What bike have you ridden to the limit of it's performance?

[Yorick]

The beauty of motorcycles compared to virtually any other mode of transport is that the rider does not merely control the device, they are part of a complex bike-rider system. I have taken virtually every single machine I have ever owned to the red line in top wide open throttle. I will typically do that on day one.

Is that “the limit of its performance” (sic.). No. That’s just flat out. Any one of the thousands of professional racers could “get more out of it” than either I am able or willing to do. If you want to see what it is they do, try throwing your bike into Paddock Hill bend a gear higher than you like and brake 5 metres later than you dare. You’ll need to go in a LOT earlier than usual, like about 10 metres. You’ll have to bank on drifting out towards the apex because you’re aiming to hit the curb on the inside already.

Having successfully drifted the bike and hit the apex to perfection, you are now still drifting wide waiting to slide onto the curb to find that particular patch where you can start winding the throttle on. Six inches too hot and you’ll be spinning up on dirt shortly before entertaining the audience with a cartwheeling machine. You’ve just found the limit. Now do it again, and again. Six inches is no exaggeration, top riders aim for a patch of track the size of their tyre footprint (at the limit…)

I know where the limit is ( in theory!) and I am happy to keep a good 10% away from it. Give myself some wiggle room. If I am ever able to reach the theoretical maximum “limit” of my own bike-rider combination, there is still a group of my peers who will find an extra 1/10th on the same bike in the same circumstance. I don’t know how they do it and my skills aren’t even in the same ballpark as the BSB/MotoGP guys “it’s ain’t even the same sport” (Pulp Fiction). Those guys might just as well be from another planet as us mere Earthlings. They aren’t called aliens for nothing.

10% my arse. You wouldn't get within 10% of a decent club racer.

[Skub]

When you think you're 10% and realise you're not even remotely close.



Canepa, he's no alien. But watching this video destroying a fast group, well, it's just daft

He makes that look like a video game.

[Yorick]

When you think you're 10% and realise you're not even remotely close.



Canepa, he's no alien. But watching this video destroying a fast group, well, it's just daft

He makes that look like a video game.

To put it into perspective. I'd lap 90% of the folk on here at Cadwell within 4 or 5 laps.

The BSB lads would lap me within 5 or 6 laps.

[KungFooBob]

Cadwell lap record, somewhere around 1:26 iirc.

I reckon anyone with half an idea can do early 50's, late 40's on a road 600/1000.

A trackday instructor on a GSXR1000, early 1:40's late 1:30's?

[Yorick]

Cadwell lap record, somewhere around 1:26 iirc.

I reckon anyone with half an idea can do early 50's, late 40's on a road 600/1000.

A trackday instructor on a GSXR1000, early 1:40's late 1:30's?

Low 2 mins for novices.

[Yorick]

Cadwell lap record, somewhere around 1:26 iirc.

I reckon anyone with half an idea can do early 50's, late 40's on a road 600/1000.

A trackday instructor on a GSXR1000, early 1:40's late 1:30's?

Low 2 mins for novices.

I would lap a first timer in 2 laps.

[KungFooBob]

I could do 1:58's on a 1976 RD250 and I'm far from quick.

[Yorick]

I could do 1:58's on a 1978 RD250 and I'm far from quick.

Yeah, but you've raced and learned to push hard.

[KungFooBob]

LOL, you've not seen me racing then.

[weeksy]

Cadwell lap record, somewhere around 1:26 iirc.

I reckon anyone with half an idea can do early 50's, late 40's on a road 600/1000.

A trackday instructor on a GSXR1000, early 1:40's late 1:30's?

Low 2 mins for novices.

That's very very optimistic.

Watch couchies vid on his RE, he was 2 mins flat and destroyed the novice group.

2:30-40 I'm saying

[KungFooBob]

That's very very optimistic.

Watch couchies vid on his RE, he was 2 mins flat and destroyed the novice group.

2:30-40 I'm saying

Really?

The RE was a good 40-50bhp RWBHP, he should have been under 2 mins.

[Yorick]

Cadwell lap record, somewhere around 1:26 iirc.

I reckon anyone with half an idea can do early 50's, late 40's on a road 600/1000.

A trackday instructor on a GSXR1000, early 1:40's late 1:30's?

Low 2 mins for novices.

That's very very optimistic.

Watch couchies vid on his RE, he was 2 mins flat and destroyed the novice group.

2:30-40 I'm saying

I was being polite

But it does prove my point.

[Yorick]

We weren't allowed to go play in the novice group coz of the massive speed differential.

[Screwdriver]

10% my arse. You wouldn't get within 10% of a decent club racer.

….and how on earth could you possibly know that?

When I was racing, I would be top three usually. Buy that is not my claim anyway. I am saying I keep 10% of my personal limit in reserve.

Thats enough to piss all over a fat old has been (for example) but of course nowhere near the current crop of club racers as I admit somewhat at length above.

[Horse]

I would lap a first timer in 2 laps.

To be fair, a first timer might not really know where the best line is.

[weeksy]

10% my arse. You wouldn't get within 10% of a decent club racer.

….and how on earth could you possibly know that?

When I was racing, I would be top three usually. Buy that is not my claim anyway. I am saying I keep 10% of my personal limit in reserve.

Thats enough to piss all over a fat old has been (for example) but of course nowhere near the current crop of club racers as I admit somewhat at length above.

I think you may be surprised at what your average fast group fat bloke does nowadays with 200bhp and electronic assistance

[Yorick]

10% my arse. You wouldn't get within 10% of a decent club racer.

….and how on earth could you possibly know that?

When I was racing, I would be top three usually. Buy that is not my claim anyway. I am saying I keep 10% of my personal limit in reserve.

Thats enough to piss all over a fat old has been (for example) but of course nowhere near the current crop of club racers as I admit somewhat at length above.

Oooooooooh !!

[Skub]

The willies are out now.

[Yorick]

10% my arse. You wouldn't get within 10% of a decent club racer.

….and how on earth could you possibly know that?

When I was racing, I would be top three usually. Buy that is not my claim anyway. I am saying I keep 10% of my personal limit in reserve.

Thats enough to piss all over a fat old has been (for example) but of course nowhere near the current crop of club racers as I admit somewhat at length above.

I think you may be surprised at what your average fast group fat bloke does nowadays with 200bhp and electronic assistance

Us fat bloke don't need leccy toys.
The beer belly is an anti wheelie device.
And we have more weight on rear tyre for grip.

[KungFooBob]

I still worried that some people take 2:30/40 to lap Cadwell!

You could jog it faster than that!