How much horsepower do you need

[Guest Richzx6r]

I think about power outputs a lot when looking at buying a bike!

No point trying to tour Europe on a Chinese 125 2 up with luggage

Different bikes have different applications and HP does mean a lot

 

You know what they say mate - you can't miss something you've never had.

 

This is true

I used to say you don't need a bike any bigger than a 750!

I skipped the 750 and got a 1000

Then I rode a 600 a few years after! It felt broken

 

For me its the more power the better as it makes it easier to ride and whilst you have more than enough to get in to trouble should you need it there is always a lot left in reserve for if you get in to an unfavourable position and need to get yourself away pretty sharpish then you can.

Where a 125 in my opinion has enough power to get you in to alot of trouble but theres more often than not nothing in reserve to extricate yourself so that's why for me more power and/or displacement are good things to have

[Marino]

Honestly more than 100bhp for every day ride is useless. Probably we don’t use that much power at all.

It is nice to have 200 bhp but just to make me feel macho. Only time I did open throttle to the max was on the race track and on the autobahn. To me is important power and torque between 3000 and 5000 rpm. That is the range I usually use, at 5000 rpm I am way beyond legal speed anyway.

[Snod Blatter]

For a long time now I've been of the opinion that you don't need any more than about 25hp for solo riding in the UK. I can only imagine that people who think they need more power derive their kicks from blasting it in a straight line and have no real idea of how to go round corners or work a gearbox.

These people are also lacking in the trouser department. Change my mind

[Stu]

These people are also lacking in the trouser department. Change my mind

 

Must be talking from experience seen as though all the bikes in your profile are over 25hp

[Snod Blatter]

That's just how I know for a fact it's unnecessary

[Guest Richzx6r]

For a long time now I've been of the opinion that you don't need any more than about 25hp for solo riding in the UK. I can only imagine that people who think they need more power derive their kicks from blasting it in a straight line and have no real idea of how to go round corners or work a gearbox.

These people are also lacking in the trouser department. Change my mind

 

In an ideal world maybe not but it would be pretty boring with only 25hp on tap as it would be extremely slow, I'd say that maybe 70hp is the least for the uk roads to make it fun and enjoyable but not over the top

[Mr Fro]

That's just how I know for a fact it's unnecessary

 

25 hp might be fine for tootling about but when you're stuck behind granny mittens dawdling along a nsl road, 25 hp just isn't enough to zip past in any reasonable length of time.

[S-Westerly]

Unnecessary and undesirable are not the same thing. My trousers fit well enough thanks.

[Pie man]

For a long time now I've been of the opinion that you don't need any more than about 25hp for solo riding in the UK. I can only imagine that people who think they need more power derive their kicks from blasting it in a straight line and have no real idea of how to go round corners or work a gearbox.

These people are also lacking in the trouser department. Change my mind

 

In an ideal world maybe not but it would be pretty boring with only 25hp on tap as it would be extremely slow, I'd say that maybe 70hp is the least for the uk roads to make it fun and enjoyable but not over the top

 

I commute on a Yamaha MT07 - all the fun of a 74bhp bike while commuting and roughly the size of a 125 for filtering

[Stu]

That's just how I know for a fact it's unnecessary

 

25 hp might be fine for tootling about but when you're stuck behind granny mittens dawdling along a nsl road, 25 hp just isn't enough to zip past in any reasonable length of time.

 

Yeah my mate realised that today when we went for a 3 car overtake and he had to pull in after the first car while 2 up on his 800 gs

The FJR though I managed 4 cars

[Stu]

That's just how I know for a fact it's unnecessary

 

I was talking about your last statement

[Snod Blatter]

The FJR though I managed 4 cars

 

Exactly what I'm talking about..

Oh god he runs the forum what am i doing jesus christ

[Stu]

The FJR though I managed 4 cars

 

Exactly what I'm talking about..

Oh god he runs the forum what am i doing jesus christ

 

So saying I overtook 4 cars says I am just blasting around then

You have no idea about my riding or the way I ride just because I managed to overtake 4 cars because my bike has the power to doesn't mean I just blast about and have no idea of how to go round a corner as your statement suggests

oh god this guy thinks he knows it all what am I doing Jesus Christ

[Tiggie]

I have a 1.3 diesel estate car. It is great on motorways, keeps up with traffic no problem on any road. However when I pull out at junctions or roundabouts or have to overtake I wish I had a lot more power than it has, purely for my own safety.

