It seems that everyone bitches about their 883 being uncomfortable at speeds > 70mph. I am a new rider so maybe I'm just stupid, but I regularly ride at 80-90 in the HOV. I've had the bike up to ~110 on the turnpike here in Dallas, and I will admit that was uncomfortable. I was scared to even look down at the speedo.

Granted I don't know what mods have been done to my bike as I bought it used, other than a SE AC, and some pipes, BUT...

At 85mph I don't feel like the motor will blow up. I don't feel like my teeth will rattle out. Don't feel like its wobbly and I don't feel like I'm gonna come off the bike.

Whats the deal?

 

mine runs just like yours. i've never had it over 90 tho, haven't tried but there was a little left. my usual cruising is about 75.

 

You didn’t say if your bike had the rubber motor mounts on it or not or how many continuous miles you ride at that 80-85-90 MPH rate, but what the deal is, in my opinion, generally speaking, and from what I have heard others say and have read by others, is that on a STOCK non-rubber motor mounted XL883 at, say, 80 MPH +, the vibrations generated at that RPM from the engine are much more noticeable than at, say, the vibrations generated by the engine at 65 MPH and so some people, in an attempt at comfort, resort to changing the size of their Pulleys or Sprockets to allow the bike to maintain those same 80 MPH+ speeds but with a lower engine RPM, somewhat closer to the 65 MPH RPM range and thereby reducing the intensity of the engine generated vibrations and increasing their MPG as well. I do agree with you in that at 100 MPH+ the bike seems to be at or very near its performance limits and everything is moving along rather quickly and that it is a bit unnerving at that speed. That said, I seriously doubt that going a few hundred miles at 90 MPH will blow up your motor either. I have mounted a Tachometer on my ’99 XL1883 and because of that I know about where the RPM range is at any given MPH and on a STOCK XL883 at 90 MPH you are heading towards the engines RPM Redline and riding all day long through desert like heat at that speed just can’t be a good thing for the motor even if you don’t mind doing it and can handle the vibrations with no problems. I even find that at the 80-90 MPH range, the front end can be induced to wobble a bit under certain conditions and I ended up installing a front fork brace to help with that issue. Plus, unless you have no other point of reference to compare to, a new rider would not know how smooth and comfortable a different bike could be at those same speeds, and so may not think the XL883 shakes very much at all, but to a Honda Goldwing rider on an XL883, there’s a whole lot of shaking going on. (Sorry, Jerry Lee) I hope that I have been able to address your question sufficiently. Take care and ride safe.

 

I wouldn't know I have never gone faster than 35 MPH

 

It's not that it's uncomfortable cut I can hear the engine really struggling and I don't like that.

 

I do have an '06 rubber mount. I think XLCR4GM is right about not having another point of reference, because my sporty is all I've ever ridden. Other than the 250cc zuki at the MSF. I usually travel about 12 miles to and from work on I-35 doing 80+. No Windshield, but I do wear a FF Shoei helmet. Not a chance with the half shell.

 

Glad you are enjoyin the 883. I've always felt fine at any speed. My guy tops out at around 95 though. I'm sure it has to do with me being 6'3'' 280. We will see what the stage one does at somepoint, but I am enjoying it to the fullest.

 

Mine feels perfectly fine at high speeds, smooth. No complaints here.

 

mine's down right scarey with the floating apes at high speeds....

 

Yeah...I think I would be scared chitless with those bars too.