Interesting question
What’s the fast you’ve driven? About 160 when I was younger and dumber.
More recently though, I managed to scare the crap out of myself. Driving the tactical car home one night, when (like always) some one is in the passing lane driving beside another car. Any way, the right line clears up so I decide to go around the bonehead. And, predictably, bonehead speeds up. So, I punch it, zip by and look down to discover I was doing 130mph. On Pellissippi Parkway at about 6:00 in the evening. That was pretty frightening.
If you’re doing, like, 80 in a 65 and get pulled over, then you can tell the officer you had to poop or you were running late or something. And they may go easy on you and not cite you for reckless driving. But if you’re doing 130, you’re going to meet several officers, probably eat some concrete, then go spend a night or two in the slammer.
Now, I monitor the speed a bit more closely.
July 12th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Somewhere around a buck fifty, both two wheels and four. At those velocities I tended to pay more attention to the road than the speedo.
I don’t do that anymore; I’m not sure I’ve been much over the ton since… oh… ’04 or ’05.
July 12th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Other than my drag car (which only goes 115 anyways) I think I’ve been up to 140ish once. I prefer to keep it at the track, where there’s an ambulance less than 30 seconds away at any given time. Risk/reward and all that.
July 12th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I had the advantage of growing up in the land of the autobahn, before they plastered it with speed limit signs. Never made it past 160 so, didn’t have the vehicle for it. The new approach there is “we don’t have a general speed limit, we just have local speed reductions in danger zones”. Which can be 50 miles long. Think speed limits a la Chicago gun rights.
July 12th, 2010 at 9:48 am
The speedo on my Valkyrie goes to 145 and it will bury it with authority.
Don’t know what the true top speed is.
And I’ve only done it once…just to see.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:04 am
160 on a bike. Talk about stupidity. Sometimes I am amazed that I am still alive.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:50 am
140+ at Road Atlanta. Around 110 on the Blue Ridge Parkway ( well after midnight )
July 12th, 2010 at 11:12 am
90+ in an ambulance, more than once (on the highway at 3am, with no traffic). I don’t know how fast I was actually going, because the speedometer didn’t read any higher, but I was still accelerating after I’d pegged it. That was in the old trucks, since they’re all governed from the factory at 85, now (except our newest one which is governed at 75 due to NFPA requirements – which is stupid, since if we have to go on the interstate that will barely keep up with traffic).
One of the local rescue officers found out on April 16 that a Ford Expedition can break 110.
July 12th, 2010 at 11:25 am
It’s happened to me with motorcycles — it’s easy to get lost in the music of the road.
July 12th, 2010 at 11:44 am
In these parts, if you’re doing 130 to pass you are going to get charged with street racing, which essentially means you lose your car and whatever was in it when you got arrested.
July 12th, 2010 at 11:47 am
On the track I’ve briefly flirted with 200 (straightaway on an oval track in a Porsche). Off the track? 170 on a long (empty) stretch of highway.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Back in my foolish youth, I had a ’39 DeSoto up somewhere between 80 and 90. Haven’t gone any faster since then, though a clear freeway can get me up to 80 or so.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
In a prepared ’73 Ford Torino (Police Interceptor) 130 on a blood run on I-84 (relays of cops taking whole blood to some small hospital out in the boondox), way back in 1974.
On I-17 in an ’00 Lexus 400, on the pass out of Cottonwood south towards Phoenix, about 130. Like you, I punched it to get around some traffic, and was amazed at what a decent engine in a well-balanced sport sedan would do.
Any fool can drive a car fast on the Interstate, it’s how you hang in the curves that makes you a driver. I’ve been a passenger in my brother-in-law’s Porsche 911SC at 75 on a cloverleaf in Golden Gate Park in SFO. The ramp was marked for 15 mph…
July 12th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
BTW, out in the West, it’s far less likely that you would get busted for reckless for a Century+ on the freeway. That treatment would be reserved if you were doing your Century+ and slaloming traffic as well.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
I got popped at 102 in a 65 riding a cycle I put together. DPS graciously wrote that down to 72. I had stretched the front tubes out a little and the damned thing was unsafe on the kickstand. Fastest on 4 wheels was probably 155 or so in a Pantera after we rebuilt the 351 in in. Loved that car; should have never let it get away, but I never had enough Valium to keep up with the wiring harness problems.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
I feel like the dysfunctional child here. 115mph on two wheels. Just to foolishly see if I could take that little bike to redline in top gear. Wide, smooth, straight highway just outside Washington DC. Never again. Even on the replacement bike I only hit 90mph despite the fact it was as smooth at 90mph as it was at 60mph. Seductive little mistress she was.
