Dangerous lack of torque
Discussion
Think about what kind of car you'd need to be able to overtake like a Blackbird. A 600cc sports bike accelerates like a 911 Turbo, so what sort of car would you need to give you the sort of thrust you expect from a CBR1100XX? Then add in the fact that a bike gives you better observational and positioning options, smaller footprint etc, there is no car that can match it. Certainly, your Toyota is not going to come close.
Use the right gear, give yourself plenty of room and it should overtake pretty capably for a car, but you'll never get that "bolting off into the distance" thrust you get with a bike.
Use the right gear, give yourself plenty of room and it should overtake pretty capably for a car, but you'll never get that "bolting off into the distance" thrust you get with a bike.
Driver101 said:
Does a lack of torque make it dangerous?
It seems to me that drivers of cars like this seem to manage fine without killing themselves.
Very much sounds like the driver is to blame.
Of course it's my fault you dullard. Re-read the bit in my original post where I admit my own ineptitude.It seems to me that drivers of cars like this seem to manage fine without killing themselves.
Very much sounds like the driver is to blame.
Although I can pretty much put money on the fact that someone has killed themselves in a Celica somewhere at some point.
k me i manage to overtake stuff on A roads in my 75bhp diesel fiesta van. Once you learn to use the power you have its easy 
I spent some of last week in a Ferrari 355 and trying to go anywhere quickly below 4,000 rpm in that would result in serious disappointment. My V8 6-series had much better low-down pickup.
Having ridden a litre sportsbike, you would need a very serious car to be even in the same ballpark acceleration-wise. It's just a matter of recalibrating the senses, drive a van for a week and I bet your car would feel like a rocketship.
Having ridden a litre sportsbike, you would need a very serious car to be even in the same ballpark acceleration-wise. It's just a matter of recalibrating the senses, drive a van for a week and I bet your car would feel like a rocketship.
I don't quite understand this issue...do you find the same problem when you go for overtakes on your bicycle? Try to go from 20-50 as quick as you can and are astonished to find a sudden lack of power?
I don't recall ever suddenly discovering how slow my car or motorbike was during an overtake after several months of ownership. You calibrate instantly...I split my time between a very fast car and a very slow one and don't totally misjudge overtakes in the latter as a result.
Seems to me this thread was created solely to point out how fast your blackbird is.
I don't recall ever suddenly discovering how slow my car or motorbike was during an overtake after several months of ownership. You calibrate instantly...I split my time between a very fast car and a very slow one and don't totally misjudge overtakes in the latter as a result.
Seems to me this thread was created solely to point out how fast your blackbird is.
Few years ago I was driving a couple of colleagues to a meeting. Mid-way through a perfectly safe and reasonable overtake of a rather slow lorry, the chap in the back (who rode a 1300 as a daily) started shouting and waving his arms around, apparently terrified that we were facing impending doom.
His expectation of overtaking was just way beyond anything most drivers would recognise. You nailed it in your opener, you just need to change your expectation, and probably by far more than you realise even now.
His expectation of overtaking was just way beyond anything most drivers would recognise. You nailed it in your opener, you just need to change your expectation, and probably by far more than you realise even now.
T0MMY said:
I don't quite understand this issue...do you find the same problem when you go for overtakes on your bicycle? Try to go from 20-50 as quick as you can and are astonished to find a sudden lack of power?
I don't recall ever suddenly discovering how slow my car or motorbike was during an overtake after several months of ownership. You calibrate instantly...I split my time between a very fast car and a very slow one and don't totally misjudge overtakes in the latter as a result.
Seems to me this thread was created solely to point out how fast your blackbird is.
Well done, you've seen straight through me. This is in fact a bike v car thread in disguise, engineered to prove that the former are better than the latter.I don't recall ever suddenly discovering how slow my car or motorbike was during an overtake after several months of ownership. You calibrate instantly...I split my time between a very fast car and a very slow one and don't totally misjudge overtakes in the latter as a result.
Seems to me this thread was created solely to point out how fast your blackbird is.
BTW the overtakes weren't 'totally' misjudged or I wouldn't be typing this now. They would, however, have justified criticism. As I admit.
castex said:
I don't know about ineptitude, just take the time to adapt. I recently changed from a BMW 330D to a Honda Accord 2.0 vtec and the difference is marked - it will shift, but you really have to cane these things!
This is it. Absolutely. I don't cane the bike. And I never have. But do need to learn to thrash the car.Simple.
Joey Ramone said:
Well done, you've seen straight through me. This is in fact a bike v car thread in disguise, engineered to prove that the former are better than the latter.
BTW the overtakes weren't 'totally' misjudged or I wouldn't be typing this now. They would, however, have justified criticism. As I admit.
I'm simply astonished that you've only just discovered how well your car pulls at different RPMs after nearly a year of ownership. BTW the overtakes weren't 'totally' misjudged or I wouldn't be typing this now. They would, however, have justified criticism. As I admit.
T0MMY said:
I'm simply astonished that you've only just discovered how well your car pulls at different RPMs after nearly a year of ownership.
I barely drive it, to be honest. A few motorway runs to and from Bristol and Malvern, and much pottering about into town and back. That was the first long drive on those sorts of roads it's done during my ownership. I got a car because I needed the capability to get from A-B occasionally without dressing like a knob. But I travel day to day by bike. Hence the inexperience.Edited by Joey Ramone on Monday 22 September 19:39
I had the same engine in a Lotus and had a couple of Civic Type R's with the similar power/torque, and always found the lack of performance borderline dangerous, changing gear was such a hassle...
Seriously though, sounds like you bought the wrong car for your needs. However, if you are happy with the car in every other way maybe look at a supercharger? I'm sure they are available for that engine and should improve power lower down the rev range.
Seriously though, sounds like you bought the wrong car for your needs. However, if you are happy with the car in every other way maybe look at a supercharger? I'm sure they are available for that engine and should improve power lower down the rev range.
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