Top Gear - Ariel Atom V8 vs BMW1000R

[EJK]

"Only $70,000"?

Pi is just a number too.

[AllanB]

"Only $70,000"?

Like bikinis, the less material they use to make them the more they cost.


You can spend $50k on a Harley .........

[Flip]

"Only $70,000"?

I guess its a relative thing, how fast can you afford to go? A basic porche is $140k a good one is $250k. Then you start into prancing horses and Lambos.

What is a Radical SR8 worth new?

[george formby]

I guess its a relative thing, how fast can you afford to go? A basic porche is $140k a good one is $250k. Then you start into prancing horses and Lambos.

What is a Radical SR8 worth new?

You can get mint second hand ones for less than $30k, the sting would be in importing. Bang for your buck? Second hand 15 year old Porsche or import an Atom for less money?

No brainer, already got a helmet....

[Ronin]

You can get mint second hand ones for less than $30k, the sting would be in importing. Bang for your buck? Second hand 15 year old Porsche or import an Atom for less money?

No brainer, already got a helmet....

Agree there. If given the choice then it would be the Atom.

[DangerMice]

Way down in the comments....


Andy Downes says
Just to make it clear
The fastest time recorded by the bike was on a solo lap while Brogan was getting some practice laps in. No car was on track with him.
The filmed racing lap was done with both together so we are comparing like for like. I was there at the track all day long doing the timing myself. It was less than a second in it and the bike was definitely faster than the time logged by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
Hope this helps

Andy Downes
MCN Senior Reporter
24 January 2011 14:04

[george formby]

Way down in the comments....


Andy Downes says
Just to make it clear
The fastest time recorded by the bike was on a solo lap while Brogan was getting some practice laps in. No car was on track with him.
The filmed racing lap was done with both together so we are comparing like for like. I was there at the track all day long doing the timing myself. It was less than a second in it and the bike was definitely faster than the time logged by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
Hope this helps

Andy Downes
MCN Senior Reporter
24 January 2011 14:04

That's a LOT of bang for your buck.

[idleidolidyll]

nice car, nice bike

mind you, Top Gear has run these things before and they generally weight them to favour the car

a $25k bike vs a $220k hand built car? that'd be like comparing the GN250 to a Britten
Perhaps they should pit the Atom against say a $150k Ducati

in the real world everything changes: the car is confined to a lane barely wider than the car, the bike has a lane with room to choose different lines.

the bike has to pull out around 700mm to pass any vehicle; the car has to pull out 2 metres or so

in the real worl; with other traffic around etc; the bike is gonna 'win' 99 times out of 100

[simpy1]

Agree there. If given the choice then it would be the Atom.

What if it rains?

[James Deuce]

in the real worl; with other traffic around etc; the bike is gonna 'win' 99 times out of 100

Bike magazine did that with a BMW S1000RR and a Bugatti Veyron in the forests of Northern Germany. The bike won, simply because of the passing opportunities.

[onearmedbandit]

Bike magazine did that with a BMW S1000RR and a Bugatti Veyron in the forests of Northern Germany. The bike won, simply because of the passing opportunities.

Be easier for the bike to get through all the trees as well too I'm guessing, those Veyron's are pretty big.

[James Deuce]

Be easier for the bike to get through all the trees as well too I'm guessing, those Veyron's are pretty big.

No doubt! Though if you wind the Yeyron up enough and the retract the wing and you might be able to fly over the trees.

[martybabe]

I'm a bit confused, Carver told me BMW's are for old men, ergo, the race was biased in favour of the Atom because the BMW rider wasn't allowed wear his flat cap and slippers. Pipe, flat cap, slippers= BMW FTW

Great vid, thanks for posting it.

[BMWST?]

Yes but saying that I haven't seen a BMW1000R in the flesh yet but I know of two Atoms around my side of Christchurch city probably not the new V8.

I wonder if that V8 is the same as the one in the Caterum 5000 which is two busa motors on a common crank.

Brilliant car, 1000hp per tonne. The car looked to be on road tires also.

Thinking about it logically, the bike did very well. The bike and the car had similar power to weight but almost any car can out brake any bike.

and thats how he passed him.....twice

[Ronin]

No doubt! Though if you wind the Yeyron up enough and the retract the wing and you might be able to fly over the trees.

Funny thing is, when Captain Slow did his high speed run all the aero is retracted. Apparently at the end of his run he had to nudge the brake pedal to engage the airbrake which decelerates the car more effectively than normal car brakes fully engaged.