How much (power) is too much

[noworries]

Not a bad little read on an always interesting Australian based motorcycle blog:

http://theoldbloke.homestead.com/power.html

[jserio]

Nice read. Thanks for posting. 

[vtlion]

First you make the money.... then you get the power.... then you get the womeeeeeeeeeen 

Seriously, we sometimes get to poo-pooing large displacement bikes here and I have to agree with the point that too much power isn't always a problem as long as it is in the hands of someone with the experience and levelheadedness to not use it in inappropriate situations.  I can see how simply having a motor that can get job done at lower revs and with less shifting could have appeal to riders who ride like they want to live.

Having said that, I have been riding 600's and 650's for about 8 years now and I do not feel much impulse to step up.  Even my semi-ragged out ZZR600 with 30k on the clock pulls harder than I need in any situation.

[Jared]

"Too much is never enough." 

It only goes as fast as you want it to go. I've owned a ZX11D since new in 94...(started on a gs500 then to a CBR600 F2  then to the ZX11 ) and I can ride it as slowly as I like... It's nice having the power on tap when you want it. It's big and heavy... more "fun" to slow ride (more challenging) .You can ride an R1 without sending the front wheel aloft ( contrary to what the blog semi implies )- it's just throttle control.
I still like the GS500 too...also like my VX800...and I hope to add a Superhawk to the list....but I digress.

Respect the power and be responsible...know your limits...

[Toogoofy317]

I wish I could get my roommate to comprehend that article. He thinks you have to have at least a 750 gixxer to be considered a biker. Me on the other hand using Flick as a commuter bike almost exclusively had thoughts in my mind yesterday about a 250cc bike not for motor size but literal size. My shoulder was absolutly killing me and Flick felt like 1,000lbs everytime I had to back out of a parking lot. But, I thought if the vibes from Flick were bothering my shoulder what would a say 250 Ninja do? I  guess I'm still in love with Flick even though he's not showing it back right now.

Mary

[madjak30]

That was a great article...and the topic is something I have been giving a lot of thought to...I am starting to think my GS may be almost enough bike for me for another year...I'm gonna go for a few rides this year before I make a decision, but if the GS is almost enough I don't need to take a big step and get a 100+Hp bike...I've found a 2004 Bandit 600S with almost no miles on it, and they are willing to take about $500 more than I would expect to get for my GS...it's got more leg room, which is my biggest complaint about the GS, and has 50% more power...it is also a physically bigger bike, so it doesn't look too small for me...

Do I still want the MT-01 or the Bandit 1200S, yup, but do I need them??  or would I even make use of the extra performance, I doubt it...

I think the article hit the nail on the head for me...

Later.

[tt_four]

In general, I think this much is roughly 'too much' haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9zNUPDmnz4

750 is the biggest I would ever be interested in. If I was going to get a 1000cc inline 4, it would probably be one of the older 08-2000 R1s that still had relatively low HP compared to todays standards. These newer bikes with 175hp don't even peak my interest.

and just for the record, I fully agree about bigger bikes usefulness for keeping rpms low. I can have plenty of fun on a GS when I'm really riding it, but I like to keep RPMs low, so when I'm around town or coming out of turns it's pretty common for the bike to start to bog out and for me to have to downshift a gear or two. I know perfectly well how to ride a bike and to not have it do that, but I prefer to keep rpms low and the GS just doesn't have the guts to ride like that. Yes an R1 has way too much power at 10k rpm, but it has a very useful amount of power at 3-5k rpm, and I tend to spend a lot of time there.

[the mole]

"Too much is never enough." 
I still like the GS500 too...also like my VX800...and I hope to add a Superhawk to the list....but I digress.

Respect the power and be responsible...know your limits...

What's the VX800 like, there's one for sale near here and it ticks a lot of my boxes, a bit more midrange than the gS, shaft drive, V-twin....my main issue is that its 20 years old an they want $2000 for it.

[Jared]

VX800...

You can short shift it all day long.... above 5k is just making more noise... It's decent- parts are rare and getting rarer...( Old intruder 800 motor ..USA designed bike actually...) . Aftermarket is pretty much nonexistent in the USA.... One or two exhausts available (European and not cheap). Factory exhausts are the dual tube style...the inner pipe eventually rots and you get the rattle...(mine has it..). The exhaust I want costs more than I have in the bike...so I've held off.... They sound ok with a nice exhaust.

Only sold here for 4 years....8-10 years world wide.  5 speed trans is my main qualm with it- could use a 6th gear or a different final drive . If you're talented and can find an intruder 1400 rear drive -they can be adapted..... 40  miles more per  tank full.... Think it's 2.66 VS 3.09  ratio so.

Handling is....different... don't think sportbike....Big-ish...I'm a big guy and it's comfy for me... haven't done any long distance runs on it  tho...

Like the GS it needs better fork springs ( I have them just haven't put them in yet...) and better rear springs ( available aftermarket -progressive and). It was built to do everything but no one thing exceptionally.
Shares a handful of parts with the Gs... There's a good forum for them... most owners are pretty loyal to them ( so perceived value when they sell them is sometimes higher..)...  I have 2...I bought a 3k mile wrecked one a week after I got my 37k mile one...If I ever get around to it  the 3k gets my sidecar on it.

Will he let you test drive it?

[yamahonkawazuki]

I wish I could get my roommate to comprehend that article. He thinks you have to have at least a 750 gixxer to be considered a biker. Me on the other hand using Flick as a commuter bike almost exclusively had thoughts in my mind yesterday about a 250cc bike not for motor size but literal size. My shoulder was absolutly killing me and Flick felt like 1,000lbs everytime I had to back out of a parking lot. But, I thought if the vibes from Flick were bothering my shoulder what would a say 250 Ninja do? I  guess I'm still in love with Flick even though he's not showing it back right now.

