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

The topic of automatic rifles/firearms got me thinking........What are the opinions about extremely fast cars and motorcycles? I am talking Hayabusa, Ducati Monster etc., or high end sports cars. I really don't see a need for a licensed driver/rider to have a motorcycle that goes 200MPH. Call me crazy. Or a car that will almost top out at 200MPH. Why would someone need something like this? Seriously. The limitations of our roads system in the US would prevent someone from using these vehicles in a safe manner. Why allow it? There are a tragically high number of fatalities involving motorcycles and young people nationwide. A 17 year old getting on a motorcycle that can reach speeds of 200MPH?! I don't think it should be allowed. Heck there are kids that wipe out on bikes that go 100 MPH and the results are never good. What about folks ripping down the highway in an auto only to find out there is a bottleneck over the next hill and creating (or adding to) a catastrophic car wreck. Happens daily nationwide. Heck an F150 in TX just yesterday carrying 23 people hit a tree and killed 14 of the passengers. I think something should be done about that. What does everyone else think?..

Sold her last year:( Dangerous as hell for sure, but is something about 530 H.P that will put a smile on your face:))
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/DSCF0306.jpg

Not ridiculously fast... more a sleeper type of thing. Built for 1/4 mile speed, not track.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6...0119xv7.th.jpg

While you may never legally use cars and bikes to their full potential in most countries and on most any road, there's always closed tracks for really getting them put to the test.
My business partner has a tradition of going down to Nürburgring and drive the Nordschleife race track, with his 911 and from what he tells me that is about as fun you can have with clothes on..

When I got my E55, I stopped being late for work.

EMC - the question is familiar, and translates: does my opinion of what someone needs trump their freedom to have/use it. Its really not more complicated than that.

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Originally Posted by EMC45

The topic of automatic rifles/firearms got me thinking........ Heck an F150 in TX just yesterday carrying 23 people hit a tree and killed 14 of the passengers. I think something should be done about that. What does everyone else think?..

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Just goes to show how fast an F150 on 7 cylinders will go. Now THIS is illegal in more ways than one. But they get lots of sympathy! A guy who wraps his hotrod around a tree gets none. JMHO

When I was 16 I had a Plymouth Volare(yes a Volare) that was an old cop car and had the 360 Interceptor engine in it. Dropped the rear end out if it while doing 130 mph. Luckily didn't hit anyone it anything.:)

Like automatic weapons ..... too expensive ....... I've never had a 'muscle car.' When I was a kid I once saw an original Shelby Cobra, the two seater. I lusted after that for years. Anyway, I once saw a sign in a speed shop .... "Speed is expensive, how fast do you want to go?" :beer2:

Its basically the same as anything else...it all comes down to how much grey matter the person controlling it has between thier ears.

I had a 1965 Pontiac GTO convertable. I still miss that car. One should be able to drive whatever they want, as long as its reasonably road worthy. There are US/state laws about unsafe driving. I do not want or need any nanny devices on my car. I believe that it is abusive nonsense to tell an 18 year old serviceman that he must carry and use weapons in defense of the US but is not responsible enought to have a drink. I wonder how many people die as a result of high speed driving permissiveness (or rights) on euro highways and how the death toll may compare to US rights (or permissiveness) on firearms ownership.

I used to ride a 600cc supersport motorcycle. While I may or may not have gone a little wild a couple of times in zero traffic, on major highways, once I scratched the itch, never went over 130km/h (regular cruising speed for our highways) and typically stuck at 120 in order to avoid getting ticketed. Higher speeds were reserved for the track.

I personally think they should be outlawed. No real use. Saleens, Roushs, Hayabusas, Monsters, 1400CC Sportbikes etc. etc. Why does anyone need a race car? Are we all race car drivers now? They serve no real "sporting pupose", do they? A twist of the throttle and mass carnage can ensue. I want more control over these things. It would make me feel safer.

