbank Raceway officer.
Are people scared of prosecution from posting speeds on a forum, really?? It would never happen, where's the evidence, except for a bit of bragging. Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door..........
Ray, I guess you know your GPS records a bit more than top speed.
Below is an example (and that's not all) It records speed, location to 10m accuracy, lat and long, time to two decimal places, can be overlayed on a map etc.
If you go to satellite, then street view it will even show you which house you were
speeding riding past at the time.
As you move the cursor on any screen, it automatically moves on all of them.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/9047548119_6c4c67e610_z.jpg)(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/9047546479_787de9ea7e_c.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7785/18155932888_b9288e45ec_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8833/18345258261_deea535293_b.jpg)
It will even show over shooting the coffee stop, twice!You can for example, pick a "certain" speed achieved, on the graph, the icon over the map will line up with it, you can then go to satellite view, then to street view and then look at the exact piece of road you were travelling on at the time.
However, I have it on good advice that they can't touch it unless they believe it has been used in the commission of a crime and that it can provide supporting or incriminating evidence.
Fang away!
A radar detector is a different thing though. $1500 if you get caught with one, $4600 and loss of licence if you fail to surrender it on the spot.
The only
real crime one can commit down here these days, is anything that deprives the Govt of revenue.
Noel
Noel, sorry to say I don't own a GPS unit yet, but holy heck! Look at the data you available at your fingertips, it's incredible. I did have a giggle examining your speed data, tsk tsk. :biggrin:
It always surprises me when I read about people "discovering" the FJ speedo reads fast. This has been the case with car and bike speedo's for as long as I can remember, and always by a similar margin. Manufacturers do it to protect themselves.
It is not FJ specific.
I see no point in having it corrected as everything else you drive and ride will have the same error. It is by design, not a fault.
I have a digital GPS speedo (even though my speedo works fine) because it's easier to see at a glance and where I live we have a strictly enforced 3kph tolerance and therefore a need to know your exact speed, not somewhere near it.
Noel
Quote from: Bill_Rockoff on June 01, 2015, 07:00:55 AM
The FJ's strengths remain not in how fast they go, but in how they go fast.
Well said Bill (and if it's not original, you still get half marks for remembering it :biggrin:)
Noel
Noel,
I have a question for you.
I have seen this before, but don't know how to access it.
Where/How do you extract this data from the GPS unit?
I believe you and I use the same unit (Zumo-550)
It's nice to know, you didn't burn any Calories on that ride. :sarcastic:
There are times that this data would be useful to me, and would be nice to have it.
I do alot of off-roading, at high altitudes. I usually use a tracking app on my iphone, but I almost always have the Zumo with me also.
PS: my current GPS Max-speed shows 112mph, and NO that wasn't in my Jeep :sarcastic:
One time, on an un-disclosed section of highway west of Tucson, I was chasing a few riders in our group that were on newer, more powerful bikes.
I didn't have my GPS yet, but after having the throttle pinned for quite some time, I dared a glance at the speedometer. The needle was bouncing between 145-165.
Due to the known speedometer error, I would guess I was travelling somewhere around 135mph or so. I have no idea what the tachometer read. That's when I backed off the throttle. :unknown:
Quote from: Firehawk068 on June 01, 2015, 08:10:01 AM
Noel,
I have a question for you.
I have seen this before, but don't know how to access it.
Where/How do you extract this data from the GPS unit?
I believe you and I use the same unit (Zumo-550)
It's nice to know, you didn't burn any Calories on that ride. :sarcastic:
Alan, yes we do have the same model but that's not relevant to accessing the info. It is not accessed directly from the unit but from "Garmin Connect" on your PC. You can download info to it from any Garmin product. My Son for example has a Garmin wrist watch thingy that he uses for mountain biking and swimming that not only records all the time/distance/elevation stuff but vitals as well so he can check pulse, breathing, recovery etc, log it and measure his fitness against his friends or his own records and even play them side by side years apart. When he swims, it even counts his strokes.
