Horsepower. How much is enough?

[OutForADuck]

Riding the ultimate in ridiculously over powered road going weapons (GSXR1000K7 Streetfighter, must be somewhere between 160-180Bhp and less than 160Kg) I was challenged by a Non rider today as to WHY?

So how much is enough.... do you have to use it all, all the time (any of the time :shit:) to make it worthwhile? Does ridiculous topend mean satisfying midrange :love:, does it matter? is the relaxed and casual manner in which I get license threatening speeds 50 metres from the corner enough justification or the joy of that "push" from the apex out and struggle of 190 section sticky the key to enjoyment and justification?

When is enough, enough???? and can we justify it or must we simply admit to addiction :Punk:

[DMNTD]

... and can we justify it or must we simply admit to addiction :Punk:

Yes...yes I can :sunny:

[RantyDave]

Enough? Thirty. Enough to be even remotely fun? Sixty. Enough for me? A hundred.

It depends how it's delivered too. A nasty peaky two stroke that delivers 80 odd is probably more likely to chuck you off than a (say) triple.

Dave

[MSTRS]

If you are happy with what you have, then that's enough. But it's still how you use it, that gets you smiling.

[xwhatsit]

About twelve is enough for me to have fun.

Then again, most of you lot are fat bastards wot ate too many pies.

[Usarka]

It's all torque torque torque these days........

[vifferman]

Depends what you want the power for too.
Torque is good, probably better than outright, screaming top-end power.

The VTR1000 and VFR800 have very similar quoted power outputs, but the VTR1000 has more torque, and that at lower revs. So much so, that when I traded the VTR in on the VFR, for the first few weeks I wondered why there was a big hole in the power delivery at 3k rpm. Where the VTR would wheelie if you opened the throttle, the VFR didn't do much at all. There wasn't a hole at all, of course, it was just that the VFR's torque curve is flat there (peak torque is up towards 8k), where as the VTR had a hugeish wodge available.

In the real world, torque rules, I reckon. :yes:

I had a VW Passat TDi wagon as a rental in Belgium and Holland. The torque was impressive enough that I'm very seriously considering getting a TDi engined car next. They're so relaxing to drive: put your foot down, and a big hand pushes you in the back. Torquey bikes are the same: no need to rev the snot out of them to punt along quickly.

[James Deuce]

80HP in a 200kg bike is the usable maximum for the average rider. Of course no one will admit to being average, below average, or sucky, so manufacturers will continue making stupid bikes that raise giant alarm bells with Nana legislators, and people will continue ending up wadded balls of meat and snot.

I suck and I'm over-biked. A 50hp 400cc bike is my ideal, but I can't buy one new, and I felt bad using the Kat as a daily bike, so I let someone else do that. There is a new CB400F for sale in Aus, but it isn't sold here.

[Ixion]

For all practical purposes 40bhp is enough. 70bhp for long distance touring. Maybe 100bhp if you are fat,ride two up and carry a lot of luggage.

[ArcherWC]

its NEVER enough, bring on the horses

[svr]

A 50hp 400cc bike is my ideal...

I reckon, for a skilled rider and for sporty riding, 50 hp in a good chassis is ideal (who makes this?). If you slow down too much you'll pay.
However, if you're fat, been ruined by twist and go sportsbikes and have no idea how to keep your speed up you'll need a lot more.

[R6_kid]

Im with Sir Deuce. Having ridden a couple of 80hp V-twins, they do the job very well. Still enough acceleration to feel like it's got some boogie, but not so much that you will lose your licence if you sneeze in first gear.

A 100ish HP 600cc sports bike has all the power and handling you need for the road, but the delivery isn't exactly well suited to 'road' riding. Adding the torque of a V-twin starts to make things work a lot better, so perhaps the 675cc Triple has just the right balance. Also a lot of the v-twin sports-tourer/motard wannabe bikes are pretty much bang on when it comes to road focus.

Me, I have a GSXR1000K3, with around 145-150hp made good at the wheel. Yeh, i guess it's overkill, but it feeds grunt in any gear from almost any speed, it also completely sooths any unexpected need for adrenalin, and can put boy racers in their place when asked too.

