Bikeland - News, reviews, and discussion on ZX14, ZX10R, other motorcycles

HOME

ARTICLES

FORUMS

COLUMNS

GALLERY

STORE

BRIDGES

A COMMENTARY BY DOUG MEYER

Friday October 7th, 2005

Fast? You don't KNOW fast.

Sometimes I wonder if most of us really appreciate exactly what we have here. We jump on our ZX-12 or 10 or Hayabusa or whatever our two wheeled choice may be and we roll on out. Most of the time, we just use whatever throttle we need to stay civil, but occasionally we throw in a little stab here and there just to tickle the tiger. When the opportunity arises, we grab a full handful and within 10 seconds or so we're going 150, 160 mph. If it feels right, we hang on a bit longer and within 20 seconds we've reached speeds greater than all but about a half a dozen four wheeled types could ever muster. We don't exactly take this for granted.

The experience is, after all, intoxicating, and we do keep coming back for more and always want even more than that. But the uniqueness of this access to velocity was brought home to me two years ago when I bought the Corvette I'd wanted for so long, ever since I had sold my second Corvette, a '65 roadster, which I had let go after 20 years in 1984. The '65 was virtual racecar, originally a 365 hp. 327, with factory side pipes, 4:11 gears and a close ratio gearbox. I had further massaged it into what was, arguably, one of the fastest cars on the Chicago area streets where I grew up. The bikes I had during that time, especially my first Bonneville record bike (156 mph, in 1976) which was a highly modified Z-1, were no match for the 'Vette. But after that, starting with my '84 Ninja 900, the bikes just kept getting faster and faster and the cars seemed to fall by the wayside.

The desire for a fast car re-surfaced and became something I could achieve in 2004. I wanted another Vette and the fastest of them all at that time was the Z06 option, which like the '65, is a racecar for the street. Lighter than the "normal" Corvettes at 3150 pounds, with 405 hp, close ratio six speed, big brakes, all the good stuff. Heck, it even has a special ($3000 if you break it) thin glass windshield for lighter weight.

So, it was with great disappointment when I found that, the first time I really nailed it, that it was, well, kinda' slow. Not car guy slow, mind you, but definitely BIKE GUY slow. Although capable (under good conditions and if driven well) of a high 11second quarter mile time, it just seemed lazy. Now, I couldn't say that to anyone. What kind of an idiot would say his Z06 was a pig? Not politically correct in the car world, for sure. But I was really disappointed.

Things then took their natural course (for me, anyway) and on went the stainless long tube headers, the cold air ram inlet, the cooler thermostat, the full LS1 computer re-tune, the Motul oil, etc. which now gets us to about 440 hp. This is a FAST car. It rips. It scares people that I take for rides. I have to brief them. I say "Now, what we're about to do will frighten you. But trust me, I'm not going to hurt you. It'll be fun." The girls actually scream sometimes.

The guys say " Man this thing is FAST!"

And I say, thinking about my ZX-12R or the last Turbo I rode,

"Fast? Dude, you don't KNOW fast!"

Posted by Doug @ 6:27PM - Permalink - 0 Comments - 0 Trackbacks
Tags: motorcycles speed

THE AUTHOR

Doug Meyer has been working with race engines professionally and as a hobby for the past 45 years. He has built engines for everything from dragbikes and cars to outboard race boats, from the famous Can-Am sports cars and an F-1 car to motorcycle streamliners. He spent many years as a professional race team member and engine builder. Everything from nitrous to nitro, Doug's had his hands in it. He has set 16 Bonneville speed records...
Click here to continue

BRIDGES

THE AUTHOR

RECENT ENTRIES