How long until you trust an old new to you bike?

[rideordive2ss]

Howdy yall, so I got a question for you. How long do you ride a new to you bike before you trust the machine itself won't kill you?  

I've been fixing up this ol 91 gsxr 750 and got her running right.. been taking her out as often as possible and hitting the highway as much too. 

I'm a rider since the day I had enough strength to kick start a 72 cl350 (10 yes old) I was a daily rider for the last 5 years until I moved to Canada from Florida but I ride big bikes like 1500 vulcans and Harleys. Never been one for a crotch rocket but I figured I was old enough now not to be to dumb on a sport bike and got and fixed up this 750 turned 904.  I've gone thru the whole bike and feel she is sound but when I hit 140 well tbh even 135ish I start to consider my own mortality with every shake. I'm not used to feeling the wind like on this thing and ofcourse I only ride within my comfort zone but I'm talking KMH not MpH which I can easily ride those speeds on my bike in Florida. Anyone else make the switch from cruisers to rockets? Do you know what I'm talking about? What's your thoughts cuz I want to twist that throttle more and I know the bike can corner sharper then I do. Does it just take time to get used to?

[Upshotknothole]

Just takes time to get used to. I've been riding Suzukis with oil cooled engines for the better part of the last 2 decades. Currently daily a 92 750 while getting a 7/11 and 7/12 back on the road. The fairings on the 91/92 do make the bikes easy to get blown around on windy days, you get used to it. A couple of years ago when I'd had my current 750 for less than 6 months, I had it transported down to LA to meet friends, and rode it back to Portland, OR. Other than my body not being used to that riding position for that long, the bike did fine. I trust these old oil cooled engines more than a lot of the newer bikes with reg/rec charging issues. Also mine occasionally sees 130+ MPH up in the mountains and it does fine. The elevation is really the only time that I wish it was fuel injected. As long as your tires and suspension are in good order and properly set up, these bikes love triple digit sweepers.

[imago]

Generally speaking, you either start out as a youngster riding like a dick head everywhere because you're immortal, then calm down (mostly) as time passes. Or, you start later in life with a better sense of your own mortality and have an occasional mad moment. 

Either way, if you survive to the time you start thinking about how you ride it's time to stop giving a shit what anyone else is doing or thinking. 

Just enjoy it while you can. 

[Dezza]

Sounds like a bike with a bigger engine would suit you better than a much more revvy, gutless in the mid-range 750. An 1100/1200 (or especially an aircooled 1100) is a lot more flexible as a road bike than a 750 in my experience. You can use their mega mid-range for a relatively sedate ride and occasionally go as fast as you want to. A 750 is all top end and revs. The bigger oil cooled engines go straight in the 750 frame by the way....

[DAZ]

+1 on @Dezza, having had 25+ bikes including singles,twins,a triple,and inline 4cyl if you're coming from harley cruiser type bikes(I've had a harley too) then a gsxr will be a culture shock especially the comparitive lack of low down torque so a bigger bike as Dezza says will probably suit you better for the road rather than a frenetic tuned 750, try to blag a ride on a bandit 1200 or similar to see if it suits you better , not got the image of a gsxr but nice to ride rather than look at ......no smutty remarks at the back 

[Gixer1460]

When you said 135 - 140, I thought thats fair enough Fella . . . . . then you said KPH so it all translates to sub 100mph which even for a 30+ year old 750 GSXR is barely scratching the surface. If you are usually happiest on the two wheel tractors and bimbling around at 'driving miss daisy' speeds, you've now scratched the itch, seen what its like and so its time to part ways IMO. No matter the age, if you don't get the 'rush' from a ride - generally after the 1st or 2nd time - you probably never will. As you get older the reactions slow up, but if you've never had to use them when younger, you'll lack the muscle memory which could get you into trouble - called Mid Life Biker syndrome!

[Upshotknothole]

As others have said, the 750s really need to be opened up to be fun. Though you mentioned yours is a 905 now, so it's not going to be down that much on mid range. You could always look into doing a track day on it, or maybe meet and ride with some locals that are on sports bikes that can offer some pointers. These old race bikes do want you to move your body around on the bike a lot more than the cruisers would ever ask for.

You could also try removing the plastics and clipons and putting some renthals on it for a season and see how you like it. The fairings aren't really doing anything at the speeds you're riding it, and the stock riding position is not comfortable. I've personally always found these bikes to be way more fun in town naked. Or maybe sports bikes just aren't your thing. I've ridden a mates bandit with a 1216 kit and lumpy cams and other than not really being into the riding position on bandits, I could tell that engine would get me into a lot of trouble in town. Plenty of options if you want to stick with the old Suzukis.