Horsepower ratings?

[jasonu]

Due to a well-developed lack of talent, most bikes currently on the market make way more power than I can effectively use, 99% of the time.

I remember Show Time McGrath saying in an interview a few years ago that a stock 450 makes more power than 90% of riders can fully make use of. That was in regards to people buying brand new bikes and promptly bolting on $1000's of dollars of 'go fast' goodies.

[Stylo]

Its a bit of a pain to get it done. If you use the factory Specs from each brand then its still not fair because the dyno Honda used may be different to the dyno Yamaha used. For testing them here in NZ for bike mag reviews it gets even harder because you would need all the bikes on the same day all with motard tires and same gear ratios or the figures would be wrong. All the bikes would have to be similar in hours of use, plus same weight rear wheel setup and same chain.

True but each manufacturer always used to publish the KW/Ps figures in their brochures along with the other specs and magazines did the same , So why can't they do it these days , even the YZ400 from way back had a HP rating in it's brochure etc.

Then it stopped - No more power specs hence I don't buy the mags anymore , just read 'em and put them back in the rack and I walk out none the wiser

If I was going to buy, say, a new 450 I've got a few Bikes to choose from so ..as part of the equation I'd like to know which one's got the most power/torque etc ...not Rocket Science ..if I don't get the numbers I won't buy the Bike

[noobi]

If I was going to buy, say, a new 450 I've got a few Bikes to choose from so ..as part of the equation I'd like to know which one's got the most power/torque etc ...not Rocket Science ..if I don't get the numbers I won't buy the Bike

Why would the 2 peak hp difference between the brands make a difference?

[Stylo]

Why would the 2 peak hp difference between the brands make a difference?

Because I don't have the numbers to start with to be able to make the choice.

Read the thread

[Rupe]

Because I don't have the numbers to start with to be able to make the choice.

Read the thread

this thread is retarded

[bogan]

Personally I'd choose a bike with suitable power delivery when riding, not so I can play top trumps with the hp figure. Minor HP differences just don't reflect how fast a bike is anymore, that's why they dropped it.

[Stylo]

Personally I'd choose a bike with suitable power delivery when riding, not so I can play top trumps with the hp figure. Minor HP differences just don't reflect how fast a bike is anymore, that's why they dropped it.

You missed the point mate, completely, the thread was only asking why the Hp/KW figures are'nt figured in any current Dirt Bike mags and/.or Brochures ....

I'm still none the wiser

My last new Dirt Bike ...had all the figures in the brochure and the 'Mags ...still waiting to hear why we're not allowed to know what sort of Hp and torque comes out of these supremo machines I'm reading about ...waiting

[bikaholic]

HP is kept a secret from the EU pollies that want any form of enjoyment restricted.
Anyone who wants to know the actual HP of various models will find it.

[bogan]

You missed the point mate, completely, the thread was only asking why the Hp/KW figures are'nt figured in any current Dirt Bike mags and/.or Brochures ....

I'm still none the wiser

My last new Dirt Bike ...had all the figures in the brochure and the 'Mags ...still waiting to hear why we're not allowed to know what sort of Hp and torque comes out of these supremo machines I'm reading about ...waiting

Are you a bit impaired? my second sentence ends with 'thats why they dropped it', is that not an answer?

[Stylo]

Are you a bit impaired? my second sentence ends with 'thats why they dropped it', is that not an answer?

Yep, That's an answer and I've read it four times now...still not sure where you're tracking ?

[bogan]

Yep, That's an answer and I've read it four times now...still not sure where you're tracking ?

Surely after reading it four times now, you'll be a bit wiser as to why they dropped em then?

But if you just want some ratings, here's a few:

32
25
41
41.5
3
54
112

[CRF119]

Read this if you want to look into 2011 Bikes even lists some HP figures. It has some HP figures found is using google in under a min.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/11/877...-Shootout.aspx

[Stylo]

Surely after reading it four times now, you'll be a bit wiser as to why they dropped em then?

But if you just want some ratings, here's a few:

32
25
41
41.5
3
54
112

Thanks for the random numbers , have no idea what they mean ..take it easy Bogan

You've done well making a fool of yourself , no doubt and not for the first time ...

[bogan]

You've done well making a fool of yourself , no doubt and not for the first time ...

You say that like it is a bad thing, and like I'm the only one This site has gotten too sensitive, people keep having hissy fits when someone takes the piss

[avgas]

Strangely enough I was reading quite a few motocross mags as this went down in a massive letter war.
People were writing into the magazines complaining that their KX actually was better in the dirt due to mid-power band even though it was 2-stroke and that the peak power was never used.
Turned into a massive flamewar for the magazines. Easiest way out was to not publish KW figures but simply describe how the power felt and how the bike rode. Strangely enough the flamewar stopped and everything went back to life as usual.

Which when you think about it makes sense. I know from personal experience that while HP helps in some occasions in dirt, if you have lower HP you get more consistent.
Interesting (yes I know its a car, but its a cool car) fact, Monster Tajima decreased his horsepower when he changed from his Escudo (990hp) to the SX4 (920hp) to improve his time on Pikes Peak. So I guess in the slippery stuff HP isn't everything.