100 HP on the street...why?

[Goat_Herder]

Q: 100 HP on the street...why?

A: up sell for more profit margin.  plus people truely believe that they need that much power in a bike or car.  Not a question of being a man or not.

[nicrosato]

Q: 100 HP on the street...why?

A: up sell for more profit margin.  plus people truely believe that they need that much power in a bike or car.  Not a question of being a man or not.

+1. It's all about marketing and sales. I realize it's difficult for some people to accept, but there is an actual difference between riding on the street and riding on the track. It's the squid in all our brains that's probably the source of this confusion.

[Desmo Demon]

I've been on the street for right at 200k miles over 17 years and I finally bought my first 100+ hp bike a few weeks ago and still have not ridden it. I've never needed 100+ hp on the street, but there have been a lot of times I really could have used it.

I do almost all my riding in the mountains, and my favorite bike is my ST2 with 83-hp at the crank (a little more now with some mild mods). I LOVE to freak the cr@p out of people when I'm up their tail end or passing them with my bagger and they have more HP than me, but......I can't tell you the number of times I can NOT safely pass someone clogging up the twisties and being an absolute aass because he's all over the road in the curves and nails it in the short straights. I've had some really nice runs ruined by aasshats who refuse to accept they are a moving roadblock. That extra HP can be really nice at times, but it sure isn't needed, per se. I know some people who, on a Ninja 250, can embarrass the heck out of some people with liter bikes.

When we picked up the wife's R1 a few years ago, I rode it the first weekend we had it. I will honestly say it was such an awesome bike between handling, low-end torque, and the 100+ HP, that it was an absolute blast to ride. After that weekend, I almost sold my 748 to go buy an R1 like hers. With the silly things I do with less than 100 HP, including hitting 150-ish on the street with my 748 and out-running cops in the twisties on my ST2, 100+ HP will be well over the top and a whole lot more fun......I can't wait. This 150+ HP of my GSXR-1100 is going to be an orgasm of fun.

[Desmo Demon]

there is an actual difference between riding on the street and riding on the track.

So true....and perceptions are really funny. One person's butt-puckering, over-the-top speed and lean angle is another person's riding at 30% and cruising. I like to relate this with two examples.

When I first met my wife, she was one of the smoothest and quickest riders around (I did not know this at the time). She was without a bike at the time and socializing at the local twisty-road hangout visiting with friends. A mutual friend had just done some mods to his bike and wanted her to take it up the road and see what she thought. I road along with her. I was amazed at how smooth she rode and had a difficult time keeping up with her. She was riding a borrowed SV650, borrowed helmet and gloves, and wearing a T-shirt and shorts and street shoes. After the run up the road, I complimented her on her riding and told her I would never ride that fast dressed the way she was. Her response? She laughed saying she was just cruising and taking it easy. The difference between our riding? I had 1" chicken strips on my tires and by this time, she'd worn holes through knee pucks and wore down footpegs. She truely was just cruising and taking it easy.

The way I rode at that time, eight years ago, was "fast" to me, but these days, if I ride at that speed, I would rather go back home and get my Harley, because I can keep that pace on my big cruiser. The perception of speed, comfort zone, and safety margin are all determined by our riding ability. Even on my best day, I know that people like local racer Pete Freidland, who's been on a championship winning endurance racing team with Doug Polan, would think my current "fast" pace is a boring and a cruising pace for him.

[DucofWestwood]

Dealer: Uhhh, we're sorry we didn't get to your bike today (walks through showroom), would you be okay with taking a streetfighter home?
Me: Yaaa, I guess so. Had some chaffing from the ride home due to wetting myself.

Moto Forza in San Diego

pardon the brief thread-jack, but that's just incredible.  my dealer would have a nice hearty laugh if i proposed such a scenario.  and i can't say i would blame them.  you must have some good karma or something.  hope you enjoyed it 

[He Man]

Q: 100 HP on the street...why?

A: up sell for more profit margin.  plus people truely believe that they need that much power in a bike or car.  Not a question of being a man or not.

Ever put ride 100+hp bike on the street? did you enjoy it? Was it fun? Its not a matter if you got the balls or not. its just a matter of being a MAN who likes to have fun. And if 100+hp is your idea of fun, then by the rights given to me by god, im going to exercise my damn right to ride a 100hp bike on the street and anyone whos going to try and stop me can kiss my ass. (not trying to be aggressive towards you, i just really had a blast on that 1098!!!)

for the record, i think 100hp is the perfect amount of power for a bike. I wish the DS1000 pumped out 100RWHP. it would be the PERFECT bike.

[ducpainter]

Ever put ride 100+hp bike on the street? did you enjoy it? Was it fun? Its not a matter if you got the balls or not. its just a matter of being a MAN who likes to have fun. And if 100+hp is your idea of fun, then by the rights given to me by god, im going to exercise my damn right to ride a 100hp bike on the street and anyone whos going to try and stop me can kiss my ass. (not trying to be aggressive towards you, i just really had a blast on that 1098!!!)

for the record, i think 100hp is the perfect amount of power for a bike. I wish the DS1000 pumped out 100RWHP. it would be the PERFECT bike.

Boy...

what do you know about being a man?

Just sayin'

[nicrosato]

its just a matter of being a MAN who likes to have fun.

??

[Porsche Monkey]

Boy...

what do you know about being a man?

Just sayin'

Ouch. that's harsh. Did you loose a wheel off your walker or something? 

[ducpainter]

Ouch. that's harsh. Did you loose a wheel off your walker or something? 

Maybe it's harsh...come closer and I'll shov...

I just have a basic problem when someone with limited life experience starts telling people what makes a man.

[Buckethead]

Ouch. that's harsh. Did you loose a wheel off your walker or something? 

It caught on the doorjamb and his drink spilled.

[Porsche Monkey]

Maybe it's harsh...come closer and I'll shov...

I just have a basic problem when someone with limited life experience starts telling people what makes a man.

I was just giving you trouble. I know where you are coming from. 

[Speeddog]

My S4 dynoed at just a shade over 100 at the rear wheel.
Since I got it in early '03, there's only been a handful of times I've had the throttle cable tight and wishing for more.
But those times, I didn't *need* more.

I think a few folks here are liking the torque of a big motor, I can appreciate that.

[He Man]

Maybe it's harsh...come closer and I'll shov...

I just have a basic problem when someone with limited life experience starts telling people what makes a man.

[koko64]

Wish my M900 had 100hp...