Your sense of speed

stuman · Mar 22, 2006

Can you tell how fast you are going without looking at the speedometer? Can you judge how fast you can go into that next corner?How accurate is your sense of speed?

jtemple · Mar 22, 2006

It's not hard to have a good sense of speed on a naked bike. The wind beats the crap out of you. :dthumb:

I love it!

Wockman · Mar 22, 2006

jtemple said:
It's not hard to have a good sense of speed on a naked bike. The wind beats the crap out of you. :dthumb:

I love it!

+1

After many many hours of seat time, You'll become so familiar with your bike that you'll probably be able to tell how fast you are going within 5mph or so.

Just try to explain that to the cop next time you get pulled over...

drewpy · Mar 22, 2006

"officer i swear i was only doing 105, not 115, i promise..." :lol:

oldetymebiker · Mar 22, 2006

It will vary depending on how much time in the saddle and how fast you go. To a newbie, 15 mph feels "fast", because the sensory inputs are new...the brain goes on overload...spend a day at the track at 120+, and 50 mph feels like you could step off and pick your teeth, then jump back on without missing a beat...it all depends on what you become used to.

Back _Marker · Mar 22, 2006

feeling the sense of speed is a no brainer. your ears and eyes will tell you that. but i still have the newbie problem of looking for the 7th gear. i really need a sixth gear indicator.

as for judging a corner. just make sure your rpm is in the sweetspot before diving into it. undergear or over gear will make you very religious. also, never tackle an unknown corner really hot.

-a|ex

Guideon72 · Mar 22, 2006

Back _Marker said:
also, never tackle an unknown corner really hot.
-a|ex

Yeah, if you do, this can happen: http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=6518

+1 on the 6th gear indicator, too

DLIT · Mar 23, 2006

oldetymebiker said:
It will vary depending on how much time in the saddle and how fast you go. To a newbie, 15 mph feels "fast", because the sensory inputs are new...the brain goes on overload...spend a day at the track at 120+, and 50 mph feels like you could step off and pick your teeth, then jump back on without missing a beat...it all depends on what you become used to.

Vert true. i was taking turns at 70 when i first started and it seemed really fast. i take the same turns at 110+ now.

DLIT · Mar 23, 2006

On the track people will cover their speedo cuz it scares them. Well for first timers anyway. That gear indicator would be very nice to have.

fnfalman · Mar 23, 2006

I can tell more or less what speed I'm going just from the wind blast against my body and the vibration from the bike.

NEVER LOOK DOWN AT YOUR DASH WHILE TAKING A CORNER!!!

If you think that you're going too fast then slow down but never take your eyes off the road and try to see how fast you're going into a corner. The speeds may freak you out and make you do something stupid like chopping the throttle or hitting the brakes hard. Not to mention that when you're leaning over or getting to tip over into the turn, looking elsewhere will screw up your ride. And then you'll be wondering why you've pasted yourself against the canyon wall or do a real Superman off the cliff.

I

JK_DILLA · Mar 23, 2006

Im consistently 10mph faster than i think im going. for better or for worse, i dont know. and thats after a concious effort to be more accurate.

R1up0n1 · Mar 23, 2006

jtemple said:
It's not hard to have a good sense of speed on a naked bike. The wind beats the crap out of you. :dthumb:

I love it!

yeah I've been there and done that one already!

Overall I have an excellent sense in how fast I'm going with out looking at the speedo. When I'm out on the twisties I don't care about how fast I'm going...all I know is I'm F'n flyin!

Gas Man · Mar 23, 2006

I have no sense of how fast I'm going on the new chopper. NO IDEA! Sensory overload is right on! Now on my 9R I knew...

On the gear indicator... I had one on the 9R and loved it!

jeeps84 · Mar 23, 2006

The only time I look at the speedO is when a Cop is close.

Rae · Mar 23, 2006

jeeps84 said:
The only time I look at the speedO is when a Cop is close.

:withstupi

as for the gear indicator, i can normally just feel what gear i am in and what i need to be in...no need for one...

stuman · Mar 23, 2006

DLITALIEN said:
On the track people will cover their speedo cuz it scares them. Well for first timers anyway. That gear indicator would be very nice to have.

Race bikes don't have speedos. It's not because it scares the racers, it's just not necessary and is an unwanted distraction.

dnyce · Mar 23, 2006

jtemple said:
It's not hard to have a good sense of speed on a naked bike. The wind beats the crap out of you. :dthumb:

I love it!

at 110+, the wind really beats the crap outa u! but the whistling and the fact that you gota hangon for dear life cuz it feels like your gona get blown off gets old quick. im pretty gd at judging speed wen im on my bike, but the first time i got on the freeway on my buddys gsxr600, i happend to glance at the speedo and i was goin 105! it felt like 55-60, and wen i tucked behind the fairing it was like i had stopped. waaaay diff

Captain Morgan · Mar 23, 2006

Back _Marker said:
i really need a sixth gear indicator.

For all you guys looking for a gear indicator:

http://www.speedwerks.com/catalog/c0m0bm0b0s1pn0p4945np0

DLIT · Mar 23, 2006

stuman said:
Race bikes don't have speedos. It's not because it scares the racers, it's just not necessary and is an unwanted distraction.

I wasn't talking about race bikes. Just everyday bikes that go to track days on occasion. "Scares" was a lack of a better term.

jeeps84 · Mar 25, 2006

If I'm going fast enough into a turn that the speedO would scare me. Chances are that I'm not looking at it in the first place. I would be busy trying to make the damn corner.

Your sense of speed

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