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Top speed frustration

kansjfr

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I've got a 2016 NC700X with about 1400 miles on it, had about 900 miles on it when I bought it eariler this year, obviously hadn't been ridden much. It has a Madstad windshield and bar risers on it, and I put a Seat Concepts seat on it. I can't get the damn thing over 95 mph, wide open throttle. I've put two doses of BG LK 44 gas additive in it, and that seemed to help. I run no-ethanol premium in it, premium so as to get the ethanol-free gas, and that gas additive seemed to help add about 10 mph (over the previous 85 mph). I weigh about 235 lbs and I'm sure my ATGATT adds another 15-20 lbs. Am I being unrealistic for expecting more? Are there any suggestions for achieving a higher top end?
 
It sounds like, under the circumstances, the NC700X is performing as expected. About all you could do for improvement is remove the Madstad, put a stock screen on it, and ride in a tuck. You could possibly fine tune the gearing a bit to maximize top speed potential. If you really need to go faster than 95 mph, perhaps trade for a different motorcycle.

No one on the forum in the past 6 years has expressed much concern over top speed, so we don't have experience to draw upon. I've never had need to go over 75 mph, so I have no idea what my NC's top speed might be.
 
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Top speed is dependent on HP & aerodynamics. Weight is irrelevant so long as the tires aren't being deformed. The engine has low compression, so high octane gas buys nothing. I used a Madstad for a couple of weeks and it added so much drag that now it lives in the attic. Keeping in mind that the relationship between power and speed is exponential, it takes lots more power to go not a whole lot faster.
 
I'd say that's about what we'd expect from this bike.
Mine can get up to about 90 reasonably fast but with its limited power it's not going to get much over that.
And with its suspension and single front brake I wouldn't want to push it at that speed for very long.
 
kansjfr,

Would changing the gearing make any difference? My guess is it would not because the bike might not have the HP to pull higher gearing but there is only one way to find out.

Also, Madstad will sell you a different windscreen and you could conceivably put a smaller one on it but I don't think it would make a big difference.



Slo_Rider
 
Ok, guys, thanks for the replies. It's not that I need to go much faster, just that I thought that it might. By the way, I have 5 motorcycles: 2014 FJR, 2015 Concours, 2008 Suzuki B King (Google it--it's the fastest of the bunch; 150 mph before I chickened out) 2017 Yamaha FZ6R, and the NC700. And no, I'm not some crazy kid; I'm 69, but just like to go fast sometimes. It's good to know that my NC700 is performing about as expected. Thanks again to all who replied.
 
Yes, you're being unrealistic in expecting a top end speed of more than 95 mph. As others have commented, if you really want to go faster buy a different bike.
 
Make sure tire pressure is high enough, you are on a level road or going down hill, and tucking helps, along with no head wind. Leave it in 5th until you get close to red line. Mine will do 105mph on a level road. Bike is not nearly as fast as my '14 FJR.
 
I tend to agree with the comments above taking all aspects into account.
 
Are there any suggestions for achieving a higher top end?

"There is no replacement for displacement"

My 2012 NC700X (671cc) tops out at 94mph
My 2016 Africa Twin (999cc) tops out at 117mph
My 2016 VFR1200X (1237cc) top out at... I'm too scared to find out.
 
I think I posted this before but when I bought the DCT 2015 I bought most of the farkles upfront that I wanted based on prior experience with the manual 2012 NCX. The list included a Madstad and Bark Buster Storms. My 2012 had a smaller and steeply raked National Cycles wind shield and smaller Cycra hand guards and this 2012 would do 105-107 mph but the 2015 just would not break 100 mph. One morning with light to no wind at a safe place I made several passes both directions and noted the just under 100 mph top speed in those conditions of wind/temperature/humidity. I stopped and removed the Madstad windshield/winglets and plastic Bark Buster covers and did several passes both ways and the bike went 105-106 mph without these accessories that added frontal area. My interest that day was not so much as top speed as more along the lines that the DCT engine might not be developing the same power that the manual USA bikes do ( the bikes are delivered in 47.5 and 51 hp versions in various global markets ).

Edit to add these are displayed GPS speeds, not the speedometer displayed speed.
 
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Coming from a BMW K series that I ran up to 135 mph with ease, I have been disappointed with the bike’s acceleration and high speed performance but got used to it. Riding slower makes more sense after 30 years of riding and my age (52). Also, despite what some people say, using speed and power to avoid dangerous situations is kind of bullshit. Speed and power create more issues than they relieve. 100 mph is the fastest I have gone on MY NC DCT.
 
In Arizona the speed limit is 75. So, I usually cruise at that or 80. Sometimes I hit 85 when passing or trying to get ahead of a pack of traffic. That's about it for me. 3500 interstate miles this year to California and back a couple of times and it did just fine.
 
It's actually 74cc diff. 745 vs. 671.

I'm curious in the speed difference as well. I've heard the 750's are geared differently though, not sure if its accurate or not.
 
It's actually 74cc diff. 745 vs. 671.

I'm curious in the speed difference as well. I've heard the 750's are geared differently though, not sure if its accurate or not.

It’s actually 745cc vs. 670cc. Haha, I should know.
 
My stock 2013 xc700x got it up to 119 coming off why 4 at the vista point, 101 on the flats. My 2014 with a V-Stream wind shield gets about 95mph!
 
Are these top speeds in 6th gear?
Or in 5th in manual mode?

I personally wouldn't bother trying for a speed record, what with the bike's low rev limit, weak suspension and my dual windscreens.
 
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