after buying the bike, the first time on the highway in the left lane realized that it was a mistake. now I'm content to being in the middle lane, except when passing. I know the limitations of this bike on the highway and adjust my riding for it. I don't have any issues when I'm ready to pass someone.
Himalayan Running Highway Speeds.
- Thread starter Dr.Fizzy
- Start date
Pirate
Well travelled
- Location
- Aldershot, UK
Rode on a motorway for about 30 minutes today (went to get my Covid vaccination). My bike has done 3500 miles and I was pretty careful when I ran the engine in. I found that 70mph was an absolute breeze, even up a slight incline and I hit 75 regularly without really trying. OK, it was just me on the bike - not even a top box let alone luggage or a pillion but still, I reckon the bike would have been fine for ages at that speed. I might be knackered after a few hours at top speed but I feel my bike would be just fine.
oldphart
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide, South Australia
No no no. You can't go over 90km/hr or it'll explode! Don't you listen to the people ride jap bikes and german bikes?
Sorry. I'm getting very fed up with the uneducated hate we have to put up with.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
There is more to highspeed running than the bikes top speed,, brakes, suspension , handling and wind protection come into it too.
On some bikes you are just thinking about third gear at 140km, and you are cocooned behind the faring, bike feels glued to the road and you have the brakes and power to do whatever you want.
At 140 km the Hima is hammering away rear peak revs, wind and turbulence blasting away at you, and brakes and suspension well out of their pay grade.
So no one is saying the motor can't do it, but there are other bikes which were designed for it and do it very much better.
Some like to cruise around 4500 revs where the motor is making peak torque , which is around 90/100 km depending on tires and gearing,
That is their choice, but if you like cruising at the red line that is your choice too. Different strokes---!
I dont have much choice, my riding roads start at my driveway and most of the roads I ride on have either a 80 or 100 km/hr limit .
Even the interstate is 110 so I never have to listen to the poor little dear hammering her guts out- well, I could if I had any hearing left after riding a bike for over 60 years without earplugs !
On some bikes you are just thinking about third gear at 140km, and you are cocooned behind the faring, bike feels glued to the road and you have the brakes and power to do whatever you want.
At 140 km the Hima is hammering away rear peak revs, wind and turbulence blasting away at you, and brakes and suspension well out of their pay grade.
So no one is saying the motor can't do it, but there are other bikes which were designed for it and do it very much better.
Some like to cruise around 4500 revs where the motor is making peak torque , which is around 90/100 km depending on tires and gearing,
That is their choice, but if you like cruising at the red line that is your choice too. Different strokes---!
I dont have much choice, my riding roads start at my driveway and most of the roads I ride on have either a 80 or 100 km/hr limit .
Even the interstate is 110 so I never have to listen to the poor little dear hammering her guts out- well, I could if I had any hearing left after riding a bike for over 60 years without earplugs !
Pricey
Getting there...
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
It drops significantly if you are loaded and pushing 120kph for extended times. I managed to hit F and have the dash start flashing to fill at 180kms on Monday after a run down the Hume Highway. Normally I don't hit F until 250kms doing normal riding.
Normally I use 3.5 to 3.9litres per 100km. Loaded and doing 120 I was using over 5.5 lites per 100km.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
Pottering around at 90 ish I use less than 3/100 km but depends on where I buy the fuel as much as anything else!
Pricey
Getting there...
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
You must be a lightweight! I'm slightly over 110kg fully dressed
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
I actually don't get much past 90kg kitted up, and a lot of that is squeezed inside my XXXL helmet.
Also run 14/40 gearing which helps mileage too, as it helps keep the motor in the most efficient part of it's rev range, which is usually close to peak torque.
I buy petrol from the expensive pump with 98 on it, I have no idea what is in it but it works better for me than the stuff from the pump with 91.
Don't mind much as the other bike I have on the road uses 6l/100 and I don't go any faster on it!