[slofox]

72 is more than enough to get me into trouble........and back out of it....

[OutForADuck]

Now I've been thinking about this and I think its about relentless power, enough is whenever it seems relentless to the rider and I guess we each decide that point.

Riding my other bike (approx 200Kg and 100Hp) I run out of revs, power, ground clearance and other metrics when I really want to turn up the volume... on the Gixxer I run out of Balls, Road, Skill and traction before the bike comes close to its limits and this sense of unrelenting drive and ability is well.....

Bloody Marvelous

[Motu]

I've always enjoyed 60hp out of a twin cyl bike,just seems to be a good match for how I ride....enough that I can ride it hard,but not get into too much trouble.But it's really about power to weight,a lighter bike with less HP in the same ratio will be just as exciting.

At the moment I have two bikes of roughly the same engine size and HP - the heavier one is much faster in speed and acceleration,the lighter one is much better out of tight corners and general twisty stuff.

I much prefer to push a gutless bike hard,than a much more powerful bike that has to be kept in check.What's the point in not being able to use 110% of a bikes capability 100% of the time? 10HP is a shit load of fun.

[Kickaha]

10HP is a shit load of fun.

The bikes I've had the most fun on have all had less than 20hp

[Boob Johnson]

For starters I like to ride a bike that scares me, that's half the fun.

Also would much rather ride a gruntier bike slower than a slower bike balls out.


How much is enough? Agreed around the 180bhp mark is a tad OTT

[SPman]

"Too much is not enough"..........


Great fun can be had on a low powered bike - I had a ball on a 125cc scooter once and 250's, ridden well and hard, give all the enjoyment and satisfaction of a bigger bike, without (generally) the same insane road speeds.
A website I used to frequent 8-9 yrs ago (The Interactive Motorcyclist) used to reckon about 100 hp was the usable limit for a road rider on a road bike.

Still, there is a certain addictive quality about riding a bike that, as you wind the throttle on, warps the horizon towards you like a scene from Star Trek - if only I could afford to have one in the gargre for those days, when you just have to have that fix .........

[riffer]

I'm in two minds.

I had a huge amount of fun on Frosty's ER-6N.

Buckets are cool too. And dirt bikes.

My RF has about 110-120 HP.

GSXR1000's are great fun. B-Kings are great too.

So maybe there is no enough. But you can tell when there's too much. It's usually accompanied by blue-grey-blue-grey then the ambulance.

[jtzzr]

Horsepower are for the one`s who can`t corner , God i love my horses :love:

[beyond]

Trouble with us humans is that no matter how much power is wrung out of these machines, it's never enough.

We get used to power so quickly that after a while you think your bike has dropped a plug or something.

Speed is the same. Once you hit those upper speeds you get used to them very quickly and it's harder and harder to get your fix.

That's why there will always be people lining up to buy the latest most powerful hardware and why after market turbos and super chargers and big bore kits and hot cams and and .... are always so busy making someones machine that much quicker.

Yep, power, speed, thrills, it's all so addictive and always will be.

[98tls]

No matter how many horsepower one has if theres an asspower riding it it wont amount to much.<_<Seriously though i guess if it makes you smile then whatever HP it has its enough.

[Motu]

Yep, power, speed, thrills, it's all so addictive and always will be.

I obviously don't have an addictive personality - I've never been addicted to anything....and certainly not power and speed.I just like a bit of fun - and power and speed are not essential for that.

[Goblin]

If you want to be the fastest round Puke then HP is gunna be quite important but for road use it's just wank factor.:laugh::jerry:

[beyond]

If you want to be the fastest round Puke then HP is gunna be quite important but for road use it's just wank factor.:laugh::jerry:



True :)
So it's all about torque for the road then. Ummm GSX1400 seems to come up in the conversation yet again........might be onto something here eh? eh?

:cool:

[rat biker 08]

Mine runs 74 hp at over 240 kph how fast do u want to go .BTW it gave me the shits to know my bike can go that fast.:eek: Im now happy to do 100 kph:niceone:

[Headbanger]

I'd imagine the vast majority of bikers don't hang their ego on the amount of horses they have, Otherwise we would all be in retard suits on the latest sports bike....and this clearly isn't the case.

[blossomsowner]

I like to have enough power that theres some in reserve most of the time. Can get the fun i want without having to constantly thrash the bike.


but many years ago i had a honda cb100 with a xr200 motor bolted in. Geared up, high compression piston, cut off exhaust.......... it could beat nearly anything until about 90kmh , I had an awful lot of fun on it.

[Chrislost]

For me, id like at least 230 HP.


preferably on a bike thats about the size of a RS125 with traction control and wheelie control...:Punk:


in reality, give me a 120 HP V4:2guns:

[madbikeboy]

Dear Lord,
As I lay me down to sleep,
Thank you for GSXR's, understanding partners, chickenshit bank managers, and Pops Yoshimura.
Amen.

Enough? Never quite. Almost. But, for most people, there is a moment where even modest amounts are too much.

Is this sounding too philosophical? 105 hp on a 600 is all you need. 750 (125hp) is overkill. 1000cc (180) is neat.

Complete overkill is barely adequate. :love:

[The Pastor]

my 30 somthing hp cbr250 is pretty fun :)

[McJim]

I had the option of a 600ss or a 900ss. I chose the 600.

Then I had the option to upgrade to a 748...but bought the missus a car instead.

This is because I actually enjoy the fact that the bike I ride only puts out 53hp and has a nice tight chassis. I use this bike for the road not the track so there's no point in having track horsepower. It corners as fast as I need to corner to be happy. In short it is enough. I can still lose my life and my licence on it though.

[Quailboy]

my 30 somthing hp cbr250 is pretty fun :)

+1,

I think I'd kill myself if I bought any more ponies at the moment.

When I get more experienced/I get my full the idea of a GSXR750 or the like has always tickled my fancy.

[puddytat]

I reckon, for a skilled rider and for sporty riding, 50 hp in a good chassis is ideal (who makes this?).

Honda made it back in the late '80's, the mighty NT 650 Bros with the worlds first production singlesided swingarm & 52 hp...:yes::cool:

[McJim]

I reckon, for a skilled rider and for sporty riding, 50 hp in a good chassis is ideal (who makes this?). If you slow down too much you'll pay.
However, if you're fat, been ruined by twist and go sportsbikes and have no idea how to keep your speed up you'll need a lot more.


Honda made it back in the late '80's, the mighty NT 650 Bros with the worlds first production singlesided swingarm & 52 hp...:yes::cool:

You can also find this with the Ducati 600ss, 600M and 620M bikes.

[BIGBOSSMAN]

If you want to be the fastest round Puke then HP is gunna be quite important but for road use it's just wank factor.:laugh::jerry:

Nothing wrong with a good wank - those who don't do it are liars, or their bikes develop low HP at the crank.
My ZX10R has tons of HP!!

[Shaun]

If you are happy with what you have, then that's enough. But it's still how you use it, that gets you smiling.




The Throttle only goes one way on ALL bike sizes:stupid:

[Winston001]

Hmmm...my Duke is rated at 105hp and that seems plenty to me. Close to flat 11 sec quarter mile, goes around corners on a rail, doesn't pop wheelies (never really tried) because it is well-balanced, terrifies me regularly. All I want. :2thumbsup

[jrandom]

For all practical purposes 40bhp is enough. 70bhp for long distance touring. Maybe 100bhp if you are fat,ride two up and carry a lot of luggage.

Precisely what he said.

I'm fat, ride two up, and tour around with a lot of luggage, so I ride a bike with 98hp at the rear wheel, stock.

Perfect.

[yod]

i've read figures quoted from 140hp up to 164 for the blackbird, with the PCIII and micron system I can only assume it's a bit more than whatever it was before

i'd be interested to know what it actually is, any ideas? it certainly feels like a fuckin lot! makes the old RF seem decidedly pedestrian, i tapped out the RF once, i chickened out on the bird :pinch:

definitely an expediter of cheesey grins though:lol:

[koba]

The scariest most out of control bike Ive ridden probably made around 20 horsepower.



The most timid and well mannerd made shitloads.



A shiny new Yamaha R1 was a total pussycat in comparison to a nasty old 100cc commuter.

The fun is safer, cheaper and more abundant on the hundred!

[Gremlin]

Had 157 at the rear hoop, began to realise that I had to either stop trying to use it on the road, or sell up. Since I like roads, and find the twistiest tracks a bit boring, I cut back on the horsepower.

There is only so much sliding you can do in and out of corners before you fuck up, and generally, when you do, its going to be spectacular.

Once you get used to less horsepower, its actually not bad at all, but there is still a small piece of you that enjoyed powersliding the bike out of corners at over the speed limit.

So how much is enough? Depends on how the bike delivers it (ie, torque) but probably around 100-120 is enough to have a little fun, but not too much. In fact, the more usable it is, the more you will pass those with 50% more :laugh:

[CRF119]

Im with the never have enough group. Who said you have to twist the throttle to the stop every time, but its nice to know you can and what a great felling it is when it happens. My 250 bandit is way to slow but its what im stuck on untill i can get my full. Also ride CRF450 Claimed 50-55hp or sumthing and when riding that its always to the stop.

My next bike will be something along the lines on the hyabusa or R1 or CBR1000RR

[scumdog]

Hmmm, I cruise over long distances quite happily on my stone-age bike with a label on the frame that states: '25kw model'.

So I guess 25kw is all I need.

[madbikeboy]

Hmmm...my Duke is rated at 105hp and that seems plenty to me. Close to flat 11 sec quarter mile, goes around corners on a rail, doesn't pop wheelies (never really tried) because it is well-balanced, terrifies me regularly. All I want. :2thumbsup

My Gixer is fun, the yokes seem to want to rise skywards over bumps and out of corners. She's a snorting, loud, obnoxious beast, but I love her all the same. But that's the point, I love the cheeky ones (which explains my choice in partner too if I think about it...). The Gixer is thrilling in an on the edge, slightly nervous sort of way. Most other bikes seem bland, dull, lacklustre to me. HP is like crack, only there is a 12 step programme for junkies of the chemical kind...

[enigma51]

its NEVER enough, bring on the horses

:shit:


Have your sorted out the 250's half horse yet :jerry:

[ArcherWC]

:shit:


Have your sorted out the 250's half horse yet :jerry:
Fug off fooker

[Blackshear]

I do believe Ghost Rider holds the current silly record.
499HP is about the most anyone shall ever need, ever.
Hope you're reading this, Mr. 750HP Busa man from somewhere.

[Hitcher]

So how much is enough...

After having ridden new generation mid-sized bikes, I have concluded that many people are riding way too much bike, probably myself included.

[fatzx10r]

my bike has more power than i would ever really need or fully make use of. but it is a shit load of fun to ride and i would never get board of it. trying to keep my licence is the only problem i have with high hp bike's

[MarkH]

How much horsepower is enough?

For a car somewhere around 1000 would do.

For a bike I think 499 on a turbo Hayabusa is probably enough for a bike.

You CAN have some fun with more modest amounts of power, but there are always going to be times where you wish you had more.

The real question should be: how many nm of torque is enough per kg total weight (incl rider & gear) of the vehicle?

[no-coast-punk]

Well... the GP guys are pushing ~250 to the tire from what I understand.

They're always crying about the need for more power.

So obviously 250 to the tire isn't enough.

I've ridden/tuned a fair share of turbo Busa's. The ones done correctly don't feel like some ungodly number. As long as the delivery is smooth and responsive it's all usable and fun.

Situation is key too.

A 400whp Busa in the middle of the Nevada desert still feels like it could use more. My 163whp R6 still feels like it could use a bit more in the canyons... but that's because all the fun happens above 10k.

I think the Italians have figured out the power game better than anybody else. Something like a Ducati or Aprilia may have fairly pathetic top end numbers on paper... but when the thing behaves like a bleeding tractor causing the tire to scream for mercy on corner exit.... it feels just right.

[Omega1]

My bike's has little over 100hp and has a old design sportster engine but I don't care about having more hp because she's FUN!!!! to ride

[madbikeboy]

Well... the GP guys are pushing ~250 to the tire from what I understand.

They're always crying about the need for more power.

So obviously 250 to the tire isn't enough.

I've ridden/tuned a fair share of turbo Busa's. The ones done correctly don't feel like some ungodly number. As long as the delivery is smooth and responsive it's all usable and fun.

