How is the top speed limited? back wheel rotation or engine rpm?

Lowering the gearing will knock off a bit of top speed,....not that I noticed on the road.The revs will be slightly higher at yer usual cruising speed.
On my bike,15/40 gearing,..top gear,6,000rpm=100mph,.....15/42 gearing,...top gear,6,000rpm=95mph.

I'm nae a T guru, but I thought is was controlled by the rev limiter. So I suppuse it's nae jist top speed that would be controlled, but the speed in any gear at max revs. However, as I said I'm nae a guru in these matter. I did get 150mph oot my T last time home with changed gearing and the limiter dinna kick in so that's fast enough fir me like.

Seriously, how much riding time do you think you'll spend revving out in 6th? I've had mine at 155, and you can barely hang on for 10secs at that speed due to windblast and lack of protection. Admittedly, I'm quite tall but your arms and neck take a hammering! In comparison, at the same time my mate flew past me on his R1 at an indicated 183. Bastard.

Go one down on the gearing and you'll appreciate, almost 100% of the time, the better matched gearing for everyday use.
Sure, it'll drop by a few mph at the top end, but most folk if they're honest would prefer the grunt.

The Rotax engine does not like being bounced off the limiter!

Afaik the top speed is'nt limited.If you could max it out in top on std gearing,it would hit 160+.I dont know where the rumour was started about limited top speed,but its bollox.

fizzydx said:

... but what i would really like to know is if the top speed is limited by rpm, rear wheel rotation...

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By rpm. There is so much HP and then it has this diminishing return. You watch a dyno chart as the hp/tq peaks then diminishes. WOT you want is to have the rpm past the torque so it drops back into the power band [when] you shift up. You'll be there sort of like that. So the factory sets a limiter there for engine protection and peak performance. We used a cut box in the old days so when you miss a shift, the valves don't float you were all tucked in the banking.

Ever hear those idiots [on the net] stretch their connecting rods to the rev limiter? They are all standing around after a burnout anshit. He takes a handful and arm pumps with the other hand. Was the back wheel moving then? Nope, not that I could tell in the smoke.

top speed is limited by the amount of horse power you have fighting against aerodynamics (or lack of). so you'll run out of power before you hit any form of limiter

I did top speed runs on a runway on my gen1 and was trapped at 147 (152 indicated) twice, an RSVR was 5mph faster,and for what it's worth the jap bikes speedo's were miles out, for example a gsxr600 was indicating 160 odd when it was actually doing exactly the same as me, 147 and an R1 was indicating well into the 170's when it was actually doing 159 iirc

i don't know if it possible but on board comp. was showing 187 after I chased porsche )

I got an indicated 180+ after a dyno run

...who cares!

Unless yer awa tae try an break some sort o lap records or sumthin diz it really matter? (apologies if yer a techie type an kin be bothered wi the science o it an hae a need tae ken these things)

..... 15/42 gearin will piss 145-150 nae bother. OK its a bitty doon on std top end but its the gettin there faster thats the fun bit is it nae!

I usally find its my right hand that limits the ttop speed on the T

slayer, fir me it's ma fear of being scooped up intae a jam jar.

Aye A min, that and the speed traps everywhere the noo

fizzydx said:

... so, the T has no speed restrictions at all, apart from gearing and max revs, this is good to know...

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As stated above, the wind, your weight, how much is in the gas tank, the tire pressure, all that crap for top speed takes that kind of stay on top of the friction you want to up the speed of something that is preset with so much torque/hp. That restrictor meanshithen.

.. and with 15/42 gearing the T is still good for 150+mph

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Hold your breath. You know, this is like every dick with some hair has to push this 15/42 on you. I mention how the factory has it right and I am just scolded [among other things] yes or no? You are looking for both worlds it seems. I'll show you my point later.

... does anyone know if this is actual or indicated speed

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WOT do you care about speed? Just whack the throttle open and be done with it. Take a fast look at the speedo quick now... So, ask yourself what did that do for you? Who cares about actual. No one is going to go there but you, so get on the seat and pull cable don't back off keep going! Once you crest some speed [being relative now] is just that. You're done. Now you go there all the time is the thing under you is screaming 'bloody more dare...' Buddy? You got the balls dare, really?

... see the thing is, if a clever little **** on a sports bike tries to out run me on a strait it is nice to know that i can stay with him to a certain extent

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**** did you say? Didn't I tell you we got here later is now? **** do you want? Top end or get the little server. Man, if you followed the factory line, you'd have both worlds. But no, you don't want to see me with elbow on the tank, fist on the helmet. Me head is cocked to the side looking over at you. You on the other hand, I'm seeing you whack those levers and toe sides with your hands, the other foot is holding on with your *** go for another gear, I'll watch.

when i power out of a bend in front i also want to be in front at the next bend...

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When you power out, you'll be on the brakes to slow down, I'll be paz'inn year azz at some point is you don't see my point, do you?

... yes your head may get ripped off, but isn't that part of the fun when you own a naked bike like the Tuono...

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Best quote of the year. That should be in their brochure. I'd love to have that kind of ripper and the OE box. Can't have both worlds if the factory holds that **** back. WOT are they going to sell you next year? So you send in cheater sprockets and chain. And the factory loves seeing you do that too. I would. Burn those extra hours down you do the math on that engine spin. It may not be much, but it adds up once you keep thinking how will I get that cocksuckersquid if my compression is low like lots of hours = Low Compression [accelerated].

i know a lot of people lose their bottle at certain speeds, but i'm not one of them, hence the max speed question.

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Are we on the same page yet? If you want to suck on a bottle... YOu join that club. Not many go there. Push that envelope, guy. Don't talk about it.

fizzydx said:

Thanks for all the input guys, so, the T has no speed restrictions at all, apart from gearing and max revs, this is good to know, and with 15/42 gearing the T is still good for 150+mph, does anyone know if this is actual or indicated speed, see the thing is, if a clever little **** on a sports bike tries to out run me on a strait it is nice to know that i can stay with him to a certain extent, when i power out of a bend in front i also want to be in front at the next bend, yes your head may get ripped of, but isn't that part of the fun when you own a naked bike like the Tuono, i know a lot of people loose thier bottle at certain speeds, but i'm not one of them, hence the max speed question.

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The Speedo is reasonably accurate compared against GPS. Ignore 2knob, 15/42 is the gearing Aprilia fit to the bikes when they compete in the thunder twins and other race series (Tuono Factory held a lot of the 2010 lap recorde in this trim). Even if you go down to 15/44 you can still hit over 150, if you want to. The bike is deliberately over geared as sold to meet emission regs, 15/40 is good, 15/42 (16/44 on the Gen 1's) is better. Dan ran his on track at 15/46 ISTR must have been pwere wheelying through 3rd. As you have gathered there is a rev limiter at about 11k, but no speed limiter fitted, the brick like aerodynamics will do that for you. If you look on the Apriliaforum website and go in TechTips - on a tab at the top of the page, there is a useful spreadsheet that will do the gearing calc's for you, it even has formulae for the tyre size. One of my mates has clocked up an indicated 160 on the peage running 15/42 - even allowing for speedo inaccuracy definitely over 150.