Advertisement

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Drag Races Ducati Superbike: Video

 
5 3,141 views Jul 25, 2012
Follow Nelson

 

Related Photo Galleries


See more photos »
Proclaiming drag races to be "Internet gold," Chris Harris proceeds to grace us with a good one: the Porsche 911 GT2 RS against the Ducati 1199 Panigale. He's not wrong.

While the GT2 RS packs 611 horsepower at the rear, and weighs 3,170 pounds, the Ducati's power-to-weight ratio is even better, with 192 horsepower on tap and just 415 pounds curb weight. That gives the Ducati a stunning power-to-weight ratio of 2.16 lb/hp. That's 3.82 fewer pound per horsepower than the 911.

On the other hand, the GT2 RS has a lot more rubber in contact with the road--even if it has a hard time using it. It's also nearly impossible to wheelie and flip over on a hard launch, unlike the Ducati. Not to mention the Ducati could tip on its side.


Which will win--grip and stability, or power-to-weight? We won't spoil it for you, but the answer is pure math, and good entertainment.





Tags:
Posted in:
 
 

Have an opinion?

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (5)

  1. fb_519418559 avatar Adalberto Burke Posted: 7/25/2012 6:31pm PDT

    Thank you for the article and the video. In reality, power to weight ratio should be the reciprocal of that number for the Ducati: 0.46296 hp/lb; vs. 0.192 hp/lb for the Porsche. Those numbers tell us that the Ducati is in fact 2.41 times as powerful as the Porsche is, which explains the results in part. In addition, The coefficient of drag for the Porsche is 0.34 Cd vs. 0.52 Cd for the Ducati. This explains the bike tending to flip back over the rear tire when given full throttle during testing. Power to weight ratio seems to be predominant for short races between bikes and super cars. Race results could have been totally different should the track length would allow for higher speeds and air resistance comes to decide who the winner is
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  2. Nelson avatar Nelson Ireson Posted: 7/26/2012 7:28am PDT

    Though commonly stated as "power to weight" the ratio typically used is pounds (or kg) per horsepower (or kw).

    As for the likelihood of the Ducati going up on its back wheel or over backwards, that's more a function of center of gravity and wheelbase, as even a very drag-prone object like an 18-wheeler isn't going to do a wheelie or flip over, because it has a long wheelbase and a relatively low center of gravity compared to a motorcycle.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  3. fb_519418559 avatar Adalberto Burke Posted: 7/26/2012 8:30pm PDT

    There are both Power to weight = Power/Weight and Weight to Power = Weight/Power ratios. However, weight to power ratio is more commonly used in jet airplanes (perhaps because a good portion of the mass of an airplane is fuel that will be burned to produce power). Power to weight is appropriate for cars and trucks. Google it and you will find it easy or you may want to go here: http://www.ajdesigner.com/phphorsepower/horsepower_equation_power_to_weight_ratio.php. The flipping is a combination of various factors and "CG" is definitely one of them as long as the "CG" we're talking about is the combined motorcycle-motorcyclist which is higher from the ground than that of the motorcycle alone. The Ducati, though ultramodern is not "streamlined"
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  4. fb_519418559 avatar Adalberto Burke Posted: 7/26/2012 8:44pm PDT

    Streamlined motorcycles may have a coefficient of drag of 0.2 Cd - 0.1 Cd and the driver doesn't stand out the body of the motorcycle. These bikes are used in drag racing or to break speed records and they don't show that tendency to flip. Thank you for your reply!
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  5. ted4wheels avatar Ted Star Posted: 7/26/2012 6:50am PDT

    Well, this race didn't surprise me but did entertain))
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

Advertisement
Get great deals on the 2013 Porsche 911!
By clicking above, you agree that your data will be subject to our Car Quotes Privacy Policy
Advertisement
Advertisement

Research New Cars

Go!

Related Used Listings

Browse used listings in your area.
Listings Powered by


More from High Gear Media

 
 
MotorAuthority
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2013 MotorAuthority. All Rights Reserved. MotorAuthority is published by High Gear Media. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC. Send us feedback.