Just look up "Garmin Connect" and open and account. I have many of my rides going back years all recorded here and can pull up a ride from yonks ago, load it into the GPS and off I go. I can also share great rides. My brother and I send each other rides all the time.
To satisfy the nerd in you, or if you're having a slow night, you can also send it to "Google Earth" and do even more things with it.
With accuracy to within 10 metres, that high speed sweeper when you weren't game to snatch a glance at the speedo at the time, can now be seen once back home and when your arse in unclenched.
Haha. Burning calories? My rides are also know as "Cake and Coffee runs" The only way I would lose weight on a ride would be to have a body part fall off.
Let's know how you go with Garmin Connect. Other than a bit of fun, it is an extremely useful tool.
Noel
I've got a time slip for 142.92...but that was in a 1/4 mile...and with a "slightly" modified engine :biggrin:
Thanks Noel, I will check it out when I get back from the Black hills Rally. :hi:
I did a run a few days ago going up 395 on the way to the rally ( nice 4 lane separated highway in the desert here - not many entrances. ) My GPS top speed was 121 but my speedo -- well it was in the 140's. I have found when you get to the upper speeds the speeds have at 15-20 pct variance not reliable at all. At 90 speedo shows 102-107.
So if you are interested in top speed you absolutely must get a GPS --- I put mine on an info page the shows a huge speedo so it makes it easy to compare to the FJ as well while travelling.
On another time( not this rally) I was on the 395 I did a run of 137 with Bags - it had more --- FJ was solid - straight and true ---
steveecccc
Quote from: ribbert on June 01, 2015, 07:59:44 AM
It always surprises me when I read about people "discovering" the FJ speedo reads fast. This has been the case with car and bike speedo's for as long as I can remember, and always by a similar margin. Manufacturers do it to protect themselves.
It is not FJ specific.
I see no point in having it corrected as everything else you drive and ride will have the same error. It is by design, not a fault.
I have a digital GPS speedo (even though my speedo works fine) because it's easier to see at a glance and where I live we have a strictly enforced 3kph tolerance and therefore a need to know your exact speed, not somewhere near it.
Noel
I recently drove my daughter`s new cars. (I have two.....and hence the reason for my old cars!).
I`m guessing the inbuilt GPS naturally matches the speedo. I`ve been meaning to hook up my easily transferable garmin to check them. I am sure their inbuilt GPS will be out by the usual speedo error, but I was judging their speeedometer by those highway markers. (quietly in my head, as I know they push every boundary on everything!...I wouldn`t divulge my thoughts). :drinks:
When I get to drive them by myself I will do a
miss myth check. :drinks:
Quote from: ribbert on June 01, 2015, 09:13:58 AM
To satisfy the nerd in you, or if you're having a slow night, you can also send it to "Google Earth" and do even more things with it.
Some years ago when the "Spot" gadgets first came out, a mate set up my computer with Google Earth so I could track him through the Finke Dessert just for fun. It amazed me that when he occasionally messaged me from a campsite I could almost see the grains of sand he was on. Through one section where he had the blips set for every 15 minutes I could see his average speed was well over the Ton in sand! (KTM990)
I`ve been thinking ta buy one of those wrist watches like your son`s for awhile now....do they really measure all strokes? I`m not sure I wanta compare to years ago! Think I`ll wait till the upgrades can do the exercise for me! :drinks:
Quote from: ken65 on June 01, 2015, 06:52:28 AM
Ray said" Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door.......... "
HEHE, i was behind you that day at willowbank, I actually hit 220 kph trying to keep up with you..
I think I my have been in front of you two that day at Willowbank Raceway... I think your speedos are out :sarcastic:
Quote from: oz.fj on June 01, 2015, 03:02:49 PM
Quote from: ken65 on June 01, 2015, 06:52:28 AM
Ray said" Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door.......... "
HEHE, i was behind you that day at willowbank, I actually hit 220 kph trying to keep up with you..
