Smoked by a Sportster

[Cajunrider]

While I was taking pictures at the Morgan City Seawall, a guy pulled up on a HD Sportster. I could tell by the different lope of the idle that it wasn't stock. I was leaving to mount up just before he came down from the seawall. As I was heading home through Morgan City, I could see him coming up in my mirror. He caught up to me at a traffic light. We chatted a little about the river height and we left the light. I let him take the lead and we moved into the staggered formation. When we left the city limits and moved on to the open highway, I knew he was going to show me what his bike could do. We both gunned the throttles at the same time. All I saw was puffs of black smoke leave his shortshots and that was all she wrote. :-[ I moved up to 112 mph (indicated) very quickly and he was steadily walking..I meant to say running away from me. I backed off and he was already out of sight. Kind of brought back memories of my younger days in the muscle cars. Only the second time my Nomad clock has been past 90 in over 3 yrs. The mods that were done to that HD were spot on.

[BudMan]

At those speeds, you both would have been out of my sight in hurry.

[glwilson]

A 1200 carbed I assume? Although it could have been an 883 I suppose.

Either way... just the bike's weight difference, it would have been difficult to catch him I assume. ;)

[paul]

That's why I only race fat bikers on electaglides and larger. If I get beat, at least, I can tell myself their bike was better. Of course that also describes most of my friends.

[redjay]

I dont even get upset by faster bikers anymore. There was a day when I could give most a run for their money but these days I just think of the gas they are using and the damage they are going to do to themsleves if they come off. Give me a day of 80 kms an hour cruising and I am happy. The need for speed has gone.

[billmac]

Hey Mitch, I owned a sportster at one time. With all your mods, I would have expected you to give him a closer run. He was probably on a 1200 and definitely sporting more than an open intake.

BTW, my speedo still hasn't seen 90 mph with me on it. An old timer told me, "Don't ride any faster than you care to slide."

[ringadingh]

Reminds me of the days on my old GSX1100, nobody stood a chance against me on that bike. ;)

[Jared]

You raced a SPORTSTER. They are sporty unlike the Nomad that is FAT.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by glwilson

A 1200 carbed I assume? Although it could have been an 883 I suppose.

Either way... just the bike's weight difference, it would have been difficult to catch him I assume. ;)

I saw enough of it at the traffic light to recognize it was a 1200. It didn't have the potato idle. It was fast idle lope similar to Victor's Nomad. All I can say is that Harley ran like a scalded dog. I didn't have my GPS but I figure 112 indicated was actually about 100 with my short tire.

[billmac]

Yeah that Sportster was tricked. Your race sounds like the time I forgot to tell Victor that we were racing in Antlers. Once he realized it, the turbo kicked in and he was gone. :)

[chainsaw]

I'll bet Darlene wasn't with you.

[Bull Durham]

How fast has anyone gone on a Nomad? When I first got my bike, I went up to 103 then backed off on the way home. Never been over 85 since. Was just wondering how fast a stock Nomad goes.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Speed isn't important to me anymore. I'm more into comfort and enjoying the ride. Mine has been above 100 one time. It would have gone faster but I had gone as fast as I wanted.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by "CHAINSAW"

I'll bet Darlene wasn't with you.

You won that bet Al. I get out by myself 2 or 3 times a week by myself and unwind. I called a couple of HD buddies to join me but one wasn't home and the other was in a frantic search for his wallet. He lost it while riding his bike back from church this morning. I offered to ride along and backtrack but he had already done that thrice. Says he had over $400 cash and credit cards in the billfold. That's got to be a terrible feeling. Oh by the way, where in the heck have you been? I thought you might have re-enlisted and joined the hunt for Bin Laden's lieutenants.

[markclark57]

Ok, I've only done it a couple of times. . . My '06 would do just over 115 on the guage stock. It felt like it had plenty of leg left, but when I gave it more throttle it just sounded more hollow.
A bunch of mods later she gets to 115+ a lot quicker. But won't go any faster than that.
I forget the riders name (one of the guys on the Sept. 4, 2010 run to Winthrop, WA) He told me that if you down shift @ 90 mph and don't hit 5th till you break 100 you can defeat the "limiter". I didn't try it. 115 is fast enough. Probably won't go there again soon. Most of the time I keep it within 5 of the limit.