Page 3 of 4

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:52 am
by Couchy
cheb wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:19 am I'm genuinely surprised it only produces 74bhp, I'd have guessed at over 100bhp based on what 1000cc bikes make, AFAIK anyway.
1000cc parallel twin Honda is 95hp so this is in the ball park for a 690 parallel twin, tbh itโ€™s higher tuned than the Honda ๐Ÿ‘

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 12:00 pm
by weeksy
Couchy wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:52 am
cheb wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:19 am I'm genuinely surprised it only produces 74bhp, I'd have guessed at over 100bhp based on what 1000cc bikes make, AFAIK anyway.
1000cc parallel twin Honda is 95hp so this is in the ball park for a 690 parallel twin, tbh itโ€™s higher tuned than the Honda ๐Ÿ‘
Yeah I guess it makes sense
Er6 - 649cc is 70
Sv650 - 649cc is 75
Mt07 - 689cc is 74
Ktm 790 - 790cc is 99
Ktm 890 - 890cc is 115

So it's in the right ball park.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 12:23 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
I spent far too long thinking about what to buy, went round in circles with it, and then bought a bike I'd never considered because I like the colour.

I seriously thought about the R7, but it's not really what I'm after, as I like 4 cylinders and 90+ bhp, a lot of my bike buying process was working out what I didn't want.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 12:51 pm
by cheb
It would have helped if I'd read more about it and not assumed it was an IL4. The trouble is that most modern bikes don't catch my interest.

I'll put the dunce cap on and sit in the corner for a bit.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 1:28 pm
by Mussels
Couchy wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:51 am It's nice, I reckon she would lap quicker and exit corners quicker than on the 600 as the CP2 engine has great grunt for this. The only time she'd miss the power is at silverstone. I'd be surprised if she'd lose too much on the straights tbh. Map and exhaust and it would be nearly 80hp at the wheel and with getting on the power earlier the straight bit wouldn't be much different. What would be is how it feels once wound up on the straight so she may feel she's going slower. Also the suspension won't be as good as the ZX6 but that's easily sorted
That sounds more expensive than buying a zx6.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 6:28 pm
by weeksy
"why the fuck are you sending me new bikes"

I'm guessing she wasn't that bothered then lol

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:13 pm
by Skub
cheb wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 12:51 pm The trouble is that most modern bikes don't catch my interest.
Be careful. Look what happened the Cheese. :silent:

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:06 am
by weeksy

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:11 am
by wull
Just read the review with the comparison on the website last night. Useable power I suppose, I think on tighter sections and shorter tracks but more open tracks it would start to fall behind.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:16 am
by weeksy
wull wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:11 am Just read the review with the comparison on the website last night. Useable power I suppose, I think on tighter sections and shorter tracks but more open tracks it would start to fall behind.
Absolutely agree. I think these bikes are the sort of bikes and style you have to be into BEFORE you buy it, like the KTM 690/790, like the Supermotos, like the Aprilia RS660, if you're not already into it, then you're likely to find it lacking. I can't see any way i could sell this as an idea to @Welsh Muffin but in reality i think it'd be a bloody fantastic bike for her for 90% of the time. It'd be cheap enough, in warranty and some cool tech.. But i think she'd get off it and think "bleurrrghhh where's the power"

All of that said, assuming we book Silverstone for the day, she'll be testing one :)

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:18 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Depends on which group you're in Novice you can easily be the fastest person on track with 74 bhp

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:23 am
by weeksy
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:18 am Depends on which group you're in Novice you can easily be the fastest person on track with 74 bhp
Only if you're in the wrong group. If you can beat 200bhp novices on a 74bhp bike then you should be in inters

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:26 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:23 am
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:18 am Depends on which group you're in Novice you can easily be the fastest person on track with 74 bhp
Only if you're in the wrong group. If you can beat 200bhp novices on a 74bhp bike then you should be in inters
Trouble is then I feel I'm getting in the way of the quick people, which is really unpleasant, and, yes, I need to man up and be a big boy and go in inters, and it was a 55 - 60bhp 30 year old bike.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am
by weeksy
I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:40 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate
Your old 690 (after you owned it) when I followed it at Snetterton had similar engine performance to my FZR400.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:42 am
by Count Steer
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate
I know there are limits on time available etc but wouldn't it make sense to split novices groups at, say, 100bhp?

That way the handy rider with 75-80bhp isn't stuck with the sort of 200bhp rider that 3d-bits all the corners and beans it on all the straights etc.

<devils advocate>Put a blanket 100bhp limit on the novices groups. If you're a novice, what exactly are you going to do with a 200bhp bike anyway? :D </da>

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:43 am
by weeksy
Count Steer wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:42 am
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate
I know there are limits on time available etc but wouldn't it make sense to split novices groups at, say, 100bhp?

That way the handy rider with 75-80bhp isn't stuck with the sort of 200bhp rider that 3d-bits all the corners and beans it on all the straights etc.

<devils advocate>Put a blanket 100bhp limit on the novices groups. If you're a novice, what exactly are you going to do with a 200bhp bike anyway? :D </da>
It's a nice idea but you'd only get 3-4 bikes most days

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:46 am
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Count Steer wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:42 am
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate
I know there are limits on time available etc but wouldn't it make sense to split novices groups at, say, 100bhp?

That way the handy rider with 75-80bhp isn't stuck with the sort of 200bhp rider that 3d-bits all the corners and beans it on all the straights etc.

<devils advocate>Put a blanket 100bhp limit on the novices groups. If you're a novice, what exactly are you going to do with a 200bhp bike anyway? :D </da>
TBH it isn't a big problem for me, I can always find space to ride away from other people, I'll usually go out at the front of the group, and at Snetterton by the end of the session I'm lapping the people on 200 bhp bikes, at Cadwell I'm catching them up halfway through the session, so I pull into the pits, have a little break and go out again.

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:56 am
by Count Steer
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:46 am
Count Steer wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:42 am
weeksy wrote: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:28 am I agree, it's a dilemma on low powered bikes and there's no easy answer. After years of 690s I can relate
I know there are limits on time available etc but wouldn't it make sense to split novices groups at, say, 100bhp?

That way the handy rider with 75-80bhp isn't stuck with the sort of 200bhp rider that 3d-bits all the corners and beans it on all the straights etc.

<devils advocate>Put a blanket 100bhp limit on the novices groups. If you're a novice, what exactly are you going to do with a 200bhp bike anyway? :D </da>
TBH it isn't a big problem for me, I can always find space to ride away from other people, I'll usually go out at the front of the group, and at Snetterton by the end of the session I'm lapping the people on 200 bhp bikes, at Cadwell I'm catching them up halfway through the session, so I pull into the pits, have a little break and go out again.
You're not actually a novice though.

It would be interesting to see, if some track day outfit did restricted bhp sessions, if more people would turn out. Personally, I'd be more tempted to go if there were sessions with better matched bike and rider capabilities.

(I think I'd learn more trying to hustle a lower powered bike around rather than playing 'twist and hang on' too).

Re: So how do I persuade the wife that 74bhp is enough for her

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:58 am
by weeksy
Problem is the risk factor for organiser, they know they'll fill all groups all day in standard 3 group setup