How hard are you on your bike?

[Bite the bullet]

Yesterday I took a nice ride through the city (NYC) with my buddy in near spring like temps (see pics below). During which, he mentioned twice that I ride the bike much harder than what it's designed for. Yes, this is not a bike built for speed. However, I do enjoy riding out the gears now and then, especially with the new exhaust. There are times when on the BQE (major expressway) I will hold the bike pinned for long runs at a time in 5th, but only to avoid being mowed down. My question is, can I drive this bike the way I see fit, or am I just going to kill the thing prematurely.

[Bite the bullet]

Above is a pic from Indian Larry's shop In BK.  Local legend.

[Bite the bullet]

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[GSS]

As long as it was broken in properly and you keep up with the usual maintenance, there is nothing to fear! Have fun and stay safe.

GSS

[TWinOKC]

I wouldn't worry about hurtin the bike, if you're not hittin the rev limiter (too often) you're okay.

Just don't hammer it for long periods of time. Wide Open Throttle

Assuming the bike is already broken in.   

[BRADEY]

I would say, this bike was built to be ridden long distance, but within its limits. It has a sweet spot, and it likes to be driven there. Though you can have occassional fun with it, but its not a Japanese pocket rocket !

[motorat]

it looks like you can defy gravity. 
me i don't ride too hard as i am almost never in a hurry to get anywhere

[Ragmas]

Let me know if you want to climb up out of the city, we can do some hudson valley northern westchester rides.

Samgar

[boggy]

he mentioned twice that I ride the bike much harder than what it's designed for.

The Bullet has been around a long time and in its few forms, from Iron to AVL to UCE, it's been ridden hard by plenty of people.  I think you would feel it if it didn't like the way you were pushing it.  I say ride it like you want and don't worry about your friend being upset that you are making his 500 pound Triumph look bad 

[ace.cafe]

I would say it depends on how long you consider "long time periods with the throttle pinned in top gear".

No consumer road vehicle is designed to be continuously operated at maximum speed.

[barenekd]

Ride it like you stole it. It's got a two year warranty. If it blows up, you'll know better than that to ride it that hard the next time around! Of course, if it blows up after 25 months..Well....
On the other hand, if you want to save a lot of money on gas...slow down!
Bare

[tooseevee]

Above is a pic from Indian Larry's shop In BK.  Local legend.

              Larry's a long long time hero of mine. Honorable man, sadly missed. I wish I lived closer to the shop. I saw Bob Seger at a bike show recently, we talked for a couple hours.

               Here's my at the time empty left hand which I had inked shortly after Larry's death:

[gremlin]

.............I will hold the bike pinned for long runs at a time in 5th, but only to avoid being mowed down. My question is, can I drive this bike the way I see fit, or am I just going to kill the thing prematurely.

I commute 20 miles each way on the expressway with the throttle near the top.

Have been doing it since the 600 mile mark.   3700 miles on it now.  smooth as silk.

[Bite the bullet]

Thanks for all the feedback. I knew this question was subjective when I posed it, in that what's really considered a "hard" or "normal" way of riding. I'll stick with Bare's advice of riding it like it's stolen. @tooseevee, his shop is a must see for a fan such as yourself. From the "gift shop" area, you can watch them work on the bikes in the garage.

[Chuck D]

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Yo! You went to Farrell's and you didn't call me?

[Kevin Mahoney]

Bob Seger - would I have loved to be in that conversation. I love his music

[tooseevee]

Bob Seger - would I have loved to be in that conversation. I love his music

            I'm sorry, Kevin. I spelled Bobby Seeger's name wrong & gave you the wrong impression.

             Bobby & Elisa Seeger run the business side of what is now known as "Indian Larry Legacy", the shop + all the merchandising stuff. Bobby also travels doing bike shows with 5 or 6 of Larry's bikes + a few others from the shop & three tons of T-shirts 

              I, too, am also a rabid longtime Bob Seger fan.

[Bite the bullet]

Yo! You went to Farrell's and you didn't call me?

-Too funny man. Good eye.

[Chuck D]

-Too funny man. Good eye.

[no bs]

i push mine pretty hard at times. it does not seem too unhappy at an indicated 70 mph. does not like a stiff headwind. so far, so goood!

[Rich Mintz]

I have about 1200 mi on the odometer. After about 300 miles of highway riding in a week, I was surprised and pleased to learn that the bike is perfectly capable of doing a sustained 65-70mph. (I didn't push it higher, but I think it could have gone a bit higher than 70.)

When you're cruising at 65-70 you don't have much pickup, so I wouldn't do it in situations where there's a lot of merging traffic and so forth. And if you drop off the throttle to let someone in from the right, you have to peg it to get back up to 70. But it is doable.

When I'm riding at high speed it's not the vibration that bothers me, it's the headwind. If there's much wind, my body is like a sail and my large full-face helmet is jerked around. It's not dangerous, it's just annoying and uncomfortable. (I'll post video of my ride over the upper deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and you'll see what I mean.)

Just like everyone says, it'll go faster when it needs to, but the most comfortable highway speed for this bike is 55-60mph. It was beautiful to ride on fresh blacktop on I-295 in South Jersey at 60mph on the right lane, with cars passing me at slightly higher speeds. I could have done that for a hundred miles.

[barenekd]

When I'm riding at high speed it's not the vibration that bothers me, it's the headwind. If there's much wind, my body is like a sail and my large full-face helmet is jerked around.

Put a small flyscreen on it. It doesn't take much. It will do wonders!
This one is from Hitchcock. Love it!
Bare