Superleggera-5th Gear, Mon 17th.
Discussion
Agreed, nothing learnt about the SL at all. Just a silly car vs bike thing (again), that looked completely staged as usual with car TV. Interesting if you're a schoolkid.
How many SL's have come into UK? Looking around the other day, I counted 7 barely used for sale, which seems a lot for a new, limited edition Lambo.
How many SL's have come into UK? Looking around the other day, I counted 7 barely used for sale, which seems a lot for a new, limited edition Lambo.
tiff bitched about the car the whole time & said it was no good on the road & you need a track for it to excell. was hardly constructive jouralism.
and the fact the car was just a few tenths behind a superbike over 2 laps was not even mentioned!
i thought that was quite an achievement, not many cars would be so close.
and the fact the car was just a few tenths behind a superbike over 2 laps was not even mentioned!
i thought that was quite an achievement, not many cars would be so close.
For anyone who missed it -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gKnSr3BCJM8
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gKnSr3BCJM8
Edited by Wanta996(Gotta) on Tuesday 18th September 14:48
mhh said:
After sitting in an SL, I wonder about the usefulness of the car as a track weapon too. I'm of average height (5'10"
and I had barely enough headroom without a helmet. With a helmet, I wouldn't fit. (I'm right in thinking the seats don't recline, aren't I?)
Euro spec race seats don't and I had barely enough headroom without a helmet. With a helmet, I wouldn't fit. (I'm right in thinking the seats don't recline, aren't I?)Sounds like another great 5th gear F UP
Why is anyone surprised? Just be thankfull it wasnt Vicky big-arse Henderson doing the driving.
On a related point Chris Harris said the same as Tiff Noodle that he didnt think it was worth the premium over the standard car.
The difference seems to be very subtle just like the GT3 v GT3RS and only worth it if you have the cash and have to have the latest and greatest.
On a related point Chris Harris said the same as Tiff Noodle that he didnt think it was worth the premium over the standard car.
The difference seems to be very subtle just like the GT3 v GT3RS and only worth it if you have the cash and have to have the latest and greatest.
The thing to remember is that these TV shows are for entertainment and ratings first, and proper objection testing and journalism a distant second.
Tiff followed the time honoured (and Clarkson copyrighted) method of starting off cynical and finishing relatively complimentory. You can tell if a TV tester is going to be favourable, because he'll open with critism.
Tiff's use of the Superleggera's 'Auto' function said it all. I've only used mine twice (for about 10 seconds) in 2 and half years, just to check it still actually worked. Otherwise it's a redundant piece of gadgetery to placate the US market (IMO). Why he chose to comment on it, as it were actually intended for normal driving, is beyond me.
As far as 'bike versus car' goes, you're going to need a Radical or similar to beat a decent, off the shelf, road bike. Otherwise, a tweaked road car will not stand a snowball in hell's chance.
The purpose of the piece was to test two Italian machines. If Leon Haslam had been allowed to ride a current R1, GSXR1000 or ZX10R (he's a contracted Ducati rider so this was never likely) the result would have been even more one-sided. That Ducati is a slow-coach compared to the Japanese bikes (or MV 312R for that matter).
As an ex-motorcycle racer (British Superbikes for anyone interested) I can tell you it takes a good deal more talent to ride a bike fast than it does a car. The braking test they did is best evidence of this. All Tiff had to do was stamp on the left peddle (Egear remember) and relax. Leon, on the other hand had to balance the braking forces so that the front was fully loaded up without actually locking, as well as stop himself from being hurled over the bars.
The agility was a forgone conclusion due to the bike's narrow width.
As far as laptimes go, most circuits would see the bike finishing several seconds ahead of most supercars, rather than several tenths. And an £150K (BSB spec) bike would just clear off against an £150K car.
So as a test, completely pointless. But as an exercise in pandering to a predominantly ill-informed and car-biased audience... perfect. Ratings assured.
Shame really, but we shouldn't over-estimate these TV people.
Anyone who's ridden a bike will know all the above is true. Anyone who hasn't isn't fit to comment. Like people who haven't driven a supercar.
Tiff followed the time honoured (and Clarkson copyrighted) method of starting off cynical and finishing relatively complimentory. You can tell if a TV tester is going to be favourable, because he'll open with critism.
Tiff's use of the Superleggera's 'Auto' function said it all. I've only used mine twice (for about 10 seconds) in 2 and half years, just to check it still actually worked. Otherwise it's a redundant piece of gadgetery to placate the US market (IMO). Why he chose to comment on it, as it were actually intended for normal driving, is beyond me.
As far as 'bike versus car' goes, you're going to need a Radical or similar to beat a decent, off the shelf, road bike. Otherwise, a tweaked road car will not stand a snowball in hell's chance.
The purpose of the piece was to test two Italian machines. If Leon Haslam had been allowed to ride a current R1, GSXR1000 or ZX10R (he's a contracted Ducati rider so this was never likely) the result would have been even more one-sided. That Ducati is a slow-coach compared to the Japanese bikes (or MV 312R for that matter).
As an ex-motorcycle racer (British Superbikes for anyone interested) I can tell you it takes a good deal more talent to ride a bike fast than it does a car. The braking test they did is best evidence of this. All Tiff had to do was stamp on the left peddle (Egear remember) and relax. Leon, on the other hand had to balance the braking forces so that the front was fully loaded up without actually locking, as well as stop himself from being hurled over the bars.
The agility was a forgone conclusion due to the bike's narrow width.
As far as laptimes go, most circuits would see the bike finishing several seconds ahead of most supercars, rather than several tenths. And an £150K (BSB spec) bike would just clear off against an £150K car.
So as a test, completely pointless. But as an exercise in pandering to a predominantly ill-informed and car-biased audience... perfect. Ratings assured.
Shame really, but we shouldn't over-estimate these TV people.
Anyone who's ridden a bike will know all the above is true. Anyone who hasn't isn't fit to comment. Like people who haven't driven a supercar.
sclayto2 said:
crikeymikey said:
As an ex-motorcycle racer (British Superbikes for anyone interested)
Based on this comment I thought I'd have a look at your career history. So I typed your name into Google.co.uk. Funny thing, is that the first two hits are regarding "Sexual Obsessions". You know it's time to retire when you wake up in an ambulance and the paramedic says "Hello again. Looks like the other collarbone this time. You'll have a matching set!".
Cars are for poofs. That's why I downgraded to supercars.
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