Off Topic--But Officer, I was just doing 140 mph OVER the speed limit

[Anonymous]

personally i think writing speeding tickets based upon a stop watch from an airplane is bullcrap.....second...i used to have a z28 camaro in which i went just shy of 150mph in. dumbest thing i ever did, but i just had to do it one time. it's amazing how fast things go by at that speed....and how dead i woulda been if something happened...

[railman]

The Minn. Star Tribune article about this proud moment in Minnesota history did raise questions on how one makes a 1000 get to 200 mph... either way, good grief, just asking for it.

[Anonymous]

I had my honda up 140mph and the front wheel statred to come of the ground.
Scary stuff.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Out here in the cornyards, most young-adult deaths are preceeded by the phrase,"Hey guys, watch this!"

And down here in the south the redneck's famous last words are, "Hey ya'll, watch this."

[tree68]

A la the story about the voice black boxes allegedly placed in SUVs. In most of the country, accidents were preceded by the driver saying "Oh, S--T!". In the south, accidents were preceded by "Hey ya'll, watch this."

And a little math - at 200 MPH, the potential victim is travelling at 293 feet per second. That's basically the length of a football field, of course. Never mind a deer or another vehicle. At that speed a June bug would be almost enough to do you in. And that's assuming you have your visor down...

[passengerfan]

Remember an incident in West Texas about twenty years ago when truckdrivers were reporting a fast moving ferrari traveling eastbound on I-10. The Texas state troopers were trying to set up a roadblock by listening to the truckers when he flashed past. They finally caught up with him when three truckers blocked the eastbound lane on a bridge. I still remember the state trooper pacing off the skidmarks of the braking car that they finally apprehended thanks to the tgree truckers. The state trooper estimated the ferraris speed in excess of 200 mph. Couldn't outrun the truckers CB radios.

[Anonymous]

A brand new Suzuki Hayabusa 1300 will do 185 mph in stock trim. A Honda 1000, possibly a CBR1000 if it is a late model will go about 170 mph in stock trim. It is very possible for a bike to go over two hundred, but it would have to be highly modified.

Every component in the engine would have to be exchanged for high performance parts that are available to be able to handle the amount of power necessary, then to generate that power, cylinder heads, cam timing, special fuels, blower/turbo, and nitrous oxide injection.

To handle the speed, the bike's chassis, brakes, and wheels are also highly modified, using expensive and exotic materials.

This type of bike is used in proffessional competition on a track under highly controlled conditions. It is also very expensive to build such a bike.

In my own experience, I have been up to about 130 on a motorcycle, when I was younger and stupider, and I can say that if the bike is well tuned, it actually becomes so stable that it requires a great deal of effort to effect any change in direction. At this speed if you are a practiced and sane person you are intensly focused on a point at least a mile in the distance and every thing in between, which is exhilarating, but can get tiring pretty quick.

Proffessional racers typically go as fast and faster, then brake for a thirty mile an hour turn in an absolute minimum distance - Quite a feat !!! I like to imagine an olympic diver in comparison - he does what he does by practicing over and over with levels of increasing dificulty, tuning reflex memory, there is no time for thought in such an action.

I eventually came to the conclusion that if I really wanted to advance my skills, I would be wasting my time on the road, because it is imposible to control the environment. Also, that type of riding wears out things like tires, brakes, and chains really quick, and these things are expensive, and not replacing them is risking your life.

As for this case, it is very rare for an individual to spend so much money on a bike and not want to use it only in the most controlled environment. And the buddy he left in the dust was probably along as a pacer, well aware of the the other's bike's capabilities.

Oh, I was once going 120 mph, and was not even aware that I was being chased until I got to where I was going. I was promptly arrested, and my bike towed, one of the cops even drew on me !!! they were not happy.

[88gta350]

I have no doubt the bike was doing 205 mph. A bike's power to weight ratio is already far better than any cars', and modifying the bike only enhances that power-to-weight ratio, and there are more than a few cars that can reach the 200 mph mark. There was a bike in the Chicago area clocked at 196 mph.

Clocking with a stopwatch from an airplane is perfectly legal, and a simple mathmatical calculation of time over distance traveled gives speed.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 88gta350

Clocking with a stopwatch from an airplane is perfectly legal, and a simple mathmatical calculation of time over distance traveled gives speed.

More math - for a measured quarter mile:
4.0 seconds = 225 mph
4.39 seconds = 205 mph
4.5 seconds = 200 mph
4.74 seconds = 190 mph
5.0 seconds = 180 mph
6.0 seconds = 150 mph

Even assuming a small error in starting and/or stopping the stopwatch, he was still moving right along....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

Here,

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20040922/ap_on_fe_st/205_mph_ticket_2

The guys over on the dieselstop.com think it is bull too.

Adrianspeeder

That is the same exact story that AOL News carried. Both of them, AOL and MSN just copied the AP News story.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

QUOTE: Originally posted by 88gta350

Clocking with a stopwatch from an airplane is perfectly legal, and a simple mathmatical calculation of time over distance traveled gives speed.

More math - for a measured quarter mile:
4.0 seconds = 225 mph
4.39 seconds = 205 mph
4.5 seconds = 200 mph
4.74 seconds = 190 mph
5.0 seconds = 180 mph
6.0 seconds = 150 mph

Even assuming a small error in starting and/or stopping the stopwatch, he was still moving right along....

