Tell me about the cager who thought he could take you?

[Anonymous]

I have three short stories, both from my SV650 days:

1. Some wannabe gangbanger pulled up next to me at a light. His car was a pimped-up cadillac. (gag) The SV didn't have a lot of engine hanging out, so he thought he could take me. This was a stoplight on a 55 mph road. Needless to say, it was over before we crossed the intersection. I missed a shift, (was still learning the bike at that time) and still smoked him badly.

2. At the same intersection at a later date, a mid-30s lawyer-looking guy pulled up next to me in his Mercedes 500SL. (Probably an $85,000 car with a 5 liter V8) I didn't miss a shift this time, and smoked him badly. (he WAS trying too, hehehe)

3. Different intersection (Rt. 120 and Rt. 12, for you Northern Illinoisans) My girlfriend at the time was my passenger. A Camaro-mullet pulled up next to me in a souped up Camaro. (late 90s vintage) My poor SV made only about 65 hp and was loaded with 270 lb. of dead weight. (us) It was an even-up drag race up to about 85 mph, where I backed off. (The speed limit was 45 and I couldn't afford another ticket, hehehe)

4. My buddy owns a 1985 V65 Magna. Some moron on a Hardly with the head rag/sunglasses/chaps combo pulls up next to him, and sneers out: "Shouldda bought a Harley" (obviously thinking that he bought the Magna trying to look like a Harley or something.) Hardly guy apparently didn't know that he was badly outclassed by this nearly 20 year-old $2500 bike. It makes about 121 hp and a goodly amount of torque. The Hardly makes something like 50? Needless to say, THAT one was over before the intersection passed too. At the next light, my buddy wouldn't even look at him. He had proved his point and Mr. Tough Guy had eaten his crow for the day.

(sorry, that last one wasn't about a cager)

[mcycle-nut]

I have found it's usually guys in 5L Mustangs who think they can take me. A few years back when I had a V65 Magna, some 5L clown decided he wanted to race me. Well, I got a little too much traction, wheelied a little too high, backed off, came down to planet earth, wailed on it again, and still left him in the weeds.

Another time with my 750, a 5L ragtop clown decided he was going to show me his taillights. I think not! I knocked it down a gear, opened the throttle, and he watched MY taillight dissapear!

[Dink]

I had a great "commute" home from work one afternoon when a 300ZX twin turbo ( I let him overtake so I could have a look ) that he was the fastest thing out there, I used the traffic to block and had a wonderful time, I dont care how many turbos you have you are not gonna out roll-on accelerate an 1150.
Dink

[Anonymous]

Years ago I had a GS550 which looked pretty but wouldn't run worth a curse,no tickover,top speed about 70mph and not enough knowledge to do anything about it.
Sooo I was stopped at a set of lights when a kid in a 'hot hatch' (small 3-door car with a loud exhaust) pulled up alongside,thinking I wanted to drag as I was blipping the throttle to keep the damn' thing running.He was watching me,not the lights,so I thought let's have some fun!
Looking up the road I could see a 40ton truck with a bulldozer on the back approaching on green.I dropped into first gear with a loud clang,wound in 5000 revs dropped the clutch then grabbed the brakes.This kid took off then nearly crapped himself as he realised the size of the truck he hadn't noticed bearing down on him with airhorns blaring!Both wagon and car stopped on the junction,no damage done,and words were exchanged.The light changed so I rode of laughing heartily as the trucker ripped the boy racer a new one.
Irresponsible?Maybe,but it taught the kid not to go street racing again,and to keep all round vision.Maybe in the long run I stopped him T-boning some unlucky biker! 8)

[Hotblack]

I had an instance this year on a two lane highway when a kid in a nondescript compact wanted to get around me at a light, him pulling up in the right hand turn off lane. The road is effectively three lanes at the lights with this turn off lane, and there was also a car in the fast lane. Well if someone wants to go faster than me I'll normally let him do it, but I'd passed this kid a while back, he was driving a little erratically, not paying attention to what was around him. He just wanted to get by whoever was waiting at the light he came up on (me). I launched from idle, so he pulled ahead for a second, but I shot ahead and easily dispatched Mr. Magoo. He didn't press the issue after that, he was just driving by reflex, doing probably what he always does. At this point I get passed by a sport bike, he was doing well over 100, easily. The highway was wide open, I was like "you ride that thang, boy!". Anyway as I come up to the next light this time the sportbike is first in line, with a car beside him in the fast lane. I just roll up behind the bike and stop, and guess what - here comes Mr. Magoo again, he rolls up in the turn off lane AGAIN, this time to get around both bikes. Well I knew for a fact that Mr. Sportbike was feeling frisky, and wasn't going to impede me in the least. The light changes and the sportbike is INSTANTLY gone, it was truly amazing how that thing moved. I'm sure it was a liter bike, it was so fast. Anyway the kid punches it again and I jet away from him as before and he just falls right back into the Mr. Magoo routine, I doubt any of this really even registered on his consciousness.

[Anonymous]

I just LOVE the look on Porsche drivers faces when I leave them at lhe lights on my ratty 550! Okay,it's only for the first 50-100 yards until they find the grip to start accelerating,but they look utterly shocked! 8O
I've also done it to Weekend Warrior race rep pilots,y'kow the type,matching helmet & leathers,race boots and knee sliders,but not the skill or experience to ride the bike properly.

