Ixion
24th October 2005, 20:08
Debated over and over again - which is faster bike or car.
Here's a real world comparison. When Mrs Ixion heard about the little after werk pootle I did last night, she decided that today I would take her over the same trip in the Alfatoy. So much for my replacing my brake pads.
So, orders were issued accordingly (She's like that)
Now on paper, this should be no contest. BMW K75 versus Alfa GTV 3L. The car's faster in every way. On the straight (much faster) and through the corners. And, although I ride like your Nana's nana, I drive the same way. And I am a law abiding rider/driver in both, keep it under the 100kph figure, no dodgy overtaking etc.
But the results, for pretty much the same route ( a couple of side excusions on Mrs Ixion's orders, and some stops to admire pretty scenery, which latter I have excluded from the lapsed time. And no gravel in the car. But a bit more rain today than yesterday). I excluded time out for dinner tonight.
Bike : 290 km , in 5 minutes under the 3 hours , precisely, which is 99.5kph. Just under the legal limit.
Car: 310km in 10 minutes under 4 hours , precisely, which is 80.9 kph.
Well under the limit.
So despite the car being theoretically faster (and I have no doubt that on a track it would eat the bike and spit out the bits), on the actual road, dealing with real world situations, the bike is nearly an hour quicker and 20kph faster.
I think this is the fundamental reality. No matter how it works out on a track, on an ordinary road over a decent distance, no car has a chance against a bike.
Here's a real world comparison. When Mrs Ixion heard about the little after werk pootle I did last night, she decided that today I would take her over the same trip in the Alfatoy. So much for my replacing my brake pads.
So, orders were issued accordingly (She's like that)
Now on paper, this should be no contest. BMW K75 versus Alfa GTV 3L. The car's faster in every way. On the straight (much faster) and through the corners. And, although I ride like your Nana's nana, I drive the same way. And I am a law abiding rider/driver in both, keep it under the 100kph figure, no dodgy overtaking etc.
But the results, for pretty much the same route ( a couple of side excusions on Mrs Ixion's orders, and some stops to admire pretty scenery, which latter I have excluded from the lapsed time. And no gravel in the car. But a bit more rain today than yesterday). I excluded time out for dinner tonight.
Bike : 290 km , in 5 minutes under the 3 hours , precisely, which is 99.5kph. Just under the legal limit.
Car: 310km in 10 minutes under 4 hours , precisely, which is 80.9 kph.
Well under the limit.
So despite the car being theoretically faster (and I have no doubt that on a track it would eat the bike and spit out the bits), on the actual road, dealing with real world situations, the bike is nearly an hour quicker and 20kph faster.
I think this is the fundamental reality. No matter how it works out on a track, on an ordinary road over a decent distance, no car has a chance against a bike.