R Robinson

I remember a head-to-head of a Z1000 vs a (American) sports car years ago. The car won. I had a co-worker state that modern day sport bikes can outperform my 911. He was implying any sports car. I told him in the straight lines true in the curves not so. Overall I have read that a bike is simply not half a car and can not -by design, out perform the best that comes on four wheels.

Any one heard of comparisons? What is the consensus?

reg

sy308

The answer is: it depends.

For today's super bikes running over 100 hp, you will find they can jump to 60 with 4 second times. However, any motorcycle suffers from lack of torque and eventually your P-car (especially the turbos) will out run almost any motorcycle at the top end. Only a few street bikes will actually do more than 120ish without modifications. At that speed, only the most fervent biker will stay with you. The wind pressure on the rider creates incredible discomfort at those speeds. The rider is literally hanging on for dear life, if he is not used to riding that fast. The P-car, like any good German marque, is built to sustain those speeds, not just obtain them. Most bikes, BMW is one notable exception, are not comfortable and are not going to sustain speeds no matter how much hp they have.

75project

It would be interesting to compare track times on various race courses. I looked around the Road America site, and couldn't find any, but I'd bet they're available somewhere.

JackOlsen

The 250 shifter kart would win by a lot.

Mark McClure

Just had to jump in on this one...I am a biker and have only recently bought a porsche. Even the early superbikes would out perform any car. They are lighter and have a much better power to weight ratio. The standing 1/4 miles are faster and the top speeds only slightly lower than exotic cars. The real question is who is riding. Many people can drive a car fairly quickly, cars are much more forgiving. Only a few can ride a bike at the same speeds as the average car driver, fewer still are able to out perform. Do not be fooled into thinking that you are the fastest thing out there just because you have a metal frame around you. The skill and consistance of the driver/rider will always dictate who is the quickest.

Rob McConnell

Hi Guys

I would have to agree with Mark on this one, most road bikes (full fairing style)over 600cc and less that 5-6 years old will outrun a p-car. Todays 1000cc sportsbike are in the 0-60 3 sec bracket and will go onto 175mph.

I ride a fast bike and the speed is great but i have travelled in my porsche at between 100-155 mph for up to 2 hours at a time. Bikes have alot of disadvantages. Luggage space, exposure to the elements and if you wanted to travel at those speeds for any period of time you really have to have your wits about you.

In my mind have the best of both worlds.

Rob Honda CBR 600 (still scares me)
91 964 Cab (very fast for a car)

Carlos Artal

Some years ago there was a "test" done in Spain by one of the main motorcycle magazines here. It was an outright race between a Porsche 928 and a Kawasaki ZX10.

Despite having to stop once to refuel (smaller tank), the bike outperformed the car all over.

Today, with motorbikes having 150 plus HP, I believe they will outperform a car, if correctly driven.

By the by, the test was done in summer. The bike driver arrived sweaty and covered in flies and mosquitoe´s dead bodies. The 928 driver had had the AC on running at all times (I think time difference was less than 10 minutes...)

Being a biker myself, I think bikes are faster. But tension when driving them is a lot higher, and much less forgiving.

Jeff Curtis

If I'm not mistaken, the course record at Summit Point, in West Virginia is STILL held by a normally aspirated RX-7...not a bike.

This whole argument has a lot of variables to be introduced. I wouldn't say one could beat the other on any account, because there's always something faster out there.

If you were to take the "fastest" mass production bike and car...compare the two on the track, drag and roadcourse, some results would be very interesting...even more interesting how they may vary if using several different road courses.

turbocarrera.

A modern superbike can do 0-100-0 in around 7 seconds - no production car can come close.
I can drive the 370 miles from Saskatoon to Calgary in 3 hours with a lazy fuel stop, in pouring rain, a passenger for some good conversation, a good deal of luggage, a nice cold drink and System of a Down playing in the background. I arrive feeling refreshed and the car just laughs. Try doing that on a superbike. There's lots of way to measure performance and numbers only measure a few of them.

Geoffrey

I use to race motorcycles and I have an 89 turbo. I have to say that any 600cc and higher sportbike will out acclerate all but the highest modified car in a straight line. Most top out between 160 and 175 depending on which one we are talking about. Most sportbike riders ARE easy targets once you get them in the curves on the roads. They simply lack the skill to exploit the bikes full potential.

I believe that I once read a Road & Track or Car & Driver article where they tested a several year old F1 car against a several year old GP500cc (two stroke four cylinder) motorcycle around a track, and the car won.

As an aside note, on a roll and go, my 520hp Turbo will out accelerate a sportbike and will start to pull car lengths on it at 150mph.

Geoffrey

BTW, here I'm at about 120mph

H. D. Smith

ok...bikes are quick because they are nothing but a small frame and good power plant! This is like compairing apples and oranges, there are too many factors!!! If both were to attempt this with 3 passengers....hmmm, the car would win every time. If both were to attempt this with a set of golf clubs and the sack of groceries you picked up on the way home...the car would win! Bikes are a for the INDIVIDUAL rider to have fun and no other real purpose...where the pure sports car can do much more and you can bring friends. That's just my take.

Billy W

I too raced motorcycles, and can say that a good rider will out perform all but the most expensive cars. My last bike a CBR 600 f3 with the mods had about 110hp and with the diet that I put it on it only weighed about 450lbs with me on it. Most people that you see on the street can not ride well, I have seen buick grand nationals out run GSXR 1100's. So to borrow a quote from ahmet "its all the driver".

993RS

Ten years ago, the famous Ruf yellow bird CTR (450 hp in a 3.2 Carrera body...) dueled the fastest motorcyle available then, a Bimota YB 6 with 148 hp on the Nurburgring and just barely won... (time was around 8 minutes...) Today the record is held by a Gembala Porsche 996TT with 600 hp (7 min. 32 sec) Fastest Motorcyle: 7 min 49 sec. a Honda RC 30...

ploglet

I had to add my two cents on this one. I read an article in one of the European car mags about a year ago about an Audi European Touring car versus a 600cc race bike on, I believe, Brands Hatch. The car won. The motorcycle would out run the car out of the turn and through most of the straight but had to get on the brakes to slow down for the turns. That was what killed it. Both were driven/ridden by expert drivers/riders. SO I guess it really depends on what the course and who the dirvers/riders are. I am an owner of a 911 and a 996 Ducati. So either way I feel blessed!