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Originally Posted by EMC45

I personally think they should be outlawed. No real use. Saleens, Roushs, Hayabusas, Monsters, 1400CC Sportbikes etc. etc. Why does anyone need a race car? Are we all race car drivers now? They serve no real "sporting pupose", do they? A twist of the throttle and mass carnage can ensue. I want more control over these things. It would make me feel safer.

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I took pro courses at infinion,I tracked my Roush at Thunderhill every summer and Laguna seca,It is one great sport and the car had a real sporting purpose,It was also street driven in the summer and a garage queen in winter.
Any car can be lethal.
I do believe young people should by law take a High perf driving course before be allowed a license.

Personally, I am thankful that a thing is not outlawed simply because someone thinks no one needs it.

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...

Breathing the air outside can cause cancer(a much bigger killer than wrecks by people driving high performance vehicles). Does that mean we should ban it?

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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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A trained or pro driver is easy to spot,they are the ones driving in a safe and sane manner.
As far as the bikes go,Take some lessons, try one out just for grins, you may have a change of heart once you get something really exciting between your legs:)

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Originally Posted by EMC45

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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This kind of says it all. Because you don't like them shouldn't mean others dont have the right to. My truck can keep up with a Corvette..does that mean I'm out racing them...nope. My Bike tops out at a mere 200kms/hr..do I actually ever ride that fast...nope. Again, it all comes down to using your head.
You can compare it to drunk driving...its against the law, but people still do it. That doesn't make it right but I don't think we should outlaw booze and take a guilty pleasure away from those of us that are responsible just because of a few fools or because someone else doesn't like it.

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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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Just because your skills do not match mine gives you absolutely zero authority in this matter. If you are too afraid of what's going on out on the roads, stay home. That way, you will feel "safer."
I'd rather have "it" and not need "it" than need "it" and not have "it."

I'm not for banning such vehicles. However I do thoroughly believe if you cause an accident and illegal an excessive speed is a contributing factor then you have just sacrificed your right to drive. Because clearly you are an idiot and can't control a car as well as you think.

I also have the same attitude to drink drivers, if you are caught driving dangerously, pissed out of your tree, you should loose yer license.

If you take a high performance car or bike to track and let loose. Fair play, but you're on a track with others who accept the obvious risk. However if you come round a corner enjoying yourself and hammer into me at 100mph as I'm out on a sunday driving along with my wife and kid. It IS YOUR fault and I don't care what driving skills you think you have. If I happen to survive it I don't think you should be on the road.

Geek

I don't mind people having fast cars or bikes.
I do mind people not following traffic laws.
One does not necessarily have to do with the other.

One thing I say is that I would appreciate it if asshole drivers had the decency to die in crashes they caused by reckless driving.
Far too often, people causing a big accident get off with mild injuries while the poor sod with his kids in the other car dies.
Like the 24 yeal old father who died, with his kid's life on the edge of a knife, just because some idiot decided to go streetracing.
I also think that drunk driving should be punishable by mandatory prison time, with the car being pressed to scrap.
Reckless drivers who cause death or destruction deserve their own circle in hell.

But no, merely owning a fast car does not constitute a crime, just like owning a gun does not make one a reckless killer.

Gentlemen.....This thread was all in jest. It did prove my point though. This is kind of a tagalong to the automatic weapons thread. I am surprised that it was not figured out. It was purposely left thinly veiled. I see where some folk's passions are though. Does anyone get the whole point of what I was doing here?....




I do like the fact someone replied with "better to have it and not need than to need it and not have it". My point exactly.

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Originally Posted by EMC45

Gentlemen.....This thread was all in jest. It did prove my point though. This is kind of a tagalong to the automatic weapons thread. I am surprised that it was not figured out. It was purposely left thinly veiled. I see where some folk's passions are though. Does anyone get the whole point of what I was doing here?....




I do like the fact someone replied with "better to have it and not need than to need it and not have it". My point exactly.

