KZ650 SR

Depending where you get your specs from, top speed for my 81 kz305 varies from 86mph to 97mph.
I think 86mph is more realistic.
I just got my bike running well enough today to give it a good work out. On level highway, no wind, and sitting in a standard riding position, I could hit 84mph at 7,800rpm. (speed confirmed by gps.)
I'm thinking the sites listing 97mph are calculating a top speed if the bike could hit red line in high gear.

Maybe this guy could get the bike to go 97 mph. :laugh: Ed

World's Fastest Indian. Great story, and a must-see movie for any motorcyclist.

Motorcycle magazines competed with each other to see who could get the most out of every motorcycle they evaluated. This sometimes led to some shenanigans. It was pretty common practice for them to hire the tiniest professional rider they could get, to wring every last mph and lose every .01 second they possibly could. Racing tires, very careful "tuning" and the like were often employed.
The Internet has greatly multiplied the number of inflated, unreliable performance numbers available to enthusiasts these days.

The engine rpms & overall reduction ratio plus the size of the rear wheel can be used to calculate the speed.
Non-stock sprockets will change the listed reduction ratio & a different wheel size can change the calculations.

From EB a KZ305 tachometer has a 10000 rpm redline, so using that number & 24.5" rear wheel diameter, I calculated a max speed of 99.2 mph (theoretical). I came up with a speed of 77.5 mph @ 7800 rpms. And 89.4 mph @ 9000 rpms (same as gearing commander).

TexasKZ wrote: World's Fastest Indian. Great story, and a must-see movie for any motorcyclist.

Motorcycle magazines competed with each other to see who could get the most out of every motorcycle they evaluated. This sometimes led to some shenanigans. It was pretty common practice for them to hire the tiniest professional rider they could get, to wring every last mph and lose every .01 second they possibly could. Racing tires, very careful "tuning" and the like were often employed.
The Internet has greatly multiplied the number of inflated, unreliable performance numbers available to enthusiasts these days.

PEE WEE Gleason was the most sought after rider to wring out test bikes.
Small, light guy, with quick reaction times and no fear of the machines
Dave