Not something that would come up on many other bike boards, but I figure that there may be a few CXers who could outrun themselves with their daily drivers. In a hypothetical drag race between my 500 and my hotrod Miata, the car would leap ahead at the start, only to be passed by the bike halfway through first gear. About the time that the car was ready for the 3-4 shift at 85 MPH, it would pass the bike and continue on to about 20% greater top speed.
On a sufficiently twisty mountain road it's no contest. The Miata has bested GSX-Rs that were sorta well-ridden on Southern Appalachain twisties signed at 10-15 MPH. My best time up those roads on the CX is about 50% slower than in the car -- trying hard, but not expertly skilled, and with no particular death wish.
Discounting several honkin' 'Murican V-8s, one other car I've had that could easily outrun the bike was a much-modified Fiat 600. At a shade over 900 lb, and with about quadruple it's original 21.5 HP, it could keep up (for a while -- 6.37 gears) with big-block Corvettes in their straight-line forte, and walk away from just about anything with doors in the turns.
It's sometimes a wee bit annoying to have to try to best a minivan for lane position, but one of the things I like best about my CX is that it's gratifyingly slow.
}}}}
My car easily beats my '79CX500 D in terms of top end, but I'm not sure about pulling off from the line. I've had my 3 liter V6 Jag S type for about a year, but haven't had a chance to really check out the top speed yet. I had it a week and got two tickets, the last for doing 87 in a 65. I was relieved, because I had been at 100 and was slowing back down when I passed the statie. Unfortunately with a car like that, you're getting the ticket, they generally don't take pity on you. I think it's limited to probably 130 or so, which is a shame. I had a Saab 900 natually aspirated 2.2 four which was good for 125 or so before it ran out of oomph. I had considered the 4.2 V8 and the type R, which is a screamer, but just don't need that kind of power. The 266 HP in mine is plenty. Unfortunately it's a pretty heavy car.
I have to wait another year or so to get my points down before I try to open up the Jag again.
The bike doesn't like going above 80 or so, which is fine for me, that's pretty fast for my bike. I'm afraid parts will fall off at that speed anyway.
Off the line on the bike I tend to leave cars behind, but that may be because they're all on their cell phones anyway.
I have no idea which may be faster off the line. Maybe in the spring I'll get a friend to drive next to me and we'll see.
in my bike's current condition, you would see taillights and muffler tips too...
because they would probably fall off at high speed
Phil in VT wrote:My antique DeTomasso will burn any bike, off the line and down the road too. Snow is falling. Yuk.
There is absolutely NO way that ANY car can keep up to a modernday 1000cc, even the 600s off the line, or top end!!! Most superbikes have a 0-100 of way under 3 seconds in capable hands!!!!
I raced my wife from pull-off about a month back, riding the CX, she in her BMW and she won me!! Must say it was a bitter pill to swollow, but fair is fair, it was a clean win.
I pulled her a car length straight off the line, but at approx 80km/h she sped off into the distance!!! The BM is limited at 250km/h, and the CXs electronic speed control system , or CXESCS kicks in at approx 160km/h!! Not fair hey!
I still love the CX. I ride it slow, because I want to!!!!
Just about anything is faster than my Russian Ural sidecar rig, even my '92 F250 diesel!
TomC
Not sure but I'll find out next summer when I get 69 datsun srl311 roadster going. Talk about the deal of the century I picked it up from some kid for 100 dollars! Previous owner had tore it down to restore but had never finished it. It was a basket case but everything is there. And it was from southern california ( No rust ) and only has 38,000 original miles. I've got it stored back home in SD in my old man's garage. I'm moving back there this spring and then the work shall begin. Nickle Eye
G Steyn wrote: Phil in VT wrote:My antique DeTomasso will burn any bike, off the line and down the road too. Snow is falling. Yuk. There is absolutely NO way that ANY car can keep up to a modernday 1000cc, even the 600s off the line, or top end!!! Most superbikes have a 0-100 of way under 3 seconds in capable hands!!!! I raced my wife from pull-off about a month back, riding the CX, she in her BMW and she won me!! Must say it was a bitter pill to swollow, but fair is fair, it was a clean win. I pulled her a car length straight off the line, but at approx 80km/h she sped off into the distance!!! The BM is limited at 250km/h, and the CXs electronic speed control system , or CXESCS kicks in at approx 160km/h!! Not fair hey! I still love the CX. I ride it slow, because I want to!!!!
