Chased by a Fisker Karma
06-12-2012, 05:45 PM
#1
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Chased by a Fisker Karma
Riding down the mountain on Ortega Highway this afternoon, I'm going at a slower than normal pace to leave a gap between me and any cars in front, and the best part of the ride is coming up soon, about 5 or 6 miles of continuous twisties. I look in my mirror to see a low, wide silver car right on my tail. I'm coming onto a long downhill straight (below the Candy Store), so I gas it, figuring I'll loose him. As I punch it out of the long right hander at the bottom of the straight, I look in my mirror to see him a ways back but closing on me. I know this road like the back of my hand (ridden it 39 times so far this year, hundreds overall), so I gas it on the corner exits to pull away from him, but he out brakes me to the corner entries.
So it's like a rubber band stretching out then retracting as we go down through the canyon. At the entrance to a long straight, I finally gas it up to 5th, and he falls behind. I'm thinking, "What is this guy driving?". After I come out of the bottom of the canyon, I catch up with the cars I had been making the gap for miles back up the hill, and the silver car catches up with me.
I pull off at the fire station to wait for my wife to catch up on her SV, and give a wave to the driver of the silver car as he goes by. Then I see it's a Fisker Karma. DAMN, those things are fast!... and evidently they handle like a Porsche GT2 as well.
So it's like a rubber band stretching out then retracting as we go down through the canyon. At the entrance to a long straight, I finally gas it up to 5th, and he falls behind. I'm thinking, "What is this guy driving?". After I come out of the bottom of the canyon, I catch up with the cars I had been making the gap for miles back up the hill, and the silver car catches up with me.
I pull off at the fire station to wait for my wife to catch up on her SV, and give a wave to the driver of the silver car as he goes by. Then I see it's a Fisker Karma. DAMN, those things are fast!... and evidently they handle like a Porsche GT2 as well.
06-12-2012, 07:33 PM
#2
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How did you recognize that? Do you watch top gear 3 times daily? There are a ton of vids on tube about cars and bikes on track. You forget they have WAY more contact patch an zero consequence for getting things wrong (almost). On a bike you have to be a hero genius to exploit a tipable machine.
At many tracks the lap record is held by a shifter cart.
I always get nervous when a car races me unless there is tons of room. Sounds like a fun ride tho.
At many tracks the lap record is held by a shifter cart.
I always get nervous when a car races me unless there is tons of room. Sounds like a fun ride tho.
06-12-2012, 10:20 PM
#3
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How did you recognize that? Do you watch top gear 3 times daily? There are a ton of vids on tube about cars and bikes on track. You forget they have WAY more contact patch an zero consequence for getting things wrong (almost). On a bike you have to be a hero genius to exploit a tipable machine.
At many tracks the lap record is held by a shifter cart.
I always get nervous when a car races me unless there is tons of room. Sounds like a fun ride tho.
At many tracks the lap record is held by a shifter cart.
I always get nervous when a car races me unless there is tons of room. Sounds like a fun ride tho.
I was riding 9/10ths (for my skills), so no pucker factor for me. I'm not about to push it and crash while trying to prove something. I did pull over for a WRX that was on my *** a couple of years ago, and I couldn't quite keep up after he passed me.
As far as recognizing the Fisker Karma... Hey, this is SoCal. I've seen a couple of Teslas in the supermarket parking lot in Dana Point. And the Fisker has a pretty recognizable profile. I looked it up online when I got home, just to make sure that was what it was.
06-12-2012, 10:32 PM
#4
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Going thru Queens yrs ago I had a mustang try to race me. Push came to shove and I blistered off. When I saw (I thought) him gaining again I downshifted to hear the "bloop bloop" of the squad car.
"Take the keys out, throw them down and kneel on the white line hands on your head" said the loudspeaker.
The cop says he kodak'ed me at 138mph. I got off without a ticket tho. All in all not a bad day.
"Take the keys out, throw them down and kneel on the white line hands on your head" said the loudspeaker.
The cop says he kodak'ed me at 138mph. I got off without a ticket tho. All in all not a bad day.