Situation is key too.

A 400whp Busa in the middle of the Nevada desert still feels like it could use more. My 163whp R6 still feels like it could use a bit more in the canyons... but that's because all the fun happens above 10k.

I think the Italians have figured out the power game better than anybody else. Something like a Ducati or Aprilia may have fairly pathetic top end numbers on paper... but when the thing behaves like a bleeding tractor causing the tire to scream for mercy on corner exit.... it feels just right.

A turbo GSXR1300 in LA traffic seemed plenty to me :whistle:

[racefactory]

it depends on your body weight and bike weight mostly but for an average 75 kg person on a 60hp on a 165kg bike (NC30) is by far enough for the road.... 0- 100 in 3.8 and 12.8 for quarter mile... why would you need more for road.

[vtec]

I reckon approx 60HP is enough. VFR400 being my dream bike.

I still love my 45hp CBR250RR's even though I've raced 120HP 600's.

Tonnes of fun, extremely quick at non-relativity speeds, doesn't shred tyres, cheap on gas, reliable, crashes well, pretty (as long as you haven't recently crashed it), one of the best handling road bikes... ever.

I want one. Pity they are carbed and not fuel injected.

[rat biker 08]

If the open road speed is 100 k and most bikes can do that:Police: Then you dont need over the top HP unless you want to race.

[AllanB]

My bike's has little over 100hp and has a old design sportster engine but I don't care about having more hp because she's FUN!!!! to ride


WELL SAID

Pretty much what I was going to say about my Hornet 900 regarding power and fun.

If you're not having fun on the bike (ie its too powerful and scares ya or too gutless and frustrates ya) whats the point?

[scrivy]

Trouble with us humans is that no matter how much power is wrung out of these machines, it's never enough.

We get used to power so quickly that after a while you think your bike has dropped a plug or something.

Speed is the same. Once you hit those upper speeds you get used to them very quickly and it's harder and harder to get your fix.

That's why there will always be people lining up to buy the latest most powerful hardware and why after market turbos and super chargers and big bore kits and hot cams and and .... are always so busy making someones machine that much quicker.

Yep, power, speed, thrills, it's all so addictive and always will be.

Exactly the same with porn sites!! The sick shit just doesn't get ya off anymore like it used to. You expect sicker stuff from ya missus, and also the sites..... oh shit..... here I go again..... sorry. :whistle:
HP?? You can never get enough!! We put out some serious numbers in our sidecar, but I alway say to Sidecar Bob that I want more. We have enough HP now to break the rear loose in 4th around some high speed corners, and in the wet on straights in 6th, but I always want MORE!
I used to do aerobatic flying years ago, but that doesn't get close to a big handful of excessive HP!!
The bucking and sliding from copious amounts of HP is experienced no other way - unless of course I tell the missus her sister is a better roo.....:pinch::dodge:

[R1madness]

Well my daily ride is a GSXR1000 with way too much power but i love it. However i also really like Yamahas TRX850s. They have a lot less power but really good fun to ride (japanese ducati anyone??).
I guess 65-70hp is enough for most uses but i want more damn it..... and i can have it so i will......
Its like the how much sex is too much question. There is no wrong answer.

[Drew]

It aint never enough, there were times I wanted my gixxer thou to have more, and similar when I gave a mates K6 the hell nudge over the Rimutaka hill.

The only time a bike has ever gained speed at a rate I didn't want bettered, was GIXsers bike, and that was only cos I hadn't had enough time on it.

[JohnnyFantastic]

Some people really enjoy extracting as many horses out of a bike just to for kicks, not so much because there riding ability demands it. Its fun.:clap:

[terbang]

HP, thrust, SHP or whatever, as long as it pushes me down the road, through the air I don't care what its called. Addicted? Yup.

[sidecar bob]

I have an RS 125 Aprilia that makes 33hp at around 10500rpm & a RSV1000 that makes 145 hp aprox. So why is the 125 more fun in small doses? its not about horsepower, but the satisfaction of wringing the 125s neck & getting rewarded for getting it right (or punished for getting it wrong) while the 1000 just glosses over your laziness or ineptitude with horsepower.