I think I my have been in front of you two that day at Willowbank Raceway... I think your speedos are out :sarcastic:
OK.... I remember that day...... had trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground at 220Kph in 3rd gear..... :rofl2: :lol:
My dad bought an 84 the day it came out. He was probably 23. He's got a few stories from that time period. I've heard them since I was a kid, and it wasn't until recently (I'm now 29) that I heard the full versions of these stories. I read one of the magazine shootouts he kept. The radar clocked the FJ at 154 mph (248 kph) at redline in top gear. He would take a wide open country road to work and spend part of the trip trying to push past red line and max out the speedometer. Near as he can tell he's been 160+ (257) while being quick to point out that there's no road like that around here anymore.
The fastest I've ever had my '86, according to the speedometer, is 145 mph (233 kph).
I would love to have the right conditions (closed track, safety gear, paramedics on standby) to push a motorcycle past 200 mph. Doing it on an FJ would just be icing on the cake. It's been a thought of mine ever since I watched "The World's Fastest Indian"
I have invested more than most in a speedo check.
In the final days of the era of fast road travel, I departed Adelaide at 10pm heading to Melbourne 750kms away. I had a car that was only several months old and had the standard tyres changed for better ones before I even picked it up. It was a road I knew well, the conditions were perfect and the traffic negligible, just an interstate truck every half hour or so.
As soon as I cleared the hills I set the cruise on 200kph. The next 400km's only required backing off a handful of times. This was a little faster than my normal cruising speed because of the exceptional conditions. I had driven this road maybe 40 times in recent years and depending on traffic and weather it could be as slow as 80kph, but that night was perfect. My wife was in the passenger seat and my two young children in the back.
As nothing much was open on the highway at that hour my wife had brought a thermos of coffee and some sandwiches, there was nothing to stop for other than fuel. I have always found driving fast invigorating and was loving the drive.
After an uneventful few hours and 400 or so Km's later (Horsham) I am jolted by police lights reflecting off the car interior, at that speed, mirror checks hadn't seemed necessary.
The night had been so quiet on the road they abandoned their patrol early in the shift and returned to the station where they were monitoring the truckies CB radio, which of course mentioned me every time I passed one of the trucks. The copper said they had come out specifically to meet me and had calculated almost to the minute when I would get there.
Realising immediately there was nothing to argue or dispute, I copped it on the chin and maintained a pleasant demeanour. The cop said they had a new magistrate in town who seemed determined to establish his reputation as a "hanging judge" and he felt that if I were to appear before him, which the speed required, there was the possibility of 7 day custodial sentence and certain licence loss, he didn't think it warranted that risk as I seemed like a "sensible bloke".
He let me off with a maximum "on the spot" fine. I thanked him and got back in the car, my wife asked "how much this time?" Surprised when I told her, I assured her it was a bargain.
That was a very sad day for me. Not because of the money but with the words "custodial sentence" ringing in my ears, just for speeding for god's sake, I realised it was over. The one activity that I had enjoyed so much over the last 20 years, one that had given me so much fun and so many great memories was finished. A sad day indeed.
Community and Police attitudes had shifted and technology was now making getting caught an increasing likelyhood rather than a remote possibility. It was over. She reckons my driving went to the dogs after I slowed down. I have never enjoyed driving for the sake of it since. It has just become a means of getting from A to B rather than an activity in itself. Consequently I also lost interest in good cars, as what made them spectacular could no longer be enjoyed. Cup holders and parking sensors holding the interest high performance and handling once did.
Anyway, the point of my story, the speedo was spot on 200, the detected speed was 187, I still have the ticket. Although I have been pulled over much faster, that is the fastest I've ever been booked for.
Speedo error at that speed - 13kph, about what I consider normal.
Noel
The FJ with a fresh 1219 motor, light weight pistons, valve job, adjustable cams, 165psi in all cylinders, pods, jetting, baffles out, ignition advance, no luggage, higher gearing, tucked in and a favourable tail wind will go to the the end of the speedo, and I don't know which way the electrodes on the spark plugs were facing.
