Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 06:21 pm, by: Lars Olsson(Lars)
Never sell a bike for a car. Even a soarer! Alot of my mates when they got married sold there bikes so there wife could drive the latest 4x4. Result a betten up 4x4 and no bike so no smile. The only smile my friends get is mine when I pull up on my bike. lol. There is something to this Im sure
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:27 pm, by: Tom Kneebone(Tomk)
Most fun bike I ever rode, Kwaka 750 turbo, couldn't feel the engine until 5000rpm. Once spent 15mins at 200KPH on a highway in SA in the 80's, trying to catch up with my brother who passed us on his VF1000, which he was running in ,while I was taking over the controls of the turbo.There was a buzz. Bloke on the back fell asleep. Fastest I went on it, stuffed if I know another time on another deserted hwy ( we had them in those day's) came over a hill could see the road for miles, Opened it up on the crest last time I glanced the tacho and speedo were winding up pretty fast and just passing 225KPH. Didn't take my eyes of the road for the remaining few seconds I kept it wide open for.
Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 08:05 am, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
Alfred Heng wrote on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 10:09 am:
Yes, especially the 750 which was essentially a bored out 500 and the frame could not handle the power.
Many bikes in those days couldn't handle their power output. The Japanese ignored British frame excellence for many years. I owned a Suzuki Titan which was a 500cc twin two-stroke and it felt like it was hinged in the middle and had a hideous howl. It also had a habit of sucking out gearbox oilseals (thereby consuming its own gearbox oil in combustion). The Kwaka triple (500cc) I once rode was the most frightening thing I ever piloted. Scary stuff.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 10:51 am, by: Glen Muller(Doom_and_gloom)
Time to resurrect a deceased thread, and put my 2 cents in. Apologies - I'm at Uni and I'm bored.
As everyone's stated, bikes in a straight line cannot be faulted. The bigger the donk, the more you have to hang on; there is no replacement for displacement.
Cars and handling: it's all down to the chassis and the weight distribution. A mate of mine in Adelaide easily kept up with my GSX 750 on Gorge Rd, driving a 300ZX. But when we found some long sweepers, I left him for dead. I read somewhere about bikes being crappy in S-bends, which is hogwash. The rider needs to be comfortable with some serious counter steering, because utilising it to change direction works perfectly with the throttle 3/4 open and heading towards the rev limiter. The best way to stand the bike up is to take advantage of the gyroscopic motion of the wheels in relation to speed. Give it the berries, the bugger is going to stand up... flick it over to your opposite side and keep the power on. I have to say now, that's my favourite part about riding sports bikes.
Bikes and engine braking: you can't beat a V-twin when it comes to engine braking. Those two massive 500cc pots just cream anything out there when you let off the throttle, back off a gear and let them do their thing. You can't beat the noise either... that lovely over-run, the cracking and backfiring... it sounds MAGIC.
It'll be great when more companies start spending money on centre-hub steering. Observe: the Bimota Tesi 2-D.
The braking capability of those things is absolutely phenomenal. Virtually no front-end dive... I'd love to ride one.
As for the discussion on wind resistance at high speed, it's not really an issue provided you've got a screen to hide behind. The MotoGP boys do this crap day-in-day-out 365 days in the year, hitting 215mph on some of the longer straights and never have a problem. Bikes are incredibly stable at high speed, and can be practically impervious to side winds.
I better conclude and get my arse to class: it all boils down to how big your cajones are. Also, bike speedos are notoriously inaccurate and on the optimistic side, so it's not the speed you are producing, it's what you THINK you're doing.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 02:10 pm, by: Luke Nieuwhof(Luke_nieuwhof)
Glen Muller wrote on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 10:51 am:
practically impervious to side winds
Not entirely sure about that...there's been occasions when drag meets involving bikes have been cancelled due to strong winds, they certainly get buffeted around and this is at 250kph +.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 02:16 pm, by: Bobby Green(Nash)
Had a kawasaki 600 for a year with the soarer, but the bike hardly got ridden. The soarer is more than fast enough for the street and so much more convenient. Getting suited up every time I went out was a pain and I wouldn't take passengers or be able to do any shopping with it. The straw that broke the camel's back was when a mate stacked his cbr and got roadrash all up his side and back and had to get skin grafts. He was almost run over by a truck too and was very lucky to survive. While the bike was extremely fun, even at slow speeds, I couldn't justify the risk of getting cleaned up by a unwary cage driver when the soarer is quite thrilling on its own.
