[SteelTraveler]

This forum absolutely does not need another Harley bashing thread. I am simply seeking info. I know that alot of the GW riders on this board have owned a Harley at one time or other. August issue of Rider magazine had a short article by James Parchman on the Harley Road King Classic. He states, "the Harley 103 ci engine was an enigma; wonderful, increased torque in midrange, it will cruise at 85 mph all day long. But then it becomes a winded thoroughbred; I couldn't attain triple digits."

Can this be true? Hard to believe. Harley's larger 103 ci can't do 100 mph. If that is true, I wonder about the top speed of their stock 96 ci ?

While we're on the subject...what is the top speed for a Goldwing? I had mine to 118 mph once. The steering started to feel a little vague (like the front wheel was floating a little bit, so I backed off. Don't really know how much more it had in it.

 

[RodFarmer]

I imagine it is true unless he down shifts to 5th. He's only turning around 2500 RPM at 85. There isn't a lot of horsepower there. I haven't been over 90 - 95 on mine when passing somebody. I have no desire to know how fast I can go, not worth the grief if I run through radar.

 

[danmac]

Probably can't hit 100 because it was in 6th gear. :shrug: I have had Road Kings in the past and have had them to 100 a few times. They don't like going that
fast but can be done. Stage ll kit installed! Have had the Wing to 120 or so
but don't like going that fast anymore...Back in '02 with my new Wing I was up to 130 one time. Don't really like going that fast anymore. At 64 now, I value
life more each year...:lol:

 

[artmann]

I have seen my Goldwing at 128mph, GPS verified. The speedometer read considerably faster than that. It took it a little while to achieve the last few mph. The engine was not redlined but just didn't have the power to overcome any more wind resistance. I have run tank to tank on I-65 with the cruise control set on 100mph.

It is no surprise to me that the Harley Davidson doesn't perform nearly as well. I'm not sure that even the top level Screamin' Eagle stuff will bring it up to the same performance as a stock Goldwing. The unique sound and other qualities of the air cooled V-twin engine that so many people like dictate a technically limited and obsolete design.

 

[louieg]

?

While we're on the subject...what is the top speed for a Goldwing? I had mine to 118 mph once. The steering started to feel a little vague (like the front wheel was floating a little bit, so I backed off. Don't really know how much more it had in it.

Uh oh, you're going to get people to start telling lies now.


...louie

 

[Allen Dye]

Most of the magazines have mesured the top end of the Ultras and Road Kings in the 103-105 range with the 96 cube engine. Probably done by winding out fifth before shifting to sixth. The 103 engine barely makes more hp than the 96, maybe four more horses, not enought to add much more speed. The Wing, with about 60% more rear wheel horses is certainly going to be faster than a stock Harley. Someone (I'm not admitting to anything) saw almost 120 on mine in Texas and it was still gaining fast. My speedo is fast by four at sixty and still fast by four at 80, GPS checked, so maybe it's not off by more than four or five at 120. Figure there's enough in the old girl to push close to 130 if there's no headwind or up grade.

 

[the wva cardinal]

135 mph

Coming back to I-40 from Meteor Crater AZ is a 5 mile long two lane road that is rather strait...

The governor is supposed to stop you gaining speed at 135 on a Goldwing, mine will do 136 GPS before I let go of the throttle, it will do the advertised 135 MPH...

It also felt very stable at that speed and I’ve got the video to prove it... No it will never be shown here...

 

[Biker John]

I’ve got the video to prove it... No it will never be shown here...

Oh com'on, I'd like to see it. :lol:

 

[paciia]

I am no expert on any bike-wing or harley, but I will tell you what I have experienced. My boss and very good friend is a Harley guy!! He owns 4. When I bought my wing and took it to work, he immediatly wanted to race. After 2 of his harly's were beaten badly he brought his roadking sceaming eagle out. From a rolling start to 100 out ran him by just enough to know he was beaten. He quit at 100. When we stopped, he said " I was running out of power and you were just gettin into yours!!" He was right about the wing. It had some left-dont know how much, but I wasnt at the end of the motor!! Good to know(not sure why)!!

 

[Allen Dye]

I imagine it is true unless he down shifts to 5th. He's only turning around 2500 RPM at 85. There isn't a lot of horsepower there. I haven't been over 90 - 95 on mine when passing somebody. I have no desire to know how fast I can go, not worth the grief if I run through radar.