Also run 14/40 gearing which helps mileage too, as it helps keep the motor in the most efficient part of it's rev range, which is usually close to peak torque.
I buy petrol from the expensive pump with 98 on it, I have no idea what is in it but it works better for me than the stuff from the pump with 91.
Don't mind much as the other bike I have on the road uses 6l/100 and I don't go any faster on it!
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Mammoth
Finally made it
- Location
- Thurcroft UK
I may be wrong, but stock sprockets are 15t front and 38t back.. And with them my himmi runs smooth 55-65 m/h using not too high revs.
So if you put 14t at front and 50t on back his top speed must well drop down which force you to use higher revs to achieve the same speed as stock ones - which will be followed by the higher fuel consumption..
This is what I think as newbie in this sport...
So if you put 14t at front and 50t on back his top speed must well drop down which force you to use higher revs to achieve the same speed as stock ones - which will be followed by the higher fuel consumption..
This is what I think as newbie in this sport...
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
Sorry, I should have said 14/40,
It is a fact that motors do not use fuel in directly proportion to revs - they will always have a sweet spot where everything comes together and it makes the most efficient use of the fuel and usually make the most torque , or power, too.
So if lowering the gearing lets you run around this sweet spot more often you will make more efficient use of the fuel.
Yes there will be slightly less frictional losses at lower revs but this is more than offset by the increased efficiency,
But as I said I potter around at relativly low speeds, which takes advantage of this - if you run everywhere at the red line it probably wont make the same difference to the consumption.
It is a fact that motors do not use fuel in directly proportion to revs - they will always have a sweet spot where everything comes together and it makes the most efficient use of the fuel and usually make the most torque , or power, too.
So if lowering the gearing lets you run around this sweet spot more often you will make more efficient use of the fuel.
Yes there will be slightly less frictional losses at lower revs but this is more than offset by the increased efficiency,
But as I said I potter around at relativly low speeds, which takes advantage of this - if you run everywhere at the red line it probably wont make the same difference to the consumption.
Ontheroadagain
Total noob
- Location
- Upstate NY
For that kind of riding I'd change the tires from the knobbies to 100% street too. And I'd say 55 is it's sweet spot.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
I run Anakee Adventures and they have more grip than you will ever need on blacktop.
They are fine on gravel/rubble roads and tracks too , I would rate them at least 80/20, and I leave them at road pressures, 35/37.
No deep mud or sand of course, and In this I am fortunate that this doesn't restrict my choice or routes much, for some it might rule them out completely!
They are fine on gravel/rubble roads and tracks too , I would rate them at least 80/20, and I leave them at road pressures, 35/37.
No deep mud or sand of course, and In this I am fortunate that this doesn't restrict my choice or routes much, for some it might rule them out completely!
thresher
Well travelled
- Location
- Poplarville Mississippi
I agree with morgan. You're not out to conquer the Earth, you're out to be in touch with the world. The bike will do 80 on a level ground about 85 downhill and sometimes when it sees a hill it drops to 65 maybe 62 but it always recovers at the top... It's my opinion, leave the gearing alone. The factory already did all the research and they've pretty much settled upon what works the best
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
Sometimes, but most countries have drive by noise regulations, and higher gearing/ lower revs helps in passing these tests.
Gearing depends totally on the use the bike is put too, but if top speed is important to you there are better choices of bike.
And on stock gearing you will be well past the red line at 145 km.
As has been said around 55 mph is the sweet spot for a budget bike with 21 RWHP.
For anyone with a little mechanical sympathy , that is.
Gearing depends totally on the use the bike is put too, but if top speed is important to you there are better choices of bike.
And on stock gearing you will be well past the red line at 145 km.
As has been said around 55 mph is the sweet spot for a budget bike with 21 RWHP.
For anyone with a little mechanical sympathy , that is.
