My view of the world has been shaken
Discussion
RedAndy said:
ford puma was the same - every journey was a smiley one. celica Gen7 was the same.
...but you couldn't overtake easily... so i guess the solution is fun slow car + Nitrous for the odd time you need it...?
It depends on the sort of driving that you do. But that's my issue with a slow car, you cannot get past the twaddlers or repmobiles who tootle on the bends then hoof it up the straights or accelerate when you go past. If you actually intend to overtake, it's much better to have power....but you couldn't overtake easily... so i guess the solution is fun slow car + Nitrous for the odd time you need it...?
Exactly that. I do a 90 mile journey quite frequently that is about half A and B roads, and it is at least 10 minutes faster (at some times of day) in a fast car. There are some overtakes that are impossible in a car with 100bhp/ton but easy with 250bhp/ton. Maybe only 1 or 2 per journey, sure, but it can be very frustrating to be stuck behind someone who thinks the NSL is 50mph.
I think that's the real argument for generating a high(ish) power to weight ratio by reducing weight rather than adding power. A one tonne car with 200bhp is almost as good for overtaking as a two tonne car with 400bhp but tends to feel much more exploitable and fun.
Of course with a lighter car you tend to lose out in terms of refinement and practicality... it's always a trade-off. For me, my current car (800kg and 160bhp) is about ideal for daily B-road use.
Of course with a lighter car you tend to lose out in terms of refinement and practicality... it's always a trade-off. For me, my current car (800kg and 160bhp) is about ideal for daily B-road use.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 31st May 08:28
kambites said:
I think that's the real argument for generating a high(ish) power to weight ratio by reducing weight rather than adding power. A one tonne car with 200bhp is almost as good for overtaking as a two tonne car with 400bhp but tends to feel much more exploitable and fun.
Of course with a lighter car you tend to lose out in terms of refinement and practicality... it's always a trade-off. For me, my current car (800kg and 160bhp) is about ideal for daily B-road use.
Indeed, lightness is where its at for fun.Of course with a lighter car you tend to lose out in terms of refinement and practicality... it's always a trade-off. For me, my current car (800kg and 160bhp) is about ideal for daily B-road use.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 31st May 08:28
One of the things on my automotive todo list is to get a small/light car (pug 106?) with a somewhat decent engine, fettle it a tiny bit, strip out unneeded weight and have fun whilst not spending mad money or getting close to license losing territory. For me the goal is 100hp/ton with good handling in the corners, and 80hp in a 800kg car is much cheaper and easier to get handling well then 140 in a 1400kg car.
Supercars, meh. Been there, done that. Boring now, simply because of the high level of traffic on the roads in the UK. You simply cant make decent progress any more.
So do what I did 4 years ago. Get a motorbike license. Then experience what a decent bike can do. your view of "fast cars on british roads" will be destroyed forever.
So do what I did 4 years ago. Get a motorbike license. Then experience what a decent bike can do. your view of "fast cars on british roads" will be destroyed forever.
On the odd occasion I've ridden really fast bikes, I've found them to be even worse than cars. I just don't see the appeal in riding something that can hit the national speed limit in about two seconds and get to licence-losing speeds in three; you either have to become one of those lunatic riders who's hitting 150 at the end of every reasonable straight, or spend 90% of your time coasting which is dull.
Give me a nice high-revving 250 over a super-bike any day although personally I'd rather have a car because it's always either raining or too hot to be covered in leathers. I can see the appeal of bikes, but they're not for me.
Give me a nice high-revving 250 over a super-bike any day although personally I'd rather have a car because it's always either raining or too hot to be covered in leathers. I can see the appeal of bikes, but they're not for me.
Willy Nilly said:
StottyEvo said:
I agree that slow cars are fun, but when anybody states that they cannot use the power of their Golf R on public roads, they either live in central London or can't drive.
You cannot see any further around the next corner in a Golf R than I can in a 1.4 litre Jazz. I’m beginning to have similar thoughts when it comes to my bike.
I have had a number of 750-1000 cc sports bikes over the years and it is very rare you can really open them up. When you do start to really push them, the speeds attained could easily result in points, injury or worse if anything should go wrong so it has created a bit of a psychological barrier to really winding the throttle open. Even the 900 Triumph I am running at the moment can break most speed limits in 1st!
For that reason I am seriously thinking of going back to a 500 twin of some sort. I used to have a Kawasaki GPZ500s and it was absolutely brilliant. You could properly rag the nuts off it at ten tenths but you would still be at sensible speeds. Plus the insurance was £68 per year fully comp!
I fully agree that there is some satisfaction going quickly in/on a smaller, lighter, less powerful car/bike than driving something that doesn’t get into its stride until way into the dark side of speed limits.
One of my most memorable, enjoyable drives wasn’t the time I went to a supercar experience and got to drive a 911, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Ferrari Testarossa (really showing my age now!) or Lamborghini Diablo (ruddy ‘orrible, by the way!), it was ragging a MK 2 Fiesta XR2 across the Peak District. I got to unleash every one of its 95 ponies without fearing prosecution or injury. I could hammer it around tight twist roads without the fear of swapping paint with any bigger vehicles coming the other way.
