Actually you would be looking atthe torque figures rather than the hp figures, since that is what is going to cause you to break traction. At almost idle, the ZX10 has about 50Nm, going up to about 100 Nm + maximum at high revs.
[For the benefit of Mudfart: This is because it has a large bastard of an explosion going on in each cylinder, and acting on a large surface area (the cylinder's cross section), making it give a big push. Large pressure acting on large area= large force. That large force is translated (by the transmission) from linear movement by the piston to rotational (also called angular) movement , acting backwards at the traction band on the road.
It is the torque figures for bikes /cars that give you an indication of their acceleration (0-100 times). Actually its more the torque to weight ratios.
Power is (mathematically) torque multiplied by angular or rotational velocity. Power is the ability of an engine to maintain high torque to high revs. A problem occurs at high revs in engines because the airflow becomes the bottleneck -you cannot get enough air into - and out of- the engine fast enough to burn with the fuel. So power is actually more of an indication of that engines ability to breathe. And more indicative of the top end speed of the bike as opposed to acceleration.
This is why engines with a small number of cylinders (eg V-twins) have high torque and low power - large capacity cylinders cause high torque, while only two cylinders create large airflow bottlenecks it high revs. And inline fours generally have lower torque but a higher capacity for breathing through four sets of valves and hence high power. And this is why the Triumph Speed Triple has a good combo of torque /power.
Note: sometimes the ignition sequence of a four cylinder can be used to make an inline four behave a bit like a V-twin, with two power pulses acting at the same time or close to each other to give good torque - like the 21010 R1]
The maximum torque for a 250cc is shown at about 12Nm. About a quarter that of the ZX10 at idle. And in 6th gear, the torque is nullified even further by long gearing. Thats why I am surprised it broke away - unless you went over a bump and got a bit airborne, reducing the traction enough to allow it to break away.
Last edited by R-Soul; 12th March 2010 at 13:22. Reason: more info, fixing shocking typing
Oh lord. What a bunch of noobs.
I will speak slowly now.......
LEARN TO SLIDE
once you do that it doesn't matter what bike you like - you know how to recover from a slide. Where its on a pedal bandit or 100+Nm 100+kw monster.
I used to love kicking the back out of the old FZ1 (much to carvers fearful looks that I was gonna drop her)..........was the best bike for it. But at 100+kph it got a little scary.
Now I prefer the rear solid as a rock - sliding everywhere.
YEEHAA
Reactor Online. Sensors Online. Weapons Online. All Systems Nominal.
I see no reason why you the back would not spin up if you hit something slippy enough. Suffered the exact same thing in Europe where their are HUGE patches of tar seal. In the rain riding sedately at 100kmh at low revs, the bike would spin up on every single bit of tar, some stretches would be close to 70mtrs long & the width of the lane. Only really noticeable by the revs shooting up. No drama's though & kept me very focused.
im figuring that you can trust the machinery to do the work, and come out of it still upright. otherwise we would all be in the shit.
"I saw, I came, I conquered".
For the benefit of me too. Thanks for a great explanation of what torque actually is.
Hypothetically, if the rider was 'trying' to induce the slide, as a result of a "wonder what'll happen if I do this" moment of madness, could he get the result Mudfart did?
Thanks man - just passing on what my lecturers told me in uni. Albeit with crappy typing...
Rriders can do stuff to increase the effective force acting against the traction by lowering the gearing - which is why its easier to break traction in first than 6th.
Or the rider can reduce the traction at the wheel. Traction or friction force is the product of weight and a friction factor (F =W x mu) attributable to the nature of the surface. (Strangely enough, in applied mathematics theory, the size of the tyre has nothing to do with traction. However, in practice, micro effects of the tyre "bonding" to and engaging with more microscpically small formations on the road cause the bigger tyres to offer better traction. )
By reducing the weight on the tyre, the traction can be reduced. Like by going over a bump. This is why braking on the back wheel is largely ineffective when braking heavily - because all the weight moves forward onto the front wheel. The maximum traction on teh back wheel is reduced, and it will start sliding pretty easily when you brake on it because the traction is pretty low.
Traction can also be reduced by having a different friction factor (eg. caused by diesel) , so that the same effective torque at the back wheel overcomes the traction and causes the wheel to break away .
Going with the microscopic effects of bonding and engaging by sticky tires, traction can be reduced by having cold tyres.
You wanted to know what other hairy situations you can find yourself in. Check out my thread:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1129681211
Hope it helps.
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