When is it to much horsepower ?

[Dragonknee]

No, I don't need it.  I want it.  Why?  Because I can.  I don't often "plan" to break the law, but every now and then the spirit moves me.  A high diver doesn't need to dive from a foot higher.  Weight lifter doesn't need to better his/her totals, but strives for that, even when it's personal and not in competition.  A fish doesn't need to stand on its head and spit wooden nickles. Where did that come from?  For me, it's just something to do that no one has done with an FJR (that I know of).  I ran my previous stuff on the street more than the track.  Stupid?  Probably.  The boys and I tried to pick our spots and time, but one never knows.
I agree that when you reach a certain point, the gains between bikes are not that great.  Play a little reaction game on the net and you'll keep trying to better your time by even a fraction of a second.  All for the fun of it, or the challenge.  Who knows?  Who cares?

This is true... its all in how you look at it... I am responsible person, work in the medical field and I see stuff all the time that makes me question my mortality....
Its for that very reason I do ride... I only have a while left and it will be done.. No more riding... its what I do from when I'm born till I die that will be the sum of my life.. So I do somethings that are not in line with others and somethings that make me feel like a lemming... but all in all its been a good ride and I have enjoyed myself.... I hope you all have to....

 Remember.... Four wheels move the body.....Two wheels move the soul......

[Kootenanny]

a)  You continue this thread's conflation of power with speed.  In my observation of familiar route points, my speed does not change significantly whether I am on my (late) Moto Guzzi with under 100HP, or my ZX-14 with almost double that.  What changes is how quickly I get to those speeds.  There's a thread going on SBN about a rider who got caught at 88 in a 35 on his Ninja 250.

b)  Where you talk about safety margins - in all cases, I run MUCH closer to safety margins on cornering and braking than on acceleration.  I doubt I'm alone in that, but it might make for an interesting thread.

I agree with both these points.  Often, it's speed that gets riders into trouble, and you don't necessarily need a lot of power to go fast (something I always point out to the newbs who want a GSX-R1000 to start on).  

However, power--the ability to twist the throttle and have immediate, strong acceleration--gets more than a few riders into trouble, regardless of speed.  I've been there...high-sided when the rear tire spun out due to my overeager throttle hand.  And I believe it was someone on this board who looped their ZX-14 accidentally starting from a stoplight...IMO, when that kind of stuff happens unintentionally, it should ring a few warning bells.

[tomek]

Going back to the basics of this academic discussion.Unless your bike can pull effortless power wheelie in 6th gear it has power deficit.So,I guess on something  porky like zx12 350-400hp is needed to pass this criterium with stock gearing.

Go ahead and get big bore and turbo kit.Muzzy is there to help you

[kevin_stevens]

I agree with both these points.  Often, it's speed that gets riders into trouble, and you don't necessarily need a lot of power to go fast (something I always point out to the newbs who want a GSX-R1000 to start on).  

However, power--the ability to twist the throttle and have immediate, strong acceleration--gets more than a few riders into trouble, regardless of speed.  I've been there...high-sided when the rear tire spun out due to my overeager throttle hand.  And I believe it was someone on this board who looped their ZX-14 accidentally starting from a stoplight...IMO, when that kind of stuff happens unintentionally, it should ring a few warning bells.

And I agree with *that*.  But that point seems to get overridden by what I call the "one MPH/HP ratio" issue.  

That's actually why I pulled the secondary butterflies from my ZX-14 - the "rubber band" power delivery scared the hell out of me on corner entry.  With them out, it's perfectly linear.  The only problem I have with it now is that it accelerates much faster going north/south.  If I'm headed east or west it tends to just spin the earth.  

KeS

[whoaru99]

The speed? That's not what worries me... it's the notion of an abrupt stop that REALLY sucks.

But, then again, my trusty old RF is a mere 125hp so I'm not familiar with today's "big league" power.

[Rogue]

This is becoming kind of superfluous.

A bunch of motorcyclists arguing about how much power is enough when most of them are riding machines faster than the fastests sports car out there!  

You are all speed junkies.  If you weren't, you wouldn't be riding what you ride.  Ural owners are excempt unless you also own another fast bike!  

[Lawn Dart]

This is becoming kind of superfluous.

You are all speed junkies.  If you weren't, you wouldn't be riding what you ride.    

LOL!  True!

PS:  100-ish HP is all I need.  I'd rather pursue weight reductions myself.

[kevin_stevens]

LOL!  True!

PS:  100-ish HP is all I need.  I'd rather pursue weight reductions myself.

Have you tried ripping the plastic parts off your bike and leaving them by the side of the road?  Rogue says it works pretty well!

 

KeS

[REAPER]

Well, Dragonknee, when it ain't fun anymore then thats too much.

[whoaru99]

...I'd rather pursue weight reductions myself.

Yeah, and for me, the biggest opportunities are with me.  

