15hp ain't much is it?

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Sadlonelygit
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15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Sadlonelygit »

Just took the rebuilt KTM out for a shakedown run.
Honestly thought there was something wrong with it going up the hill to the main road! Once I got on the flat, and started to give it a bit of 'encouragement' it dawned on me that
a) 15hp from a 4t ain't a lot
b) I guess they're designed for 17yo streaks of piss.
It's as flat as a fart until 8k, then picks up a bit ( keeping it to 9k for a few miles)
Ian
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Ian »

Luxury, I remember when all we had were 5bhp on FS1Es and Bantams and we were the fast kids compared to poor buggers on SS50s. Try telling that to kids today...
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by David »

My LE has 8bhps on a good day.....
Sadlonelygit
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Sadlonelygit »

Ian wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 2:07 pm Luxury, I remember when all we had were 5bhp on FS1Es and Bantams and we were the fast kids compared to poor buggers on SS50s. Try telling that to kids today...
But we didn't have quite as much 'luggage' as we do now!
Mr. Dazzle
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

15bhp is enough to drive a car along at 70mph TBF.

You just need the other 385bhp to get there in a decent time. :D
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Ian »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 3:13 pm 15bhp is enough to drive a car along at 70mph TBF
Is it you that has the Austin Allegro VDP ?
Sadlonelygit
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Sadlonelygit »

Out of interest I had a look at the performance figures.
Peak torque is at 8000rpm
Peak power is at 9250rpm
A_morti
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by A_morti »

My CBR250R had an alleged 24hp when it was new.
It's not a whole lot with me and my kid on board, but it barely sips at fuel and still gets out of its own way well enough.
Not sure I'd want to e.g. halve that by trading in for a CBR125.
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Scotsrich
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Scotsrich »

One of my mates sons has a CBR 125 and it goes far quicker than you’d expect. Well above the 70mph top speed often quoted.

On our Wednesday night ride outs there’s certainly no waiting for him.
The Spin Doctor
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by The Spin Doctor »

How about 12?

That's what these new Hondas put out...

Here is the CGX150...


Image


And this one is the CB150X


Image


Asia only I'm afraid.
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by mangocrazy »

Life appears to have gone full circle, but not in a good way. In the late 60s, when I was a spotty teenager, the Suzuki B100P (henceforth known as the bloop) was on sale in the UK. It made 11 bhp, weighed a paltry 88kg and was (by the standards of the day) pretty much bulletproof for a stinkwheel. It would do 65mph, virtually ran on fumes and was a fantastic little workhorse.

Is there anything even remotely comparable today?
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MyLittleStudPony
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by MyLittleStudPony »

My Honda XL185s had about 16bhp.

It felt quite peppy at lower speeds and wheeled easily. It was really light with what felt like good low down torque.
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

125s are limited to a smidge under 15bhp by default right? That's what you can ride on CBT+Ls?
Sadlonelygit
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Sadlonelygit »

MyLittleStudPony wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 8:53 am My Honda XL185s had about 16bhp.

It felt quite peppy at lower speeds and wheeled easily. It was really light with what felt like good low down torque.
Can't beat the cubes!
Had the same, reasonably quick up to 50, then the last 10mph took forever!
Did my first LDT on mine. Indestructible bit of kit
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by The Spin Doctor »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 9:05 am 125s are limited to a smidge under 15bhp by default right? That's what you can ride on CBT+Ls?
11kW.

Approx 14.6 hp.

The old Varadero 125 was on the limit... I clocked one of those at a GPS certified 70 mph.

The CG beloved of CBT schools was a claimed 11 hp. They used to do about 65 flat out when I was following them.
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Whysub
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Whysub »

My 125 Cagiva Mito had 33 bhp as it was designed to have. The 15 bhp restrictor kit strangled the life out of it.
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Re: 15hp ain't much is it?

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Whysub wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:41 pm My 125 Cagiva Mito had 33 bhp as it was designed to have. The 15 bhp restrictor kit strangled the life out of it.
A derestricted Cagiva Mito was the absolute holy grail motorbike for the 17 year old me with my 33bhp limit, just about pipping the RS125.

I had a restricted grey import Honda 400 instead. :lol: