I feel the need....the need for speed

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Brent

I'd question the merits of doing 160kph in a 4WD in anything other than the most modern road-going versions (e.g. Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5). You'd be right on the envelope of the vehicle's design parametres at that speed. If something were to go wrong......

Not really, 160kmh in a new LandCruiser is a piece of p***. They can do that all day every day.
A 200 Series would would still feel rock solid at 180 or higher - Thank the middle east customers for that.

Heck, in Italy I was driven at one point at 160kmh in a VW Transporter van by a little old nonna.

Modern cars are capable of very comfortable high speeds. Not that im saying you need to go that fast in Australia.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by cheap

We lived in Darwin from 2003 to 2004, during a period where the NT highways had an open speed limit (i.e. no speed limit).

I have legally driven thousands of kms at very high speed, my Road King at +160km/hr regularly from Humpty Doo to Adelaide River or Jabiru. My mates Hyabussa at +260km/hr or my Land Cruiser at +160km/hr traveling to Alice Springs or Camooweal. I think I have some experience at high speed driving.

The NT had a unique situation which allowed for open speed limit:
(a) a requirement to travel long distances in a reasonable time and the NT has limited alternative travel options available
(b) a very good highway, wide, well maintained, graded and extensively cleared of obstruction on both side of the highway, flat terrain with long straights where viability is not an issue
(c) sparse population
(d) extremely low traffic volumes on the NT Highways
(e) generally good and predictable weather conditions, no fog, no snow and little rain for most of the year
(f) a parochial government, fiercely independent and willing to tell Canberra to "get stuffed"

Except for (f) all of the above items exist today.

Beginning in 2007 the NT government removed the open speed limit and placed a 130km/hr limit on the highways. This was done to normalise road speeds across Australia (in reality there was huge political and financial pressure from Canberra's politicians and bureaucrats to remove the open speed limit).

As far as I know NT was the final place on Earth with an open speed limit (despite what the NT opposition says there will never again be legal open speed driving in NT.)

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Driving at high speed was a buzz , but then it became ordinary. High speed driving did bring some unintended consequences :

(1) Concentration V's Being Alert. You're traveling at high speed 160km/hr concentrating on the road ahead and someone overtakes you at +200km/hr. This scares the crap out of people.

(2) Distance perception. Traveling at 160km/hr and the oncoming car is also traveling at 160km/hr. You're closing in one each other at 320km/hr! All of a sudden what you thought was a overtaking gap isn't.

(3) Vehicle performance. It requires more energy for cars to accelerate/overtake whilst doing 130km/hr and accelerating to 150km/hr than it does from 110km/hr to 130km/hr. It takes longer to overtake and you're on the opposite side of the road longer.

(4) Increased Speed means greater braking distances and vehicle instability increases too.

(5) Increased fatigue. Many research studies suggests that increased speed required increases to your concentration which in turn increases fatigue.

(6) The unexpected happens faster. The buffalo crossing the highway has right of way, your reaction times are significantly less.

(7) Driver behavior and attitude. From my experience, even with an open speed limit, most people in the NT drove at 130-140km/hr. I found that driving in Europe and the USA too, that fast drivers drive at 130-140km/hr or 85mph. Perhaps these speeds are what the human brain can comfortably cope with?

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Question: Would 130km/hr work outside NT?

Answer: NO and for a number of reasons.

In my opinion it would not be possible because almost every road I've traveled on (and I've travel extensively) would fail on points a,b,c, d and e. In plain terms nearly every Australian road would need substantial improvement.

Our better motorways and highways have too much traffic on them, Sydney-Newcastle freeway or M1 Brisbane-Gold Coast would have in relative terms 10,000 times the traffic volume per hour than that of NT.

I would have to say that driver behavior was better in NT than it is here in Queensland and much much better than when we lived in Sydney. There would need to be improvements in driver behavior, perhaps training people to cope with higher speed driving is necessary.

Australia's aging population would be be a problem for increased speed limits.

The need for government to be seen to be protecting us from ourselves would not assist the high speed movement.

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I know I've rambled on a fair bit, thanks for your time.

Point (1) Rubbish!
2. That is just incompetence or a gutless car.
3. Not always.
4. Instability what are you driving a P of S.
5. that is what we are debating mate pros and cons of it.
130 KM/H can work on any good road.
7. I have driven crap cars that at 100km/h and it was dangerous at that posted speed limit. there can be a bloody big difference in cars as to what ya feel competent in driving at speeds.

