Author Topic: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?  (Read 25669 times)

Offline beemrdon

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Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« on: January 31, 2017, 12:54:58 AM »
I now live in Southern Ethiopia. Some of the interstates out of town are pretty empty.
That being said, the other day I was cruising on a beautiful sunny day on a smooth interstate hwy and before I knew it I was going 10 mph. Not a big deal as the bike was steady and felt well planted. Well, just for the hell of it I then pushed it up to 11. OK that's good. I eventually got it up to 25 and held steady.
My question is...Will the engine run at this RPM without blowing a seal or something? I'm sure folks over in the Fatherland have wrung these bikes out on the Autobahn routinely.
Thanks
  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline Motorhobo

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2017, 07:07:35 AM »
I got it to sustained 115 only once and it was cranking pretty good...I had the feeling the bike was getting used to it and could go all day at that. Me, not so much...backed off after about 10 minutes when the Californian in the Lexus I was following across West Texas got busted.
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 193k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 76,000 mi (11k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B'

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline F14CRAZY

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2017, 08:36:36 AM »
I read somewhere that motobricks were benchmarked to do 300 hours at full throttle, full load at redline, if that helps.
  • Grand Rapids, MI
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'87 K75C w/ Pichler V1 fairing. LED's, CATZ driving lights, Audiovox cruise, LT top case, tons of other mods by Drake...


Offline Chaos

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2017, 08:44:51 AM »
wish I was in an area where I could hold a century or more.  you may be shortening your engines lifespan from 300,000 to 290,000 miles but it's worth it. 
  • sw ohio
1987 K75S    VIN 0231
Original owner, Original litter
200,000 miles (plus or minus) and 5 paint jobs
sold 6/23
2023 Ural 2WD sidecar (BMW's bastard step child)

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2017, 09:47:52 AM »
I read somewhere that factory quality assurance tested random production motors at redline for 24 hours.  That is about the equivalent of running from San Diego to Jacksonville in 24 hours.  And that is on an engine that hasn't been broken in!

Personal experience was to run my K75RT one up with a full touring load at 100mph for about an hour in west Kansas.  I know that I can run at 75-85mph non-stop for 24 hours and she will love it.  80k on that bike now and mechanically it is still like new. 

Brick is a good name for these engines.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"
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Offline Snowman

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  • Aberdeen SD.
Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2017, 03:30:44 PM »
6000-7000rpm is a sweet spot for my LT, really smooth, so I cruise at that. SD & ND gets some nice empty highways.

Offline beemrdon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2017, 08:05:38 PM »
OK, so what about 8,000 rpm?









  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline johnny

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2017, 08:18:02 PM »
greetings...

to unleash the monster within the motobrick... shift at the red line... 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th... then look at the speedometer...

3k 4k 5k 6k on the tach... f that... 7k and higher... just prior to the rev limiter... riding on the redline... thats where the fun is... why wait for 5th...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline mystic red

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2017, 08:29:30 PM »
Things happen pretty quick when you twist up a 1100 up to redline in 2nd.

Offline johnny

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2017, 08:31:41 PM »
greetings...

thats right red... it aint no lifestyle droner or soulless kawacker versys... dont ride it like one...

i seldom ride in 5th cause i wants instantaneous power... thats 7k and above...

the rev limiter aints gonna let you grenade it in 5th...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2017, 12:09:40 AM »
RPM's is something you just get used to.  I know when I got my first brick it spent a lot of time lugging around at 3 grand in 5th.  Spending some time on the interstate at 85+ eventually immunized me to high engine speeds, and now I find myself getting on the expressway on my commute and doing 75mph in 4th without realizing it.

These are definitely European engines that are built to rev.  Definitely not like the big v-twins that fire 6 or 7 times a mile.  The fact that they have a pretty wide power band and pull well from just off idle is just a nice bonus.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Chaos

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2017, 01:38:29 AM »
RPM's is something you just get used to.  Definitely not like the big v-twins that fire 6 or 7 times a mile.  .

hahaha.  Not like a Ninja 250 with it's sweet spot around 12,000 rpm either!  Surprisingly fun but felt like a big hornet's nest between my legs,
  • sw ohio
1987 K75S    VIN 0231
Original owner, Original litter
200,000 miles (plus or minus) and 5 paint jobs
sold 6/23
2023 Ural 2WD sidecar (BMW's bastard step child)

Offline Motorhobo

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2017, 09:22:49 AM »
Where I live there aren't any twisties to speak of so running at 60mph in third is like flushing fuel down the toilet. So yeah... I use fifth, if there was a sixth I'd use that too.
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 193k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 76,000 mi (11k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B'

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline johnny

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2017, 09:42:55 AM »
greetings...

im thinking a 24 hour posting ban is in order for a poster who suggests riding in 5th gear below 7k on the tach is anything more than motobrick curious...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline drut

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #14 on: February 04, 2017, 02:40:20 PM »
6K + is where the action is!Bike seems fine and certainly given me no problems with sustained high revs.I think they were built to cope with high speed long autobahn trips.As an aside I think the K10016v & especially K1100's were undergeared so the factory must not have feared them being revved to the limiter.
  • Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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Offline Motorhobo