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 11:17 am, by: Glen Muller(Doom_and_gloom)
I hear you Bobby, and the paranoia of falling off certainly sometimes outweighs the thrill of riding. I've had my fair share of prangs, but I'm fortunate enough not to have injured myself too badly.
I rode without leathers ONCE, and paid the price. Came off the back of my mate's VF750 V4 when he sped up suddenly and I was adjusting my under garment... landed on my back and arse in the middle of Payneham Rd (Adelaide) peak hour traffic and lost a ton of bark. I couldn't sit properly for 3 weeks, and needless to say taking a dump was an interesting activity during that time!
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 10:36 am, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
Well, that says it all for me. Next time I am on the street I shall definitely drive a 33 year old F1 car and know that I am faster than 100% of other cars and drivers on the road rather than only 95% of them, if only the roads and laws allowed any of it.
On my off-days I prefer something with ABS and impact air bags because if there is one place a bike will most probably get me faster it is the end of my life.
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 12:13 pm, by: George Lu(Lux)
Ok... this is something funny and I would like to share it with you guys.. I was at tyre power once getting new tyres. This ozy big (as in tall and huge) dude came over and said “ Hey, very nice car you have" I said “I know, there an't many of these late model V8 running around" his asked me “are they fast?" I said “they do ok but I am not a rev head" Then he said “you know what kid, I drive the fastest car" I looked around and don't see any good cars. I asked him what he drives. He said “it's not expensive, but it's the fastest on the street"
STI!!!! I asked.. he said no... EVO!!! HSV!!! Rx8!!! 350Z!!!! I give up... His pointed his finger to a 2001 Holden EXEC... it's a police car... He goes I kick lambo's ass at the red lights. (I am thinking, I am sure the lambo are saving the other 8000 RPMs when you are not around )
So what is the fastest car or bike on the street... what every box the police are riding/driving.
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 10:36 pm, by: Tai Johnsen(Privatejohnsen)
Maybe in a straight line.... but even then, the gyroscopic forces would probably limit the throttle application..
Most hyper bikes (1000cc sport bikes) accelerate to 100Kph in 2.5 sec and are able to to a 10 sec 1/4 mile stock... all comes down to the rider and how well they can launch.
Not many cars can claim a power to weight ratio greater than 1:1..
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 11:30 pm, by: Drew Rechner(Drew1jz)
Year (of specifications) 2000- Engine Rolls Royce Allison 250 gas turbine Transmission 2-speed Automatic Max speed 227 mph 0-60 mph - Horsepower 320 bhp @ 52,000 rpm Weight 227 kg 500 lbs Seat height 800 mm, 31.5 inches The MTT Y2K superbike is the world's first turbine powered street legal motorcycle in its class, and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Most Powerful Motorcycle Ever to Enter Series Production" and the "Most Expensive Production Motorcycle". The Y2K is powered by a Rolls Royce Allison gas turbine engine, and the superbike has demonstrated over 300 hp and 425 ft/lbs of torque on the Dyno Jet 200, and has been clocked at a record-breaking 227 mph.
Representing the latest in engineering technology, the bike features carbon fiber fairings, a rear mounted camera with LCD color display, forward-and rear-looking radar detector with laser scrambler, one touch "Smart Start" ignition, and more. The MTT Turbine superbike is starring in the Warner Brothers movie "TORQUE", and Men's Journal lists the bike as one the most "awe-inspiring, innovative, and otherwise amazing designs" in their feature article "Perfect Stuff". With production limited to five per year, it's no wonder the superbike has become a revolution.
Specifications and information on the MTT Y2K
- The MTT Y2K's exhausts put out a 650°C exhaust.
- The 2 speed automatic gearbox is controlled from the handlebars.
- The Y2K features a carbon fiber seat fairing and fuel tank unit.
- Rear vision is handled by a rear view camera relaying images to a screen mounted in the dash.
- The Helicopter Turbine engine can run on diesel.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 05:33 pm, by: Ross Pesina(Ross79)
Bike is more fun. Sure it's not for everyone but bang for buck you'll never beat it! I sold my soarer to buy a bike (paid exactly what I sold the soarer for). Used that as my only mode of transport for a couple years. Now I could afford a car so I bought another soarer. My girlfriend fell in love with it and swapped me for her supra (can't complain). I only use the car when it's too cold (black ice on the road around here). I'll admit it can be a pain in the wet. Nearly all my mates ride now and they've never looked back. The car is faster through very tight 35km/h twisty stuff, but once the road opens up it's pretty hard to catch a good bike.