I had a Kawasaki ZX10 and cruising speed was 240 KM/H and i felt that comfortable to sit on that but over that speed is when it took much more concentration and would tax ya out. and that was a 500KM ride and i would get off bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to party on. if i sat on 110 km/h i would of been worn out and ****ed off. but i was only cruising not trying anything stupid.

[MO]

Lived in 'The Territory' for sixteen years,the reason most people sat on the 130/140 was for economy and less time on the road. Trying for the best of both worlds.
As for me 160/180 most of the time and on the odd occaison 200 for an hour or two but then you see the fuel gauge head for empty in a big hurry.
Always dropped the speed between dusk and dawn usually to around 140/160 or less depending on conditions.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by MO

Lived in 'The Territory' for sixteen years,the reason most people sat on the 130/140 was for economy and less time on the road. Trying for the best of both worlds.
As for me 160/180 most of the time and on the odd occaison 200 for an hour or two but then you see the fuel gauge head for empty in a big hurry.
Always dropped the speed between dusk and dawn usually to around 140/160 or less depending on conditions.

I sincerely thank you for your comment! For a while I thought I was the only person who had any actually experience with high speed driving. There are some very strange thoughts and claims being spun on this thread.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by cheap

Edited .....

So exactly where did you ride your ZX10 at 240km/hr for 500km's (your cruising speed as you call it)?

It was not 240 kM/H for the whole 500 KM but the point is at 240km/h it still got good fuel econ because it was not being ridden hard, it was just cruising.
Think about this 0 to 400m in about 9 sec and 0 to 240km in about 700m. and you can wash away speed faster than that.

Where did i do that i lived in Denmark once bro.
And how about this bro my grandfather drove at 200 km/h nearly every day and that was even back in the 1960's and he thought noting of it and he was not a car enthusiast at all.
Go to Europe and tell them you were doing 200KM/H and 99% would say SO what! OH that's right your a aussie drongo.
And my uncle who is 68 yo tells me he just wound his new bike out to 360 KM/H but said not to tell his wife.

[NAK302]

[QUOTE=castellan]It was not 240 kM/H for the whole 500 KM but the point is at 240km/h it still got good fuel econ because it was not being ridden hard, it was just cruising.

[QUOTE]


pretty good alright.
4.5gallon or 17.1litres tank capacity for that bike.
500km's on 17litres (or 3.4L/100km) of juice is VERY impressive. my BA GT's 5.4 boss motor idles at around that

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by castellan

It was not 240 kM/H for the whole 500 KM but the point is at 240km/h it still got good fuel econ because it was not being ridden hard, it was just cruising.
Think about this 0 to 400m in about 9 sec and 0 to 240km in about 700m. and you can wash away speed faster than that.

Where did i do that i lived in Denmark once bro.
And how about this bro my grandfather drove at 200 km/h nearly every day and that was even back in the 1960's and he thought noting of it and he was not a car enthusiast at all.
Go to Europe and tell them you were doing 200KM/H and 99% would say SO what! OH that's right your a aussie drongo.
And my uncle who is 68 yo tells me he just wound his new bike out to 360 KM/H but said not to tell his wife.

That's ***, bro!

[castellan]

[QUOTE=GT-0733][QUOTE=castellan]It was not 240 kM/H for the whole 500 KM but the point is at 240km/h it still got good fuel econ because it was not being ridden hard, it was just cruising.

pretty good alright.
4.5gallon or 17.1litres tank capacity for that bike.
500km's on 17litres (or 3.4L/100km) of juice is VERY impressive. my BA GT's 5.4 boss motor idles at around that

ZX10 have 22 Litre tank and i would fill up some where before 330 km.
And that was around 20 years ago.
I do believe it did not really use any more fuel between 100 or 240 because it was not working hard, it was just cruising.
And i just worked out the trip was 430 km or 330km depending on who i was gong to see and it was nearly every weekend.
And i was not trying to brake any records but just riding safely and comfortably.
I have gave up even riding a road bike hear 14 years ago it's just to dangerous at any time.
But i do have a Husaberg dirt bike to fang about in the bush.

[phillyc]

I went to NT last year for my honeymoon. Day 3 I drove from Darwin to Kakadu, stayed there for a few days. Day 7 drove from Jabiru to Litchfield National Park and back to Darwin.

