>> He said that not even the Wasserboxers should be fun over 4000rpm for any
>> length of time because nasty things will happen.  The wasserboxers have
>> tachs that redline well over 5000rpm.

I'd say that's bullshit, I ran my '85 at 130-140km/h, that's 80-85 mph 
(sorry no tach in the transporter) for many hours (4+ ) on an emergency trip 
home. I've run the '87 at 70-75 mph (4200RPM) for 1150 miles, shutoff for 
gassing up only, about 18 hours straight. The '85 was wound a bit to tight 
once, I hit 144km/h very briefly, but it was entirely happy at 130km/h. No 
cooling problems, gauge absolutely at normal position.
  Only once ever cooked a piston, and that was in our '71 when it was 2 
years old, and I was lugging it over the hills in 4th, just learning to 
drive.  Nice mechanic who fixed it took me for a drive and showed me when to 
shift, and I still keep the revs well up, now in the wasserboxer.  Tim Smith