Even a 476hp 911 won’t drop the CBR1000RR under hard acceleration. » More Photos

As for the track, that's where it got even more interesting. I wanted to go to the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, because I knew the car would stand as good a chance as any around such a tight track. But the bike boys wouldn't have that, and Brands was booked for months anyway. So we agreed on the Rockingham national circuit, which has a tight infield section, but also a much faster outer section where the bike, theoretically, would come into its own. In other words, a venue to suit car and bike in equal measure.

We also wanted to introduce another element to the debate, namely how fast a non-expert driver/rider might be relative to (a) his equivalent from the other side, and (b) the expert from their own side. Step forward news editor Dan Stevens to drive the Porsche and Colin Goodwin (who, for his sins, has ridden bikes for most of his life) to have a crack on the Honda. What we wanted to do was find out how quick Goodwin (the enthusiastic but non-ace bike rider) would be against Stevens (his equivalent in cars). And just for good measure we also timed Goodwin in the Porsche, because if ever there's a challenge up for grabs, Goodwin is usually the first to accept. And sometimes come heroically unstuck in the process.

When we arrived at Rockingham, it was gray and grim and the prospect of rain didn't look out of the question. So the bike guys ensconced themselves in the pit garage in an attempt to stay warm, and after 10 minutes of predictable car versus bike banter, I took to the track in the 911.

Five laps later and with the skies beginning to clear I came back in. Even after two laps the Porsche's tires were starting to go and after five it was obvious they'd given their best. Nevertheless, down the straights the Turbo felt savagely rapid, and out of the tighter corners its traction was something else again. The bike would struggle to match it out of the hairpin, I reckoned.