The majority of that time was 130kmh, otherwise 50/80/100kmh zones. This lack of complexity with speed zones was also appreciated. None of this start at 20kmh and increment by 10 to 110kmh.

The ~250km trip from Darwin to Jabiru took 2 1/2hrs including meal breaks. The roads were good, the traffic mostly light and good conditions. Sitting 130kmh +/- 10% made the trip enjoyable.

I actually felt better fatigue / alertness than the similarly sized stretch from Canberra to Sydney despite being in a lesser refined smaller car. (Getz versus AU VCT).

During / towards the evening i dropped my speeds down to 80-100kmh. (The Getz's highbeams were no match for the standard beams on the AU - kept trying to turn the high beam on! Unfortunately, they were!)

I actually believe that 130kmh is a speed which offers a good blend of speed and concentration.

However, i think what is applied in Arizona is probably the best way. ie 'reasonable and prudent' which means, good car, good conditions and daylight hours do 100-110mph. If the criteria doesn't fit adjust your speed accordingly.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

I have heard the roads have gone to the crapper since the 130 limit came in.

Probably the REAL reason for introducing the new limit. don't have to maintain a high quality road.

[Franco Cozzo]

I haven't been to NT and done the unlimited highway (when it existed) but we've found out that sitting on 125-130km/h in Dad's 323, it drinks fuel like anything, it revs at just over 4000 RPM and makes one hell of a racket. Its much more comfortable at about 90-110km/h, any more and she struggles. 2003 model.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I haven't been to NT and done the unlimited highway (when it existed) but we've found out that sitting on 125-130km/h in Dad's 323, it drinks fuel like anything, it revs at just over 4000 RPM and makes one hell of a racket. Its much more comfortable at about 90-110km/h, any more and she struggles. 2003 model.

Well you could have tried it in a Model T, just because there is no limit does not mean it is safe to drive above the capability of the car.

The first time I drove in NT was in a rental commodore many many years ago.

My mission was to go out to the open zone (50km south of Darwin) and do 200 and I held it flat for what seemed like hours but it just would not go above 190 and was quite scary. I drove back at 130 which was much more sensible.

Other cars I have driven there WERE designed to go fast and I drove them accordingly.

[dylancox]

Originally Posted by castellan

It was not 240 kM/H for the whole 500 KM but the point is at 240km/h it still got good fuel econ because it was not being ridden hard, it was just cruising.
Think about this 0 to 400m in about 9 sec and 0 to 240km in about 700m. and you can wash away speed faster than that.

Where did i do that i lived in Denmark once bro.
And how about this bro my grandfather drove at 200 km/h nearly every day and that was even back in the 1960's and he thought noting of it and he was not a car enthusiast at all.
Go to Europe and tell them you were doing 200KM/H and 99% would say SO what! OH that's right your a aussie drongo.
And my uncle who is 68 yo tells me he just wound his new bike out to 360 KM/H but said not to tell his wife.

Hahaha.. your grandfather drove at 200km/h nearly every day.. Is he Ron Bell, I feel sorry for that old man who got busted hitting 170+ out in the Wimmera, he probably had been doing that for the most part of his life out in the country and hadn't kept track of the times (or his age). http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/vict...-1225824111743

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by dylancox

Hahaha.. your grandfather drove at 200km/h nearly every day.. Is he Ron Bell,

Obviously haven't been in Europe for a while?

With the rest of it ..... thread is starting to get hijacked so please keep within the topic first posted!

[mrbaxr6t]

I wish I could experience open speed limits in my xr6 turbo but alas there is too much money to be made enforcing an arbitrary limit and the means to do so are not part of a union nor do they complain about weather conditions or need the toilet, also they never sleep. Heres an idea man every fixed speed camera with a muppet to operate it from a government department and watch it all of a sudden not work because the employee is in the toilet drinking a coffee or playing tetris on his workstation.... none of us will get fined then

[castellan]

[QUOTE=flappist]Well you could have tried it in a Model T, just because there is no limit does not mean it is safe to drive above the capability of the car.

The first time I drove in NT was in a rental commodore many many years ago.

My mission was to go out to the open zone (50km south of Darwin) and do 200 and I held it flat for what seemed like hours but it just would not go above 190 and was quite scary. I drove back at 130 which was much more sensible.

Other cars I have driven there WERE designed to go fast and I drove them accordingly.[/QUOTE


Was it a 3.3L VK flappist.