"Cause they're fast!

 

I think that I can explain this. Was just reading an article on land speed records. They don't worry about weight at The Flats. Gearing can eventually move the mass.

Wind is the enemy. The weight stays the same, but the force of the wind increases with the square of speed. It takes more and more power to move the vehicle through the air.

So with the right gears, a 30 hp engine might be able to move a Lightning to 200 mph in a vacuum. But once it is required to move the air out of the way, no gearing can do the job.

 

A big shot attorney had to spend a couple of days in the hospital. He was a royal pain to the nurses because he bossed them around just like he did his staff. None of the hospital staff wanted to have anything to do with him.

The head nurse was the only one who could stand up to him, but finally even she had had enough. She came into his room and announced, "I have to take your temperature."

After complaining for several minutes, he finally settled down, crossed his arms and opened his mouth. "No, I'm sorry, the nurse stated, "but for this reading, I can't use an oral thermometer." This
started another round of complaining, but eventually he rolled over and bared his behind. After feeling the nurse insert the thermometer, he heard her announce, "I have to get something.
Now you stay JUST LIKE THAT until I get back!"

She leaves the door to his room open on her way out. He curses under his breath as he hears people walking past his door, laughing. After a half hour, the man's doctor comes into the room.
"What's going on here?" asked the doctor.

Angrily, the man answers, "What's the matter, Doc? Haven't you ever seen someone having their temperature taken?"

After a pause, the doctor confesses, "Not with a carnation."

 

Its like riding a 10-speed bike. first gear is really easy, 10th is fast, but really hard to pedal.


Try to imagine that you can continue to make the gears even steeper....

There will come a point when you just cant pedal any harder......

Making the gears even steeper will only begin to cause the bike to slow down.


The transmission in a car is NOT designed to keep your car at a certain speed. Its designed to keep your engine in its power band at any speed. well, reasonable speeds

Now, while changing gearing for the sole purpose of acheiving a high maximum speed is possible, Your engine will still eventually get to the point where it just cant make any more power. Just like the 10-speed.

 

Best explanation yet.