How to make commuting fun

In communiqué <1iizaku.11q0v0k7zyy4N%>,

Indeed. The 125 30BHP GFRs, being very light and streamlined will
achieve it, but a somewhat heavier and more upright standard Nordwest
with a claimed 45BHP not much more. The gearing is obviously a factor,
and you can guess which is the better for overtaking if baulked by slow
traffic, but I really enjoy thrashing a GFR along, singing it up to the
red line in every gear, tucked down behind the screen.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Indeed, but that pretty little Kwak looks the part. My 8 stone 5'4"
daughter WANTS one and it would certainly be rather quicker for her
than for a less aerodynamic 6foot lardass.

 

Imagine how much better it'd be if it didn't have half the engine
missing!

 

I really doubt you'd see a 100bhp 400 on the road. Not for very long,
anyway.

 

It's got to be possible though. A late-80's/early-90's 400 was making
65-70 bhp, at the same time the 600s were around the 100 bhp mark.

15 years on, and 600s are making 120 odd bhp, so with the same
technology I reckon a current FZR/ZXR/GSXR400 could have 100 bhp.

 

You're nearly right. Yes, there was (and is) a licence break at 400cc,
and it used to be hugely difficult to pass the over-400cc test. The
'shaken' (two-year MoT) was also very stringent.

But all the Japanese firms sold their supersports 400s in the UK as
official bikes. GSXR400, FZR400, VFR400 and yes, the ZXR400. The greys
were hugely popular because they were used, and so very much cheaper.

 

Bollocks. In the same state of tune, you're talking 80bhp from 400cc.

100bhp from 400cc is 250bhp/litre. At the moment, that's for the track
only, and with a fairly short fuse.

 

Bollocks. In the same state of tune, you're talking 80bhp from 400cc.

100bhp from 400cc is 250bhp/litre. At the moment, that's for the track
only, and with a fairly short fuse.

 

Yamaha only sold one model of the FZR400 officially. Honda only sold the
NC30, never the NC21, NC24 or NC35. Kawasaki sold the ZXR400 in
reasonable numbers, to the point that I saw more UK L-model ones than
greys.

Are you quite sure the GSXR400 was *ever* officially imported? I've
never seen an official one and even as greys they were pretty rare. And
what about the CBR400? That was a "supersports 400" but Honda never
brought it in through non-grey channels.

 

I always fancied the 750s more than the litre bikes, but that's probably due
to the old SBK regulations, when the 750s were the epitome of 4-cylinder
sportiness. The GSXR is pretty much the last of the Mohicans, I would love
to own one at some point but even the 600cc supersports are too much, given
our quality of roads and lack of tracks.

Which, to return to the original subject, makes a sporty 250 seem quite
suitable for someone inexperienced who wishes to have a useable tool and
have the occasional mini-blast without too much risk of killing themselves.
Much better than being put off biking by contraptions like the 250 Virago.


Geo

 

GSXR750? Sporty 250? Why decide - get one of each!

 

You jammy gits. Us Eastern Mediterranean Paupers had to make do solely with
grey imports, the Kwak being the notable (and rather late) exception. Having
said that, there was good reason why hardly any 400cc bikes were officially
imported here: The Greeks who desired a cutting-egdge 400cc machine and
could afford one too, were not that many back then. The original-import ZXR
wasn't much of a sales hit AFAIK (most people fancied a CBR400RR Gull-Arm
anyway). And then came the personal loans.....


Geo

 

You could do slightly better than 80bhp, though, as smaller cylinders
are more efficient than bigger ones.

 

That point of view can be biased!

 

Hmmmmyyeeesss... You'd still have to work to get 250bhp/litre from
one, though.

But a really nice little revvy short-stroke 400, downdraught carbs...
well, it would be FI these days, I suppose....

I'd like one.

 

Yes, absolutely certain. Bike tested it, way back when, against the
FZR.

And

Good point. You know, they sold so many greys that Haynes even did a
manual for it, I think. And you're right about the greater variety of
Honda V4s as greys.

 

Imagine how much better it'd be if it didn't have half the engine
missing!
[/QUOTE]

Well yes, or even three-quarters, there is no end to that line of
argument - power corrupts...


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

There's something wrong with my server, it doesn't... serve all messages in
a timely manner. I can see your reply, but not ogden's post, at least not
yet. It did it with a couple of WUN's messages lately, but I haven't
bothered to spot exactly what it delays/omits.

As for ogden's biased view, I would very much like to share it actually, but
there's a couple of things I need to do first, mainly rob a bank and get a
house with a garage. Even then, our roads would still be too shite for a
sportsbike.


Geo

 

125bhp from an initial 100 is a 25% increase, which is already significant;
100bhp from an initial 70 is a heftier 43%. 85+bhp is probably more
reasonable. If they could combine that sort of power with a weight of around
140Kg that would indeed be quite nice[1].

Geo

[1] Since we're talking about things that are unlikely to happen, a new
250cc stroker wouldn't be bad either.