My first mini race


saber

GT Owner
Sep 25, 2005
153
NYC
Today a black very large two headlight japanese sports motorcycle pulled up behind me to race. When he got even, we started at 25mph and I immediately took a 6 foot lead, by the end of the GT's first gear he was ahead of me by his front wheel, after a quick shift into second I again took a 2 or 3 foot lead, by the end of second he reversed things and again took a small lead and as I shifted to third he stopped accelerating and I shot passed him. I had the feeling that I would have reeled him back in at the beginning of third (I was pulling very hard at that shift). I was surprised to realize that the beginnng of my gears left me with a lead on the bike and at the higher RPMs he seemed to gain. I was surprised because the car feels like it pulls harder at the high RPms by the "seat of my pants" test. I felt good with the results because the motorcycle was probable capable of a 10.5 second qtr mile and I was able to hold my own through the midrange.
 

wonkawonka

GT Owner
Sep 12, 2005
203
Lebanon
I expect that a good rider on a good bike should smoke the GT. A 5-year-old Suzuki Hayabusa should do 0-60 under 3 seconds.
The Hayabusa's first gear goes to 135 KPH, second to 185 KPH. That's a bit extreme, but a good powerful Japanese sports bike should generally win against any car, barring an F1 or McLaren.
Quarter mile is 9.5 to 10.5 seconds at worst, depending on conditions. Substantially the same with a Kawasaki ZX-12R. Basically as you said, most of the newer superbikes will do a 10.5 second quarter mile... scary :biggrin

I'd never have the guts to ride those 2-wheeled coffin rockets.
 

ENZO BTR

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 11, 2005
1,048
Southern California
A week and a half ago I was driving down a wide, open street in Orange County early on a Saturday (I was on my way to the Crystal Cruisers show) and a modified G35 sedan pulled up next to me. I could clearly hear a blow-off valve, so I know he had installed a turbo on it. He had at least 19-inch wheels on it, too. :eek

We pulled away from the light and I was basically just giving it about half throttle. I initially pulled in front of him, then he pulled back even by about 30 mph and he was still coming. I told my passenger, "Say good-bye to the nice G35" (can you believe I still paraphrase the movie Hooper?), then I rolled into it and we just rocked away from the Infiniti before I was even shifting to second.

Funny, because I really did not buy this car for the performance. I simply love what it represents. :thumbsup

But the performance part doesn't hurt... :biggrin
 

saber

GT Owner
Sep 25, 2005
153
NYC
wonkawonka said:
I expect that a good rider on a good bike should smoke the GT. A 5-year-old Suzuki Hayabusa should do 0-60 under 3 seconds.
The Hayabusa's first gear goes to 135 KPH, second to 185 KPH. That's a bit extreme, but a good powerful Japanese sports bike should generally win against any car, barring an F1 or McLaren.
Quarter mile is 9.5 to 10.5 seconds at worst, depending on conditions. Substantially the same with a Kawasaki ZX-12R. Basically as you said, most of the newer superbikes will do a 10.5 second quarter mile... scary :biggrin

I'd never have the guts to ride those 2-wheeled coffin rockets.

I agree with all of this, however, I think the reason we were so close is that we started at 25 mph and ended at about 115 mph. That is why I titled it "mini race". I am sure his lead would have increased if we continued, I just happen to begin and end the race in the GT's "sweetest" spot. My experience seems to suggest that the GT pulls harder relative to other cars at the bottom/middle of the rpm band (at least in first and second) than at the higher rpms. In addition, motorcycle skill varies greatly. I have been on a few motorcycles myself and while they are easily capable of very lower ETs, it is not easy for the average rider to achieve a good launch and maintain the full thottle shifting needed to get the 9.5 to 11 sec. qtrs, reported. This level of riding takes a lot of skill. We have a few of these exeptional riders at Englishtown Race Track and they are amazing to watch.
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Agreed. Any time you're in a car that's capable of 125mph traps or better you've got a shot at beating most bike riders. Obviously the bikes are capable of times well past what a stock GT will do, but keeping the front wheel down, being in the right part of the powerband, etc, are hard on today's superbikes, especially on the street. Just being too low in the rpms on a 13,500rpm bike can kill you, which is why it sounds like you were pulling on him in the low range, which makes sense, given the GT's prodigous torque...

You'd be surprised what may happen over 120mph. Not that bikes hit a wall per se, but the GT will be will still be pulling pretty hard when most bikes outside of a Hayabusa hit their terminal velocity.
 

ENZO BTR

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 11, 2005
1,048
Southern California
Several years ago I was on a Ducati 851 and there was a guy in an Acura NSX messing with me on PCH. It was funny.
 

wonkawonka

GT Owner
Sep 12, 2005
203
Lebanon
ENZO BTR said:
Funny, because I really did not buy this car for the performance. I simply love what it represents. :thumbsup

But the performance part doesn't hurt... :biggrin

That is EXACTLY what I think of the GT. I never bought it for the performance. It's cool to have it, though. :lol
 

Bill Briley

GT Owner
Aug 9, 2005
212
Valley Forge PA.
Great Posts..........
These cars are the Sh&#*%@!!!
It just keeps getting better.
 

