Question How fast feels safe to you?

[Forest Dweller]

I bought a 2006 FZ6 last year and I've been gradually getting to know the bike. There's a couple of straight stretches near where I live and in the absence of police, I've been gradually working up the speed. I'm approaching 200km/hr and I'm wondering how other people are faring with seeing how fast the bike will go. I'm quite cautious as the bike has 30,000 and is understandably old. The bike sounds and feels fine at 190+ but I don't want to go launching into the air at that speed. Also, I'm 76 and my reactions are pretty good but nothing compared to how they were when I was 20. I'm wondering what other riders have experienced when laying on the throttle?

 

[Gary in NJ]

You are right there. The bike when new had a top speed of 130mph/210kph.

I hope to riding when I’m 76 (just 14 years) let alone exploring the top speed of my bike.

 

[Motogiro]

How fast feels safe to me is basically based on too many factors. When I watch videos of crashes my take is usually the person was too fast for the conditions but when you're testing the limits those considerations are out the window. My thrill is in the turns. The skill is the important bar which includes owning the responsibility of when the planets don't line up for you.
I've had some decent injuries from Hoonerville and because I have that knuckle head DNA chromosome it never stopped me from going fast. My take is enjoy riding but also consider others around you.

 

[bryancraftyhands]

I agree with what Motogiro said, it depends on too many factors.
When everyone was staying home, I was on my way back from work and realized I was still doing 65 in a zone where I usually have to slow down to 45 and had a sort of panic when I realized it, but there was maybe 10 vehicles around me instead of the usual couple hundred and we were all still doing 65.
There were times on the way in to that job where there were usually nobody around me at 5a.m where the only thing that slowed me down was that it was dark, often cold, and I would get to thinking how many seconds I would be airborne if a deer decided to run into me and I didn't hit a utility pole or oncoming vehicle first. Also that I would die of hypothermia before anybody found me or an ambulance go there. I've been to 3rd stage and that's a painful way to go. I'm sure more so if something is broke.
Then there are the times where I've got almost nothing around me and can see far ahead of me and nothing in front of me, but mine tops out at (plea the 5th) with me on it. Not bad for an 18 year old with 50K+ miles and a 190lb person on it. I had a small sport car that could do 125mph with a V6 and handled beautifully at that speed. Acceleration, braking steering were top notch and became something I compare a lot of vehicles to. This bike goes faster and handles at least as well aside from maybe braking. I've never had to test how fast it will stop fortunately.,

 

[agf]

As I get older, and no longer commute to a 9-5 I tend to ride less but enjoy it more when I do. the right wrist still has a tendency to move a little faster than laws allow but I am always trying to balance that with my hip pocket and the overall desire to maximise my remaining riding enjoyment time allocation. Certainly its a vexed question.The deer, or here, the kangaroo, is always the one unknown factor that truly throws a spanner into the works. That old adage of being able to see far enough in front to be able to react accordingly takes on a stronger meaning the older I get. I cringe at the thought of gravel rash and broken appendages, I'd hate to see my ride trashed through my own foolishness, it'd be bad enough if caused by some other wanker. Then throw into the mix overall road conditions, pot holes, tar snakes gravel, camber. Damn there's only one answer:


It depends.......

 

[RedWasp]

As I get older, and no longer commute to a 9-5 I tend to ride less but enjoy it more when I do. the right wrist still has a tendency to move a little faster than laws allow but I am always trying to balance that with my hip pocket and the overall desire to maximise my remaining riding enjoyment time allocation. Certainly its a vexed question.The deer, or here, the kangaroo, is always the one unknown factor that truly throws a spanner into the works. That old adage of being able to see far enough in front to be able to react accordingly takes on a stronger meaning the older I get. I cringe at the thought of gravel rash and broken appendages, I'd hate to see my ride trashed through my own foolishness, it'd be bad enough if caused by some other wanker. Then throw into the mix overall road conditions, pot holes, tar snakes gravel, camber. Damn there's only one answer:


It depends.......

That was the perfect answer.


The older I get the faster I was