Horsepower. How much is enough?

[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...

[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...

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.

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

[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.

[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

definitely an expediter of cheesey grins though

[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

[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.

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...