Top Gear

[Silver]

On now, just tested an Atom against a CBR600RR around their track. The Atom was 4 seconds faster and Clarkson really enjoyed it.

Smug git.

Hardly fair though, track-wise. Stick them on Donington and see how they do.

[Silver]

Second fastest round their track, when driven by The Stig, behind the Enzo.

[Jrod]

One of these things.
https://perso.wanadoo.fr/site.neo/ArielAtom_WEB.jpg

[tatters]

stock cbr600, not fair
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[Keith]

Yeah, I watched it.

Was nice to see a bike on Top Gear for a change. I loved the way he said "faster than a bike." Theres many things faster than a bike but its not exactly the biggest of bikes. The true fireblade would of put up a better challenge me thinks.

Still, it were a good end to the series. Hopefully it'll return with a good line up.
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Aprilia RSV Mille R Edwards Replica - Aprilia RS250 - Suzuki GSXR600 Supersport Race Bike

[18aprilia]

i hate to watch when the bike doesnt win, which is why i tell myself to switch the telly off and tell myself that the bike won, i want bikes to win everything, i hate cars.
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Supra King

[dodsi]

The atom...£29,000

No panels, wind in your face...Like a bike then

Extreemly fast, Like a bike then

An absolute riot too drive...like a bike then

But the only people who can afford to spend that sort of money are people with rather a lot of money!

for the sake of 4 seconds I would rather have spent £7299 on the CBR600RR

Cant help but think it could have been a differant result if they used a blade!

[18aprilia]

it could have even been a different result with a yamaha M1 you know what mean?
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Supra King

[Ste]

There are one thing you're all forgetting, it was on Top Gear so it almost goes without saying that the bike is not going to win! In the same way if it was a bike mag they'd use an impressive car (as the CBR600RR is an impressive bike really) but not impressive enough to win.

Think about it.

[Silver]

Who was riding the bike? He hardly looked like he was going that fast. Could have just been the track though.

[iCraig]

If they had used a blade, the bike would have won.

Which they didn't want it being a car program and not a bike program.
Plus Jezza "I'm Scared of bikes" Clarkson wouldn't have liked that now would he.

I also think it was a bit unfair, and I feel like complaining at the BBC about how he insulted us all, infact I am gonna do that now.

[rizo-sri200]

That sucked big time

A stock CBR6 against a half decent car.

imagine with a zx10r

or a busa

So unfair
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swift kick to the wing mirror puts em straight..
98' Bandit 600 with Slip on

[izzi81]

I think my brother was getting slightly annoyed while we watched that because i did quite a bit of yelling at the TV
Totally unfair comparison - but of course the bike isn't allowed to win so it has to be. If that is one of the fastest cars ever then surely you have to pit it against one of the fastest bikes ever? And his mid-life crisis comparison was pretty irritating as well.. buy a bike no wait buy one of these.
But hold on, buy a bike - £6000ish. Buy one of those - £29000ish.

Yes, I did a lot of yelling. Shame Mr Clarkson couldn't hear me (us!)
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[Ste]

Does anyone actually care? Why do it matter so much if the bike doesn't win on a car program which is going to have it so the car wins.


If it was using a ZX10R or a Busa then they'd then start going on about how they're the fastest and best road going motorcycles available so it's no suprise that they beat car which isn't the fastest car available.

It's really not worth getting worked up over, it is Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson so of course it is shit.

[Silver]

Okay... round Rockingham National Circuit, Autocar did it in 1:17.6 seconds in the Atom. Whilst this isn't particulary fair, the lap record on a Superbike (Hislop's) is 1:09.9 and is 1:11.43 on a Supersport bike.

[pipnet11]

Over a small distance a person is quicker than a bike.....who cares. Not liking bikes is about the only thing I dont agree with clarkson over, everything else is usually right, just other people dont seem to get it.
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I love the girls that do, I hate the girls that dont, I hate the girls who say they will and then they say they wont, but the girl I like most of all and I think youll say Im right, is the girl who says she never has but looks as though she might. - Max Bygraves

[G]

It hardly looked like rider was leaning; wasn't even getting his knee down.

I suspect if there had been another lap, the bike would have at least started to catch up.

While this is a failing of bikes, it's not a major one, but one that's often exploited by Top Gear.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

CBR is gonna get you to work a whole lot quicker though.

So if you can afford a £30k toy then the Atom is great (aka Clarkson), if like alot of people you cant then a bike's better for that sort of performance.

Missed the actual race btw
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[craigT19]

i think the whole bike vs car tests in general are a load of shit

I would be crapping myself if i was riding around a track with a car anywhere around me, 1 touch and im in A&E

[TiN]

I didn't watch the program, but...

Unless the track had a very long straight, or consisted of a number of straights, then having an extra 400cc would not make that much of a difference...definately not 4 seconds worth, especially with a commited/skilled rider.

Take a look at the World Superbike lap times and results, and compare them with the World Supersport figures - that's effectively 1000cc Vs 600cc. You'll see that the majority of figures aren't that much different in general...obviously the superbikes are quicker overall, but that's not the point...

As for the Atom - I would love to own of them...one day...

But yes, you really can't expect a bike to win against a car on a program about cars...although it's interesting to see how two of the main presenters are bike enthusiasts (through the MCN "real biker tests").
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TiN
dotgems.net

[mchaggis]

Does anyone really care, or are you still too wrapped up in "bikes are just better than cars at everything, no matter what?"

It's a car program, so the cars are always going to win. I couldn't care whether that rather brilliant car can beat the bike round the track, it's just not comparing like for like.

It's like comparing a delicious Christmas pudding with a home-made tomato soup. Both are gorgeous and very good at what they do, but really are incomparable. I'd rather just eat and enjoy both of them for their individual merits than argue over which is better.
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[Inspire]

Sorry, I didn't see the program but is it Jeremy "Lets not get the facts in the way of a good story" Clarkson. People who read "Performance Car" years ago before it went down the pan will know what I mean. Top Gear is a good car chat show now but nothing more than that.

[bikedudextrm]

I bet they tried a much bigger bike at first but the bike probably won so they decided to use the cbr600rr, i could see the new R1 or ZX10 whipping it. But as soon as the race started i knew the car was going to win, it is a car show .

He also said it's the most fun and fastest thing on 4 wheels . I think the gixxer kart would be a lot more fun and a F1 or lower class car would be faster and a lot more fun.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

The Atom is a very good track car. Basically designed for track use.

Doubt that a litre bike really would be that much faster on that track.

Real question would be how good the rider is, and also what the surface is like. After all a bit of gravel is no problem to the car, and just makes it easier to hang the back end out for the camera. For the bike it just makes crashing a lot easier.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Reevo8]

Cars are awesome! Much better than bikes if you have an exotic/fast car. Damn the pub's calls of "Sam play darts" if it wasnt for that I would have seen it. Still it is repeated tommorow!

Any other good cars?

Keith, what maserati is it you have? and When can I claim my go?