[Ducati] NDC- Engine vs aero drag.

[Ronald Betts]

Steve, I think alot of it has to do with the speed of the car. At higher 
speeds it does take more HP to maintain speed. That being said, at higher 
speed the air coming around the nose and windscreen will have a tendency to 
form an envelope of less drag along the sides of the car and the AC has less 
of an effect as the RPM is up and the cycling of the compressor is barely 
noticed. Shape of the car has a lot to do with this question as well as road 
speed. I think . ;-}>



Peace...Ron"Desmohead"Betts 95 900 SP
I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!





>From: Steve Abramson <desmo900 at optonline.net>
>Reply-To: Ducati Owners Group <ducati at ducati.net>
>To: ducati at ducati.net
>Subject: [Ducati] NDC- Engine vs aero drag.
>Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:11:55 -0400
>
>My daughter, away at college, calls me when she is with her school chums 
>and asks random questions about the physical world that All-Knowing Dad 
>must have the answer for. Today's actually was an interesting one. I 
>thought I knew the answer, but figured I'd put it out here for the 
>formidable array of minds within the group to chime in on. Here goes- If 
>you are driving (a car) at highway speed, what caused more overall drag 
>(either aero or mechanical) to lower your gas mileage- having the AC on 
>with windows closed, or AC off with windows open. Her friends all thought 
>it would be the latter, although I think the AC will lower mileage more. 
>Tough to answer, I would think, definitively, factoring in different body 
>shapes and drivetrains. Any takers?
>
>
>
>Steve
>
>'94 900cr (newly mono-ed)
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