On two wheels, 110mph but my wife was driving. š
July 12th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I had a Ninja (900Gpz) and a stretched Z1. Sixth gear at a 10,000 rpm, no time to check the speedometer.
Relatively a long time ago, I’m afraid. š
July 12th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Open hiway, 135 (redline + 100) in a ’67 Shelby GT350 in 1967, watching an XKE walk away from me. Again hiway, about 130 in a ’85 Merkur Xr4Ti. It had a lot more, but I was catching traffic.
Near 140 (redline – 200 in 4th) in a Formula Ford just before turn one at Texas World Speedway. Much more frightening, same spot in an old Chevy Monza at 115 mph.
It’s much more fun on the track!
July 12th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
My new-fangled car is electronically limited at 155, but in my younger days, I got my bike’s speedo up to at least 185 for quite a stretch.
July 12th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
I think I did 110 once.
Friend’s new Honda Accord (4 cyl).
See, unlike my pair of vehicles, it’s quiet at speed and not desperately underpowered.
So I thought I was doing a nice plausible 85 or so, when he tells me I should probably slow down a little…
(I’ve never intentionally exceeded 95, both times on empty Interstate, to prove that the top speed of my vehicles was what it said it was.
Oddly, my old long-gone Metro, my Toyota pickup, and my ancient Mercedes all have/had a top speed of right around 95…)
July 12th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
114mph on Dulles Access Road way back when. Unfortunately I bragged to my cousin when my father was in ear shot. Dad had me clean that car (Olds 98) ’til you could have surgery in the engine bay.
My Wench’s ’91 Probe had a digital dash. Speedo went up to 85 then just blinked. Damn thing blinked for hours as we came down US95 in NV. We averaged ’bout 92mph between Tonopah and Las Vegas.
July 12th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Got up to 120 in a Super Bee back in the day, recently got to 105 in my Cougar without realizing it. Similar circumstances to what you related above. =)
July 12th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
My FZ600 would top out at 132. I was flat on the tank listening to the valve-tappets and engine sounds, on the backside of Hollister going down to King City. The other guys all pulled steadily away and left me feeling like cop-bait. I slowed down to 85 and that felt like I was at walking speed. It happened several times.
July 12th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Approx. 220 MPH. Yes that’s correct.
Oh yeah, it was in an Indy Car at MIS… does that count?
July 12th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
~150 on the ‘bahn between Mainz and Karlsruhe in a BMW 8 series. White-knuckling. In the US, 110 in VW jetta on I-16 between Macon a Savannah.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
SayUncle, you forgot to mention the vehicle itself.
For me, 150+ in a hotted up Infiniti Q45T. My wife has a new G37S, haven’t had it up to speed yet, max so far is 120.
On two wheels, 140+, several different bikes. Things happen too fast on bikes, won’t do that again!
July 12th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Well, the 130 recently was in my infiniti G37. If I tell you what the first one is, my dad might read it and beat my ass even though it’s been 20 years š
July 12th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
160mph+ in a ’01 ford lightning(chipped & with work done to the supercharger) on I-85 towards atlanta. Pegged the speedo at about ~750 rpm below the red line & still accelerating. Luckily the truck slows like a brick stood on end when you get out off the gas.
July 12th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Don’t truly know how fast I was on the interstates(I-20 and I-95) because the dash lights did not work. However, I made a 486 mile trip from Ga, to eastern n.c. in 5.25 hours in a chevy Vega. No stops for gas, and I was so young that my bladder would last forever. I-20 amd I-95 were deserts in those days.
July 12th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
This one is kinda fun..
I am 43 years old and my daily driver is a ZRX1100.
The thing I enjoy about riding is this machine is the fact that I can break triple digits on a whim. The stretch of road from the 7-11 to the turn onto my street is less than a half mile.If the traffic conditions are right and I am at the front of traffic at the light its on! 120-125 easy and thats just the last time I was brave enough to look at the speedo before having to break hard to make the turn! Thing tend to happen real quick at those speeds hahaha.
The bike maxes out at just under 150 (5 speed) and I have maxed it out a couple of times.
Now to answer the question….about 160 in a 928! A friend worked for a used car dealership and he “borrowed” it for a few hour back in the late 80’s. Being younger and a bit more fearless we all took our turn flying down a stretch of road in Alb, NM named Tramway Blvd. Back then it had far fewer cars on it and even less patrolling. Boy what a hoot. Still not as fun as twisting the throttle on the bike has been. VROOOM VRROOOOOMMMMMM!
July 12th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Fastest I’ve ever driven was about 135 in my Infiniti I30. That was during a trip from LA to Phoenix a few years ago and I was rarely under 125 the entire time I was on I-10. I have no idea how I did not end up in jail in some crappy desert town. The reason for the hurry? My roommate wanted to make it home in time for the midnight release of Halo 2.
July 12th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
135 indicated on my 350 Ducati. Built by Syd Tunstall in St Petersburg, FL. As I came off the interstate late at night at my exit and stopped for the light, I noticed a blinking light reflecting in my face shield. The two officers who got out walked all the way around the bike twice and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I said no, and he said that while they hadn’t been able to get a radar lock on me they knew I had been speeding and would appreciate it very much if I would slow down…
July 12th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Just north of 200 on my busa, gearing limited. Gotta love big turbos.
Would love to make it out to Maxton some time for a “official” speed. š
July 12th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
150 to 155 on the ’83 1100 Katana I use to have – it was modded a bit. 73 as measured by GPS in my Donzi boat
July 13th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Just tooling along in my ’05 F-250, talking to my boss on the cel phone, I saw a CHP coming the other way on SR52 and glanced down at the speedo, 120. And there was a guy comming up on my rear. I moved over to let him pass and soon Mr. CHP blew by me, after him.[I’m down to 75 now]. As I went by the perp was pointing me out to the Chip.
Fastest, 170 in borrowed ‘Vette, in Nevada.
July 13th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Late for watch leaving a lady’s house in Hartford going back to the base at New London in a 1985 ex-cop car caprice. 350, cam, replaced the stock intake with an Offy aluminum, the ticket said 168 in a 55. I came down a long hill on 2 just outside Hartford, rolling pedal to the metal. Saw a car on the side and some guy waving his arms, went by so fast I just thought it was someone having car trouble. 10 miles later I slowed down to let the car cool off, it was up to 235 so I figured I better ease back for a few, and I saw blue lights topping the hills behind me. So I slowed down to the speed limit, and wouldn’t you know it he was after me. He was steaming mad, and it seemed to make him even more pissed off when I told him I didn’t see him chasing me for the last 10 miles (which I didn’t) or I would have stopped sooner. I’ve never seen a cop so pissed off in my life. Luckily I was in uniform, I think if I’d have been in civvies he would have taken me in right then. That ticket and related costs ended up costing me 3200$ after it was all done.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:23 am
fastest I’ve ever gone was in a big rental Mercedes that I got from the Budget Rent a Car outlet in Frankfurt Germany on my last day in country back in 91. My wife had left the day before for the states, and I wanted just one fast run down the autobahn. It was about 2 am south of Frankfurt when i hit an indicated 250kph, which works out to about 155 mph. Was fun, but no desire to go that fast again.
July 13th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Broke a buck in a bare-bones Taurus (not an SHO,the basic v6) and while I am sure the car had more to go, I was approaching a known speed trap and out of straightaway anyway. I regularly top 85 in the Smart while passing trucks on the same stretch of road.
OTOH, I once pegged the needle in my 4-banger Ranger (85), and that really did take a tailwind and a downhill run.
Buried the needle in a Buick Century, but that also pegged at 85 and I am pretty sure the speedo was calibrated to read faster than actual ground speed.
July 15th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
In college, I once hit 114 in a ’90 Caprice Classic wagon…
following my friend in an ’87 Sable wagon…
Not sure how we managed that.