Cars vs. Bikes: A Statistical Comparison

The question has perplexed both communities ever since technology allowed for both vehicles to exist alongside each other. Many have tried to answer the question, yet the debate remains open. I don’t aim to close the argument, but instead to provide a more statistical approach by comparing industry leaders in both disciplines by power and weight, acceleration, and price. I’ll offer my opinion, but also provide sufficient evidence for you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions as you see fit.

Disclaimer: I know significantly more about cars than about bikes, which shouldn’t affect hard statistics, but might be detrimental to the vehicles which I compare.

What Comparisons Will I Make?

To keep things consistent, I’m creating three different “classes”, each consisting of two cars and two bikes. The comparisons and my reasoning can be found below:

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to attain accurate, credible stats for any motorsport vehicles, so they will not be included in the comparison.

This is where bikes truly shine, and why the conversation remains a hot topic amongst the community. Bikes consistently generate less power than cars in their class, but also weigh much, much less. The absence of mass is so great that it more than makes up for the lack of power, which is why they are able to punch so much higher than their power suggests.

It seems as if the cars and bikes are on very equal footing for the most part within their respective classes, with cars pulling away just slightly in the mid- to high-range while the bikes may have the edge in the affordable segment. A possible explanation lies in the limits tires–even high performance ones–and friction imposes on acceleration (power and weight mean nothing if the tires can’t keep traction). Though, if this is the case, there must be a second factor explaining why bikes are not just handed the win.

While it’s very obvious that bikes are a lot bigger than cars are, one thing I wanted to point out is the different widths. Wider cars tend to be more stable and are able to take on more power without as many negative effects, especially at high speeds and when launching from a standstill. This claim is supported very strongly as the widths of each car rank in almost exactly the same way their 0-60 times do. The bikes are a lot narrower, which allows them to have two wheels instead of four. This makes the bikes more unstable off the line and at ultra-high speeds, though their superior power-to-weight ratios should give them a significant advantage in rolling starts.

Bikes immediately trump the cars when it comes to overall cost. They are smaller, which means they require less material to build and have less room for comfort and safety features that most cars come standard with. If pure performance is the only thing that matters, bikes also give more horsepower for cheaper, with the most value being found in the middle range. Cars have the most value in the lower range with outliers like the Corvette occasionally popping up in the mid (and now high) range.

Conclusion:

Cars and bikes are very different machines suited for similar purposes. Bikes are a lot smaller and lighter than cars are, which gives them a much better power to weight ratio, but the benefits are nullified when accelerating from a stop by instabilities at low speeds, and the problems develop again at very high speeds, which may have contributed to the “gentleman’s agreement” between bike manufacturers to limit motorcycle top speeds before governments implemented potentially stricter regulation. Cars have the jump off the line and, thanks to their increased surface area, can generate much more downforce and are more stable at both low and high speeds. On the circuit, cars should have the advantage in the corners, not just because they are easier both entering and driving through corners, as they can not only take them with higher speed, but also use the kerbs, a track feature bikers avoid like the plague because of the catastrophic consequence of losing balance over them. Bikes have the advantage on corner exit and in most straights, as their superior power to weight ratio gives them excellent midrange acceleration. Cars and bikes of the same performance class would give each other a good run for their money, and it seems the debate will rage on as long as the two disciplines are allowed to coexist.