Has the motorcycle’s supremacy finally come to an end?

February 23, 7:25 PMDC Motorcycle Travel ExaminerMark Poesch

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The motorcycle has always enjoyed a spectacular power-to-weight advantage over the car.  Just about any motorcycle can lay waste to just about any (production) car in the race to 60 MPH.  And most motorcycles still continue to fare better than their four-wheeled-friends at the 100 MPH mark.

I selected the Suzuki GSX-R1000, in part, because of its spectacular acceleration: 0-60 MPH in 2.98s, 0-100 MPH in 5.99s, around 140 MPH at the 10 second mark, and a top speed of 186 MPH (aka 299 KPH).

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is now considered by the auto press to be "America’s supercar," competing head-to-head with the Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 GT2, and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. "At just over $100,000, the ZR1 packs unbelievable bang for the buck."  Clearly, we’re measuring different bangs and bucks; if speed is the goal, then motorcycles have the certain advantage where "bang for the buck" is concerned.  And the GSX-R1000, as well as all its liter-bike brethren, still easily outstrip the ZR1 in its 3.3 second sprint to 60 MPH, and 7.4 second rush to 100 MPH.  (Given a long enough runway, the ZR1 will finally catch up and pass them as it heads to its top speed of 205 MPH.)

Motor Trend tests the new 2009 ZR1

But, for the those with the luxury of comparing raw performance without attention to money, there are exceptions.  The Bugatti Veyron is notable in many ways: ridiculous power (1,001 HP), ridiculous price ($1.8 million), and most of all, spectacular acceleration – not just the 0-60 MPH sprint in just 2.4 seconds, but the fantastically rapid 253 MPH (407 KPH) top-speed!  With 16 cylinders, 4 turbo chargers producing 1,001 HP it’s not entirely surprising….  10 radiators!  "I'm covering a football pitch every second!"

With the Veyron GT arriving in March (maybe) with 1,350 HP, any comparison with the "price is no object" car crowd is just getting sillier.

But, there is a new four-wheeled monster that can’t be ignored.  It's reasonably light for a car (2,700 pounds) -- nearly seven motorcycles on four wheels -- and with 1,600-horsepower, blows all the production bikes (and cars) off the street with a face-warping sprint from zero to sixty in 2.1 seconds, and rocket-sled-like run to 100 MPH in 4.541 seconds!  Technically, it’s not a production car, but it is street-legal.

Check out the new Maxximus G-Force.  Just don’t try to outrun one!