It’s just a pity I don’t fit in an MX5!
I have had a number of 750-1000 cc sports bikes over the years and it is very rare you can really open them up. When you do start to really push them, the speeds attained could easily result in points, injury or worse if anything should go wrong so it has created a bit of a psychological barrier to really winding the throttle open. Even the 900 Triumph I am running at the moment can break most speed limits in 1st!
For that reason I am seriously thinking of going back to a 500 twin of some sort. I used to have a Kawasaki GPZ500s and it was absolutely brilliant. You could properly rag the nuts off it at ten tenths but you would still be at sensible speeds. Plus the insurance was £68 per year fully comp!
I fully agree that there is some satisfaction going quickly in/on a smaller, lighter, less powerful car/bike than driving something that doesn’t get into its stride until way into the dark side of speed limits.
One of my most memorable, enjoyable drives wasn’t the time I went to a supercar experience and got to drive a 911, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Ferrari Testarossa (really showing my age now!) or Lamborghini Diablo (ruddy ‘orrible, by the way!), it was ragging a MK 2 Fiesta XR2 across the Peak District. I got to unleash every one of its 95 ponies without fearing prosecution or injury. I could hammer it around tight twist roads without the fear of swapping paint with any bigger vehicles coming the other way.
It’s just a pity I don’t fit in an MX5!
kambites said:
On the odd occasion I've ridden really fast bikes, I've found them to be even worse than cars. I just don't see the appeal in riding something that can hit the national speed limit in about two seconds and get to licence-losing speeds in three; you either have to become one of those lunatic riders who's hitting 150 at the end of every reasonable straight, or spend 90% of your time coasting which is dull.
Give me a nice high-revving 250 over a super-bike any day although personally I'd rather have a car because it's always either raining or too hot to be covered in leathers. I can see the appeal of bikes, but they're not for me.
It is possible to have both (he says smugly). Give me a nice high-revving 250 over a super-bike any day although personally I'd rather have a car because it's always either raining or too hot to be covered in leathers. I can see the appeal of bikes, but they're not for me.
TBH even a 250 is too fast for the road, but being much lighter it feels a lot different from a litre bike. Takes a lot more effort to make progress.
It depends on the car as well, Some car's that are fast and too easy drive fast and you can loose the impression of speed where as something like a vtec engined mini, will feel much faster than another car that is just as fast if not faster.
You also get used to the power, Drive a slow car for a few months without getting into a quick car then get into a quick car and tell me your view hasn't changed yet again. Too much of anything and it becomes dull that goes for anything in life.
You also get used to the power, Drive a slow car for a few months without getting into a quick car then get into a quick car and tell me your view hasn't changed yet again. Too much of anything and it becomes dull that goes for anything in life.
V8RX7 said:
I would but I like having the ability to walk too much.
You are more likely to be injured or killed on a motorbike but you do realise that the vast majority of bikers aren't killed or crippled? I think the risk is 30 times higher than driving. Do you worry for your life each time you get in a car? Probably not as the risk of death is actually very low. It is higher for bikers but still very low overall.Esceptico said:
V8RX7 said:
I would but I like having the ability to walk too much.
You are more likely to be injured or killed on a motorbike but you do realise that the vast majority of bikers aren't killed or crippled? I think the risk is 30 times higher than driving. Do you worry for your life each time you get in a car? Probably not as the risk of death is actually very low. It is higher for bikers but still very low overall.I've also seen some horrific crashes, I still remember the lad screaming as we lifted a car off him and know several lads who have been badly injured and two have been killed - so I'll pass.
Vitorio said:
Indeed, lightness is where its at for fun.
One of the things on my automotive todo list is to get a small/light car (pug 106?) with a somewhat decent engine, fettle it a tiny bit, strip out unneeded weight and have fun whilst not spending mad money or getting close to license losing territory. For me the goal is 100hp/ton with good handling in the corners, and 80hp in a 800kg car is much cheaper and easier to get handling well then 140 in a 1400kg car.
106 RallyeOne of the things on my automotive todo list is to get a small/light car (pug 106?) with a somewhat decent engine, fettle it a tiny bit, strip out unneeded weight and have fun whilst not spending mad money or getting close to license losing territory. For me the goal is 100hp/ton with good handling in the corners, and 80hp in a 800kg car is much cheaper and easier to get handling well then 140 in a 1400kg car.
s m said:
Vitorio said:
Indeed, lightness is where its at for fun.
One of the things on my automotive todo list is to get a small/light car (pug 106?) with a somewhat decent engine, fettle it a tiny bit, strip out unneeded weight and have fun whilst not spending mad money or getting close to license losing territory. For me the goal is 100hp/ton with good handling in the corners, and 80hp in a 800kg car is much cheaper and easier to get handling well then 140 in a 1400kg car.
106 RallyeOne of the things on my automotive todo list is to get a small/light car (pug 106?) with a somewhat decent engine, fettle it a tiny bit, strip out unneeded weight and have fun whilst not spending mad money or getting close to license losing territory. For me the goal is 100hp/ton with good handling in the corners, and 80hp in a 800kg car is much cheaper and easier to get handling well then 140 in a 1400kg car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff