New Radical SR8LM
455bhp and Le Mans pace...
The new Radical SR8LM
The SR8LM, as the car is to be known, is powered by a 2.8 litre, 455bhp Powertec RPB motor which is based on the hugely successful 360bhp RPA motor.
Like the RPA, the RPB utilises Suzuki GSXR 1300 cylinder heads mated to a Powertec designed and manufactured crank case assembly.
Weighing in at only 88kg the RPB engine incorporates a four pump dry sump system with two oil pressure pumps and integral rotary vane water pump. Powertec has uprated both the cam shafts and the cylinder heads and fitted purpose designed forged pistons and conrods.
The twin butterfly plenum induction system of the RPA is replaced with an eight butterfly direct injection system, which is claimed to dramatically improve response and drivability. The new engine can run for 30 hours between rebuilds, according to its makers.
Radical have also installed an ‘in house designed’ Powertec P tec six speed transaxle which transmits the 455bhp and 10,500 maximum rpm of the Powertec motor to the circuit. Gear change is via Radical’s own paddle operated power shifter which allows flat shifts going up the box and automatically ‘blips’ the throttle going down. A considerable amount of work has been carried out to match the Powertec P tec transaxle with the pneumatically operated Powertec PS1 shifter.
The result of all this technology is a car claimed to be capable of matching a Le Mans prototype around most circuits, hence the ‘LM’ designation.
Radical co founder, Mick Hyde elaborates, “Many of our customers worldwide, race their Radicals in multi make sports car series and require a car that will beat all comers. The SR8 is that car. It is the fastest off the shelf sports racer in the world (actually it takes six weeks to build one) and at £89K ready to race, the SR8LM is also extremely good value.”
Beside's if it could it would probably would be quicker than a bike, they lose out on longer braking distance and cornering speeds.
I seem to remember EVO racing a British Superbike against an SR4 at Oulton Park (or somewhere fairly narrow). The bike won by a very small margin, but it was a very windy track with a lack of high speed corners, and the SR4 was straight out of the box, whilst the bike was fully set up for the specific track. The SR8 is a much faster car with more downforce and far more power; I can't see a bike beating it in most circumstances.
JP
I seem to remember EVO racing a British Superbike against an SR4 at Oulton Park (or somewhere fairly narrow). The bike won by a very small margin, but it was a very windy track with a lack of high speed corners, and the SR4 was straight out of the box, whilst the bike was fully set up for the specific track. The SR8 is a much faster car with more downforce and far more power; I can't see a bike beating it in most circumstances.
JP
'Ring record, anyone?
And with an engine that can "run for 30 hours between rebuilds, according to its makers" I can't see this beating the "official" record either, though it might well knock 10s off the unofficial one...
(Standing by to be corrected)
ok, the radical might be fatser round the ring than a GSXR 1000 (172Kg and 189bhp) but the radical needs an engine rebuild every 30hours and costs £89,000.00 the GSXR 1000 costs £8900.00 AND you could ride it everyday and not have anywhere near the expense.
its not realy a fair competition, if you compared an £89k bike you would get a fairer comparison, and then your lookin at a WSB (World Super Bike).
dnt know why someone was comlaining about a SR4 being compared to a BSB (british super Bike), i mean the radical is not a road car! its a racing car, so you compare it to a racing bike. i love both cars and bikes and im willing to accept that. put the bike and radical on an open circuit and you would get a bigger gap as the top road bikes now have a power to weight ratio of 1100Bhp per tonne, so expect more from a BSB bike.
Anyway, back to the original thread...
The Radical sounds awesome, but i wonder how much it would cost to rebuild the engine every 30 hours?! Far too quick a car for my driving skill i'm afraid
could just be coincedental timing though
I thought it was going to be nearer £150k? Seems cheap for that pace.
Get Vergers in it ASAP. He's got 44 seconds to find..................
<----------That one is meant. Its the bikestiny contact patch and zero downforce vs a cars' four fat slicks and aero downforce that makes a car faster over almost any circuit.
The Radical looks pretty awesome for GT3 money!
SS7
1min 41 for the bike ~ 101s
101/80 = Bike is 26% slower.
(alternatively, 80/101 = car is 21% faster, not sure how you want to cut it)
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