Mary

remove one of flicks handle grips, and fill barset with bb's. walmart variety will suffice. and reinstall grip. works wonders on killing vibes, or at least moving them to a more tolerable range

[Twisted]

I wish I could get my roommate to comprehend that article. He thinks you have to have at least a 750 gixxer to be considered a biker. Me on the other hand using Flick as a commuter bike almost exclusively had thoughts in my mind yesterday about a 250cc bike not for motor size but literal size. My shoulder was absolutly killing me and Flick felt like 1,000lbs everytime I had to back out of a parking lot. But, I thought if the vibes from Flick were bothering my shoulder what would a say 250 Ninja do? I  guess I'm still in love with Flick even though he's not showing it back right now.

Mary

Mary, my Ducati Monster is easier to wheel around than my GS. I was surprised as the Ducati is 1000cc and takes no effort to back out. I think it is the clutch in the GS that makes it a bit of a pain to push around. It seems to drag. Just thought I would tell you this as sometimes you might find different bikes are easier to move around than others.

[SAFE-T]

What's the VX800 like ?

I had one for a couple of years. Definitely has a squishy front end like the GS500 does. Mine had a good sized handlebar mounted fairing on it, which was nice for deflecting wind but limited top-speed to 115 km/h (70 mph). It would go faster than that but go into a nasty front end shake if you tried to turn. Better to keep it around 110 km/h (65 mph) or less and not get tossed off.

The Canadian and European versions had a 75 degree crankshaft that ran a little smoother. I had a US model with the 45 degree crank out of the Intruder ~ was supposed to have better midrange. The engine itself was a good design which worked well and gave good reliability and fuel mileage. Final drive ratios may have been different between the US model and Canadian/European bikes as well.   

The stock seat was awful ~ it also had a Suzuki aftermarket seat that put some dreadful pressure on my knees. Corbin used to make a seat for it, but it was prohibitively expensive for a used bike, so I never did find a way to make it comfortable for any real distance. This is the main reason I sold it.

[yamahonkawazuki]

a bit of a spacer can take care of teh squishy part

[madjak30]

a bit of a spacer can take care of teh squishy part

Can you buy a spacer, or is it something you have to make yourself?  and changing to 15w or 20w oil for the forks that will just increase the damping...correct? 

Mine is probably due for a fork oil change and because of my weight I was thinking of going to a thicker oil...adding a spacer takes away from the travel though...??

What about the rear...can you get a stiffer spring, or is it best to replace the whole set up...??

Maybe I should just leave well enough alone...

Later.

[tt_four]

You make the spacer, but all you have to do is cut it from a peice of plastic pipe you can buy at home depot. I'm not sure what the thicker oil does, I would assume just stiffens everything up slightly. I would think the compression would be a little heavier.

I'm not sure if it would actually take away from travel or not. The spacer wouldn't limit the fork sliders ability to slide through the bigger body on the fork, the only thing it limits is the spring. IF the spring was completely compacted when the fork slider ran out of travel, then yes the spacer would limit travel because the spring would be fully compressed before the fork slider ran out of room to move, but I'd be willing to say that the spring probably isn't 100 compressed when the fork is at it's full compression. Either way I think you'll be alright, especially if you're not bottoming out your forks as it is.

I wouldn't bother replacing the spring on the stock shock. You can find a katana shock cheap enough for it to not be worth tracking down an individual spring and potentially paying the same amount as you would have for the whole shock, not to mention if you don't already have one you would need to buy a spring compressor to pull everything apart.

[madjak30]

You make the spacer, but all you have to do is cut it from a peice of plastic pipe you can buy at home depot.

You just use PVC pipe?? wouldn't that wear quickly?  I would have thought aluminum of some sort...

I'm not sure if it would actually take away from travel or not. The spacer wouldn't limit the fork sliders ability to slide through the bigger body on the fork, the only thing it limits is the spring. IF the spring was completely compacted when the fork slider ran out of travel, then yes the spacer would limit travel because the spring would be fully compressed before the fork slider ran out of room to move, but I'd be willing to say that the spring probably isn't 100 compressed when the fork is at it's full compression. Either way I think you'll be alright, especially if you're not bottoming out your forks as it is.

The suspension does fully compress under hard braking (frost heaved roads  ), so maybe I need to go to a stiffer spring...or loose 100lbs 

I think maybe my best course of action is to just take it easy until I decide what type of riding I want to do and get a replacement that is more geared to a "bigger guy" and the style of riding I want to do...

Later.

[tt_four]

The suspension does fully compress under hard braking (frost heaved roads  ), so maybe I need to go to a stiffer spring...or loose 100lbs 

The thing I wasn't sure about was whether it was actually the spring bottoming out, or the fork slider tube. Not sure if there's a way to know or not.

[yamahonkawazuki]

pvc spacers . remove cap, spacer 1" or thereabouts, replace cap. works pretty good. bhuddah can tell you more about it.

[SAFE-T]

80-100 hp at the rear wheel is quite nice. If you could combine it with litre-bike torque you would have something most excellent...like an FJ1200 

[tt_four]

80-100 hp at the rear wheel is quite nice. If you could combine it with litre-bike torque you would have something most excellent...like an FJ1200 

that's pretty much what you get with the Buell XBs. Top end hp is right in that range, letting you ride the bike without thinking you're going to die, but the bottom end/midrange is pretty serious and encourages you to spend most of your time right around 3k rpm.