How fast is is your old GS?

[Rob S.]

Mine topped out at about 184MPH but it was well over 100 degrees F in the desert in August, and at 6000' or so (hint hint).

Pontiac? But not your father's Pontiac!

[steve murdoch]

Back in the 80's they were never fast enough, today it really don't matter.

On my tombstone they will carve...."it never got fast enough for me"

[XGMAN]

I picked up an '82 1100 Katana in about '96,,,, in boxes.
it had been modded with oil cooler, braided braks lines,
4 into 1 but when I got it the motor was upside down on the bench
With the bottom half of the engine case off. In fact about the only thing on the frame was the wheels.
Took a year or so, the second gear dogs were toast
But found a guy that could remachine them.
Seat was good, painted it, new factory decals, looked awesome.
Finally got to ride it, it didnt like to turn but MAN ! how fast do you want to go!!
Incredible acceleration through the gears and 200 k,, easy.
Come up off a cloverleaf in Saskatoon, my hometown
and seen the light change green at Preston, well,, I can make that and
rolled it on. Went through the intersection on a yellow, looked down
speedo was over 240,,,,, at that moment I decided to sell it while I was still walkin n talkin,,,
Fred
Not smart enough to go fast,
Too stupid to slow down!

[GSXR7ED]

In the summer of '83 I was stationed in in the AF in San Angelo TX for a few months. My friends and I would ride the 277 down to Ciudad Acuna over the border. It was (is?) s a very smooth and lightly travelled road, a pork barrel project if I ever saw one. One time we had a guy on a '76 CB400F, one on a '82 GPz550, another on an '82 GS1100E and me on my '82 KZ1000J. At some point my friend left from a pit stop in the wrong direction, I think a different highway, on his CB400F. I volunteered to chase him down and took off after him, pegging the KZ at 8500 RPM in 5th on the open road. That's about 135. My friend on his GS1100E just walked past me, and as I recall he was inside me on the breakdown lane (WTF) but it didn't matter much, roads were wide, visibility good, and not a car in sight. That's when I got the GS bug. I'm sure he was over 140. Found this pic, great memory.

And yeah that's a Wes Cooley fairing on my KZ1000J, go figure. The dealer painted it with gold and red stripes and I think it was about $150. I wanted the Eddie Lawson so badly but couldn't afford it, so I put rear sets on the KZ and the fairing, it worked for me!

I was a sophomore/Junior in High School in Spring/Fall of 1983...I remember a Senior (who was dating a guy from a different school district/or was older and not going to college) who I had a mini fling with...she basically thought it was cute that I had a eye for her...ANYWAY....(sorry about that, I flashed back to 1983)

What I found coincidental to your story was YOU being stationed at San Angelo (Goodfellow AFB). My family and I were stationed at Dyess AFB from 1993-1999 and would occasionally venture down to San Angelo--a quaint little town that would be our family adventure for the day.

Fond memories you have of those early riding days in your life. My first motorcycle was bought in 2011 and it was not the best "first bike" but I managed to stay alive on it. Sadly, the guy I sold it to lasted 2 weeks before meeting his fate. ANYWAY...(I keep going off on tangents but that's what memories are for...)

Thanks for sharing your story...it allowed me to have a flashback...all good!

Ed

****

[oldGSfan]

Cool Ed - I was ready to not like San Angelo but it ended up being great. I got my survival school postponed 4 months due to a personnel screw up so I had lots of free time before shipping off to Greece. It was a 'dry town' which meant you joined a club for a couple of bucks then went inside to the bar, ahem, club. Wait till I pull out the Athens photos... it could happen. Riding through the marble streets of Athens with my buddy on his GS1100E, sweet, we lit up the tires at will.

I was a sophomore/Junior in High School in Spring/Fall of 1983...I remember a Senior (who was dating a guy from a different school district/or was older and not going to college) who I had a mini fling with...she basically thought it was cute that I had a eye for her...ANYWAY....(sorry about that, I flashed back to 1983)

What I found coincidental to your story was YOU being stationed at San Angelo (Goodfellow AFB). My family and I were stationed at Dyess AFB from 1993-1999 and would occasionally venture down to San Angelo--a quaint little town that would be our family adventure for the day.

