Suzuki take note of the ZX14

**Cajun** · 16th March 2006, 08:38

The new busa's are limited, but they are easy enough to change, same with the kawasaki i have heard.

**marty** · 16th March 2006, 08:48

and to think, for only $4k i can get 250hp at the back wheel of the bus...

**Grahameeboy** · 16th March 2006, 09:03

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

It's the bloody '80s all over again.

You mean the good old days when you could do what you like and there wasn't Govt control........

**Lou Girardin** · 16th March 2006, 11:36

Originally Posted by Grahameeboy

You mean the good old days when you could do what you like and there wasn't Govt control........

What? You lost me there. Govt control over bike power?

**Ixion** · 16th March 2006, 11:43

Oh yes indeedy. See, back in the old days the gubbermint made rules for everything. What price things could be sold for in the shops (and it was an offence for the shop to sell it for more *or* for less). What people got paid , yu name it (and it was the gubbermint gave you a wage rise - General Wage Award it was called) . Mr Muldoon was the last and greatest exponent.

One of the early things they regulated was the power of motorcycles (and cars). So, a 350cc was only allowed to have 2.75hp. A 500cc only allowed 3.5hp (Cars similar - eg 800 - 1000cc was only allowed 8hp, so you had the Morris 8 f'instance ). So, in old magazines etc you may see references to a "two and three quarter" or a "three and a half".

So if you wanted to tune your bike up, you had to apply for a special approval certificate (MVPT13 if memory serves me correctly) , and swear before a JP that you would not increase the power beyond the permitted maximum for the size.

**DemonWolf** · 16th March 2006, 15:04

Ixion.. you keep on amasing me with your wealth of knowledge! Keep it coming dude! =)

**Lou Girardin** · 16th March 2006, 15:08

Wasn't that RAC ratings? A calculated HP not measured on a dyno.

**Ixion** · 16th March 2006, 15:49

Dyno ? Those new fangled things hadn't been invented grasshopper. They measured horsepower the good old way. With horses. Two 500cc bikes on one end of rope. Seven horses on the other. Pulling in opposite directions. If the bike won, the bike was illegal.