Progress
 

I see the new Suzuki GSXR250 price has been released but what I noticed more was the claimed power output: 24.7 bhp. In 1968 the Honda CB250 K0 produced 30 bhp at 10,500 rpm, in fact all the 250 cc Japanese bikes of that era produced about 30 bhp but now only the Kawasaki Ninja 250 produces that power.

I wonder why small bikes haven't progressed the same way bigger bikes have; The 1978 Honda CB550/4 produced 50 bhp, the 1998 600 Hornet produced about 100 bhp.

Re: Progress
 

All to do with the new license categories probably.

Re: Progress
 

I think it's more to do with "driveability". If memory serve's (and it is a little time ago) bike of that era such as the CB 125 produced big horsepower for the capacity but at something like 11,000 rpm which at the time was a huge figure. Again as I say it is a while ago but the "Jap" bikes of that time that I can just about remember riding were absolute fliers if you wrung their necks but a tad pedestrian otherwise.

Geoff.

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/cl...3#PageContent3