It would be the same on a bike

[Bender]

For a long time now I've been of the opinion that you don't need any more than about 25hp for solo riding in the UK. I can only imagine that people who think they need more power derive their kicks from blasting it in a straight line and have no real idea of how to go round corners or work a gearbox.

These people are also lacking in the trouser department. Change my mind

No.

If your happy with 25hp that's great Its your opinion and your welcome to it.

It's better to have a good reserve of power and not need it than to need it and not have it, but that's just my opinion and everyone knows opinions are like ar*eholes every one has one.

[JRH]

An old forum member on here (long gone) used to have a 1250 Bandit and said it was almost like having an automatic Stick it in 3rd and you're good to go at all speeds

 

Sometimes I leave mine in 5th and treat it like an automatic. Dawdle through 30’s and then up to 70 ish.

Other times it’s fun to rag it in 3rd and 4th and surprise folk.

[Stu]

An old forum member on here (long gone) used to have a 1250 Bandit and said it was almost like having an automatic Stick it in 3rd and you're good to go at all speeds

 

Sometimes I leave mine in 5th and treat it like an automatic. Dawdle through 30’s and then up to 70 ish.

Other times it’s fun to rag it in 3rd and 4th and surprise folk.

 

We have spoken about this in the past and these big bikes can make you lazy

[JRH]

An old forum member on here (long gone) used to have a 1250 Bandit and said it was almost like having an automatic Stick it in 3rd and you're good to go at all speeds

 

Sometimes I leave mine in 5th and treat it like an automatic. Dawdle through 30’s and then up to 70 ish.

Other times it’s fun to rag it in 3rd and 4th and surprise folk.

 

We have spoken about this in the past and these big bikes can make you lazy

 

Certainly do.

[Stu]

Sometimes I leave mine in 5th and treat it like an automatic. Dawdle through 30’s and then up to 70 ish.

Other times it’s fun to rag it in 3rd and 4th and surprise folk.

 

We have spoken about this in the past and these big bikes can make you lazy

 

Certainly do.

 

It's nice having more than 25hp and not having to work a gearbox all day long isn't it

[Tankbag]

We have spoken about this in the past and these big bikes can make you lazy

 

Certainly do.

 

It's nice having more than 25hp and not having to work a gearbox all day long isn't it

 

There is fun in chasing the revs say on a 500 /600 but after a while, maybe when you get old like me, you just want the extra ' nuke' at your disposal when you want it & burble along having released the bomb only a few times

[Breezin]

I'm guessing the guy in the OP was doing a normal, run of the mill bimble about rather than giving it a decent rip.

He said it was a blast, not a bimble. I think that's the point. The mega bhp just isn't being used on their favourite roads, which I assume excludes motorways or roads with endless straights.

[Guest]

The FJR though I managed 4 cars

 

Exactly what I'm talking about..

Oh god he runs the forum what am i doing jesus christ

 

So saying I overtook 4 cars says I am just blasting around then

You have no idea about my riding or the way I ride just because I managed to overtake 4 cars because my bike has the power to doesn't mean I just blast about and have no idea of how to go round a corner as your statement suggests

oh god this guy thinks he knows it all what am I doing Jesus Christ

 

You keep on riding like that and you're going to end up on Death and Dismemberment Boulevard young man!

And why would you need to overtake FOUR cars?

 

[Tiggie]

[fastbob]

I've recently gone from 157bhp to 47bhp and now back up to 80bhp . I honestly can't say that I'm noticing any disadvantages really . I seem to arrive at the same places in the same amount of time and 90 mph is plenty on an unfaired bike .

[fastbob]

Exactly what I'm talking about..

Oh god he runs the forum what am i doing jesus christ

 

So saying I overtook 4 cars says I am just blasting around then

You have no idea about my riding or the way I ride just because I managed to overtake 4 cars because my bike has the power to doesn't mean I just blast about and have no idea of how to go round a corner as your statement suggests

oh god this guy thinks he knows it all what am I doing Jesus Christ

 

You keep on riding like that and you're going to end up on Death and Dismemberment Boulevard young man!

And why would you need to overtake FOUR cars?

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Oh for goodness sake give these bloody GIF's a rest or at the very least find some new ones . Please .