What's Your Opinion on Extremely Fast Motorcycles and Cars?

Top speed on two wheels: 238mph CBR1100xx Blackbird, hardly stock & built for the twisties. Speed noted by a Trooper friend of mine.
Top speed on four wheels: 160-165 1979 camaro hopped up on a 383 built by yours truly.

I now drive a Chevy Suburban 4x4 & a Honda VTX1800...good Lord I miss all that power. That kind of speed and power is truly like a drug...the best kind: Adrenaline in the mainline!

Nothing wrong with speed. I loved it. But now there are simply too many people on the roads. If we control ourselves when others are on the road, fine. I/we moved it to the tracks when we needed it. We learned from it and understand the power needs to be used very carefully.

I think that it's hard for any "noobie" to handle a power house effectively. Having driven motorcycles I believe if you get on a powerhouse without appropriate training you are going to die. I can't comment on cars because I haven't driven them.

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Originally Posted by EMC45

My question is how do I know that the person riding or driving said vehicle is properly trained? Do they have a swagger or persona to observe that would clue another in on their skill level or if they are unhinged? I still say there is no use for them. I have been driving for 19 years and have never had the desire to own one of these machines. I don't like them and I don't think regular folks should own them. They should be for racecar drivers or bike racers only I think. Too dangerous...

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If you drive like an ass, you can kill in a Yugo.

I am kinda partial to my cars.

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Originally Posted by Mvcrash

If you drive like an ass, you can kill in a Yugo.

I am kinda partial to my cars.

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Most cars are not designed to go really fast. Maybe the engine will propel them but the tires, suspension,steering,everything really isn't designed for it and maintaining control can be dicey for even a pro driver. Even for a car designed for it you need a very high skill level and to do it on the streets or freeways is suicidal.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Most cars are not designed to go really fast. Maybe the engine will propel them but the tires, suspension,steering,everything really isn't designed for it and maintaining control can be dicey for even a pro driver. Even for a car designed for it you need a very high skill level and to do it on the streets or freeways is suicidal.

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My 06 stage 3 Roush was built for speeds well in excess of 150,at the time was the only american car made that would pull < than one G on a skidpad,I had mine up to 170 (by GPS) on Hwy 395 in Nevada, one sunday morning at 5 A.M.not a car in site,came with Z rated tires that are made for that speed.The other part of the story is being able to stop.
14 inch, 4 piston Brembos handled that.Are plenty of cars made today that can saftley run very high speeds.
Should only be done on a track of course.

One note is that technology is producing silly fast cars for cheap these days. As I was a kid, it took money and lotsa work. Even then, 400 HP was a lot on the street.
A neighbor kid brought his 4 year old Nissan 4 door/ 4 cyl in for an ac check yesterday. It had an aftermarket turbo/intercooler on it. I could not resist a test drive.
Virtually no lag. Punch at a 20 roll in 2nd gear and the thing went banannas, tires hopping and squealing, torque steer. Hauls ass! Talk about dangerous! It would have smoked everyones "hot rod" 35 years ago! Fun!