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2017, 03:13:34 PM »
greetings...

im thinking a 24 hour posting ban is in order for a poster who suggests riding in 5th gear below 7k on the tach is anything more than motobrick curious...

j o

OK, so 7K brings it in 5th to what, 100mph? In my neck of the woods, 10 minutes of that and you've already passed through three states and not seen a curve yet. Dude -- I'm not gonna go 75 in 4th just because I can...I'd be stopping for fuel every 80 miles. Is that what Johnny does? How does that work... he drinks beer,  pisses no-corn ethyl, runs at 70 in 3rd, and has his catheter routed straight into the fuel tank?
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 193k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 76,000 mi (11k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B'

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline Elipten

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2017, 07:00:20 PM »
LOL


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Offline Chaos

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2017, 07:14:44 PM »
LOL


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+1   Rev envy!
  • sw ohio
1987 K75S    VIN 0231
Original owner, Original litter
200,000 miles (plus or minus) and 5 paint jobs
sold 6/23
2023 Ural 2WD sidecar (BMW's bastard step child)

Offline beemrdon

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Re: Is a SUSTAINED 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #18 on: February 08, 2017, 12:34:16 AM »
Guys.....My question is not 'how much can I rev it between shifts'. My question, again, is, How many revs per minute can this engine (and transmission?) SUSTAIN without blowing a whatever???


  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline Motorhobo

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much?
« Reply #19 on: February 08, 2017, 06:02:32 AM »
I read somewhere that factory quality assurance tested random production motors at redline for 24 hours.  That is about the equivalent of running from San Diego to Jacksonville in 24 hours.  And that is on an engine that hasn't been broken in!


I think that was answered in the response above...although I'm not sure that could be documented beyond the vague 'I read somewhere' reference. For hard facts you'd probably have to be asking at BMW Motorrad not here.  I can't speak for your K1100 but I'd have no problem running my engine at sustained +7500rpm for as long as I needed to. But it's kind of a moot point because most people don't have a straightaway where they an do that in the real world without getting busted. If you know of one, keep it a secret because if you tell us where it is, you may have to wait in line.
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 193k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 76,000 mi (11k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B'

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline Chaos

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Re: Is a SUSTAINED 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #20 on: February 08, 2017, 08:42:21 AM »

So, can I sustain 8,000 RPMs traveling down the road, (the redline is 8,500) ?


yes
  • sw ohio
1987 K75S    VIN 0231
Original owner, Original litter
200,000 miles (plus or minus) and 5 paint jobs
sold 6/23
2023 Ural 2WD sidecar (BMW's bastard step child)

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #21 on: February 08, 2017, 08:51:41 AM »
Motorhobo, the source for my statement about the 24 hour test was an old magazine article posted on the interweb that I ran across last summer about how they built the bricks.   The article had several photos from inside the factory and sounded a bit like those articles that are pretty much written by companies that buy a lot of advertising as an unpaid editorial/infomercial(I've written a few of them in my day). 

That's not to say that it's a steaming pile of B.S., but the durability of these engines and the desire of Motorad to continue their reputation for reliability kind of reinforces the validity in my mind.

Beemerdon, you gotta tell us where we can run at 140+mph for more than a couple miles at a time without winding up in the slammer going through Craig's List looking for a new bike, or does your transmission only work in 1st and 2nd gear?
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"
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Offline Motorhobo

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #22 on: February 08, 2017, 09:19:55 AM »
Gryph -- if you say it, it's good as gold to me.

But you said it, and it seemed like Beemerdon either didn't see what you said or was looking for some kind of documentation. That's why I referred him to BMW Motorrad.


1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 193k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 76,000 mi (11k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B'

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #23 on: February 08, 2017, 09:36:34 AM »
I just want to know of a 200+ mile stretch of road where I can run a constant 150mph without the risk of getting a couple nights lodging from the local law enforcement.

I can understand Beemerdon's reluctance to make the information public, but if he tips me off via PM I promise I will keep it to myself.

  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Is a sustained 7,000 RPM too much? How about 8,ooo?
« Reply #24 on: February 08, 2017, 09:58:51 AM »
A little more background on the testing of engines.  I have sold equipment to GM back in the 80's and 90's which was used to test their engines, specifically the 3.8l V6 which, at the time, was considered by the engineers to be the best engine GM ever built. 

GM tests individual components such as cams and crankshaft assemblies for service life under various operating conditions(load, speed, temperature).  They also test complete engines to destruction to find weak points and to determine manufacturing tolerances.  Parts like cams and crankshafts have service lives of over 1,000,000 miles when operated with the specified oil change intervals at engine temperatures between 180 and 220F.  The internal parts of a production engine should be good for 350,000+ miles which in most cases is longer than the rest of the vehicle.

Based on what I have been told by the engineers I have worked with, I am not surprised that a K bike engine is capable of running at red line and full load for 24 hours.  I would be surprised if it wasn't.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

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