Horsepower & Weight - What's your bike like and is it enough?

[alii1959]

Well, after having been off of a bike for nearly 15 years I went looking in 2006. Well, I really wanted a sporty 400-500cc bike. Well, guess how many are for sale in the U.S.? So, I settled for an '07 Ninja 250...it was OK...too buzzy for me. Got an '01 Triumph Sprint (955cc) too heavy...but, smooth and what an exhaust note. Still kept looking for "the" bike.

In '09 I found an '08 gsx-r600...nice size. Very light. Took a test ride. Haven't stopped grinning yet. Power-to-weight: HOLY CRAP!! If you light it up....it really goes. Can't say I've even begun to scratch the surface, but I did get on it the other day and the rear stepped out just a wee bit. No complaints...and 40+mpg.

Ergos getting to be a bit iffy for the old back....but LSL kit may come to the rescue.

Yeah, the power is enough.....

[mrphotoman]

Originally Posted by alii1959

Well, after having been off of a bike for nearly 15 years I went looking in 2006. Well, I really wanted a sporty 400-500cc bike. Well, guess how many are for sale in the U.S.? So, I settled for an '07 Ninja 250...it was OK...too buzzy for me. Got an '01 Triumph Sprint (955cc) too heavy...but, smooth and what an exhaust note. Still kept looking for "the" bike.

In '09 I found an '08 gsx-r600...nice size. Very light. Took a test ride. Haven't stopped grinning yet. Power-to-weight: HOLY CRAP!! If you light it up....it really goes. Can't say I've even begun to scratch the surface, but I did get on it the other day and the rear stepped out just a wee bit. No complaints...and 40+mpg.

Ergos getting to be a bit iffy for the old back....but LSL kit may come to the rescue.

Yeah, the power is enough.....

a fz6 or fz1 is a lot more comfortable if you want to stick with sporty power but more comfortable ergos.

[Benesesso]

Originally Posted by wmax351

Its a bit of both. Piston speed affects ring and cylinder wear.

No. The original issue was this:

Perterra--"Piston speed is what limits your rpm."

Wear wasn't the issue, it was RPM limit.

[alii1959]

Originally Posted by mrphotoman

a fz6 or fz1 is a lot more comfortable if you want to stick with sporty power but more comfortable ergos.

True, very true....but I already have this one and budget seems to be squealing, "mercy, mercy". My wife has us on track to be debt free, again, in '16....I probably don't wanna mess that up....so, redoing the one I have is the prudent option. Doesn't mean I can't window shop, test ride all that they'll let me, and drool over the the fun ones.

[MadMax]

459 lbs.(wet), 48bhp.- Yamaha XT660Z- Tenere (weeTEN)


After having a KTM Super Enduro, a BMW K1200s, and a Suzuki Hayabusa, in the last 10 years, I've come to appreciate that riding a slow bike fast, is MUCH MORE FUN than riding a fast bike slow!

AN INTERESTING TIDBIT: From an inmate who has done 38,000 miles so far on an around the world trip- i am heading out on the road for years, its not a race, my average speed for the first 38,000 miles was less than 40 mph

[woodnbow]

I spent the weekend riding my brother in law's Road Glide. I guess it weighs more or less 800#. It's got an Ultima 120" motor, fresh off of break-in. The pipes are too loud, (hooker mufflers on tru-duals) otherwise this is one incredible machine, pulls like a locomotive from 2000 rpm to 6000, he says it makes 120# of torque and maybe 110hp. Whatever the numbers are this bike is just big fun!

[LoneTraveler]

My 2000 Kawasaki Concours weighs in at a claimed 651lbs wet. With all my crap and other changes I've made, I'd venture a guess and say it's pulling around about 680lbs total, not including my fat 275lb ass.

I had it dyno'd last summer at 91.86hp at the rear wheel.

Now, I ride this thing a lot, and I've never once thought to myself "Gee, LoneTraveler, this thing really needs more oomph."

Not once. Always had fire when I needed it.

[SmithSwede]

Currently have 2 bikes.
BMW F800S: probably 450 pounds and 80 horse. Plenty of power for me under any circumstances.

Ninja 250: probably about 375 pounds; 27 horse. Bike is an absolute hoot to ride. I commute about 100 miles per day, mostly interstate. Have to be willing to rev the crap out of it for power. Light weight and handling makes it fun.

Cruises 80 to 85 mph just fine. Only thing I miss is ability to immediately pass logging trucks and such on two lane roads. But everywhere else, it is immense fun to be able to ride a little bike really "hard" without getting into insane speeds.

[The Evil Twin]

As others have said, it depends on what you expect (IMO). I currently have a couple bikes. The R100rs probably puts out 30-40 at the wheel and weighs about 500 lbs. The ZX10 puts down a staggering 167 to the rear wheel and weighs in at 382 pounds with a half tank of fuel. The GS/A is heavy as hell and might put 80 to the rear? The ZX6 is 362 lbs and 114 hp. Each one puts a smile on my face!

[Contevita]

Depending on where you get the info the horsepower on my Blackbird is in the range of 132hp all the way up to 160hp; torque is approximately 78-87ft.lbs The bike weighs in at 492lbs (dry). Regardless, I'm being launched and I'm smiling all the way.

[corndog67]

My Ducati S4 weighs about 400 lbs, and has an honest 95hp and 67lb ft of torque. It's a blast to ride. There are mods to bring it up to about 112 hp or so, but I like how reliable it is right now, and I'm not going to mess with it.

[The Evil Twin]

Originally Posted by corndog67

My Ducati S4 weighs about 400 lbs, and has an honest 95hp and 67lb ft of torque. It's a blast to ride. There are mods to bring it up to about 112 hp or so, but I like how reliable it is right now, and I'm not going to mess with it.

Yessir! One thing I have learned is not to crack that motor open if you don't have to!!

[jrs200]

Well my 2005 DR650 is like riding a moped after getting off My 2002 KX500 @ 67hp only weighing in at 220 pounds it is a TRUE beast. And at my age tooooo much power. But so much fun to be in too tall a gear and wheelie at will. I really need to sell that bike.

[stefer]

KLR 650... its power doesn't bother me, but but if I have to lug around a 400 lb bike, it would be nice to get better performance.

[the_sandman_454]

KLR650. It does ok. I'm definitely going to own a "go fast" bike in addition to the KLR one day, but for now, it does ok for commuting, road trips, and mild off road stuff.

I had an 2008 SV650N for about 1000 miles til a deer jumped out of the woods at the perfect time so that there was no time left to react to either brake or go WFO on throttle. Dang deer didn't even have the decency to stick around and die so I could have a taxadermist preserve it as a conversation piece. Public service announcement: a motorcycle is not a good thing to hit a deer with.

I would have gotten another SV, but wanted to give some (not crazy) off road riding a chance as well. KLR seemed a decent compromise between street and other.