RPM? no idea. The roads I do this on are usually single vehicle width bitumen, not the time to be scanning instruments.
It now has a high mileage standard motor in it and I've never bothered to look at the speedo when wrung out. I enjoy riding it fast but knowing exactly how fast doesn't seem to matter.
Noel
Quote from: The General on June 01, 2015, 02:03:17 PM
I`ve been thinking ta buy one of those wrist watches like your son`s for awhile now....do they really measure all strokes?
Doug, trying to get you head around all this technology at our age is more likely to cause a stroke than count them.
Noel
Quote from: Harvy on June 01, 2015, 03:09:14 PM
Quote from: oz.fj on June 01, 2015, 03:02:49 PM
Quote from: ken65 on June 01, 2015, 06:52:28 AM
Ray said" Hey, I did 195kmhr on a ride last year, now where's that knock on the door.......... "
HEHE, i was behind you that day at willowbank, I actually hit 220 kph trying to keep up with you..
I think I my have been in front of you two that day at Willowbank Raceway... I think your speedos are out :sarcastic:
OK.... I remember that day...... had trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground at 220Kph in 3rd gear..... :rofl2: :lol:
So,
that's who I passed.
Noel
Quote from: GhostMerc on June 02, 2015, 04:53:30 AM
My dad bought an 84 the day it came out. He was probably 23. He's got a few stories from that time period. I've heard them since I was a kid, and it wasn't until recently (I'm now 29) that I heard the full versions of these stories. I read one of the magazine shootouts he kept. The radar clocked the FJ at 154 mph (248 kph) at redline in top gear. He would take a wide open country road to work and spend part of the trip trying to push past red line and max out the speedometer. Near as he can tell he's been 160+ (257) while being quick to point out that there's no road like that around here anymore.
The fastest I've ever had my '86, according to the speedometer, is 145 mph (233 kph).
I would love to have the right conditions (closed track, safety gear, paramedics on standby) to push a motorcycle past 200 mph. Doing it on an FJ would just be icing on the cake. It's been a thought of mine ever since I watched "The World's Fastest Indian"
Don't know where you're located, but those opportunities do exist. There are a handful of venues around the US where they do 1 mile land speed racing and measure your speed over the last 132 feet of the run. Maxton was one of the best known - was run by the East Coast Timing Association -- they now run at Loring Maine (1.5 miles!) and Willmington. There's some others in Texas (Beeville) and Houston (they do 1/2 mile and 1 mile) and Mojave (1 mile and 1.5 miles), and the first Colorado Mile will be this September at Front Range Airport on the east side of Denver!
I've had mine up to 140 (speedo reading) and it felt like it had plenty more, but my tires are a little out of balance and she began to feel like she was coming apart. Then I got off the bike and looked at my shinko ties and saw they were rated at 131 mph. Oops. :)
Speed doesn't really matter to me, but I was curious as to what others have experienced compared to what I have. Evey once in a while I'll get a little froggy and wind it out but for the most part I just cruise.
twaingin4u,
I think you'll find that the "H" speed rating is for SUSTAINED speeds of UP TO 130mph.
Sustained is defined as an hour or more, so its unlikely that you were in much danger from exceeding the tire rating. Other danger factors might come into play though, just sayin :-)
Quote from: twangin4u on May 31, 2015, 08:19:45 PM
84 fj 1100... What's the fastest you've gotten her to go??
Just curious :)
On my 84, 135 by the speedo.
(http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu159/rktmanfj/stuff/GPS%20004_zpslvkdsalw.jpg)
Quote from: charleygofast on June 01, 2015, 06:15:45 AM
Had mine up to 140mph according to the bob n weave speedo...then backed off. I believe she'd do a bit more but the old dry and cracked tires she had on at the time had me too scared to really push it...that and fear of arrest. Did I ever mention the time I met a police interceptor while seeing how fast my '75 H2 would go? That's a good one for the campfire someday...young, dumb and full of bad decisions! "84 FJ1100-140mph+ Charley.
