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VFR Power to Weight


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Power to Weight

  Labor Day weekend 1983 I rode my new 750 Interceptor to my Mother’s house in Alabama. On the return trip home, I had a fun encounter with a Ferrari 308. We were traveling East on I20 between Augusta,GA and Aiken,SC. Try as he might, the Ferrari was no match for the Interceptor’s roll on torque . I could hear the 308 downshift behind me and try to make a run for it. I’d just leave the bike in top gear   ( no down shift ) and roll on the throttle from 75 mph up to 100. I maintained a 50 foot gap in front of the prancing horse and there was nothing he could do about it.This cycle repeated for about 10 miles until the risk of getting a ticket started to weigh in. Luckily SC law enforcement was taking a break at the time. It was good to be 26 years old and effortlessly humiliating a (insert your own word for arrogant driver here) in an Italian super car.

 Fast forward to the summer of 2018. I’m fresh off a 3 week epic ride from North Carolina to California and back . My gen 8 VFR has worn Bridgestones ( 7000+ mi ) and the suspension is feeling pretty tired too. A chance encounter with a Camaro SS leads to a roll on battle from a stoplight. We proceeded down the road around a corner and over a hill side by side. Around 100 mph and the shift from 4th to 5th gear I backed off and the SS forged ahead. From a power and weight perspective the two vehicles were much more closely matched. The other big factor was my 61 year old  risk management system. It was much more conservatively programmed than that of me at 26...  wearing loafers without socks.

  Choose your “conflicts” carefully. There are a slew of cages out there that have a surprising power to weight ratio,instant torque,good suspension,grippy tires and young kamikaze pilots. Some of them may not be wearing socks either.

 

 

Power to Weight

1983 VF750 Interceptor 540 LBS.

1983 Rider with gear ( Helmet, Blue Jeans, Members Only Jacket, Bass Loafers...No Socks) 175 LBS

Est 75 RWHP

540+175/75 = 9.53 LBS/HP

Vs

1983 Ferrari 308 GTB 3000 LBS

1983 Driver with gear ( Calvin Klein Jeans, Members Only Jacket, Gucci Loafers,Silk Scarf ) 170 LBS

Est  200 RWHP

3000+170/200 = 15.85 LBS/HP

 

2014 VFR Interceptor 540 LBS.

2020 Rider with gear ( Helmet,Dainese Boots,Gloves, Textile Jacket) 195 LBS

Est 95 RWHP

540+195/95 = 7.73 LBS/HP

Vs

2016 Camaro SS 1LE  3743 LBS

2016 Driver with gear ( Jeans, Under Armor compression  shirt, Air Jordans, Steeler Nation Ball Cap ) 170 LBS

Est  420 RWHP

3743+170/420 = 9.31 LBS/HP

 

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  • Member Contributer

If you look at the numbers, a VFR will outrun a lot of cars out there.  That said, how much risk do you want to take?  I would say I was outrun by an old but "fixed up" Mustang yesterday.  I proved to him I could hang with him but the speeds got too high on a curvy road and I had no intention of doing that when I left home so I wanted to make it home.  At a stop sign, I pulled up next to the car and it was beautiful sitting there with loping cam.  Sometimes people make you want to play but be careful.  

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