Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I was going to make this a poll, but there are too many options really to make a reasonable one, so I'll just ask the question, how fast it too fast in your book?

I personally have the following guideline in my mind -

If the speed limit is 0 to 40, I think I need to stay near the posted speed limit, since these are usually high traffic or high pedestrian areas.

If the speed limit is 40 to 50 I will go near 5 MPH over.

50 and up is usually 10 to 20 MPH over - depending on conditions. Most highways around me 80 MPH seems to be most drivers prefered speed, even in the 55 areas. I won't go way slower than traffic, and that would be what going the speed limit would mean (mostly.).

Out in the boonies I will throw away the rule book for a fast burst - and my top speed has been 120 MPH, but I would not be comfortable riding around that fast all the time. 120 was too fast for public roads.

Anyway, I'd like to hear from both the law abiding and the crooks on this one.

streets usually have a 35mph PSL over here. i go cruise at 50-60mph depending on situations.

highways are 65mph PSL over here. i cruise at 80-90mph depending on situations.

on the twisties... i go around double or more than the PSL or just a little above for those 10mph and 15mph tight hairpins.

on empty freeways... i get crazy, highest i've gone 163mph "indicated" speed.

too fast for me is when you go over double the PSL or when you are draggin knee on the twisties.

of course, there are some guys that are just too big/tall, that they drag knee even if they're not really going that fast.

for my size, i have to be going really fast and leaning really low to drag knee.

In neighborhoods I like to drive 15-20 mph on the small, single streets. Limits there are usually 25, but I drive slow for kids.

In neighborhoods in the major arteries, 30 is comfortable, but if its 25 I will limit it.

On freeways, it depends on traffic. I will travel 45-65 depending on how congested it is, allowing myself ample space for braking if there is a problem ahead.

On interstate highways, I would be comfortable at 75-80mph if traffic is extremely light (I see all these nuts driving bumper-to-bumper in the left lane at 80mph and I have to laugh at the stupidity of it all).

That said, I will always limit myself to the speed limit. There is no logical reason to drive any faster, tickets are not worth it and I donate enough to the govt through my paycheck anyway. The only other reason to speed? Ego...and I can quiet that demon fairly well.

(PS: Stay still, scan!)

I think you're spot-on. Residential streets you stick to the limit. No exceptions.

Highways (40-50) typically have stores and "poo poo" along them, so sticking to the limit is a good idea lest some moron in a Lexus pull out in front of you ("I didn't see the bright yellow motorcycle with its high beams on, officer!"). If you're going to stick to an inner lane, then over a bit is cool.

On the freeway it's all about keeping up, regardless of the posted limit. Most do about 70 on the freeway here, which is actually the limit in some places (Texas is biiiiiig and that 55 MPH limit wasn't ever enforced with any enthusiasm). Once you hit west Texas the speed limit is entirely optional. When there's 50 miles of straight road ahead, without a damn thing in sight but dead brown grass and some cows, you just wing the throttle open and hold on. Nobody cares.

CNF2002 wrote:In neighborhoods I like to drive 15-20 mph on the small, single streets. Limits there are usually 25, but I drive slow for kids.

In neighborhoods in the major arteries, 30 is comfortable, but if its 25 I will limit it.

On freeways, it depends on traffic. I will travel 45-65 depending on how congested it is, allowing myself ample space for braking if there is a problem ahead.

On interstate highways, I would be comfortable at 75-80mph if traffic is extremely light (I see all these nuts driving bumper-to-bumper in the left lane at 80mph and I have to laugh at the stupidity of it all).

That said, I will always limit myself to the speed limit. There is no logical reason to drive any faster, tickets are not worth it and I donate enough to the govt through my paycheck anyway. The only other reason to speed? Ego...and I can quiet that demon fairly well.

(PS: Stay still, scan!)

you drive like a grandma!












just kidding.


anyway... speed for me is not an ego thing... it's about fun and thrills.


i'll go to work now and try to obey the limit.

see you guys later.

is it more or less likely to get nailed by one of our friendly law enforcement officers when speeding on a bike vs. a car (probably makes no difference but thought i would ask)

I usually do 35-40 in a 30 zone, 65 - 80 on the hgihway slated for 55 (but the carpool lanes to cagers means race lane) and in a school zone i go 20 -25. despite that going at or below the limit is asking for trouble from behind... at least in NY it is.

Again these idiots only see a motorcycle speeding but turn a blind eye to a cage going 80 -90 tailgating others (NY, NJ, Conn. and MA.)

I did do 115 on my little vulcan but gas mileage hurts big time and I changed the sprocket count for less RPM's. plus a light cruiser is very unstable above 90.

On residential streets that are 25 mph, it really depends on the street. Some of those streets 30-40mph is normal but than there are others where you really should be going 25mph. I go faster on streets that I know. With how you drive Verm, I'm not surprised you have 2 speeding tickets already. I can see how going over 100 can give you a thrill, but I don't see how going 60 in a 35mph zone can. Do you get a thrill just cause your breaking the limit?

think the fastest i have cruised along on my bike was about 130 or 140 (kmph) in a 110 zone. my bike isn't built for speed and there was a wicked crosswind

usually it's around 10kms over or whatever the flow of traffic is, but i like to let the traffic zoom past me to open a gap of like a quarter mile and then just match speed, so i have a nice open area around me but can see their tail lights when they notice the cop/radar

you drive like a grandma!

grandmas can be fast though. i got passed by a little old lady in what lookd like a Yugo back in the early 90s on my first trip to San Fransisco. Right where the road opens up from like 4 lanes to 8 or 10 lanes for the toll booths. i was going the speed limit or maybe 5 over and this little brown turd of a car zoomed past me, cut across a bunch of lanes, paid her toll and was off like a shot.

MountainManJohnson wrote:is it more or less likely to get nailed by one of our friendly law enforcement officers when speeding on a bike vs. a car (probably makes no difference but thought i would ask)

At least here in Texas it's very rare to see a bike pulled over.