[Dragonknee]

I like the power to weight ration and suspension is my next direction to take. The guys who did my dyno work also do suspension... They are ama mechanics and know what they are doing... In fact its hard during racing season to get them to work on your bike... but the guy who does suspension said that once its set up on the 12 it does work well. I know its like dancing with the fat lady , but its a dance you get use to and can appreciate after you learn the moves..  

[county]

Too much only when the engine get's so heavy it's not really a bike, i.e. those Boss Hoss bikes with 300+ hp BUT a V-8 engine.

[murphyslaw1978]

Safety is always #1 in my book.  In absolute terms, I could never have too much horsepower.  So there are these 2 opposite forces I have to deal with.  I weigh the adrenaline rush against survival.  For me, that equates to a Harley with 69 HP and top speeds not exceeding 100mph.  Much more than that, and I feel the risk/failure ratio is too much for me.  If I needed more, I'd have to go to the track, where it's safer, or else come to terms with the fact that my time on earth is going to be potentially more limited.  I would never sacrifice what I would love to do over the risk, but at the end of the day, I have to be around to enjoy it.

There is no doubt that racing on the track is going to give you far more rush than anything you can do on the street.

[Bounce]

HP is like sex. It's all good as long as it doesn't draw blood.

as for Murphyslaw1978, it seems you're saying:

Ar+S=M+HP

Where M=Motorcycle (perhaps even a subset of M=cruiser)

that means you have an easy fix. If you change M from Cruiser to Sport-Tourer, you can increase HP while still balancing the equation.

[evilmedic13]

HP is like sex. It's all good as long as it doesn't draw blood.

 Blood just makes it a better story, and the endorphines make it a rush for some.

[Dragonknee]

I wonder why crashing has to be the end result... seems that we are our own worst travel agents in that case....  

Hp is like sex.... You always want more...  and even if you just had it.. you want it again... its not something that you can hold on to or take with you... so thats why we do over and over...  

[rockinjc]

I am very happy with my hundred and change hp touring bike. Perhaps this is because I have no idea how the quality of life could go up from there. Most of the time I try to keep within ten miles per hour of the speed limit; a citation level that I can afford to deal with once and a while.

I can see for drag racing ‘needing’ several hundred and for MotoGP racing above two hundred. Those guys have, spare parts,  sponsored tires and on track medical assistance at their disposal. Of course it helps if you are willing to wager your life to be the fastest one on race day. No thanks!

Personally, I purchased an air cooled 750 after moving up to a water cooled liter bike. Yes, a little Monster makes a fine guest bike, but more importantly, especially around town, for when I feel like ringing out a throttle cable without begging for a ride in the back of something with lights on the top.

On the highway, a torquey faired liter bike makes me feel a little more secure I would admit, but I am secure enough in my manhood to appreciate a bike with as little as 60 horse power.

[NinjaNoob]

I am very happy with my hundred and change hp touring bike. Perhaps this is because I have no idea how the quality of life could go up from there. Most of the time I try to keep within ten miles per hour of the speed limit; a citation level that I can afford to deal with once and a while.

I can see for drag racing ‘needing’ several hundred and for MotoGP racing above two hundred. Those guys have, spare parts,  sponsored tires and on track medical assistance at their disposal. Of course it helps if you are willing to wager your life to be the fastest one on race day. No thanks!

Personally, I purchased an air cooled 750 after moving up to a water cooled liter bike. Yes, a little Monster makes a fine guest bike, but more importantly, especially around town, for when I feel like ringing out a throttle cable without begging for a ride in the back of something with lights on the top.

On the highway, a torquey faired liter bike makes me feel a little more secure I would admit, but I am secure enough in my manhood to appreciate a bike with as little as 60 horse power.

Oh RockinJC . . . I'm pretty sure that it was YOU who said "never too fast" . . . oh wait, that was me :P

In all honesty, I'm more of a power:weight ratio kinda girl, which gets back to structure:function of a bike - and . . . I'm guessing the OP might be doing a bit of tongue-in-cheekness? but, how much is too much HP? Depends on what you want to do with the bike, like RockinJC mentioned, MotoGP guys are obviously going to be riding differently than the average "I'm going to work" or "I want to get the fark out of town and have the wind in my face" rider - granted another thing to take into consideration is the amount of guts, experience, skill, etc that racers have . . . I mean, as a newbie to riding, it's crazy to think of what I still need to learn

Oh, and being short/small - I can feel the front end lifting up as I accelerate . . . in 3rd gear . . . so, to answer the OPs question - the 36 HP from my 250 Ninja is just fine for me (right now)

[Desmo Demon]

I'm perfectly content with sub-100 hp numbers when dragging a knee through a curve and passing liter bikes, so I'd be the wrong guy to ask about too much horsepower.  

[Smurfslayer]

When is to much too much?

When you can do a rolling burnout from any corner exit to any corner entrance, through any gear, using only half throttle.

THEN... it will be too much.