Top Gear - Sunday21st (last night)

[mikew]

Anyone else catch the humiliation of Clarkson at the Nurburgring?

OK, so he did eventually break the 10 minute barrier (9.59), no mean feat (better than I'll ever do, but then I don't profess to be quick) especially when driving the 2.7 diesel Jag.
But would he listen to the german girl with him, who was trying to help by telling him when to turn in etc etc, no, as he said, "typical bloke, I'm ignoring you", would he bollocks, so ......

She then tells him that he is not a good driver (or words to that effect) so when she has a go, on her first lap, strange car, steering on the wrong side for her etc etc ...........she bangs in a first lap of 9.12 !!! :bow: :bow:

that'll teach him! :} :}

can't wait to go back next year myself.

 

[Cruser]

Mike,

Yeah, I watched it too. Thought it was a good piece and showed the Ring well.

As for his sub 10 min lap, he didn't add on the extra 30 secs (or more in the case of that bus) that is required to fill the gap between the two gantries he used as timing points - so not really a sub 10 min lap at all

Shame they didn't show some footage of her driving her Ring taxi around, that would've been a lot more entertaining!

Might catch you there next year - and Lumpy - and Joe..........

 

[Jaws]

So you guys reckon Clarkson was slow.. well so do I, but think about this guys.. he was still a LOT faster than an awful lot of the biggish bikes out there !

 

[R2B2]

Did you see that German girl who took him round last summer in the BMW M5..? He was absolutely gobsmacked! I can't remember the time but it was bloody quick (I think the M5 holds the saloon car lap record at the ring).

His face was a picture. He did a lap after and it was nowhere near her time... he found that a bit difficult to swallow!

 

[Cruser]

So you guys reckon Clarkson was slow.. well so do I, but think about this guys.. he was still a LOT faster than an awful lot of the biggish bikes out there !

Yep, sure was. The thing is that absolutely anything can go round there, fast or slow. There are sometimes coaches going round, as well as people carriers and even real slow bike riders on BMW's! Some people just turn up and do a lap to say they've been there/done that and go round real slow, which is fine as long as they remember to get out the way :bang:

Anyone going there for the first time would not be able to do a sub 10 min lap on a bike - it is just too intimidating and dangerous to go that quick first/second/third time round. A car is a lot easier to go round in initially, besides, JC wouldn't have looked very cool if loads of bikes came streaming past him - I reckon they edited those bits out :}

 

[Allan1]

Where is it?

Isnt there a video of the new BMW bike going around the ring ?

Buzz

 

[mikew]

Cruser...

Yeah, I watched it too. Thought it was a good piece and showed the Ring well.

As for his sub 10 min lap, he didn't add on the extra 30 secs (or more in the case of that bus) that is required to fill the gap between the two gantries he used as timing points - so not really a sub 10 min lap at all

Shame they didn't show some footage of her driving her Ring taxi around, that would've been a lot more entertaining!

Might catch you there next year - and Lumpy - and Joe..........

yeh, I noticed that he didn't actually do the complete (or as complete as you can) lap, but I guess he had to use something as a regular timing point. Like you say, add another 30+ secs from there to the actual lap end.

If I could afford it, I'd have a run in one of the Ring Taxis, I imagine that would an awesome experience. Having someone who knows the place like the back of their hand, showing how it should be done, would be quite a ride. Something I think Mr. Clarkson should have appreciated when the lady was trying to give him advice.

As much as I love the place, I don't go there to try and beat any records ('cept maybe the slowest lap ), just to enjoy myself and the atmosphere of the place. I always have to remember that I have to ride home again.
But I think if I lived within 50 miles of the place, I'd be there most of my free time :lick: .

When are you planning on going back?

mike

 

[mikew]

buzzzzzz..........

Isnt there a video of the new BMW bike going around the ring ?

Buzz

It was showing on the BMW stand at the NEC, but as with all of these record laps, it is a bit artifical, cos they don't start where the general public has to. That video was showing it being done in 7.57 secs , but when I timed it on my watch (sad I know) the video was not running at normal speed, and only took 6 minutes to run the entire sequence, making it look faster than it really was.

As you leave the barriers, there is a straight up towards the GP circuit which has a couple of tight 90' turns, which the public have to slow down for, costing time. Ususally the "record" attempts start at this corner complex, which means they are accelerating to get up to speed, and not having to back off as such, cos they are not already carrying the speed from the previous straight, also they ususally (not always) have a cleared track, and then at the end of the run, pull in at the same place as Joe Public, which means they are about a mile short of a full lap!!

still effin quick though!

plus I don't suppose they have to worry about the cost of the damage if they stack it, unlike Joe Public who have to get home. Tends to have a moderating affect ......

I get around my problem of right handers on theRing, by going the other way around .......... far more entertaining!!!

 

[Cruser]

Mike,

Not sure when I'll be going next year as they haven't posted the opening dates yet. I'm trying to organise a large group of friends to come along too. They have a car tuning/modifying business and do some nice work and as they are petrolheads like most of us I know they'll love the place too. 1200Pete should be along with us and I know he'll adore the whole thing - can't wait.

The BMW video has the bike doing the whole lap in 7:57 with Markus Barth riding it - which is feckin quick. I do know of someone who will be attempting to break the bike record (7:49) next year, should be interesting - and no, not me!!

Alan, a few links for you:

http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/_co...pecial/bmw_k1200s_757min_mediaplayer_high.zip

www.nurburgring.org.uk

www.slidersguesthouse.com

:beer:

 

[Jaws]

Suspect the video might have been dicked around with for the show Mike.. just downloaded and ran the above and it ran for 7 57 72

But watching it was interesting.. as he rarely hits appexes.. his lines are at best no better than the average road rider and on one occasion plain feckin weird !

 

[Cruser]

Mac,

But the cars are quicker than the bikes round there.

Bit sweeping don't you think? Surely that depends on too many things? Are you saying that you in your Sanatogen are quicker than me on my bike round the Ring? :dunno: I don't think that's what you mean......

I think I know what you mean, and that is that on any normal day there, there are more cars going round faster than the bikes. There are not very many bikers at the Ring who know it well enough compared to the myriad of Porsches and local boys in their hot hatches etc.

Being absolute about it now, the lap record for a production car is 7:19 done by a Radical Turbo and the record for bikes is 7:49 - although I suspect that that record will get broken next year. There aren't many cars - or bikes - doing anywhere near those times on a public day.

 

[derek kelly]

Deep respect to the quick boys of all types, and of course Sabrina the teenage witch





I'll second that :}

 

[derek kelly]

http://www.landgasthaus-pfahl.de/index.htm

idyllic, friendly, at the top of a very twisty road. Nice and quiet, if you wwant it to be.

GGareth GGates moment :neenaw:

 

[derek kelly]

JAWS

Have the people of Norfolk forgiven Mr Clarkson yet for the derogatory remarks he made a couple of years ago about them?







Or have they just forgotten :}

 

[mikew]

Suspect the video might have been dicked around with for the show Mike.. just downloaded and ran the above and it ran for 7 57 72

But watching it was interesting.. as he rarely hits appexes.. his lines are at best no better than the average road rider and on one occasion plain feckin weird !

I think you misunderstood me, I think that BMW were just playing it a bit quicker to give the impression of outright speed.

The Ring has so many "lines", correct or otherwise, it's difficult to pin down the perfect one. (In my book, any line that gets me around AND keeping the thing on the road, is a good line!)

mike