Vic

GT Owner
Aug 5, 2005
207
The OC
ENZOBTR, Watch out for the cops (NBPD) around Crystal Cove, they got a hard on for sports cars and bikes. Last time I was there, there were a couple of officers trying to catch sport bikes taking off on PCH, and as soon as one officer was busy with a stop, another crotch rocket would zoom off. It became obvious that there were too many speeding sport bikes for the amount of police officers available. Many of them got away clean, with screaching tires, some sporting wheelies, much to the delight of the crowd. It was a tense cat and mouse game, that attracted a group of onlookers who gathered by the edge of PCH to watch the sport bikes make fools of the cops. Thats the first time I saw that happen at the Cove.

Once I was headed there with the Viper Club, and a cop followed me and announced over his loudspeaker, in an authoritative tone, that I personally, (yes, you!) was going 5 miles an hour over the speed limit. No ticket, didn't stop me, just followed me into the parking lot and offered that important information to the club. Thank God for the dedicated men in blue that defend us from terrorists and speeding scofflaws! :usa

Hope I didn't hijack the thread.
 
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Kirby Vieira

GT Owner/B.o.D
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 22, 2005
1,768
Atlanta
first mini...

There are more new model 600 cc bikes than the bigger ones, and the new, fast 600's run mid to high 10 second 1/4 's at speeds of 125 -130mph, providing they are piloted by experienced riders who lay down behind the windscreen and essentially become a part of the bike. At least 1/2 sec of their "better than GT" time is achieved before they reach 60 mph, all of which means a very good GT driver will likely be faster than a less than great biker driving one of these hot new bikes from about 45 mph to 130mph (2d and 3rd gear for the GT). If you tell a biker this, the biker will think you are delusional, unless he is one of the few who have raced a well piloted GT in this range.
 

SLF360

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
ENZO BTR said:
Funny, because I really did not buy this car for the performance. I simply love what it represents. :thumbsup

But the performance part doesn't hurt... :biggrin
completely my thinking here... it doesn't even have to be a track car, as matter of fact..It's just too loaded with great emotions...
 

Pipelion

Well-known member
Many bikes are faster in a srtaight line but not on curves.

I just learned this when doing searches for Carrera GT video clips and looking for Ford GT clips.

Tha English TV show said, "don't you always hear how bikes are faster than cars? Then he says,"well lets just see about that.

He introduces a young stud in full leathers that flys up on a hot bike and stops cold. Then he says,"we need a car". Up comes a 997 Porsche (non turbo), (non S), it rolls up slow to them slightly moves off the track into the grass and lets go and spins the Porsche around in a 180 burning rubber.

Both drivers were race drivers and they took off.

The bike pulled off and took the lead by 10-25 lenghts. But as they aproached the first the Porsche could brake much later in the turns and over take the bike. This back and forth happened sseveral times and the Porsche ended up beating the bike by at least 3-5 seconds at the start finish.

He explained how the bikes rubber patch was much smaller to the cars and the bike had to go through turns slower because of having only two wheels and having to lean over.

I saw a similar video that confirmed this same thing again later.

So if a bike wants to race say "you name the track and the time and bring cash".

Allan :biggrin :cheers :biggrin


PS Especially if ypou own a Ford GT.
 
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Pipelion

Well-known member
Saber,

Congrats on the win!!!!!!!!!!! Well done.


Allan
 

Neilda

GT Owner
Oct 19, 2005
3,559
London, UK
I've only ever had one serious race (a friendly one) between me and a bike. I absolutely thrashed Murcielago on a two lane highway and couldn't shake him off. The bike looked 'wobbly' behind me over 170mph and I was 'nervous'. Eeek! It was a few years ago and when I let him go past we both waved and enjoyed the moment. Not sure I'd want to do that too often - way too dangerous, but the road (in my mild defense) was completely clear of traffic.
 

Neilda

GT Owner
Oct 19, 2005
3,559
London, UK
Yes there's a fairly un-policed 60 mile length highway (2 lanes each way) near me. I don't generally drive over 100mph on it - a few quickies to 150 in the full knowlege of losing my right to drive! So they're real quick!
 

FordGTGuy

Well-known member
Aug 1, 2005
636
Norfolk, VA
 

Pipelion

Well-known member
Centerpunch,

Thanks, you came to my aid with the accual vid. Thank you.

So much for my memory. More like a 720 plus than a 180. Bike lost by 3/4 sec, not 3-5. Glad I told the truth even with mistakes.


Watch that video guys!!!!!


Allan
 

Pipelion

Well-known member
VPC,

What are "GATSOs" ?

Allan
 

Pipelion

Well-known member
Gatso=Gotcha :thumbsdow :thumbsdow
 

Neilda

GT Owner
Oct 19, 2005
3,559
London, UK
Many drivers in the UK use something called Road Angel - which is the product VPC mentions...

http://www.roadangel.co.uk/products/roadangelcompact/index.html

The laws in the UK are changing to make the use of equipment designed to intercept olice signals (radar equipment) illegal. However Road Angel uses a pre-programmed map - once you have one you then plug it into your computer and it 'updates/downloads' the latest camera locations.

The French (I drive there quite a bit) have had a complete sense of humor failure in respect of radar detectors - confiscation of the equipment and a $1,000 fine.

The Brits are getting pretty p*ssed off with Radar Cameras - it's just easy money for the Police. In one UK county 213,861 people fined - raising more than £12.8 million ($22.3m) in 12 months.

Speeding and fines here in the UK is quite a hot topic with motorists..... :frown