Phat Bikes
05-28-2006, 09:16 PM
This was taken from minigpx.com
Pocketbike Performance Perspective
Oct 04, 2005, By Brian Berlanga, Copyright 2006, Minigpx.com
Brian Berlanga writes from his experiences as a SEPRA pocketbike racer.
During one of my recent obsessive pocketbike ponderings, I started to think about the distinctions between our beloved minimoto and full-sized race bikes. Now there are standard differences that we are all aware of (i.e., the relative low cost and ease of maintenance, transporting, and racing), but I was thinking in terms of performance. Are race- prepped pocketbikes as fast as their big cousins when rated on a scale? Perhaps even faster? Hmmmm. To anyone who has ever flown down the track on one of those minuscule terrors, it would surely seem so. Paper and a calculator were in order here. I would need cold numbers to quantify an answer. Well, here I go…
First, let me start off by saying that this is in no way a paragon of scientific method. I'm dealing with averages here, so don't get your panties in a bunch if you don't like my numbers. Furthermore, if you don't like my choice of pocketbikes or sportbikes, get over it. My choices are merely for representative purposes. Now, on with the show. Lets start off by assuming that your typical race bike has three -average- performance speeds: a slow cornering speed, a high cornering speed, and a flat out top speed. Similarly, we shall make the same assumption in relation to a properly tuned pocketbike. Based on this assumption, we'll say that a race bike goes as slow as 25mph in a tight hairpin, as fast as 120mph in a positivecamber high speed sweeper, and conservatively tops out in the neighborhood of 170mph in a straight line.
With our pigmy brethren, we'll claim a speed of 10mph in a speed-robbing hairpin, 45mph in a banked turn, and 50mph balls out with the appropriate gearing. That being said, let's look at the battle field. I've chosen three popular track bikes. They are the Honda CBR600F4i, the Suzuki GSX-R 750, and Yamaha YZF-R1. For the pocketbikes, I've selected the Polini 910 Steel GP, the GRC RSR, and the Blata Elite 13. The selected motorcycles average a length of six feet, nine inches. The pocketbikes average three feet, one inch.
Let's start comparing: Traveling at a top speed of 14,960 ft per minute (170mph) a full size bike is covering a distance averaging its length x 2,216.3 per minute. A p-bike maxing at 4,400 ft per minute (50mph) is averaging a velocity of its length x 1,419.4 ft per minute. This round goes to the big bike.
Let's look at high speed cornering. A race bike can dash through a banked turn at a rate of 10,560 ft per minute. This is equal to 1,564.4 x it's length per minute. Meanwhile, back in Lilliput, our tiny steeds tackle similar track sections at a rate of 3520 ft per minute. Again, our side loses with a distance of 1,135.5 x the pocketbike's length covered in a minute. The gap is closing. Certainly, the little guys will dominate in a hairpin... right? Wrong. The big boys do it again. On a big track, the race bikes slow down to 2200 ft per minute for the tight stuff, while pocketbikes at a kart track slow down to 880 ft per minute. That translates to a velocity of 325.9 x an average race bikes length per minute versus that of 283.8 x the average minimoto length per minute. The gap closed, but the full-sized bike still covers a greater distance relative to its size. I must admit, I was highly disappointed when I fi nished crunching the numbers (so much that I wasn't going to write any of this). Then, I got to thinking. A full-sized race bike achieves its different speeds with a selection of six different gears. A pocketbike tackles the same situations with what is essentially one gear. Pretty impressive!
Hopefully, my pseudo- methodical ramblings have given you more of an appreciation for the performance that a pocketbike offers. But hey! I ain't no Kevin Cameron.
Pocketbike Performance Perspective
Oct 04, 2005, By Brian Berlanga, Copyright 2006, Minigpx.com
Brian Berlanga writes from his experiences as a SEPRA pocketbike racer.
During one of my recent obsessive pocketbike ponderings, I started to think about the distinctions between our beloved minimoto and full-sized race bikes. Now there are standard differences that we are all aware of (i.e., the relative low cost and ease of maintenance, transporting, and racing), but I was thinking in terms of performance. Are race- prepped pocketbikes as fast as their big cousins when rated on a scale? Perhaps even faster? Hmmmm. To anyone who has ever flown down the track on one of those minuscule terrors, it would surely seem so. Paper and a calculator were in order here. I would need cold numbers to quantify an answer. Well, here I go…
First, let me start off by saying that this is in no way a paragon of scientific method. I'm dealing with averages here, so don't get your panties in a bunch if you don't like my numbers. Furthermore, if you don't like my choice of pocketbikes or sportbikes, get over it. My choices are merely for representative purposes. Now, on with the show. Lets start off by assuming that your typical race bike has three -average- performance speeds: a slow cornering speed, a high cornering speed, and a flat out top speed. Similarly, we shall make the same assumption in relation to a properly tuned pocketbike. Based on this assumption, we'll say that a race bike goes as slow as 25mph in a tight hairpin, as fast as 120mph in a positivecamber high speed sweeper, and conservatively tops out in the neighborhood of 170mph in a straight line.
With our pigmy brethren, we'll claim a speed of 10mph in a speed-robbing hairpin, 45mph in a banked turn, and 50mph balls out with the appropriate gearing. That being said, let's look at the battle field. I've chosen three popular track bikes. They are the Honda CBR600F4i, the Suzuki GSX-R 750, and Yamaha YZF-R1. For the pocketbikes, I've selected the Polini 910 Steel GP, the GRC RSR, and the Blata Elite 13. The selected motorcycles average a length of six feet, nine inches. The pocketbikes average three feet, one inch.
Let's start comparing: Traveling at a top speed of 14,960 ft per minute (170mph) a full size bike is covering a distance averaging its length x 2,216.3 per minute. A p-bike maxing at 4,400 ft per minute (50mph) is averaging a velocity of its length x 1,419.4 ft per minute. This round goes to the big bike.
Let's look at high speed cornering. A race bike can dash through a banked turn at a rate of 10,560 ft per minute. This is equal to 1,564.4 x it's length per minute. Meanwhile, back in Lilliput, our tiny steeds tackle similar track sections at a rate of 3520 ft per minute. Again, our side loses with a distance of 1,135.5 x the pocketbike's length covered in a minute. The gap is closing. Certainly, the little guys will dominate in a hairpin... right? Wrong. The big boys do it again. On a big track, the race bikes slow down to 2200 ft per minute for the tight stuff, while pocketbikes at a kart track slow down to 880 ft per minute. That translates to a velocity of 325.9 x an average race bikes length per minute versus that of 283.8 x the average minimoto length per minute. The gap closed, but the full-sized bike still covers a greater distance relative to its size. I must admit, I was highly disappointed when I fi nished crunching the numbers (so much that I wasn't going to write any of this). Then, I got to thinking. A full-sized race bike achieves its different speeds with a selection of six different gears. A pocketbike tackles the same situations with what is essentially one gear. Pretty impressive!
Hopefully, my pseudo- methodical ramblings have given you more of an appreciation for the performance that a pocketbike offers. But hey! I ain't no Kevin Cameron.