At what petrol price will you sell your Ro/VXR8 and go Green
Poll: At what petrol price will you sell your Ro/VXR8 and go Green
Total Members Polled: 32
Discussion
slackalice said:
Lets face it lads, we knew what we were doing when we bought our cars, and I for one couldn't care less what the the price of fuel gets to, I love driving the RO, and that is everything to me.
I second that! I use my Ro daily and average (at the moment) 15mpg, and at 20,000 miles in the last 12 months that's a significant cost in fuel however you look at it. But add in the modifications, Insurance, tyres, Road tax... it's not a cheap car. BUt b*ll*cks! If I wanted a cheap car I wouldn't have bought a big V8!
I love it, best car I've ever owned and not planning on getting rid (unless someone offers me a big pile of cash to get another one!)
The Monaro will cost me £1500 per year for the rest of my life - the interest I'm no longer getting on its 30K purchase price. Over its 10 year life it will depreciate on average £3K per year. Add in £1500 for insurance, tax and maintenance and it has cost £6K before going anywhere! So whether it is 2 or 3K per year on petrol is irrelevant. Such are the economics of buying a new car. Gordon Brown knows it to so don't expect any rebates soon. It is not a story so the media still concentrates on the family hard luck stories.
Long term I'm interested in a second all electric car. As nothing of any substance is available I'm looking at a project to convert a super mini myself as I am interested in battery technology and have the necessary skills as an electronics engineer. It is not really a green or even economic project, just something to do out of interest. A prospective battery pack would cost £5 - 10K using large format Lithium ion cells such as made by this Chinese company: www.thunder-sky.com/home_en.asp I have already spent £750 on some to experiment with and develope the necessary protection and monitoring electronics.
If successful then it would certainly be good to spare the Monaro from bad whether and help make it last.
Long term I'm interested in a second all electric car. As nothing of any substance is available I'm looking at a project to convert a super mini myself as I am interested in battery technology and have the necessary skills as an electronics engineer. It is not really a green or even economic project, just something to do out of interest. A prospective battery pack would cost £5 - 10K using large format Lithium ion cells such as made by this Chinese company: www.thunder-sky.com/home_en.asp I have already spent £750 on some to experiment with and develope the necessary protection and monitoring electronics.
If successful then it would certainly be good to spare the Monaro from bad whether and help make it last.
It's not the batteries or the motors that are the big pain in electric cars but rather the drivetrain.
Another option that would be interesting would be a serial hybrid rather than the current parallel ones. Here you'd have a tiny conventional engine powering a generator to supply the power to an electric motor to drive the wheels. A small battery reserve would be used to regain energy when braking. It has on paper the possibility of being more efficient than the current hybrids as you can run the combustion engine independantly of the wheels at it's optimum power efficiency. You also wouldn't need a large engine (even a small bike engine is perfectly adequate depending on what output you want).
I've been toying with this idea in a track based car as with no large battery cell, no conventional gearbox and a small engine and chucnky electric motor there's quite a lot of potential to have alot of fun with a car capable of serious economy.
Another option that would be interesting would be a serial hybrid rather than the current parallel ones. Here you'd have a tiny conventional engine powering a generator to supply the power to an electric motor to drive the wheels. A small battery reserve would be used to regain energy when braking. It has on paper the possibility of being more efficient than the current hybrids as you can run the combustion engine independantly of the wheels at it's optimum power efficiency. You also wouldn't need a large engine (even a small bike engine is perfectly adequate depending on what output you want).
I've been toying with this idea in a track based car as with no large battery cell, no conventional gearbox and a small engine and chucnky electric motor there's quite a lot of potential to have alot of fun with a car capable of serious economy.
[quote=wormus
Performance Bikes June 2000
Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa
Top Speed : 190.3 mph
Standing quarter : 10.3 sec @ 143.9 mph
0-60 mph : 2.8 sec
0-100 mph : 5.3 sec
Power : 151.6 bhp
Torque : 94 ft-lbs
Measured wet weight : 252 kg
Kawasaki ZX-12R
Top Speed : 188.9 mph
Standing quarter : 10.4 sec @ 146.3 mph
0-60 mph : 3.1 sec
0-100 mph : 5.5 sec
Power : 153.4 bhp
Torque : 87.7 ft-lbs
Measured wet weight : 248.5 kg
Not much in it..unless you fit a turbo. Anyway didn't you sell yours?
