Horsepower For Dirtbikes???

Doug ask's "It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely guarded
secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?"

Good question Doug. I don't think the manufactures consider "claimed
horsepower ratings" a necessary selling feature any more.

The collective lot offered up to the public is so generic, AVAILABLE
FINANCING is what "moves" product these days.

Best Regards - Mike Baldwin
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On Dec 1, 8:15�am, Doug R <scooters....RemoveThis@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

I am just guessing, but I figure it is due to the variable wide power
curves, esp. on 2 strokes. Any small change ( porting, flywheel
weight, sprocket size, carb adj, etc.) can make a huge difference in
power delivered to the ground. Of course, weight of rider. By the way,
how many bikes ever run out of power before they run out of traction
first?

Hank <~~~power guesser
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

Doug R wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

Maybe it doesn't matter?

If trying to decide between a KTM 450 and 530 what is it that one really
is looking for? If one is 43 HP and the other is 46, is that enough to
base a purchase decision? No, I think what matters is how the dirtbike
functions in its intended use. That the difference between 30 and 43 HP
matters but that the difference between similar models of the same class
doesn't. If one is racing then the question is which bike is fastest?
Again, HP doesn't answer that question because one will be faster for
some people while another is faster for others.
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

On Dec 1, 8:15 am, Doug R <scooters... DeleteThis @NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

If they started a horsepower war then we'd end up with production
bikes that put out 100HP from 9000 to 9500 RPM and were dead
everywhere else.

Besides, they would lie anyways. Like when they claim a bike weighs
240 pounds and it's really 275 pounds.
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

On Dec 1, 8:15 am, Doug R <scooters... DeleteThis @NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

Illiteracy maybe? I just put away the CO's for my two new bikes - HP
ratings are printed right on it (certificate of origin). I think they
are printed in the bike manuals too.

CRF250X = 29.x HP; x=?? (damn short term memory loss again)
CR125R = 34.9 HP

The odd thing is that the CRF250X is rated at 33HP by the Honda
marketing department. Several bike rags compared the HP rating to the
XR400, which is rated at 33 HP. Feels more like the 29 (and change)
though. Maybe they accidentlyonpurpose confused it with the CRF250R,
which does make 33-34HP.

As for the CR125, that's almost 4.5 HP/cu in. Damn, that's
impressive.

JayC
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On Dec 1, 5:15 am, Doug R <scooters....DeleteThis@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

Cause then the mags wouldn't be able to say that it has more power
than last year every year.
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

"JayC" <jwc.RemoveThis@sysmatrix.net> wrote in message
news:923c93ef-244f-48d3-8cf0-29b6c9a5d919@b40g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

> As for the CR125, that's almost 4.5 HP/cu in. Damn, that's
> impressive.

Hey, you should buy one to check it out.

-Jeff-
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

"Doug R" <scootersite.TakeThisOut@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fgn2l3lnnv48e3duqb0jjlbmr91bbmi30m@4ax.com...
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

It would upset all of the cagers that a 60hp bike can blow away their 400hp
cage. Also, it would make bikers (not motorcyclists) feel inadequate in
that their ride only has 60hp (even though it feels like it has 400hp).
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

The only important thing about dirtbike power is the nut behind the
handlebars.
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:09:16 -0600, "mrdancer"
<mrdancer.RemoveThis@vyndotmidco.net> wrote:

>"Doug R" <scootersite.RemoveThis@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:fgn2l3lnnv48e3duqb0jjlbmr91bbmi30m@4ax.com...
>> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
>> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
>> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
>> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
>> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?
>
>It would upset all of the cagers that a 60hp bike can blow away their 400hp
>cage. Also, it would make bikers (not motorcyclists) feel inadequate in
>that their ride only has 60hp (even though it feels like it has 400hp).

I seem to recall reading somewhere that a Harley big twin puts out
a whopping 43 hp. Scads of torque, no doubt, but no peak HP.


----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

On Dec 1, 9:13 am, scrape <scrapeNOTHA... RemoveThis @nc.rr.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 01 Dec 2007 08:15:07 -0500, Doug R
>
> <scooters... RemoveThis @NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> >Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> >ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> >could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> >dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> >guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?
>
> They're all bullshit anyway. Car manufacturers tend to
> underreport them the same way bike manufacturers used to inflate
> them
>
> ----
> Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
> ----
 >> Stay informed about: Horsepower For Dirtbikes??? 

On Dec 1, 8:15 am, Doug R <scooters....TakeThisOut@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:
> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?

I'm not sure it all that useful information anyway??? Now if they
showed you the hp/torque curves on a graph...

At one point way back, a cr125 and an uncorked XR400 would have
probably had similar peak hp values (upper 30's?)... but as we all
know they are very different animals.
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On Dec 20, 5:29 am, scrape <scrapeNOTHA....DeleteThis@nc.rr.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:09:16 -0600, "mrdancer"
>
> <mrdan....DeleteThis@vyndotmidco.net> wrote:
> >"Doug R" <scooters....DeleteThis@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:fgn2l3lnnv48e3duqb0jjlbmr91bbmi30m@4ax.com...
> >> Just about everything with an engine publishes it's horsepower
> >> ratings. Cars, lawnmowers, air compressors, I'm not sure, but you
> >> could probably find out the HP for your electric toothbrush. But not
> >> dirt bikes. It seems that the HP on dirt bikes is a more closely
> >> guarded secret than the combination to Fort Knox. Why is that?
>
> >It would upset all of the cagers that a 60hp bike can blow away their 400hp
> >cage. Also, it would make bikers (not motorcyclists) feel inadequate in
> >that their ride only has 60hp (even though it feels like it has 400hp).
>
> I seem to recall reading somewhere that a Harley big twin puts out
> a whopping 43 hp. Scads of torque, no doubt, but no peak HP.
>
> ----
> Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
> ----

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Photos/07_harley_sportster_883_dyn.JPG

Harley Sportster 883 2007 model
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