Doing... did ... the ton on an 81 GS450E

[gustovh]

"We have a 2006 Rebel 450 now, and agree 90 would be about its limit."

Honda quit making the 450 Rebel in 87, and have only sold 250's since.

V

[argonsagas]

"We have a 2006 Rebel 450 now, and agree 90 would be about its limit."

Honda quit making the 450 Rebel in 87, and have only sold 250's since.

V

You are right, of course. It is a 250.

Must go bang my head a bit more to shake the facts back into place.

[roeme]

Yes I would be past redline. But that's no reason to short me 74 cc's!

Woopsie

So the 1100 engines don't care much about the redline as well? (Others in this forum told me such for my 550s).

[Grimly]

My sister had a newer 450 Rebel than ran like a top. 90 would be a stretch. It takes a lot more to get to 100. I've never seen a 450 GS that would get there. I remember guys with CB450's that claimed an easy 120. I once got an "indicated" 108 on a new XS650, and no 450 twin anything stayed with me back then.

It takes 30bhp for an unfaired motorcycle to do the ton.
If it's geared right, and can't do that, something is out of whack.

Did it the last time my 850 was on the road, most scary bike moment ever, was pretty squirmish the entire bike so I quickly let down and returned to normal speeds.

That's not inherently the fault of the bike - worn suspension, wheel bearings, swingarm bearings, forks (sliders, bearings) and tyres all play a part. A GS850 in good order will sit quite happily all day long at 80, 90, 100mph, in a rock-solid fashion - I used to earn a living by sitting at a constant cruise of 85mph for hours on end.
If yours didn't, there's something wrong.

[Spiff]

That's not inherently the fault of the bike - worn suspension, wheel bearings, swingarm bearings, forks (sliders, bearings) and tyres all play a part. A GS850 in good order will sit quite happily all day long at 80, 90, 100mph, in a rock-solid fashion - I used to earn a living by sitting at a constant cruise of 85mph for hours on end.
If yours didn't, there's something wrong.

Well the tires where new, so that wasn't the problem, bearings where good too, no play in them. Rear suspension though might have been a likely culprit. There was also some rust issues around the sidestand area we discovered when we tore apart the bike so that might have weakened the frame and perhaps induces some frame flex?

[Grimly]

Well the tires where new, so that wasn't the problem, bearings where good too, no play in them. Rear suspension though might have been a likely culprit. There was also some rust issues around the sidestand area we discovered when we tore apart the bike so that might have weakened the frame and perhaps induces some frame flex?

Interesting what you say about the rusty frame, because that might be what it is... read on.
One thing that caught me out recently was the very slow wear rate and gradual decline of the swingarm bearings. A weird handling problem that gradually got worse over a few months. Nothing major, just a slight step-like uncertainty, that felt for all the world like tyres that were old and unsuitable (yes, they were) but that wasn't actually the problem. It had been so long since I last had to adjust the s/a bearings, I'd forgotten what it felt like. The actual adjustment needed was in the order of about 1/12th of a turn - just enough to remove the slightest degree of play I could only just feel in the arm.
A frame that is weak in that area, because of rust or damage, might lead to some uncertain handling.