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Old 03-30-2009, 05:10 PM   #24 (permalink)
The Atomic Ass
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mason, OH
Posts: 535

Overland - '24 Nissan Versa S 5MT
90 day: 37.17 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by derangedhermit View Post
My personal opinion on the hp needed differs from his. I think it's a matter of motorcycle safety to have acceleration that can at least keep up with most vehicles around you at low (0-50 mph) speed. 15 lbs all-up weight per hp would be good. For a 350 lb machine with 250 lbs of rider, gear, etc, that means 40 hp. To me 20 lbs/hp is kinda low, and that still means 30 hp - about twice what Vetter ballparks. If you agree with that, then 400cc-500cc is a good range to look in, and even a 650cc single or twin tuned for economy could be a very good choice.
At low speeds one simply needs appropriate gears. My Ninja 250 was a bit bothersome off the line, but after 4K, it screamed past traffic. 26HP at the rear according to one dyno. 300+200=19lb/rwhp.

My Burgman is the same boat, it will accelerate just fine past traffic, and the dyno charts I've seen place between 18 and 19 at the rear. 425+200=32-34lb/rwhp.

Clearly something is very amiss with your numbers, as with a fresh belt, (a requirement of pulling the full torque from the Burger's engine), I can out-accelerate stock Civic's.
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