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Oh, I do think most of the posters understood that perfectly well.
Old Norwegian proverb; as you cries into the woods, so shall you be answered;)

Did not realize it was posted in jest,total waste of bandwidth.

it depends what you mean by "fast cars". back in the 60s or 70s they built some real hot cars but mainly it was a 0-60 thing. Honestly if you mean driving well over 100mph people have no clue or ability to do it. In Europe they need special certifications for that. If you have ever driven at those speeds (I have) a car up ahead of you is a speck you can hardly see and in a blink of an eye it's right on you. it takes special skills which you have to acquire.

I went 130 on a Suzy GT750 once, and after the tunnel vision went down, I could not wait to get it slowed up. Some guys have it, they learn it. I cannot afford any mistakes in a "learning curve". I am sure most can concur. However, a smoky burnout and a smackin 8th mile is fun as well as carving some twisties or hitting some berms.
Gotta keep in your place! Too much bike/car is unnecessary for that, but nice to have anyway, for some!

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Originally Posted by EMC45

I personally think they should be outlawed. No real use. Saleens, Roushs, Hayabusas, Monsters, 1400CC Sportbikes etc. etc. Why does anyone need a race car? Are we all race car drivers now? They serve no real "sporting pupose", do they? A twist of the throttle and mass carnage can ensue. I want more control over these things. It would make me feel safer.

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That's kinda like saying people shouldn't shave with a straight razor. It's too big, sharp, and dangerous...there's disposable cartridges that are much safer and can't hurt other people. :)

Like said above, there are off road (track) options. And in large part (can't stress this enough), we as parents are responsible to teach out children responsibility and common sense in these matters of safety.

You can't outlaw everything and feel safe. Laws only restrict/confine honest people willing to obey them. The real "dangerous" people will always find ways around them.

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I went 130 on a Suzy GT750 once, and after the tunnel vision went down, I could not wait to get it slowed up. Some guys have it, they learn it. I cannot afford any mistakes in a "learning curve". I am sure most can concur. However, a smoky burnout and a smackin 8th mile is fun as well as carving some twisties or hitting some berms.
Gotta keep in your place! Too much bike/car is unnecessary for that, but nice to have anyway, for some!

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I used to drive a conventional Pete for an old boy that lost his license in the truck I drove. It had a K model Cummins putting over 800HP on the ground. It was geared out near as we could tell at 142MPH at 2100RPM and it would turn 2400 if you stuck your foot all the way in it. Speedo quit at 100. I ran it all the way to 2150RPM in the big hole one afternoon out in the boonies on IH20.

I'm here to tell you, a Pete grossing right at 80K lbs is NOT meant to go that fast. EVER. Period.

After that little jaunt, I never got that pig over 70MPH. I had that punk flying, I remembered what crappy brakes it had, and thought about those big wheels spinning that fast with all that rubber weight and the fact that they aren't rated for those speeds. I let off the throttle and let it coast down to about 70 while wondering if I'd lost my mind doing a stunt like that.

The guy that owned deserved to lose his license. He had too many high number speeding tickets in that pig. Every cop in N TX had a polaroid pic of that truck and they stopped it every time they saw it looking for the guy that owned it. I quit after a couple of months of that BS.

My old Cat powered bull wagon would hit 110 if really twisted that Cat's tail. Used to outrun the AMTRAK up in Wyoming on their 100MPH track they had up there. Lucky I never met a WY trooper when I was racing the trains. LOL

Ran my old 90" shovel one night till it went lean. NO idea how fast I was going, BUT I got passed by a sport bike that was close to breaking the sound barrier I think. I passed him and he just couldn't stand having a big twin in front of him I guess. LMAO

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Originally Posted by Wullie

After that little jaunt, I never got that pig over 70MPH.

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That goes for many of us.. Do it once or twice to get it out of your system like doing the magic 200 or seeing if the bike can hit 210.. 220.. 230.. But then you realize that doing 120 in the twisties is a heck of a lot more fun. (speeds that I'm talking about are in km/h, not mph)

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!