Posted on 10/25/2004 6:20:12 PM PDT by Rakkasan1
A motorcyclist who set jaws dropping across the nation last month when he was stopped for going 205 miles per hour south of the Twin Cities tells a reporter for Midwest Quick Throttle Magazine in an upcoming issue that he was going closer to half that speed, said magazine editor Pat Andrews.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
He's charged with driving 205MPH. If he is not guilty of the charge, why should he plead guilty?
Yes and no. I once fought a ticket that had 2 flagrant flaws on its face plus the time of issue was impossible.
I told the judge the truck was green, not brown: Didn't matter.
The truck was a two-door, not a four door: Didn't matter.
I was testifying in court at the alleged time of the ticket: Didn't matter.
Do we see a pattern emerging here?
The good thing is: I DID beat the ticket, but only after raising a "reasonable doubt" argument. I asked the cop if he'd checked the accuracy of the radar gun AFTER my vehicle exited the beam. The cop said no, the judge shook her head and dismissed the ticket, and I even got a "thumbs up" from several of the other cops in that courtroom as I walked out.
Me, 115 in Montana when there was no speed limit. 135 last year. 'Course it was in my Chrysler 300m. I wouldn't go over 85 on my Honda Magna.
My buddy takes his Ninja 1100 on a 3,500 mile western US tour every year. He usually hits something in the 145 mph range. He has well over 200k on motorcycles and has never gone down. Well, except for a wheely last year - but it was minor and he should have known better. 8^>
>>I've been to traffic court. I'll tell you how it will go. The judge will pretend to listen to both sides, and say "it is your word against the officer's, and I have no reason to believe that the police officer is lying."<<
Not in a high profile case. And proving this officer wrong would not be too difficult, especially with the attorneys that would probably love to handle this case gratis to make a name for themselves.
If it can be proved through documentation that this speed is not possible, the kid will win.
It's interesting about Montana. During the 55mph debacle foisted on the states in the 70's and 80's, Montana had a flat $5 fine for speeding, payable on the spot, for "wasting energy".
When "Reasonable and Prudent" came about (returned actually)
the fines increased considerably. They (and us) were better off under the old system. I have no idea what the speed limit is now, and I bet it's enforced with heavy fines.
It is a "high profile" case now - seems to me that an example needs to be set here, for other motorists, particularly the organ donor set with high powered crotch rockets. Getting out of the ticket altogether sends the wrong message in my opinion. People need to understand the law applies to them in both spirit and letter, not a game to be played and weaseled out of.
Check the story, Honda RC-51, ~126 BHP. The dyno showed it could only do 160, so he may have been doing ~140.
He's got to dismiss.
What next? "OK judge maybe he wasn't doing 150, but maybe 117; let's try 117." The cops blew it. If their initial facts are screwed up, they can't be allowed to keep changing them.
There is not a 1-to-1 correlation between HP and speed. The curve is exponential, not linear. Even a Hayabusa has trouble getting up into the 190s and that is after modifications. MotoGP bikes make it into the very low 200s but they also have around 240hp.
That's right. The kid's probably got a lawyer who's going to address other matters, such as distance traveled and whether, or not the bike was hopping over the cars that were out there that Sat afternoon. That road will allow only a short stint at something over 100 for only a very short time before other vehicles block the way.
The bike only has 75 ft-lbs of torque/126HP and the gearing is tall, so the bike's going to take some time to wander up anywhere over 120. From this and the other story, both of them punched it for a short bit, then slowed to around the customary speed folks roll along at up there.
I think the cop made this up.
The "organ donor" bunch will not be dissuaded by any legal example. The court would better protect both the letter and spirit of the law by dismissing any charges based on any police officer's observations which are demonstrably false.
Usually, more than one citation is issued in such a case. If they can't nail the kid on the speeding charge, they'll get him on "unsafe operation", or other similar charge.
The limit is now 75.
I don't follow it closely but there have been several stone cold stock bikes that have been capable of over 180 in the past 8-10 years. Yamaha had one 7 or 8 years ago that they advertised would go from 0 to 170 to 0 in less than a mile. STOCK out of the factory. These things are hot. A friend of mine sold his 600 cc crotch rocket because he found himself regularly exceeding 100 mph between stoplights. He came in one day and said he was going to sell it because he got in the air over and overpass. He didn't want to die. They are faster than anything you can imagine.
That's kind of my point... A judge should have wide discretion in sentencing. This guy can hardly plead "not guilty" to what is at least unsafe or reckless operation towards everyone else on the road, so yank his license for that, seems simple enough to me. Again I love to drive fast, but there have been far too many innocents who have had their lives ruined by idiots out on the road hotrodding or crotchrocketing. If they only hurt themselves, I could live with that, sort of.
A common story. That's what seperates the bikers from the motorcyclists. The motorcyclists can walk away if they want to, and often do. Bikers have it running through their veins.
Just a few stock bikes available now.
http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=300
http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=14
http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=4261
Dodge Tomahawk 2003 |
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Picture credits: The respective copyright holder or manufacturer |
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General information | |||||||
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Model: | Dodge Tomahawk | ||||||
Year: | 2003 | ||||||
Category: | Prototype / concept model | ||||||
Rating: | 63.3 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes | ||||||
Engine and transmission | |||||||
Displacement: | 8277.00 ccm (505.06 cubic inches) | ||||||
Engine type: | V10 | ||||||
Stroke: | 4 | ||||||
Power: | 500.00 HP (365.0 kW)) @ 5600 RPM | ||||||
Torque: | 712.00 Nm (72.6 kgf-m or 525.2 ft.lbs) @ 4200 RPM | ||||||
Max RPM: | 6000 | ||||||
Compression: | 9.6:1 | ||||||
Bore x stroke: | 102.4 x 100.6 mm (4.0 x 4.0 inches) | ||||||
Fuel system: | Injection | ||||||
Valves per cylinder: | 2 | ||||||
Fuel control: | OHV | ||||||
Cooling system: | Liquid | ||||||
Gearbox: | 2-speed | ||||||
Physical measures | |||||||
Weight incl. oil, gas, etc: | 680.4 kg (1,500.0 pounds) | ||||||
Front percentage of weight: | 49.0 | ||||||
Rear percentage of weight: | 51.0 | ||||||
Seat height: | 737 mm (29.0 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting. | ||||||
Wheelbase: | 1,930 mm (76.0 inches) | ||||||
Overall length: | 2,591 mm (102.0 inches) | ||||||
Overall width: | 704 mm (27.7 inches) | ||||||
Overall height: | 937 mm (36.9 inches) | ||||||
Ground clearance: | 76 mm (3.0 inches) | ||||||
Chassis and dimensions | |||||||
Frame type: | Monocoque, engine is central, stressed member | ||||||
Front brakes: | Double disc | ||||||
Front brakes diameter: | 508 mm (20.0 inches) | ||||||
Rear brakes: | Double disc | ||||||
Rear brakes diameter: | 508 mm (20.0 inches) | ||||||
Speed and acceleration | |||||||
Top speed: | 482.8 km/h (300.0 mph) | ||||||
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): | 2.500 seconds | ||||||
Other specifications | |||||||
Fuel capacity: | 12.30 litres (3.25 gallons) | ||||||
Further information | |||||||
Ask questions | Enter the 03 Dodge Tomahawk discussion group | ||||||
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