06-13-2012, 12:37 AM
#5
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if you're getting run down by cars on Ortega you should stick to getting groceries 
(yes, any car, I don't care if its a corvette on 275 R-S3 tires, ortega is so newbie/wide/sweeping that you should be able to outrun any car on the hawk).
honestly that road sucks anyway, if you know it so well its time to graduate to real canyons like Palomar or GMR...or heaven forbid...the track...
(yes, any car, I don't care if its a corvette on 275 R-S3 tires, ortega is so newbie/wide/sweeping that you should be able to outrun any car on the hawk).
honestly that road sucks anyway, if you know it so well its time to graduate to real canyons like Palomar or GMR...or heaven forbid...the track...
06-13-2012, 07:41 AM
#6
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On my daily commute I was being followed by a squid on an r1 on a back road. He kept popping wheelies behind me, of course in tennis shoes, jeans, a sweatshirt, and no gloves. It was a 2 lane highway with only one passing spot on a straight right before some really good twisties. There were 2 cars in front of me and I wanted to take the twisties faster than they could, so I passed as soon as I could. I down shifted to 3rd and gassed it, switched lanes (with squid popping a wheelie behind me). I guess he took that as an invitation to race, because out of no where he flew by me on my right in the same lane. I don't care if someone wants to pass me, but I didn't know he was coming, I was in the process of switching lanes again, and he passed me on my right at a very high rate of speed, which to me is rude and dangerous. I had it pinned on 5th and he was still pulling away, damn those r1s are fast. We get up to the twisties and sure enough, dude is afraid to get rid of his chicken strips. I rode his *** every corner until he took a turn out, then I proved to him that even though he had a big bike and could go fast in a straight line, he wasn't **** when it came to actual riding. He caught up with me a few miles away at an intersection, pulled up and looked at me in my leathers, gave me a nod, and his expression was priceless when I looked at his gear (or lack of) chuckled, and pulled away.
I did have a little acceleration contest with a GT500 on the freeway once. I bested him, but not by much. I stay off the freeways now if I can, too inviting to go fast and I don't need any more tickets.
I did have a little acceleration contest with a GT500 on the freeway once. I bested him, but not by much. I stay off the freeways now if I can, too inviting to go fast and I don't need any more tickets.
06-13-2012, 09:33 AM
#7
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if you're getting run down by cars on Ortega you should stick to getting groceries
(yes, any car, I don't care if its a corvette on 275 R-S3 tires, ortega is so newbie/wide/sweeping that you should be able to outrun any car on the hawk).
honestly that road sucks anyway, if you know it so well its time to graduate to real canyons like Palomar or GMR...or heaven forbid...the track...
(yes, any car, I don't care if its a corvette on 275 R-S3 tires, ortega is so newbie/wide/sweeping that you should be able to outrun any car on the hawk).
honestly that road sucks anyway, if you know it so well its time to graduate to real canyons like Palomar or GMR...or heaven forbid...the track...
I've been riding Ortega since 1982. I'm 8 miles from Ortega, and GMR is a long freeway drone away from Southern OC. I've done Palomar, but I prefer Banner Grade (2nd gear all the way) and Sunrise Highway. The Pine Valley side of Sunrise is super fun, with no traffic on weekdays. We rode Banner and Sunrise 4 times last year, with multiple laps on Banner and the Pine Valley side of Sunrise.
We rode over 10,000 miles each of the last 3 years, since I retired. Most of that was canyon rides, and miles getting to and from the canyons.
I was wondering if the driver of the Fisker could have been Teemu Selanne, since he lives nearby in Coto de Caza, and he owns a silver Fisker. Although he could be at his home in Finland driving rally's this time of year.
06-13-2012, 10:20 AM
#8
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The only interesting corners on the road are where the rocky area begins, and then later on the Elsinore side that big long "carousel" style turn.
That road is cool for going on social rides and then getting some breakfast at hell's, or relaxing and enjoying the scenery...not for a challenging ride.
06-13-2012, 01:00 PM
#9
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I've ridden there many times, unless you're going 100-120+ most of the time its a snorefest...and at that speed you're arrested, or road kill if unexpected things happen...