Well now, let's see here.....1994 Dodge Ram 1500.......could probably carry all my bikes. The CX 650 will probably beat it.....the 1979 Gold Wings will probably beat it.......the 2004 ST 1300 (my beater...beats everything) I've only had it to 135 mph, but that was in 3/8 mile. I understand they will turn the quarter in 10 seconds at 120 mph. A great ride for the twisties, too. I suppose the CX will easily beat my other 4 rides, tho. A Halflinger, a Halflinger cross, a Welsh, and a Welsh Cob.
Ivan
"A GSXR1000 compaired to a new Corvette prehaps. Now that is a match up I would pay to see. "
It's still no match. I've seen an R1 against a Porsche 911 Turbo and it was just no contest, not even well past 100 mph. At least, that is, on the straights. Throw some corners in there and you'll have one hell of a match
chicagorandy wrote:On my Ural rig? I've been outgunned by senior citizens on their Rascals..and small children on their Big Wheels.
I understand why people like bikes.
Why do you people drive cars? Why do you care how fast they will go?
It strikes me that most bike people who also drive cars aren't too much interested in how fast the cars will go as long as the trunk will carry the groceries or there are enough seats for the kids.
Sidecar Bob wrote:I understand why people like bikes. Why do you people drive cars?Because they can't ride bikes! Why do you care how fast they will go?Only to the extent that they can get out of my way. It strikes me that most bike people who also drive cars aren't too much interested in how fast the cars will go as long as the trunk will carry the groceries or there are enough seats for the kids.Now this is the perfect place to let everyone know why there is a place for the sidecar, that is almost the best of both worlds!!
Why do you people drive cars?Because they can't ride bikes! Why do you care how fast they will go?Only to the extent that they can get out of my way.
It strikes me that most bike people who also drive cars aren't too much interested in how fast the cars will go as long as the trunk will carry the groceries or there are enough seats for the kids.Now this is the perfect place to let everyone know why there is a place for the sidecar, that is almost the best of both worlds!!
instructorpilot wrote:I've read the posts and have come to the conclusion that people love to compair apples to oranges. First of all the cx is not a fast motorcycle, even when it was new and shiny. It was a bike for people who valued reliability and economy over performance. It was designed to compete with BMW for cryin out loud. It is not slow by by any means but any of the 400cc or larger fours will eat it for lunch. If your going to compair a car to a motorcycle stick to the rules. I have a race car that will out drive any motorcycle in the curves. A motorcycle is hard pressed to pull more than one G on the skidpad. There are stock cars that can do that now. As for acceleration however, the power to weight rules. A 160hp motorcycle that weighs 450 lbs will always eat a 300 hp 4000lb car. Not modified either. A GSXR1000 compaired to a new Corvette prehaps. Now that is a match up I would pay to see.
" I owned a '79 CX500 Custom for 14 years and never had my ass handed to me by any standard bike under 800cc. High compression and 4 valves per cylinder shows Honda put some thought into performance...that and the fact they had the turbo in mind right from the very beginning. Go back to '78 and list some bikes in the 500cc class that faster. It sure isn't a 14.5 second CB500/4 let alone a 400"
Its very true, not too many bikes can really smoke a CX. As always, its more about the rider than the bike, but I can easily keep up with most people riding quickly, and they are on considerably bigger bore bike,and are really suprised when they see me right beside them or on their ass. I've outrun plenty of bikes on my putzy little 500...now if the CX was a 1000cc....
I know my '78 GS400 went faster than my GL500 or my CX650E.
The GL1000 isn't much faster either, but it gets there a lot sooner.
