Moar powah!

[motorbyclist]

Should there perhaps be a social move with regards to an upgrade being considered an increase in engine capacity?

the auto industry is plauged with the problem of having to make ever more powerful bikes, and as a result they don't even make 400s anymore.

on a NZ road, a 120hp 600 is nearly impossible to actually thrash without some serious stupidity - perhaps we should relish the smaller bikes with better cornering ability, rather than eventually ending up on litrebikes we can't possibly ride to their potential on anything other than an airfeild.

"there's more fun in riding a small bike fast than a big bike slow" sort of mentality

(haha, again we've been slowly managing it within the uni club thanks to the awesomeness of the nc30 )

[Gremlin]

Except you can cruise more easily (torque) on a bigger bike, and overall, your mindset can be much more relaxed because you can pass when you want (per se, vs struggling to pass when you can).

Probably reasonably easy to ride a 600 quite hard... it doesn't really have all THAT much power, and has to be kept in the higher end. Depends on your viewpoint... I've previously had a zx10, they're crazy to ride hard

[motorbyclist]

I've never had trouble passing (sensibly) on a 53hp 400

they sit happily at 120 too.

which is why i'm confused to this need to be able to pop a wheelie on the motorway or have more torque than available traction.

albeit the 400 is cramped, but the ducati monster i rode (a piss poor 900) had about as much tit while being suitable for the older among us ()

maybe i just don't see the thrill in attaining ever higher speeds....

[motorbyclist]

Probably reasonably easy to ride a 600 quite hard... it doesn't really have all THAT much power, and has to be kept in the higher end. Depends on your viewpoint... I've previously had a zx10, they're crazy to ride hard

classic example is me and chrislost on vfr400s and another rider on an r6, doing piha rd:

when the r6 rider finally caught back up to us at the lookout, he proceeded to bitch and moan about how the road was too tight! we both told him the problem was his bike was too big. We didn't need to speed, and had less work required of us to handle our machines, if a bit more skill to get the maximum performance out of them.

I guess it's just the knowledge that unless you deliberately wind them up and dump the clutch, a fistfull won't put you into a ditch. If the thrill for you does come from thrashing your machine, and there isn't a trackday available, why not get a smaller bike? sure the 600 will go faster, but it's fun factor not ego!

[Gremlin]

pah, depends on rider. I've come across plenty that simply can't ride the 600/1000cc bike at all well. But thats personal freedom, choice. If they are enjoying themselves, who are we to tell them off. I would speak to them if they were presenting a danger however. Difference between enjoying the fruits of your labour, and being an accident waiting for a location.

You're semi-preaching to the converted. zx10 is now traded on a KTM 990 Supermoto. After a 3 month period of walking I accepted the zx10 was not good for my license (which I really need). High speeds (2xx) were too acceptable etc.

However, the SM is still a 1 litre bike. Anything smaller is too small for me, but I'm a big bastard. It makes around 100hp, but wheelstands whenever I want