Get to the front of a police roadblock on the m25 last night, pull up next to one of them Nissan skylines, plod waved us on and soft arse decides he wants a race. Tears off right past the cameras I waited for :camera::camera::camera: :fire::fire::fire: I win :checkeredflag::checkeredflag::checkeredflag:
Top Gear simplifys things too much (with supercars) It's all media spin, marketing, entertainment factor. Physics dictates, how fast you can accelerate and stop and corner is dictated by grip. 4 Tyres = more grip. Other factors power, gearing, mass + C of G etc factor and that is not all.. A car should be faster generally if it is matched correctly but that does not mean any car with any driver regardless. Obviously a bike has far more power (than the majority of road cars) @ 1Kg to 1bhp or more re: super bikes... So a car would need in excess of 1000hp to be considered and equal match, the car will have issues with weight in the corners and slowing down. However weight can help plant power and a bike with short wheel base can only transfer so much without lifting the wheel and losing optimum drive. I have not checked but I suspect most race circuits outright records are held by race cars if the fastest (suitable) cars race there. It's no good taking a F1 car to a track with short straights and tight corners. An example is Cadwell Outright record is held by a National Car championship (fast but not professional racers) using a mildly tuned 1000cc bike engine car, under powered and lower top speed compared to an up to date race bike with respected riders.. down force is a factor in race corner speeds here too. Lap records Car Lap Records Driver Car Time Richard Mitcham Jedi MK6 1:21.138 Shaun Balfe Radical SR8 1:22.50 Robin Liddell Radical Prosport 1:25.49 Motorcycle Lap Records Rider Bike Time Shane Byrne Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:26.017 On a large track these (bike engine) cars would probably be much slower (lower top speed and not challenged in the corners) but that's a bit like comparing a smart car to a V8 muscle car on a tarmac oval. Hence suitable car. Horses for courses really.. I'm not embarrassed if I get overtaken by a M3 when driving a diesel van, nor do I think it's an achievement when it's the over way round. On the track a real test of skill or performance is when you know the other bit of kit is comparable. Kudos if your quicker than someone doing race lap times on the same bit of kit.
Have the pleasure of working away in Hyde during the week - so criss crossing the Woodhead Pass from Barnsley to Manchester. I'm a lucky b@stard as I've got an F-type and have had the considerable joy of smoking a fair few bikers this summer - granted a well ridden sports bike would leave me for dead - but most of them aren't: lots of knee waving and poor braking technique. The car has ridiculous sideways grip so can hurtle through the bends and enough poke to force a biker to really use the throttle properly to catch up. The big difference is on braking - anyone can wind a throttle open; not many of us are as adept at standing our bikes on its nose. Hard on the brakes with 255 width front tyres, 285s at the back is a lot of stopping power. Top speed is 172, 0-60 4.8s It's the V6 so 380 BHP and 460 torques shifting 1500kg. All the fun is the torque between 110mph and 140mph I agree with comments above - get on a track and work on braking and corner speed - drag racing is a little dull. I would say all the duels have been friendly affairs with plenty of chats at the other end - it's a cabrio so a few have been gracious to pull alongside when I get stuck in the traffic queue and exchange pleasantries......