The '84 CB750SC Nighthawk was faster too, but it was a lot more thirsty and didn't seem as well engineered.
But in the real world, a well engineered bike like the CX/SilverWing family is a lot better.
Cars? Who cares. I have never owned one and don't expect to ever need to one. When I can no longer drive a trike or sidecar outfit I won't be in any condition to drive a car either.
George in Indiana wrote:And personally I wouldn't want to pay much to watch a Gixxer vs. a Vette unless the Vette it highly modified with a twin turbo. It would be boring waiting the 2 weeks for the Vette to show up and overtake the bike in top speed.
Anonymous wrote:The 2008 Z06 is up past 500HP
I have always wondered why they would make cars like that for use on public roadways...
Never discount the rider/driver either. There's a series of videos on YouTube filmed by a guy riding an old Goldwing, the SOB keeps up with the rice rockets on the twisties, give most of us mere mortals that same Goldwing and I dare say we wouldn't have a chance.
I wouldn't say I'm nearly in the class as the guy in the videos, but you would be surprised how many sportbikes I have passed on my old GoldWing. In fact, I would say that most of the bikes I have felt the need to pass were sport bikes - why do they spend the money for something new & fast and then dawdle along at or below the posted?
As for riding a bike all year long...in Canada? The word eccentric comes to mind, or maybe extrememly frugal. (My mom always said it wasn't nice to call anyone crazy or cheap.)
I never said I was normal or average, and as for "frugal"... well, I admit frequently that I'm cheap.
I do take appropriate precautions, wear appropriate gear and have knobby tires& a full fairing, and live in the southernmost part of Ontario (how many of you live north of the 44th parallel?). I may be crazy but I'm not dumb.;-{)
"I have always wondered why they would make cars like that for use on public roadways..."
Well consider that a 500 hp car is still just barely faster than a 100hp bike, if it is even faster at all.I mean tell me why you need a bike (r6, R1, GSXR 600-750-1000, BMW K1200...etc etc) that will break most speed limits in first or second gear, and go well past 150mph? No reason at all except for fun and adrenaline, plus they are particularly good at killing off the living dead, better so than fast cars cause as cars keep getting faster AND safer, bikes have gotten a hellofalot faster and not much safer at all. I'm not particularly into cars but im sure a 500hp one would put a smile on my face to drive tho...
And George in Indiana, if your looking for an Elise or a Vette, im assuming you already have a daily driver; and in that case give this a thought http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaWoo82zNUA
Actually the only big difference between the UK and the US version is the engine. The Atom on this side of the pond has a supercharged GM engine that goes in the Cobalt SS. Considering that i've ridden in my friends Cobalt SS and that it did burnouts into 3rd gear on only slightly wet pavement, and is really, really fast, i'd say that engine put into the Atoms body would be just as good as a Honda engine.And dont be afraid of regulations of this or that ruining it, its very strict in England, if not stricter to get a car street legal than it would be here. As far as those 3 wheelers go, I know exactly what your talking about. Saw one zooming around allston one day (one with a ZX 1400 engine) and it was just impossible to keep anywhere close to.
George in Indiana wrote:The big loophole is they all have THREE WHEELS. Lose one wheel and you get a whole new set of rules as it's now considered a motorcycle. :)
I think you'll find that up to 3 wheels is a motorcycle and more than 3 is a car. That's why the Bombardier Spyder has 3 wheels - they wanted to make a road going 4 wheeler, but the laws in most countries say 4 wheeled vehicles have to meet a bunch of regulations designed to keep occupants of cars safe.
Sidecar Bob wrote: George in Indiana wrote:The big loophole is they all have THREE WHEELS. Lose one wheel and you get a whole new set of rules as it's now considered a motorcycle. :) I think you'll find that up to 3 wheels is a motorcycle and more than 3 is a car. That's why the Bombardier Spyder has 3 wheels - they wanted to make a road going 4 wheeler, but the laws in most countries say 4 wheeled vehicles have to meet a bunch of regulations designed to keep occupants of cars safe.