Rod, my Limited is turning around 2300-2400 in sixth at sixty, it is certainly turning more than that at eighty. I know that Harley lowered the gearing when they changed the frame in 09, so the older touring Harleys might be as low as 2500 rpm at eighty but the mine turns more than that.

 

[pshivers]

Shortly after I purchased my new 2005 GL1800A I rented a 2005 Fatboy for the the Long Memorial Day Weekend. (Had to scratch a "Harley Itch" and be done with it.) The Fatboy was showroom stock (88ci engine?) with Windshield, backrest and leather saddlebags.

The Fatboy was a very enjoyable ride, put over 1,000 miles on it over 4 days. I did open her wide up when I was riding with a friend on his Wide-Glide. The Fatboy would not pass 103 mph according to it's speedometer. I felt that was probably a good thing as it felt like the frame was flexing a bit at that speed, not a very reassuring feeling.

Fantastic bike for putting up and down the coast, really enjoyed it.

I also took a my '05 GL1800 to 132 mph (Uncorrected Honda speedometer) about the same time. Could not resist taking on an old KZ1000 setup for drag racing. Something very wrong with that old bike as it starting coughing and spitting around 100 mph, sure did look nice though...

 

[kwthom]

Coming back to I-40 from Meteor Crater AZ is a 5 mile long two lane road that is rather strait......

Now that's a crappy road...have a better one for ya - the Nye County segment is better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_State_Route_267

:lol:

 

[Matt(BCNV)]

Had mine at a "click" under 125 on the speedo once..... I would guess there is "not much more" in there...if there is I will let someone else find it..

LOL

Matt(BCNV):lol:

 

[RodFarmer]

Rod, my Limited is turning around 2300-2400 in sixth at sixty, it is certainly turning more than that at eighty. I know that Harley lowered the gearing when they changed the frame in 09, so the older touring Harleys might be as low as 2500 rpm at eighty but the mine turns more than that.

I'll buy that. I have a Limited.
I usally don't shift to 6th till at least 65 or 70.
To be roughly exact it is 26 miles per 1K. So at 3K, it would be 78.

 

[TXREALTOR]

Kind of a loaded question. HD's will run 100+/-. There are so many upgrades that can be done that it is kind of difficult to say for sure. Do the upgrades raise top end, or just get it there faster? I can't say. It does seem to comprimise the longivity of the engine, but to some that isn't a problem. I ride with a lot of HD'd but we don't do triple digits. They seem very capable of 80-85 for long distance but about 100 is as fast as I have seen them.
As for a Wing, I was passing and needed to go, stopped at 120. It will do that anyway.

 

[Allen Dye]

I'll buy that. I have a Limited.
I usally don't shift to 6th till at least 65 or 70.
To be roughly exact it is 26 miles per 1K. So at 3K, it would be 78.

Mine has always pulled pretty good, not great but good, at sixty in sixth, at least on level ground. Since I put the SE 255s in it pulls a lot better between 2000 and 2500 than it did stock. Still doesn't have near the low end torque the Wing has, but it's a lot better than it was stock.

 

[bob2002]

My 07 Ultra was a 107 with Baisley Super Stock heads,Andrews 26 cams,SE air filter and custom exhaust that wasn't real loud so it was probably a little restrictive by Harley standards but taking it almost to 6000 RPM in 5th then shifting to 6th it would almost do 120,its something that I didn't care to do too often it sounded like it was going to fly apart. My 09 was a 103 with pretty much the same set up,both were happy in the 80-90 range if I wanted to ride that fast but after that I really had to push them. In stock form they were just doggy,hot and it seemed I was always shifting.

 

[Allen Dye]

Hot, doggy and always shifting, yep, that's a stock Harley. That's the reason I went with the 255s. There are a lot of cams that will produce much more horses than the 255s, but most produce that power higher in rpm band. The only setups I've seen produce the same bottom end as 255 were usually really high power builds. If you build a Harley to make 130 hp it usually makes more power everywhere.

 

[landglider]

I traded in a 2006 SE V-Rod for my 2008 Gold Wing (best motorcycling decision I ever made

Still own a 2002 V-Rod. Anybody wanting a fast Harley just buy a v-rod. They will do 130/140.

 

[bob2002]

If I had it to do over again I would buy a 06 ultra and put the SE six speed in it and nothing else. I believe HD has gone beyond the design limits for the twin cam IMHO.