Sad thing is most litre sports bikes have these figures now.[/quote]
What's 'Sad' about it?
My Gixxer will whip both those two, stop better, and go round the next corner. Plus I get well over 40mpg when I use it for work!!!
However, I'm very glad to see I'm not the only 'Sad Muppet' that keeps all his back issues of PB..
Performance Bikes June 2000
Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa
Top Speed : 190.3 mph
Standing quarter : 10.3 sec @ 143.9 mph
0-60 mph : 2.8 sec
0-100 mph : 5.3 sec
Power : 151.6 bhp
Torque : 94 ft-lbs
Measured wet weight : 252 kg
Kawasaki ZX-12R
Top Speed : 188.9 mph
Standing quarter : 10.4 sec @ 146.3 mph
0-60 mph : 3.1 sec
0-100 mph : 5.5 sec
Power : 153.4 bhp
Torque : 87.7 ft-lbs
Measured wet weight : 248.5 kg
Not much in it..unless you fit a turbo. Anyway didn't you sell yours?
Sad thing is most litre sports bikes have these figures now.[/quote]
What's 'Sad' about it?
My Gixxer will whip both those two, stop better, and go round the next corner. Plus I get well over 40mpg when I use it for work!!!
However, I'm very glad to see I'm not the only 'Sad Muppet' that keeps all his back issues of PB..
Monnington said:
My Gixxer will whip both those two
In your dreams sonny
Why bother with electric cars when the electricity comes from burning fossil fuels?
When I get the time I'm going to drop a GSX-R motor into a Smart Car. Economy and performance!
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 28th May 13:13
wormus said:
Monnington said:
My Gixxer will whip both those two
In your dreams sonny
Why bother with electric cars when the electricity comes from burning fossil fuels?
When I get the time I'm going to drop a GSX-R motor into a Smart Car. Economy and performance!
Edited by wormus on Wednesday 28th May 13:13
But dreams backed up by a measured 165BHP at the rear wheel, and probably 210-220kg wet weight...
This is the Smart you want:-www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4HdsDZX6c&feature=related
GSXR1000 - awsome bike but ever C
ts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends.
B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
ts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends. B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
S600VXR said:
GSXR1000 - awsome bike but ever Cts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends.
B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
ts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends. B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
He's right you know. GSXR1000s are bought by 50 year old blokes to wobble around on at the weekends.
I guarantee I would have no problem keeping up (in a straight line) as I have done many times against bikes like yours.
wormus said:
Monnington said:
My Gixxer will whip both those two
Why bother with electric cars when the electricity comes from burning fossil fuels?
Edited by wormus on Wednesday 28th May 13:13
I don't think burning fuels is all bad but the issue is that industrial power generation and distribution is lots more efficient than carting and cumbusting petrol.
ads_green said:
wormus said:
Monnington said:
My Gixxer will whip both those two
Why bother with electric cars when the electricity comes from burning fossil fuels?
Edited by wormus on Wednesday 28th May 13:13
I don't think burning fuels is all bad but the issue is that industrial power generation and distribution is lots more efficient than carting and cumbusting petrol.
But not quite as much fun yet
wormus said:
S600VXR said:
GSXR1000 - awsome bike but ever Cts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends.
B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
ts got one! Hence building an old big block Katana for posing on the street and racing at weekends. B4 I sold the Busa Turbo I had one try to chase me on the motorway...LOL - you can imagine the outcome with no corners involved! (160 something HP vs a real world 350hp on low boost)
He's right you know. GSXR1000s are bought by 50 year old blokes to wobble around on at the weekends.
I guarantee I would have no problem keeping up (in a straight line) as I have done many times against bikes like yours.
HaHa, I suppose I should have guessed from your SC Ro's that neither of you like corners....
Quite the opposite myself, no excitement in going fast in a straight line, twisties win out everytime. And you know what they say Wormus, ain't the bike, but the rider.... (Actually, I'm closer myself to 50 than I'd like to admit, but I can 'wobble around' much faster than most)..
