It's gratifying to think that Road Stars *might* set records.
Yamaha launched Road Star with the goal of having it customized -- when the bike was first released, there was already a large Yamaha catalog of add-ons (mostly "billet" junk -- expensive aluminum-shiny things to hang on every surface). I'm still waiting for an oil cooler add-on. Anyway, there is now an approved "Commander" hop-up kit (pipes, jets, ignition module) that leads to an across-the-range improvement in rpm and hp.
The Road Star comfort range tops around 75; a larger front pulley wheel would help.
One of these days I'll have to buy a real speed demon (Hayabusa or whatever). It's amazing to me that a smaller (650 cc) bike could go 130; the Road Start tops out around 115.
Yes ~ the modern 600cc four cylinder motorcycles are faster than the 1100cc motorcycles of the early 80's. The SV659 is a 90° V-Twin and isn't quite as fast as the 600cc four's. 11 second quarter miles at 110 mph aren't too shabby though for a 650cc V-Twin that costs around $6K (before you do anything to the suspension, intake and exhaust.) :)
A few months ago three of us were riding the back road twisties here, one rider ( a professional AMA racer) was rehabilitating a broken arm and was getting back in racing shape, he was riding a Suzuki GSX R 1000 like the one he races. The other rider; his physical therapist was riding a Suzuki SV650/S which has a small fairing and I was riding my SV650 which is unfaired.
Naturally the pro was much quicker than us, it the twisties we all were pretty close, because the SV650's handle so well, a little straightaway and the GSX/R is gone. When we hit Crow Rd. it has some pretty straight stretches, the pro said he never went over 160 mph and the therapist and I were right together and he said we hit 130+ ~ I was too busy hanging on to look at the speedometer ~ when you reach 115 mph on an unfaired bike, it gets pretty uncomfortable with the wind tugging at your old carcass. :)
After we finished our ride we stopped for coffee and did a little bench racing. The pro's name is Jimmie Moore and I don't know if he's still racing as he lost his main sponsor after his get off at Brainerd last year, he's around 30 and the therapist is close to 40, I was 73 at the time, but had a birthday in October and am now 74. The therapist is a pretty good rider, he does track days, etc and is very into it.
He was very surprised that the old curmudgeon hung right with him and passed him a couple of times, I've just been riding a long time with some very good riders, both in the dirt and on the street. The list names of the pro riders I've ridden and hung with is quite long, going back to Joe Leonard and Dick Bugsy Mann. :)