[Anonymous]

I forgot one story.

One time, my DAD was that cager! We were out for a ride in his toy car, at the time it was a 1979 Lotus Super Seven. That thing was QUICK but it was geared a bit high in first.

So we pulled up to a stoplight next to a Kawasaki 550, an old GPz I think...

Dad made the perfect start, and it was an even race for a bit. But when we hit second and the bike shifted to second, it was all over. The bike was so light in comparison that they seem to accelerate just as hard for a good while. So we were eating his dust after about 30 mph onward.

[Anonymous]

I dont care how many turbos you have you are not gonna out roll-on accelerate an 1150.
Dink

well actually their was a video of a guy with a late model t.a. with twin turbos and 650 hp. his car would smoke just about every bike. he was posting video's of him doing it too. the car ran the 1/4 in low 10 sec and could be driven to the grocery store to boot. it was totally stock appearing , also started he could him 180 mph in it.

a car has better drag efficency at higher mph than a bike. at high speeds we cant tuck enough to loose the wind resistance.

so that statement isnt all than true.

[Dink]

I dont care how many turbos you have you are not gonna out roll-on accelerate an 1150.
Dink

well actually their was a video of a guy with a late model t.a. with twin turbos and 650 hp. his car would smoke just about every bike. he was posting video's of him doing it too. the car ran the 1/4 in low 10 sec and could be driven to the grocery store to boot. it was totally stock appearing , also started he could him 180 mph in it.

a car has better drag efficency at higher mph than a bike. at high speeds we cant tuck enough to loose the wind resistance.

so that statement isnt all than true.

May I refer you to the video of a 900rwhp Viper v's Busa's, an 1150 is no Busa 8O but those few moments whilst the turbo draws breath are enough, and anyway even if one does ocassionally beat you, your bike IS 19 years old (well the Tractor is, the Kat is 4 years OLDER) so there is no shame in that. BTW the Kat will has and does eat Blackbirds and ZZR1100's standing start and roll-on.
Dink

[Hoomgar]

I raced a Vette on the highway when I was young, dumb, and turbocharged. Thought I could take him. He wispfully disappeared in a small puff of grey smoke as he shifted into whatever gear. He left me about the same as a GS1000 would leave a moped at the drag strip.

I can only assume it was one of the 454 big block jobs that we had so many of around my area at the time. I rode in one once with a guy we used to buy Chevelle parts from. Never again. Cars that pull from 150 like most do from 20 scare me when I am not the one operating them.

My sister "had" (she just sold it like a dumby back to the guy she bought it from when she was a teen) a 1970 Road Runner with the 383 Magnum in it all bored and cam'd and what ever else. About 15k worth of engine mods and another 4k in paint. That thing was insane and could get me if we did a roll on from like 50 or so. But if we pulled from a dead stop I could get it in the quarter I am sure. Never really did any real racing with her to be sure though.

Other than that I am used to waisting cagers usually

[mcycle-nut]

I didn't "win" this race, but I still found it funny. I was on some twisties, and I came up behind a 'Vette. He saw me and really started to gas it. I couldn't get around him safely, so I just hung on his butt. He REALLY wanted to leave me in the dust, so much so that he was starting to slide uncontrolably onto the gravel shoulder around the corners! 8O I backed off, as I figure the idiot was going to crash. I guess he was bragging to his buddies about how much faster he was than the bike. Oh well. :roll:

[earlfor]

On the 750, I can always find a few that want to play. :-) On the 1150, its rare any want to try. When they do, its no contest. If I cant put a vette 10 car lengths behind before I shift out of 2nd, I'm not trying. :-)

Earl

[scotty]

On the 750, I can always find a few that want to play. :-) On the 1150, its rare any want to try. When they do, its no contest. If I cant put a vette 10 car lengths behind before I shift out of 2nd, I'm not trying. :-)

Earl

You have to stop poofing those poor cagers Earl. Its gobs of fun though isnt it???
BTW Arent you one of those folks that lectured me on street dragging????????????

[lhanscom]

On the 750, I can always find a few that want to play. :-) On the 1150, its rare any want to try. When they do, its no contest. If I cant put a vette 10 car lengths behind before I shift out of 2nd, I'm not trying. :-)

Earl

Exactly what I found, on my 700 I'd get takers, I've yet to race a car on the 1150.

I've done some stop light drags with a couple vettes, I won the first couple, and lost one, the 700 bogged if you messed up the launch, and that's what I did. I've had fun with countless 'sport compacts', and had some fun with a Ford Taurus SHO, that was funny, he's reving his engine, takes off burns his tires a bit the whole deal. I launch easy, wind up the gas and I'm gone.

On the 1150, I just go to the track.

[earlfor]

Well Scotty, its certainly possible I may have made some comments about drag racing on the streets. :-) :-)

But but but, Scotty, its not a race if they dont have a chance. :-)

Earl

You have to stop poofing those poor cagers Earl. Its gobs of fun though isnt it???
BTW Arent you one of those folks that lectured me on street dragging????????????