Fond memories you have of those early riding days in your life. My first motorcycle was bought in 2011 and it was not the best "first bike" but I managed to stay alive on it. Sadly, the guy I sold it to lasted 2 weeks before meeting his fate. ANYWAY...(I keep going off on tangents but that's what memories are for...)

Thanks for sharing your story...it allowed me to have a flashback...all good!

Ed

****

[GSXR7ED]

Cool Ed - I was ready to not like San Angelo but it ended up being great. I got my survival school postponed 4 months due to a personnel screw up so I had lots of free time before shipping off to Greece. It was a 'dry town' which meant you joined a club for a couple of bucks then went inside to the bar, ahem, club. Wait till I pull out the Athens photos... it could happen. Riding through the marble streets of Athens with my buddy on his GS1100E, sweet, we lit up the tires at will.

I’ve been to the island of Crete too! OMG!!!

Stop having coincidences with me!!!

I went to Catania and that’s where I had my first vodka-red bull, (2005) nightlife was so cool there!

Ed

****

[timebombprod]

My GS is so fast I've had the front wheel come up by accident, wasnt expecting that lol but it was more of just a little hop up. My GS is fast enough to where I can have fun everytime I get onto the throttle, and the best part is it's also stable enough to handle going fast. I've never exceeded 65 by the way but i do use all my power when I get going!

The bikes top speed is like 122mph but what I like more is that it runs through the tach fast so itll get up there quick. Not trying to get there anytime soon but when it feels right and more importantly safe to do so I'll give it a shot.

[trevor]

My GS is so fast I've had the front wheel come up by accident, wasnt expecting that lol but it was more of just a little hop up. My GS is fast enough to where I can have fun everytime I get onto the throttle, and the best part is it's also stable enough to handle going fast. I've never exceeded 65 by the way but i do use all my power when I get going!

The bikes top speed is like 122mph but what I like more is that it runs through the tach fast so itll get up there quick. Not trying to get there anytime soon but when it feels right and more importantly safe to do so I'll give it a shot.

The "front wheel came up" on a 38 year old 650? Pull my other leg and it plays jingle bells.

[timebombprod]

The "front wheel came up" on a 38 year old 650? Pull my other leg and it plays jingle bells.

When you go 5th to 1st going right under 30 and whack the throttle itll come up!

Didnt expect it either. Again it was more of a hop up not a wheelie!

[timebombprod]

Not a 650 but here's a good pic of a GS being a stunt bike for a day

Screenshot_20201231-124314_Chrome.jpg

[GSXR7ED]

When you go 5th to 1st going right under 30 and whack the throttle itll come up!

Didnt expect it either. Again it was more of a hop up not a wheelie!

Wow!

What a downshift!!!

And then you pop it in first gear?

That's quick left foot action there...glad you made it out alive! lol

Ed

****

[dorkburger]

The "front wheel came up" on a 38 year old 650? Pull my other leg and it plays jingle bells.

I saw the guy that bought my first streetbike - a Kawasaki LTD 550 do a wheelie. I was impressed... and surprised.

[timebombprod]

Wow!

What a downshift!!!

And then you pop it in first gear?

That's quick left foot action there...glad you made it out alive! lol

Ed

****

All I knew is that first gear was able to be shifted into, and I went for it lol.

I was glad nothing else happened too! Surprised me alot but in a good way. I just remember how free the front end felt for that bit of a second and was like holy $%/# the front end came up!


If the thing was manageable to wheelie which, that shows it might if I were to try to on purpose, I might try to learn if I feel comfortable. She sure is heavy though, even though I cant feel it riding....

[wyly]

I'm confident my '84GSX1150e will hit it's max with no problem. I've added about 20 extra hp and lowered it's weight by 30-40lbs. My mechanic did carb tune and test run and said it did 200km/125mph easily. Factory recorded top speed was 145mph, I've no doubt it will match that and more once I add a big bore kit(8-10% hp) and change the sprockets for better highway cruising.

Not that I have any intention of testing it's top end range, I've done that and don't feel the need to do that again. I'd like to keep my driving license.

[RustyTank]

I've read a stock GS850 engine tops out at around 120mph. So yeah, fast enough for who it's for.