The bike has no issues at freeway speeds. I have a Tkat fork brace that helps the bikes stability a lot. It took me a couple of months to get comfortable on our freeways, but was just me getting my wheels back.

I just kind of just ride through it on the highway. I live in NJ and highway riding here is comparable to being on a racetrack. Lot's of cars, trucks and bikes constantly cutting each other off while jockeying for position. Local driving is worse, but we're at slower speeds, so easier to make my moves. But yeah, I'm sure a windshield and fork brace would help, although my front end is stock and I dig the wind, but the gusts do throw me around quite a bit at times, especially going head to head with an 18 wheeler at 75 mph, and I admit that I do use the death grip on occasion. You know, holding on for dear life type of thing. I'm 170 lbs. if that means anything.

The HW speed limit here is the pace set by traffic, not the posted limits of between 55-65, and the most popular seems to be 80 for the left lane, 75 for the middle and 65 for the right. I try to hang in the middle lane and keep about 3 car lengths of space in front of me. Cars are always on my arse, but I just let pass me, or move to the right if I have room. Passing lane is worse if I'm riding at 75 MPH. Cars will push you off the road bike or not. You get use to it, but I never compromise the space needed in front of me in case I have to act fast to avoid becoming roadkill. To hell with who's behind me trying to push me out of the lane.

I ride 70-75 on the highway, no problem, little buzzy, I go over a big bridge that humps up and the wind always picks up the closer I get to the coast but even when big trucks pass me I barely feel it. Still kinda nervous at night hard to see behind in the dark, I've only got a 5 mile jaunt on the highway though until I get to a state road where I get to cruise at 50-60 all the way home, this is commuting but I don't work normal times so I avoid rush hour, commute for me is about 26-27 miles each way so 52-54 miles a day, I love it!  need to get saddle bags though, back pack makes my back sweat.  

keep cool

You know what really throws me off (pun intended) on the HW? Some of the crotch rocket riders. I could be hanging at 70 mph, and at times I don't even see/hear them coming. I know that they're hanging at 85-90 as they blast by me.

I do appreciate the talent it takes to lane split at high speeds, but on highways with a lot of volume, I replace talent with stupidity. One false move and you're deader than corduroy, and they may take one of us with them.

I rode this route last weekend: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=9997+Carver+Rd,+Cincinnati,+... and I didn't have any trouble at all.  71 is reasonably busy until you get to the country and 35 is mostly used by local commuters and trucks headed to Charleston.  My biggest issue was a semi full of cows (smell and flies) and people with landscaping trucks (pea gravel, dirt and grass).  The bike was fine.  You just have to remember that it's really light and is pretty much flat out when you get to 80 so you need to plan passing a little more than you would with a car.

It took me a little over 90 minutes and I even stopped about half-way for gas and some iced tea.

In case anybody cares, it's work to the Hampton Inn in Chillicothe.  My baby brother got married.

savageken wrote on 07/16/09 at 16:57:04:

 I think a lot of people on here haven't ridden bigger bikes,In 2 years I have ridden a total of 5 miles on a very untraveled freeway 1 mile from my house,which I used to ride all time,With the S40 I go backroads It just feels to light for me mainly the front end,That weas 2 years ago I road the 5 miles trying to get the nerve up again to try it,I've been riding for 38 years many miles and many different bikes,I have  Suzuki LC 1500 too,Before that was a Goldwing,I've also road many small bikes on that freeway.My Wifes 1980 Suzuki 400 gn felt safer,Maybe I'm to old for a light bike.

I have had no issues with handling on my 2008 S40 in wind or rain. The only issue I have is with a relatively strong headwind which slows me down considerably. Crosswinds do not seem to give me any issues. I'm 5'8" at 240 so it is a little like a brick riding a skateboard