The only interesting corners on the road are where the rocky area begins, and then later on the Elsinore side that big long "carousel" style turn.
That road is cool for going on social rides and then getting some breakfast at hell's, or relaxing and enjoying the scenery...not for a challenging ride.
The only interesting corners on the road are where the rocky area begins, and then later on the Elsinore side that big long "carousel" style turn.
That road is cool for going on social rides and then getting some breakfast at hell's, or relaxing and enjoying the scenery...not for a challenging ride.
06-19-2012, 06:09 AM
#11
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You guys don't know how good you have it to have access to some good roads. Here in South Jersey all the roads are mainly straight. There are a few twisties out there, but you have to travel a half an hour for about 45 seconds of fun.
06-19-2012, 06:27 AM
#12
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Really? So Jersey? Have you heard of NJMP? New Jersey Motorsports Park
Its like having a motogp track in your backyard.
Its like having a motogp track in your backyard.
08-08-2012, 07:19 AM
#14
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Well guys if you want some good twisties you should visit northwest arkansas lots of good roads within minutes of here, just gimme asout out if you do my son and i would like some company
08-08-2012, 12:17 PM
#15
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as long as you're having fun and not being a danger to others, it's all good. I used to live in Dana Point in the 90's. Love that town, lots of mountain roads around there, I remember Ortega. I wasn't riding then, (I was recovering from a KZ750 that tried to kill me), great place to mountain bike. I ran into a HUGE nest of rattle snakes up there. Love that part of Cali!!
10-23-2012, 05:28 AM
#17
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It's easy to feel that motorcycles trump cars every time when it comes to handling, and this is true generally. However, it's not quite as simple for me anymore, most likely because my testosterone has deminished a little faster than my brain.
I try to keep motorcycle racing on the road between me and me and that's plenty dangerous with no one up your ***, esp when your contact patch is the size of your palm. Hell, i nearly went down last week when I ran over a small twig on a blind corner and we all know that a handful of dirt will put you down in a heartbeat.
an exhuberant four wheeler gets on my ***, and I'll get out of his way every time. My body against an flying steel beam not a good match and I sure don't want him running over me when i fall off. **** the ego ****.
That said, I'll go faster through backroad turns in a good car than on a bike any day considering four tires and a steel cage to slide around in.
I try to keep motorcycle racing on the road between me and me and that's plenty dangerous with no one up your ***, esp when your contact patch is the size of your palm. Hell, i nearly went down last week when I ran over a small twig on a blind corner and we all know that a handful of dirt will put you down in a heartbeat.
an exhuberant four wheeler gets on my ***, and I'll get out of his way every time. My body against an flying steel beam not a good match and I sure don't want him running over me when i fall off. **** the ego ****.
That said, I'll go faster through backroad turns in a good car than on a bike any day considering four tires and a steel cage to slide around in.
10-23-2012, 02:43 PM
#18
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The Fisker Karma looks godly, and incorporates alot of high end eco friendly tech. However, in all honesty its top speed is 125mph and even with all that torque the acceleration on the behemoth leaves something to be desired.
The net result is a very respectable 403 horsepower coupled with a jaw dropping 951 lb-ft of torque
- available at zero rpms! This translates to a zero-to-60 time of 7.9 
seconds and a 95 mile per hour top speed 
- in electric-only "Stealth Mode."
Not impressed? Don't worry, Sport Mode can be activated and the Ecotec kicks in to boost performance, recording a zero-to-60 sprint in 5.9 seconds and bumping the top speed to 125 mph.
2012 Fisker Karma - Specifications, Pictures, Prices
The net result is a very respectable 403 horsepower coupled with a jaw dropping 951 lb-ft of torque
- available at zero rpms! This translates to a zero-to-60 time of 7.9 seconds and a 95 mile per hour top speed - in electric-only "Stealth Mode."Not impressed? Don't worry, Sport Mode can be activated and the Ecotec kicks in to boost performance, recording a zero-to-60 sprint in 5.9
seconds and bumping the top speed to 125 mph. 2012 Fisker Karma - Specifications, Pictures, Prices
10-23-2012, 06:44 PM
#20
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10-23-2012, 06:52 PM
#21
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Speaking of horse$hit, I am listening to the independant candidates debate. Holy crapsnacks, one wants to pardon every criminal in jail in the US for drugs.