Kiwiscoot
Well travelled
- Location
- Christchurch, New Zealand
thresher
Well travelled
- Location
- Poplarville Mississippi
I guess it's time I add my humble opinion. Since I'm doing the math in my head I might be a little bit off but at 5500 revolutions you're about 3,050 foot per minute piston speed. This is a rather moderate number and it's not hurting the engine to leave it there and run it. I have no problem hitting 83 and 84 miles an hour on the flats and yeah when it sees a hill it slows down but then again I don't see me having a reason to be in a rush to go anywhere. Most of my time is spent between 65 and 70 and if I'm on the back roads 50 to 60.
Something else too, the instant you add the panniers, anything over 70 and you can feel the change in how the bike handles. Even inside the box it says do not exceed 70...
From an engineering standpoint piston speed is fine. The cycle was never meant to be a rocket. It was meant to put you in touch with the Earth not conquer the earth... Putting a Big bore kit in the bike is defeating the purpose of having it. If you want a bigger bore get a bigger bike. There's no way in this world or the next the iron liner is going to transfer heat to the aluminum at a rate sufficient to cool the bore... You're building more heat and now you can't get rid of it. There is no alfin method used in simply heating up the aluminum cylinder block and dropping in the iron liner...
Yeah we used to do this back in the '70s and '80s boring out the aluminum and shrinking it around a new iron Big bore then bore it for honing... these were hill climbing bikes at full throttle for maybe 30 seconds. Not hours at a time... There's lots to be considered. Just because somebody says they can do it doesn't mean it's right. Again only my humble opinion
Something else too, the instant you add the panniers, anything over 70 and you can feel the change in how the bike handles. Even inside the box it says do not exceed 70...
From an engineering standpoint piston speed is fine. The cycle was never meant to be a rocket. It was meant to put you in touch with the Earth not conquer the earth... Putting a Big bore kit in the bike is defeating the purpose of having it. If you want a bigger bore get a bigger bike. There's no way in this world or the next the iron liner is going to transfer heat to the aluminum at a rate sufficient to cool the bore... You're building more heat and now you can't get rid of it. There is no alfin method used in simply heating up the aluminum cylinder block and dropping in the iron liner...
Yeah we used to do this back in the '70s and '80s boring out the aluminum and shrinking it around a new iron Big bore then bore it for honing... these were hill climbing bikes at full throttle for maybe 30 seconds. Not hours at a time... There's lots to be considered. Just because somebody says they can do it doesn't mean it's right. Again only my humble opinion
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I did the same, but went 14t countersprocket
petespace1
Well travelled
- Location
- Aus
love this 
Mammoth
Finally made it
- Location
- Thurcroft UK
Last week I had short run on M1 Sheffield - Wakefield and back..
Without panniers and pillion at back, and using standard gearing Himmy was able to keep 70 all time even at couple long slopes..
Well... Saying "Was able" I don`t mean it was doing.. I go to 70 ish when overtaking lorrys, but then dropping back down to 60..
Simply reason was that at higher speed bloody wind tried to rip my head off .. I was surprised what big difference is between 60 and 70 in wind impact..
I dont know, maybe bigger windshield would help, but himmy with big plexi window at front can look .. weird, so I leave that option for cruiser bikes..
So .. Yeah.. ATM I still try avoid motorways and this is not because she cant - more because she is not made for motorways..
Probably when I get more experience my point of view will change, but for now everything above 60 is too.. windy.. for me
Without panniers and pillion at back, and using standard gearing Himmy was able to keep 70 all time even at couple long slopes..
Well... Saying "Was able" I don`t mean it was doing.. I go to 70 ish when overtaking lorrys, but then dropping back down to 60..
Simply reason was that at higher speed bloody wind tried to rip my head off .. I was surprised what big difference is between 60 and 70 in wind impact..
I dont know, maybe bigger windshield would help, but himmy with big plexi window at front can look .. weird, so I leave that option for cruiser bikes..
So .. Yeah.. ATM I still try avoid motorways and this is not because she cant - more because she is not made for motorways..
Probably when I get more experience my point of view will change, but for now everything above 60 is too.. windy.. for me
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