[Burgmanmaniac]

I have a 14 miles stretch of highway (I-95) from my home to my exit for work. The average speed on this stretch is about 80 mph (actual).

My Burg 400 seems to have a top end at 8900 RPM of around 84-85 mph (actual, not indicated speed). Once the Burg engine is broken in properly would it be safe to run the 400 at an indicated 8900 RPM for 14 miles to work? Of course, I would be running at 8900 RPM on the way home as well.

I realize that my Burg can easily do 75 (actual) with no problems but what would be the MAX speed to avoid any engine damage on the highway? Would you limit the RPM to 8500? 8700?

Thanks

 

[ChipDoc]

I'm not a mechanic but I've been told that the motor is designed to run up to red line without any problems at all. Once you go beyond that, you're on your own.

 

[Bolzen]

14 miles sustained? I thought for maniac that should be at least triple digits mileage Just kidding -- think 14 smiles is perfectly OK for a run-in engine.

But that's what the sliders are for. With 18g actual 85 mph is achieved at ~8000. The safe cruising speed (> 100 miles) imo is under 75 actual.

 

[utter chaos]

I drive mine 40 miles of freeway each way to work. I have the speedo at 80 the whole way. almost 70K miles on my 400 and still running strong. I am down at the moment. Seems my rear brake caliper has worn through the guide pins.

 

[Bolzen]

80 on the speedo is exactly under 75 actual -- the speed i consider safe for a longer haul

 

[Turboburg]

Just remember to keep an eye on your oil level. Mine seems to use oil when I travel at high speeds for extended periods.

 

[Liamjs]

I've run near red line many times for extended periods (hours) and have not had a problem. Couple times a day for 10 minutes each, shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

Just remember to keep an eye on your oil level. Mine seems to use oil when I travel at high speeds for extended periods.

Thanks. At an actual 83 mph (91 indicated on the speedo) the 400 is just below the red line. My plan will be to use the tachometer more than the speedometer for my 14 mile highway jaunts. I am one 400 owner who is glad we have a tachometer on the Burg 400 for this very reason.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

I've run near red line many times for extended periods (hours) and have not had a problem. Couple times a day for 10 minutes each, shouldn't be a problem.

What about touching the redline at 9,000 RPM? Have you ever reached a speed of 95 mph (indicated, not actual) on your 400? I bet a 95 mph indicated speed puts the needle into the red zone.

 

[Liamjs]

I've run over red line to 94 actual, 105 indicated, downhill. Ingrid didn't like that much. Had a funny smell afterwards. I don't advise it.

90 actual, 100 indicated, is about red line for me, but I have the stock shield. I hazard to guess its a tad more streamline than the Givi and a little less effort on the engine.

Honestly, I've really ridden this bike about as hard as someone can over the past seven years. Twisties, long distance, high speed, commuting everyday, etc. and she just keeps going. It's running as well, if not better, after 35k. I gotta hand it to Suzuki, its a great machine. I really don't fear of breaking it.

But I could be wrong.

 

[Bolzen]

It's a marvelous machine for what it is for and even a bit more. But don't expect it to be an open road motorcycle, in general none of the 0.4 class is.

Keep it at max power, Maniac, which i believe is around 7600 for stock rollers, but you will hardly be doing any better above that. However if you want to justify your name, i could be wrong just as well.

 

[Quantum Mechanic]

Thanks. At an actual 83 mph (91 indicated on the speedo) the 400 is just below the red line. My plan will be to use the tachometer more than the speedometer for my 14 mile highway jaunts. I am one 400 owner who is glad we have a tachometer on the Burg 400 for this very reason.

Yeah, I'm guessing yours is not fully run in yet and the conforming not finished. So she is probably still tight (eg. by comparison to when it has 6k on the clock) and has a fair bit of friction to overcome. In order to make power she has to rev more to sustain the speed. On the flat, at a genuine gps 90mph mine is revving at 8700 or there abouts. Mine shows 97mph on the speedo at those revs. I believe the top speed on these later models is around 93mph. I don't know anyone with the 400z that has achieved more (by gps reading). Revs can vary though according to belt wear and road conditions. In time your bike should rev more comfortably at higher speeds.

 

[Mike337]

On a downhill, if I remember right, mine maxed out at 95 mph indicated @ 9500 rpm.
I always wondered what a safe cruising rpm was myself.

 

[fernando]

top sustained speed, will vary from rider to rider, weather elements, engine mods, etc.

any bike, including the burgman can go as fast as the rider can go. The engine will take it as long as you've done the proper maintenance drill.

it remains me when i read something about the boss hoss motorcycle with 445HP @ 5700 RPM, where it said something along the lines of "It can go as fast as the driver wants, there is no limit"

safe cruising speed for me is to get ahead of the traffic and not to be surrounded by trucks/cars, generally it is the same as the max limit down here which is 75mph


just remember to keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.

 

[Topless]

One thing that I have observed with my B400 is rpm above 7000, the gas mileage drops a lot. I did a 4-5 mile top end run and the mpg indicator went from 54 to 44.

 

[bkfist]

One thing that I have observed with my B400 is rpm above 7000, the gas mileage drops a lot. I did a 4-5 mile top end run and the mpg indicator went from 54 to 44.

Remember that wind resistance increases by the square of the speed. At 50 it is 4X than at 25 and at 100 mph wind resistance is 16X what it is at 25.

 

[MacDoc]

They are all rather mildly tuned motors - especially the 650 and the motors themselves should be good for a very long haul given the water-cooling.
I've NEVER seen the 650 temp gauge move at all except from cold to the middle and stay there no matter how hard the ride or hot the temp. ( sitting in traffic in 100 degree heat on the Peace Bridge for an hour...the motor was the ONLY thing that did not get over heated.....including me......grrrrrr

And I've run sustained close to full out for a full tank of gas.

 

[Bolzen]

Speaking of 650, this looks just what Doctor ordered for Maniac.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

Yeah, I'm guessing yours is not fully run in yet and the conforming not finished. So she is probably still tight (eg. by comparison to when it has 6k on the clock) and has a fair bit of friction to overcome. In order to make power she has to rev more to sustain the speed. On the flat, at a genuine gps 90mph mine is revving at 8700 or there abouts. Mine shows 97mph on the speedo at those revs. I believe the top speed on these later models is around 93mph. I don't know anyone with the 400z that has achieved more (by gps reading). Revs can vary though according to belt wear and road conditions. In time your bike should rev more comfortably at higher speeds.

Do you agree that the "advisable/recommended" maximum cruising RPM should be just below the redline? Would that be 8700 or 8900 RPM? Regardless of my speed at that RPM I would like to read your opinion on a number for the RPM.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

FYI, an actual speed of 85-90 mph is more than adequate for my 14 mile highway jaunt. I'd like to be able to go 80-85 mph (about 91 indicated) for those 14 miles. I realize that my 400 isn't fully broken in yet and the use of a Givi AF windshield will limit my top end.