I'd say this thread has pretty much backfired, and that I believe less than half of what I read on this forum.

In my experience, the REALLY good riders in terms of training, skill and talent to do the right thing with a bike going very fast do NOT ride that way except on closed courses and tracks. And that's basically for the reason noted in the OP: No matter how good you are, if you don't have time to react, you can't react.

I ride where there is abundant wildlife. Stupid cager AND biker moves one can generally see coming. Not so with wildlife, much of which is camouflaged to the point of being INVISIBLE, day or night, until it's too late. And that's going the posted limit. Just last year, a speeding rider in our very small and tight-knit community essentially killed his wife by speeding at dusk and not noticing a bull Elk until it was WAY too late. Under the conditions extant, he should have knocked 10 or 15 mph OFF the limit and, if he had, it's quite likely he could have avoided the elk. He was mighty proud of his riding abilities. Now he has to live with THAT for the rest of his life.

Rationalize all you want; if you're screaming around above the limit on public roads, even when they're dry, you're the only one (you can see) out there, and visibility is unlimited... speed, defined as lack of adequate reaction time, kills. Save it for track day, or at least a closed course.

 

On the slab and needing to cover distance, 80-85 is the norm.

 

Having ridden everything on two wheels for over 40 years I've done everything from racing motocross in my younger years, racing street bikes on the track (and off-not proud of that) ridden a POS BMW across Europe and Asia, ran track days with my Ducati 1198S and now days cruising with my RK. I typically run 7 to 10 above traffic so that I control my lane position not someone else.

It is the rare occurrence in this area that at least one rider doesn't do himself in over the weekend by riding at unsafely through traffic. With the weather warming, I'm afraid we'll see more of it as the squids and weekend bikers pull out the bikes.

Here's my pucker......I lost a rear tire to a sudden and explosive flat at approximately 140+ MPH (wasn't looking at speedometer but buddy said we were) on an old Honda Interceptor that I owned. It's amazing how time seems to slow down in those case but I was able to ride it out and get the bike slowed and stopped without any serious damage to the bike or me. I've dumped bikes, wrecked bikes, high sided, low sided, flipped them (both ways), even fallen into ditches on bikes but this was the one time that I was certain I would be killed if I didn't get a handle on what was a bucking bronco at that speed.

My most recent pucker was probably three years ago on a heavily traveled freeway in the DFW metroplex. Our part of the highway was merging with another highway at a very busy interchange and I was in the #3 lane from the left of 5 lanes headed west. A car from the #1 lane travels across two lanes of traffic in an attempt to make an exit and hit their brakes HARD right in front of me. Both brakes on, but the 2009 RKC is not equipped with ABS and the rear brake had a nasty habit of locking which it did on cue and the big ol' beast was instantly sideways. I could see the left saddlebag in the corner of my eye and having been sideways on bikes before and I knew that if I didn't get the bike slowed down before I got off the rear brake I ran the risk of being pitched off in a high side. The car in front of me was getting closer and closer so I squeezed that front brake even harder which allowed me to get the fat pig slowed enough to get off the rear brake and get it straightened out. Oh yeah, rest assured I flipped off the dumbass who cut across all those lanes of traffic but I doubt they knew why.

What upset me most of all I think, was that I allowed myself to be put in that situation. I was trapped on all sides and did not have a way out. HUGE mistake and I know better. I don't know what I was thinking about that caused me to be inattentive and to not anticipate the bonehead move that I knew drivers did in that area. Just a little reminder for me!

Remember to ride OFFENSIVELY at all times!

 

Back in my sport bike days, we would hit the 130-140 range on some straights going up one of the mountains we used to run.

I have seen 110 on my Lo.

 

I've hit just over 100 one time on my bike just to do it. When cruising, I usually don't go over 65-70. Going fast on a harley just isn't fun to me. Fastest I've ever gone on a bike was maybe 130 on my dads BMW. On that bike it didn't even feel that fast.

 

\

Garryowen !

1/7 Cav, 95-97

 

Small world. 1/7 Cav 90-92 (Desert Storm). Garryowen!!!

 

I rarely go past 60mph unless I'm on the interstate and have to run with traffic. I bought my bike to cruise and sight see...not race. I'm 30 years old. Even when I bought my first harley at 19 I was the same way. Never cared for hauling *** on a harley.

 

I have ridden several models of HD, but am amazed at how easily my 103 Street Glide blows through 110 mph. Feels like the engine could do more, but the chassis was telling me that slowing down was a good idea.

I don't like running at those speeds, but knowing the bike is capable is pretty reassuring.

 

I will also add that my Lo with the 103 cruises at 85-90 with ease. My Evo not so much.