Is 50 BHP as much horsepower as you'll ever need?

[Thumper]

I am glad the States I have lived in (OH, OR, CA, MO, NM) have one motorcycle endorsement level, one skills test, typically operated by the State police. Covers anything from a Honda XL150 to a loaded Honda Valkyrie !

But for highway, it isn't just about horspower, it is about weight for stability. Yes, you want to be able to SCOOT away from certain situations, so power to weight is a serious consideration, but I prefer at least 500 lbs for bucking wind and the billowing air that pushes a bike near the front of a semi tractor trailer, and cross winds. So 60 or 70hp makes the power/weight work better. It also create a more stable, less jouncy ride (momentum), provided the suspension is decent. Lighter bikes can have jarring response to road anomalies.

Something like the CFmoto 450MT can definitely handle the road, but another 100 lbs and another 15hp would make it much more comfortable for a long ride. I guess it depends on how you use it. If you load it up with luggage, that power to weight ratio is going to drop.

One bike for the road, one bike for off road (or a capable dual sport). Yes, it means you need two bikes, but highways and trails are just so completely different.

My KTM 250SX makes high forties without wringing it out, but it weighs less than 240lb soaking wet. It is just dangerous on the road in anything less than ideal conditions and light traffic!

[XLsior]

The compromise comes when you want to get off the freeway/highway and hit dirt and gravel...


I'm not talking enduro style single track...


Just you're average rural back road, fire trail or the point at which asphalt ends...


I agree if all you want to do is eat up open roads and resist getting blown about then the power and weight needs to beef up a bit more. There is a reason Goldwings exists.



The thing about the MT450 for me is that engine is just silk compared to the CG250 paint shaker...and there is nothing like it for the $ if a twin cylinder is the name of the game at that budget level.



I tend to avoid riding the XL185 on windy days just because the buffeting is actually dangerous.


I could see how the RE 350 range might be enough...


Though it's multiple hours of riding to get anywhere here in Australia which is about as big as the entire USA and we could probably agree there there's areas with a whole lot of nothing in between

[ProDigit]

Personally, I have no problems getting blown around on any bike, which goes from a 100 lbs bicycle with a 33cc engine, to a 550 lbs beast.

I prefer bikes under 300 lbs wet weight, the lighter the better. It allows me to easier avoid obstacles, unlike a large and heavy Honda or Harley which will probably hit objects head on.

Both big and small bikes have a strip the size of 1/2 by 1.5 inch of rubber contacting the ground. Now you decide which one has the better stopping power or grip....

[TominMO]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Both big and small bikes have a strip the size of 1/2 by 1.5 inch of rubber contacting the ground. Now you decide which one has the better stopping power or grip....

Tire contact patch is determined by the width, diameter, and inflation of the tire, so it can vary pretty widely. And larger brakes stop bigger bikes.