). Beautiful weather and lots of bikes of all sorts. You'd love it!Just got back from sunny Spain so only picked up on this now. (Just to remind you the sun is that strange yellow ball you occasionally see in the sky!!!)
Bugger the cost of fuel, I gotta missus. She works (which is only right and proper). The more squirt goes up, the harder she'll have to work. Even if it gets silly silly, there's the evenings. She scrubs up OK, I'm sure she could turn a trick or two on the way home from work....any takers in advance?
Bugger the cost of fuel, I gotta missus. She works (which is only right and proper). The more squirt goes up, the harder she'll have to work. Even if it gets silly silly, there's the evenings. She scrubs up OK, I'm sure she could turn a trick or two on the way home from work....any takers in advance?
groutie said:
Just got back from sunny Spain so only picked up on this now. (Just to remind you the sun is that strange yellow ball you occasionally see in the sky!!!)
Bugger the cost of fuel, I gotta missus. She works (which is only right and proper). The more squirt goes up, the harder she'll have to work. Even if it gets silly silly, there's the evenings. She scrubs up OK, I'm sure she could turn a trick or two on the way home from work....any takers in advance?
Bugger the cost of fuel, I gotta missus. She works (which is only right and proper). The more squirt goes up, the harder she'll have to work. Even if it gets silly silly, there's the evenings. She scrubs up OK, I'm sure she could turn a trick or two on the way home from work....any takers in advance?
Haha, I (VERY) briefly thought maybe, but then I'll need MY pennies for the Ro too! lol
wormus said:
He's right you know. GSXR1000s are bought by 50 year old blokes to wobble around on at the weekends.
I'm not 50 for another couple of years but I dont wobble that much:
(yes that's me, Clearways....)
wormus said:
I guarantee I would have no problem keeping up (in a straight line) as I have done many times against bikes like yours.
Looking forward to seeing a 2.5s 0-60/10s quarter Ro in action sometime soon then!C8PPO said:
Looking forward to seeing a 2.5s 0-60/10s quarter Ro in action sometime soon then!
Eh? I was talking about my bike not my car. Car is quick but the bike is a missile!
I could be wrong but I doubt a GSXR1000 would do 0-60 in 2.5 sec. The fastest ever time recorded by MCN for a Hayabusa was 2.7 sec from memory and they are longer and lower than the 1000.
It's all pub bullshit anyway as it's the rider that makes the difference. Take any modern litre-plus sports bike from the past 5 years and there's sod all between any of them. Unlike cars, they're all ballistic.
I'd love a Gixer like yours but I do a lot of (bike) miles and at 6'2" I find them too small to be comfortable. The only thing I might replace mine with is a ZZR1400 or maybe the new Blackbird when it eventually appears.
Oh, I see! Your quote reads two different ways! 
The 2.5sec comment was a bit flippant anyway......
I'm actually 6'4". I'm on my second K6 Thou (thieving b*st*rds......
) and had a K2 before that. Must admit, the K2 was bigger to ride, and there are track pics of me on the K6 where the word "minimoto" has been used in the past, 
but generally it's fine. Have done several long-ish trips (to the Ring, etc) and seeing as you're governed by petrol stops anyway, it never gets too painful; there certainly aren't the tears which my 996-riding mate generates! Commuting - my commute used to be about 20 motorway miles + 10 town miles and it was bearable, but does get heavy on the wrists.
Anyway, I suspect we're more than far-enough off-topic by now - sorry!
The 2.5sec comment was a bit flippant anyway......
I'm actually 6'4". I'm on my second K6 Thou (thieving b*st*rds......
) and had a K2 before that. Must admit, the K2 was bigger to ride, and there are track pics of me on the K6 where the word "minimoto" has been used in the past, but generally it's fine. Have done several long-ish trips (to the Ring, etc) and seeing as you're governed by petrol stops anyway, it never gets too painful; there certainly aren't the tears which my 996-riding mate generates! Commuting - my commute used to be about 20 motorway miles + 10 town miles and it was bearable, but does get heavy on the wrists.Anyway, I suspect we're more than far-enough off-topic by now - sorry!
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