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I find that speed pretty generous, even if maybe the indicated speed was 5-10 high.
Stock they were 68 HP, weighed about 450 lbs. Just off the cuff I would guess to get that bike to 165 you would need around 130-150 HP. That would take some really SERIOUS modding. And then, how squirrelly would it be at that speed?
When I bought the 900 Kaw new in '74, I sold my Honda to another buddy. He later bored it to around 850-900 with a cam, maybe higher compression too, don't remember, this was 40 years ago. My stock 900 would blow his doors off, although a lot of that was because he was lousy coming out of the hole and lousy at shifting. Even up, I doubt it was noticeably faster than the 82 HP Kawasaki.
I don't know what to tell ya. All I can say is the bike did reach 165, and it was extremely and heavily modded (dual adverbs intended as emphasis). Nothing short of an 1100+ CC cafe racer could beat me.
Last edited by Corvette_Ed; 10-23-2018 at 06:48 PM.
I had my C5 145 at VIR. I was a passenger in a race preped ZR1 175 at VIR that same time, a HPDE.
I have had my C6 135.
The first year I owned my 68 Camaro I had it at 105, and quit cause the front end felt like it was floating. In 1968 it was new and I was a young dummy.
Just up to ~90 a few times. Will save the serious speed for the track someday. Twenty years ago I did ~135 every lap at BIR (Brainerd, MN) in my 944 turbo; I typically did about 3 track weekends a year for several years. Can't afford that anymore, but plan to a weekend every few years. BIR has a mile long straight... wonder what the Z will do? I'm sure over 150; the 944 had only 220hp.
I average 175MPH down most straights on high speed road course tracks, and even taken my current C6 up to it top end mark around 200 mph as well.
As for most C6 owners that only street drive the cars, would go as say that 90% have never red lined the car in 5th gear (175mph'ish), even less unleashed their vet to see what it will do in 6th gear instead.
150 in my Z06 but NEVER again - I was scared to death. She rode like a dream and wasn't even working hard but way too fast for me. She is more car than I will ever be a driver.
Totally agree with you. Been driving high performance cars and fast since my first car over 4 decades ago, even raced a little when I was much younger. Still, when I hit 181 the thing that scared me a little was how easily it got there (from 90), how well it handled and how comfortable I was . Thanks for your service
193 on Bonneville, just purring along, with maybe 4000 feet of elevation. That was after the blower and louvered hood, stuck to the ground, very easy to drive. Did the same thing up in Idaho at the Sun Valley Road Rally, similar altitude.
In stock form the LS3 did 185 at Bonneville, though it wouldn't stay straight, too much lift in the nose to be running on salt with its lower traction. Somewhere north of 160 it'd just start drifting off to the left or right, even though the steering was still pointed straight ahead . . . Nice to have a lot of room out there to drift about. Took me maybe four tries to get one straight run to top end, then packed it up and drove home.
Last edited by godzilladude; 10-24-2018 at 11:34 AM.
Just up to ~90 a few times. Will save the serious speed for the track someday. Twenty years ago I did ~135 every lap at BIR (Brainerd, MN) in my 944 turbo; I typically did about 3 track weekends a year for several years. Can't afford that anymore, but plan to a weekend every few years. BIR has a mile long straight... wonder what the Z will do? I'm sure over 150; the 944 had only 220hp.
This right here! I live in the Twin Cities, and my plan next Spring is to get both my corvettes (1996 c4 LT4, 2006 C6 Z06) up to BIR. I am very curious to see how they do. Also, I will be taking them both to Doug Rippie to get some work done, so we'll see how they do after that as well.
Just a hair over a football field per second at the Mojave Magnum. (One mile speed on the left - mile and a half on the right). She was still pulling strong but we were both getting nervous. Probably don't need to do it again as I literally "got the t-shirt".
Just a hair over a football field per second at the Mojave Magnum. (One mile speed on the left - mile and a half on the right). She was still pulling strong but we were both getting nervous. Probably don't need to do it again as I literally "got the t-shirt".
Just a hair over a football field per second at the Mojave Magnum. (One mile speed on the left - mile and a half on the right). She was still pulling strong but we were both getting nervous. Probably don't need to do it again as I literally "got the t-shirt".
Done 140 mph a number of times but as speed increases the straightaway's get much shorter before you have to throw out the anchor and slow for the upcoming curve or horseshoe turn on tracks.
125mph in my '95 Camry 4 banger (on a slight decline, cold air, sea level. with the stars aligned and Mercury was not in retrograde). I was SO proud. It can't even pull 110 anymore.
155-ish mph on my '08 Suzuki GSXR600. Intake programmer and exhaust. Bike was tapped out. It's hard to look down at the speedo going that fast.
140mph with the top off in my '08 mn6 with a P1SC1 but otherwise stock. It was pulling hard (not as hard with the top off, that's for darn sure) but I let off because I didn't have my night driving glasses on, and it was dark.
(All performed on empty 3 lane freeways with no traffic)
10-23-2018, 06:46 PM
Even up, I doubt it was noticeably faster than the 82 HP Kawasaki.
