Gixxer vs. Lotus Elise on the Tail of the Dragon

1560 Views 12 Replies 10 Participants Last post by schteve, Oct 30, 2006

ClutchZero

Discussion Starter · Oct 29, 2006

I think I ride pretty fast, but was suprised to find it somewhat difficult to keep up with a couple of Lotus Elise at the Tail of the Dragon on Wednesday 10/25. I could always catch up with the fastest guy on the few straights, but he somewhat pulled away in the sharps, with lots of tire squealing. Some of these turns are so sharp that when you're leaning into a turn and trying to look through to the apex and then the exit, you're actually looking straight above yourself. Are these just incredible cars or was my riding not up to par. I didn't want to push too hard on a road I didn't know, plus my front tire has about 5,000 miles of hard leaning on it.

Check out the guy in the picture on the yellow Gold Wing, he's a local known as Yellow Wolf. Rode the Dragon up and back 52 straight times (over 1000 miles) in 24 hours. He kills it too, scraping through most of the sharp corners. Check him out on Google Video providing chase cam for a Ducati 999. Just search for Yellow Wolf.

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hoser

· #2 · Oct 29, 2006

the dragon is an awesome place. went down there last year with a few friends and had a blast. huge props to yellow wolf, thats gotta be work to get throught there that quick on a wing.

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Avplayer

· #3 · Oct 29, 2006

can't wait to ride the dragon next year! BTW, to answer ur question, that car is no joke...i doubt it was u fuckin up....jsut a really good driver ina really good car!

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SPL170db

· #4 · Oct 29, 2006 (Edited)

ClutchZero said:
I think I ride pretty fast, but was suprised to find it somewhat difficult to keep up with a couple of Lotus Elise at the Tail of the Dragon on Wednesday 10/25. I could always catch up with the fastest guy on the few straights, but he somewhat pulled away in the sharps, with lots of tire squealing. Some of these turns are so sharp that when you're leaning into a turn and trying to look through to the apex and then the exit, you're actually looking straight above yourself. Are these just incredible cars or was my riding not up to par. I didn't want to push too hard on a road I didn't know, plus my front tire has about 5,000 miles of hard leaning on it.

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. The Elise is a PHENOMINALLY handling car and the Dragon probably eploits that perfectly. The cars don't have monster HP, but they are light as a feather and designed to eat up corners for breakfast. It basically a stripped down club racing car for the street more or less.

I also might add, that's not even an Elise up there in the picture next to your bike. That's a Lotus Exige. Essentially a road-legal race car. In fact, I think that is a Lotus Exige "Cup" model up there. Here's some reading up for you.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2006-Lotus-Exige-Cup.htm

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kevin_stevens

· #5 · Oct 29, 2006

SPL170db said:
I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. The Elise is a PHENOMINALLY handling car and the Dragon probably eploits that perfectly. The cars don't have monster HP, but they are light as a feather and designed to eat up corners for breakfast. It basically a stripped down club racing car for the street more or less.

It's mostly the nature of the vehicles - for the same level of risk, you can just be closer to the edge of the envelope in the cars. (shrug)

And the Elise is a wonderful car, but perhaps surprisingly, a (C5) Z06 would actually be quicker on tight roads like that, because it can take advantage of its torque on the quick squirts between corners (much like a bike). The Elise will prevail on high but constant-speed sweepers where its lighter weight gives a cornering advantage and the 'Vette can't put power down. (extrapolated from typical SCCA autocross results)

KeS

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CharlesForester

· #6 · Oct 29, 2006

It doesn't take a necessarily fast car to outrun a sportbike in the twisties. Infact it's simple physics, 4 fat tires always grip better than 2 skinny ones.

Granted bikes are much lighter than cars. But considering the surface area that a car's tires puts down on the road compared to a bikes, it's easy to understand that cars will have greater cornering capabilities. Car's can also utilize the concept of 'down force' to aid in cornering, while bikes can not. Consider this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LmZB6cVbjjI

Don't beat yourself up! Bikes are naturally at a disadvantege.

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Avplayer

· #7 · Oct 29, 2006

cool vid!

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ClutchZero

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 29, 2006

Thanks for the insight into these cars, I had heard of them but never knew how they performed. SPL170db, thanks for the knowledge about that being an Exige. I checked out the link and feel even better after that. The guy in the Exige always led the other Elises and was the one I would get behind. I hope to be back on the Dragon in a week or two, with a new front tire and hopefully some video I can post.

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Gold Tie

· #9 · Oct 29, 2006

i pulled up on what i thought was a kit car a couple months ago through the twisties. it took everything i had to get around it and when i did i realized i've never seen this car before. i met up with the guy at a gas station at the end and he told me he would of givin me more of a run but the car was brand new. made me feel like crap, i thought i had conquered something great. it was an ARIEL ATOM. he said it was the third in the U.S. Jay Leno having the first. google it, one bad mofo!!! there is a vid of it whooping a cbr 6 on a track.

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SPL170db

· #10 · Oct 29, 2006

Gold Tie said:
i pulled up on what i thought was a kit car a couple months ago through the twisties. it took everything i had to get around it and when i did i realized i've never seen this car before. i met up with the guy at a gas station at the end and he told me he would of givin me more of a run but the car was brand new. made me feel like crap, i thought i had conquered something great. it was an ARIEL ATOM. he said it was the third in the U.S. Jay Leno having the first. google it, one bad mofo!!! there is a vid of it whooping a cbr 6 on a track.

That car is no joke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdkEV-t9jg0

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Denomolos

· #11 · Oct 30, 2006 (Edited)

"This car will destroy your face!" :lol :lol :lol

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oaklandopen

· #12 · Oct 30, 2006

i think the lotus' were actually banned on any US roads for a while because they were only meant for track purposes. at least it was with the exages. i've seen a couple around where im from, always jelous.

but i think i'd rather have a tvr

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schteve

· #13 · Oct 30, 2006

SPL170db said:
I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. The Elise is a PHENOMINALLY handling car and the Dragon probably eploits that perfectly. The cars don't have monster HP, but they are light as a feather and designed to eat up corners for breakfast. It basically a stripped down club racing car for the street more or less.

I also might add, that's not even an Elise up there in the picture next to your bike. That's a Lotus Exige. Essentially a road-legal race car. In fact, I think that is a Lotus Exige "Cup" model up there. Here's some reading up for you.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2006-Lotus-Exige-Cup.htm

Impressive Knowledge!!

unkAlways good to hear Spl's insights!!

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