I've had mine at 145 a few times. Finally took GPS with me... Nope only 129mph. Wasn't red lining yet and she still had plenty left to go. The suspension on my '84 isn't the best.
All those stories of chasing speeders and getting fined therefor... this is getting worse every year next to my place, too.
Once I started riding there were almost no limited roads (Autobahn) around the place I used to live (and there are 6 nearby); so it was easy to find out how fast your ride will go.
Today traffic increased and quite too many sections of the Autobahn became limited.
Funny that I just read this thread today, because on my way to work this morning the track was relatively empty and I was able to get up to 235 km/h for a while (6-7 km); normal traffic mostly allows no Speeds above 160-180 km/h these days...
For the curiosity: Max. speed (GPS) I rode my 3YA was 255 km/h.
Cheers, Jo
At 51 I don't see as good as I did in my 20's so I am less enthusiastic on the happy handle when I'm already at legal Hwy speeds, although I confess I do roll on a bit when I get to the right places. One day on a familiar back road in the country where there are lots of bends and short straights, I was on and off the throttle, only using compression to slow for the next bend, not doing anything silly, when I came out onto a longer straight I looked at the speedo which said " nice going dude, 170" so I thought "why not" ? So I did :crazy:. A few seconds later I was doing 200k's. (My speedo is pretty darn accurate as I've tested it with GPS). I backed off, right off, grinning like an idiot cause 1 - I got away with it, 2 - my eyes were fine, 3 - she was getting more powerful and starting to wind out quicker (had plenty left), 4 - it didn't hurt the bike.
I used to ride smaller bikes - RZ250's, RD & RZ350's and a '78 Kwaka Z650. Best I could afford at the time.
I bought an original '84 FJ1100 and I ain't going back - never.
Great post. Very nice looking FJ. If you don't mind I would like to borrow it with one small change. The age would go to 62. Otherwise sounds exactly like me. Also when I used to ride smaller bikes I was smaller also (around the middle). :biggrin: Thanks. Dave
Quote from: TexasDave on July 01, 2015, 06:27:42 AM
Great post. Very nice looking FJ. If you don't mind I would like to borrow it with one small change. The age would go to 62. Otherwise sounds exactly like me. Also when I used to ride smaller bikes I was smaller also (around the middle). :biggrin: Thanks. Dave
You kids, what am I going to do :).. Cheers
George
My old '85 FJ1100, says 25000ks but could of done two hundred and twenty-five, well anyways, 250km/h plus as I wasn't looking at the speedo too much at that speed. The bikes rear end just felt like it was getting pushed downwards the faster you went, which was noticeable to me once I hit 160 k's. The faster I went the more solid the bike felt in the rear. One thing I noticed was the wind trying to push your knees out. My friend was ahead of me on a triumph America with a sidecar. So I could just see this blue thing way of in the distance so I wound on the throttle and by the time went passed him I was doin 250 plus. I know guys that have 30000 dollar bikes that can't go 200, and mine cost 2000. I love my FJ so much I bought another one and I'll always have at least one .
I've had my '85 up at 8500rpm in 5th a few times, over 140mph on the speedo, probably 125-130 ground speed. Might have wrung out that last 500 rpm with more road, was quite stable (less so when trying to hold 120, but fine when pushing past). Don't tell my wife.
Thought id reply.in 1987,the secomd bile i evrr rode,a 1986 fj1200 it was on loan from the ASK dealer ship,was gonna be my graduation presant,I was 17,anyway i was heading to Alum creek state park on 71 north to Delaware,i opened the mew bike up and the speedo read 160 mph.now im 46,years old 230 lbs, Just today in pataskala Ohio Thiers a stretch of road 2 mile lo g flater then a pooltable,my freshly tinder 86 fj1200 maxed out at 149 mph.16,568 on the odometer.