Max comfortable cruizing speed

[Lank]

I feel like the max speed I would sustain is about 3750 RPM with my 1150GS. After that I get a slight med freq vibe in the pegs and grips. Becomes more pronounced at about 5000 to 5.5. Anyway 3750 is shy of 80. Just interested in knowing how others feel about vibrations in R bikes realizing of course that everyones tolerance and opinions will differ. Just wondering as I read alot about sync and valve adjusts as a means to minimize this. Does it really work or are we just thinking it does. I suspect adjusts would have to be quite a bit off to feel much. Are our dealer networks making work for themselves?

[DarrylRi]

I dunno. I cruise around the German autobahns between 90 and 110 on my '94 R1100RS and find it quite comfortable.

(The choice generally has to do with whether I'm in a hurry and don't mind using the extra, very expensive, gas -- about $7.50/gal this summer. I once followed a friend on a K bike on the Italian Autostrada at pretty much WFO speeds, 130+ indicated, and got only about 30 mpg...)

[rinty]

My 1150 RS ran smoothest in sixth gear at rpms of 4,000 to 5,000.

In 5th gear, it would smooth out significantly in the 4,700 to 5,000 range.

I believe top gear on the RS and GS, is the same.

[breyfogle]

I find that my 1100RS very much likes to run at least 4000 RPM. Below that, its below its powerband and lugs a bit if I open the throttle. 4500RPM is sweet and 5000 is still good (but impractical on US highways).

[bikerfish1100]

2001 R11S- Anything between about 3500 on up to about 6K, is really it's comfort zone. Above 6K is more reserved for canyon strafing and such.

If you're getting such vibration levels above 3800 that you won't ride there.... you really do need to do a good valve adj & TBS. No, it's not our collective imagination. Yes, it can make that much of a difference.

[mcollect]

I have an R1150r and can tell you that the valve plus TB synch works. When I bought this bike from a dealer, all prepped it had a bad vibration at 3500. I checked the valves right on the mark, but the TBs were off a bit. I synched them myself and now no vibration that matters: these are twin opposed cylinders. Buy some TB synch tool, twinmax is a good one. Do it yourself along with a valve adjustment. For the cost of all the tools you couldn't get even get that done at a dealer, you have a better running bike and the next time you do it it is free. These are really simple bikes to work on. Even a Luddite like myself can do it!

[Lank]

Interesting feedback. thanks. I have adjusted the valves which did not change anything. I think I"ll sync the beast soon. Will order a tool this evening if I can find one. My vibration is not at all excessive, I can ride at any speed and have. well never as much speed as my RD Yamaha will produce but close. But for ABSOLUTE smoothness less than 4000.

[dnixon]

Got mine last week from casporttouring.com

$10 cheaper than everyone else.

[Lank]

Still not quite sure about this sync thing. I would like to ride 10 similar bikes and see how the vibes are. A TB Sync sets the off idle open. With a common exhaust the sync would be about irrelevant at RPM due to back pressure. As in mechanically synced vs dynamically synced. I believe a balance shaft has a sweet spot and that is what I would like to know. What RPM. Maybe called the Q factor! Don't know much about this stuff but find it hard to believe that an inherently unbalanced engine can be very smooth at high RPM. Mine is smooth to just a tad under 4000 then I feel some vibes in the grips and pegs. Now a Gold Wing 4 cyl or a 2 stroke twin maybe. Is this "Sync thing" just a way to spend money assuming bike was set up properly from the start?

[bikerfish1100]

a full and correct TBS procedure includes setting idle speed sync with some variety of measuring devince (fluid manometer, TwinMax, etc), and then setting TB balance at +/- 4K rpm with a cable synchronization. Togther, that is a "full TBS".

I don't know too many places where you would be able to ride 10 different 1150 GSs as you desire.
trust our collective experience or not- your choice. :dunno

[henzilla]

And even with a well tuned and synced engine...the boxers are a large displacement twin...they are going to buzz compared to an inline four no matter what you do. These engines are designed to crank up the RPM's...On my 1100S, fun starts after 4900...my 09 GSA...it loves to be over 4000 any day and has buzzed in the pegs since day one . I have had 8 boxers, three were Hexheads, at one time all well tuned...they all buzzed...now that K bike...well, it quietly and smoothly roars!

When doing TB sync, I check them at idle then with a large fan in front of engine I run the RPM up to say 2000+ and up to check and balance at "speed". Most times it is a cable adjustment issue due to stretching.

[SIBUD]

Lets just say that 80 isn't too fast. :dance

I don't like to have the RPM's under 4,000. Lugs the engine.