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Cruising Speed Sweet Spot?


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My '16 FJ (absolutely bone stock) seems to be very happy cruising between 70 and 75 in top gear.
 
Traffic permitting, I tend to "get in the zone" and ride at a pace that feels right without paying much attention to the speedometer.  When I DO look down, it's almost always in that 70-75 bracket.
 
Got a little blink of the lights and a "slow down" gesture from the County's finest today.  Looked down and sure enough 72 in a 50... :o
 
I think the perfect weather, the fact that I was keeping pace about 5 truck lengths behind a pickup and my long grey beard blowing in the wind might have had a little to do with the Officer's tolerance. :D
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Lucky bástard!
 
If I'm cruising at 70mph I often stay in 5th - the gearbox has a loud whine at 70. The whine goes away at 80 or is drowned out.
 
I do a lot of touring in France & Germany. In France the autoroute max speed in the dry is 130kph or 81 mph - I find the bike happily cruises at an indicated 90mph which is only 83mph according to the Garmin.
This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is.
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  • 2 weeks later...
I agree too. It seems to me like the gear ratios were specifically set up to hold this speed in the middle of the power band in 6th gear. Makes sense for here, as the US freeway speed limit is around 70 in most states.
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Idaho has many freeway sections where you can cruise all day long at 85mph. But I agree the FJ09 feels best about 75mph.
 
The stock screen has something to do with this too. No screen and clean air is nice up to about 80mph.
Taller and wider touring screen? (I have the Givi Touring.) It's fine up to much faster speeds, but in hot weather is nearly too effective.
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  • 2 weeks later...
I stick mostly to back roads and the Blue Ridge Parkway, but I can say the bike cruises nicely at 45.
 
Watch your speed if riding through Virginia. 20 mph over the limit or any speed in excess of 80 mph is automatic reckless driving, a misdemeanor criminal offense (up to $2500 fine, jail time, and criminal record).
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You can get rid of that annoying happy spot if you want to. With 2WDW ECU reflash, Vibranators to reduce handle bar vibration, stock windshield cut down about 3 inches to reduce buffeting, Ohlins suspension, my FJ 09 has no "happy spot" because it is perfectly happy at any speed up to 90 mph, which is as fast as I go (usually). The only real difference may be what gear I am in and engine RPM. Only real problem is finding myself going 10 to 20 mph over the speed limit without realizing it. The engine really smoothed out at 4,000 miles.
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