That makes sense.
Its true nath, lectro cars are WAY more wasteful than gas. They just trick the simple folk into not seeing the smoke.
That makes sense.
Its true nath, lectro cars are WAY more wasteful than gas. They just trick the simple folk into not seeing the smoke.
10-23-2012, 07:37 PM
#22
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I live in Colorado which is the capitol of incredible twisty roads. Thousands and thousands of miles of them and most are empty and wide open.
But I personally ******* hate when amateur Ricky Racers try to play tag with me on a canyon road when all I want to do is zone out and practice my leaning,cornering and exit acceleration before having to go back to the real world.
And now I have to deal with some dipshit trying to show his girlfriend how fast his Honda Accord can go by trying to keep up with me. So I leave em in the dust and get back to my ride and then here comes another dipshit etc etc etc....
It's fun for the ego to dust another car, but I'd rather just do my own thing.
: )
But I personally ******* hate when amateur Ricky Racers try to play tag with me on a canyon road when all I want to do is zone out and practice my leaning,cornering and exit acceleration before having to go back to the real world.
And now I have to deal with some dipshit trying to show his girlfriend how fast his Honda Accord can go by trying to keep up with me. So I leave em in the dust and get back to my ride and then here comes another dipshit etc etc etc....
It's fun for the ego to dust another car, but I'd rather just do my own thing.
: )
10-23-2012, 11:48 PM
#23
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@VTRSurfer
True that bro. Not to mention.... Most people can barely ******* drive properly in the first place, let alone some moron trying to push the limits of whatever cage they're in.
And if a non-armored squid on a CBR600 wants to wheelie past me,
I let em pass too,and get then back to what I was doing. Which is just enjoying my bike at my own pace.
True that bro. Not to mention.... Most people can barely ******* drive properly in the first place, let alone some moron trying to push the limits of whatever cage they're in.
And if a non-armored squid on a CBR600 wants to wheelie past me,
I let em pass too,and get then back to what I was doing. Which is just enjoying my bike at my own pace.
10-24-2012, 06:18 AM
#24
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Nath,
Remember back in the '80s, when we really could outrun pretty much any car on the road. The 4 wheelers then had crappy suspension, emission control choked engines and tires were just starting to get good. Bikes on the other hand were getting better, with better tires. No where near as good as todays bikes, but way ahead in performance of anything short of an exotic car back then.
Remember back in the '80s, when we really could outrun pretty much any car on the road. The 4 wheelers then had crappy suspension, emission control choked engines and tires were just starting to get good. Bikes on the other hand were getting better, with better tires. No where near as good as todays bikes, but way ahead in performance of anything short of an exotic car back then.
no doubt. Hard to tolerate........... makes me wanna yank some of these ******** out and headbutt em. I don't mind the ones that just stay put, but these nascar wannabee pinheads that speed up or try to run you off the road push me over the edge.
11-05-2012, 03:14 AM
#25
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Isn't that just the worst? And not to mention, when you get an opportunity to pass on a two lane road, there always seems to be oncoming traffic in the other direction right at that exact moment.... and when you can't pass.... there's nothing. Some days it's like God is ******* with me......
But I've been known to bust a double line on a back road here and there. Hehe...
But I've been known to bust a double line on a back road here and there. Hehe...
11-05-2012, 05:13 AM
#26
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Isn't that just the worst? And not to mention, when you get an opportunity to pass on a two lane road, there always seems to be oncoming traffic in the other direction right at that exact moment.... and when you can't pass.... there's nothing. Some days it's like God is ******* with me......
But I've been known to bust a double line on a back road here and there. Hehe...
But I've been known to bust a double line on a back road here and there. Hehe...
Note though, that the recent tweeter twitter obsession with filming everybody, everything, everywhere is sure to be costly for us road sharers, and in fact has already earned me a double yellow driving award for trying to maintain an increased level of interest on a curvy road.
