Top Speed?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 791
From: Heart of Dixie
Mine's geared to do about 125 redlined in 4th. The old Ironhead motor isn't very happy over 5000 rpm (100 mph), though - the vibration gets prohibitive over that speed, so I don't know if it will really pull redline in top gear. I'd like to ride it many more years without a catastrophic failure, so I don't want to flog it too much. Acceleration from 70 to 95 (or so) is impressive for an old bike like this, and the high gearing I put on it gives it a real sweet spot cruising at 65 to about 80 mph. The fairing helps calm things down at high speed, too...
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,541
Likes: 1
From: Nuevo México, Los Estados Unidos de América
That's why I never understood the appeal of the "fat" sportsters. I thought the idea was to be stripped down and light. A sportster should outperform a dyna given similar modifications. But it seems like all the Harley's are getting perpetually fatter... an Ironhead sportster is significantly lighter than anything that's come out recently. And then after the rubber-mount in 2004 (I think) sportsters became like mini-dynas.
Account Deactivated
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 8
From: Central Florida
I hear ya Anogar,,,
And so you should,,Big speed Is only for the Track Or completly empty Interstates or Hiways with NO side roads.
My 2 or 3 times over 100 was On the Interstate,,perfect pavement,,perfect conditions,,NO other vehicles anywhere In front of me,
And I could see all the road I would need for a safe stop.
I only go there because I'm amazed at how smooth my Roadster is at those speeds,, Once I got the fork brace and Qtr fairing I had to try.
BTW guys I can do this comfortably sitting up right. That Fairing really smooths the air flow out.
The Thing I can't figure out Is the engine, Its a rubber mount an efi,,,, The vibes that do come through are nothing,,But
what confuses me Is they start about 3,700 rpm and vanish about 4,200 rpm,,I turn 3,500 at 75.
My 2 or 3 times over 100 was On the Interstate,,perfect pavement,,perfect conditions,,NO other vehicles anywhere In front of me,
And I could see all the road I would need for a safe stop.
I only go there because I'm amazed at how smooth my Roadster is at those speeds,, Once I got the fork brace and Qtr fairing I had to try.
BTW guys I can do this comfortably sitting up right. That Fairing really smooths the air flow out.
The Thing I can't figure out Is the engine, Its a rubber mount an efi,,,, The vibes that do come through are nothing,,But
what confuses me Is they start about 3,700 rpm and vanish about 4,200 rpm,,I turn 3,500 at 75.
Last edited by Osco; Aug 4, 2010 at 03:16 PM.
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rfranz1952
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Mar 12, 2008 04:13 PM
