Wow! What an interesting thread. I actually took time to read the whole frikkin' thing before I constructed this answer, so thanks, guys and gals, for a most interesting waste of time!
Now, as to the answer to the question initially posed, "100 hp on the street....why?", the initial answers of "because it's there" are the most legitimate ones there are, I think. I've ridden bikes of nearly every displacement for most of 35 years and during that time I've run the gamut from 70cc to 1200cc, from trail bike to V-Max, from vintage goodness to liter race replica, and whatever I've ridden has been the bike to suit me at that time.
Now that I'm a bit more seasoned, I thoroughly enjoy bikes in the 80hp range, as they're fast enough to do what I want to do (I have no trouble keeping up with my counterparts on 1098/1198 bikes at a pace on the street or on a tight track) and are manageable enough to keep me out of gravitational trouble (when gravity pulls us to Earth....that sucks). Modern literbikes take amazing concentration to ride fast where 80 horses are a bit more forgiving. If you want to see my normal street pace on an 80 horsepower MH900e, you can go to
MHe Crest Up Solo.MP4 and see whether or not it'd suit you. You'll notice the deer about half way through...plenty of time to slow for her and still enjoy the ride. (Sorry for the four lane part at the beginning.....the road gets curvy soon...I promise.)
Wheelstands...been there...done that. 100 mph wheelstands....been there...done that, too. I think I'm more comfortable with "slower" bikes nowadays, though. 80 horses are all you'll ever need. Heck....my lap times at Sandia are approximately 5 seconds slower per lap than my friend on his 1098........when I'm riding my 21 horsepower HD/Aermacchi racer.
Great road ! Nice video
Pace was pretty slow for my liking......I might fall asleep .
Dolph