Well said tree, add in to that the lessons of physics on the movement of mass (as memory serves) into a stationary structure the effect of speed doesn't just go up linerally but rather geometricly as in squared and that my friends can be messy.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Jim and everyone, the 20 year old kid who did that state record breaking 205 MPH, just happens to be the son of a county sheriff's deputy, right here in the county where I live. The bike was modified. He was clocked by a state trooper in a small plane, using a special stop watch. The speeding was done on US 61 south of the Twin Cities, near the city of Wabahsa. If Wabasha sounds familiar, It is where the Grumpy Old Men series of movies was filmed.

Back in July, Big Girl and I drove down US 61 while chasing the steam double header of Milwaukee Road 261, and CP 2816. The road follows the Mississippi River, and while there are some straight stretches, the road is not just flat and even. We had a hard time going 60 MPH because of traffic. 205????[:0]

[Anonymous]

I would like to add that the vast majority of seasoned riders take their riding skills very seriously, ride responsibly, and frown on such behavior.

Many of these poeple poli***heir high speed skills by joining a club for track time, where the environment is controlled and falling even at relatively high speeds usually resaults in only minor injury.

Tracks typically have smooth, clean pavement. Also, turns with large aprons on the outside where a person can safely slide in wet grass or sand for a long distance, and the newest safety, inflatable barriers.

Yes, it is sad when an inexperienced rider on a powerfull machine dies on a public road, and many riders will strongly agree. You could blame the salesman at the dealer for not exercising judgement, but the solution would be government involvement, and personal freedom coupled with personal responsibility is a subject very near the hearts of true motorcycle enthusiasts.

It is commonly said that the motorcycle is one of the few appliances today that you can still buy that has absolutely no safety features save for the human brain, and to some poeple that means a lot.

[Anonymous]

A few years back we had an armed robbery in my city involving a subject who fled on a motorcycle. The pursuit took about an hour and involved 13 different police agencies, but eventually the wiseguy ran out of gas and was apprehended. This one didn't have overhead support (i.e. plane or helicopter), just the guys in squad cars. I was in the 911 center as they were working the call. The officers said that the bike just walked away from them when they got on a straight-away, but good old Motorola helped position additional cars up ahead to intercept. I'd guess that guy is still behind bars - speeding and reckless driving in 13 jurisdictions - and - oh yeah, the armed robbery.

My questions is, why are the manufacturers compelled to build a bike that goes 130, 150, 170 MPH?

[Anonymous]

HA! my motorcyle does mach 6 watch..

did you see me?

NO? okay pay attention this time...

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

HA! my motorcyle does mach 6 watch..

did you see me?

NO? okay pay attention this time...

Wow!!!!

Now can you get a locomotive to do a pop-a-wheely?

[Anonymous]

For about the last ten years, BMW has valuntarily limited the top speed of its motorcycles to 120 kph regardless of horsepower.

[Anonymous]

In addition to having no brains, USA Today reports he has no motorcycle license.

Wayne

[Junctionfan]

Interesting that he can drive a motorcycle. I guess it is possible to be a gifted moron.

[Anonymous]

It is!! gifted morons are nicer then just plane morons...

[Junctionfan]

I hate plane morons. I would rather suffer train morons........bad joke.

[Overmod]

What I am waiting to see is how his daddy gets him off. For that matter, I want to hear the explanation of how a deputy's son, presumably owner of a modified and expensive motorcycle, comes not to have a motorcycle license...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

It is!! gifted morons are nicer then just plane morons...

Gifted?, Plane?, Talented? I guess this gives new meaning of the term oxi-moron[:D][(-D][(-D][(-D][:-^]

[zardoz]

In case anyone would like to see the actual ticket:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0922042speed1.html

[Overmod]

Instructive.

I note that the penalty for doing 205 in a 65 zone is $215.

I'd be somewhat surprised if Tilley's attorneys, dad, etc. don't manage to do PTI on the 'reckless driving' charge in return for guilty pleas on speeding and no m/c endorsement. A small investment of $330 and the boy will be out to engage in more comic pranks.

Forgive me if I keep rumbling about 'the fix is in." But I'll be VERY interested to see how this particular incident works its way through the justice system...

[Anonymous]

Reminds me of the ER nurse in Phoenix who gave me her opinion on motorcycle drivers. She said there were two kinds: the quick and the dead.

Wonder what kind of road rash you get when you lay it down at 200 mph plus?
Erik

[SALfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by erikthered


Wonder what kind of road rash you get when you lay it down at 200 mph plus?
Erik

SEVERE . . . very severe.

[Overmod]

Erikthered's comment reminds me of what my father (an ophthalmologist) said about riding motorcycles -- which is in large part why I don't ride:

The problem with riding motorcycles isn't getting killed...

...it's getting HALF-killed.

Sure, you can get wiped out high-siding a bike at high speed, but it's also likely that you'll sustain massive, crippling injuries. Not long before you blow through whatever cash and insurance benefits your family might have saved up. Many years, though, of being a quadriplegic or vegetable...

[espeefoamer]

I must be the slow poke of the bunch.One night on a trip to San Francisco, I had my friends Duster pegged at 100 MPH.This was when I was young and foolish.

[Overmod]

Well, foam: are you familiar with 'dog years' and 'cat years' and so forth?

Doing the ton is about the equivalent of Mach 1.4 in "Duster mph"