Are Big Capacity and/or High Powered Bikes Days Numbered?

[Tango]

Watching fuel prices rising almost daily got me wondering about the future of high capacity/High powered bikes.

The new Honda NT1100 "only" puts out 100bhp, which is being met with disgust from the motorcycle press from what I've seen so far. But is this a move by Honda to start really working on managing their range of bikes for the future. Focusing more on fuel consumption and stepping away from the BHP "arms race"?

I also saw that Kawasaki's business plan is to go all electric by 2035. 

What's your thoughts and is there a cut-off point with fuel prices where you'd seriously think about getting a bike based on its consumption figures rather than any other aspect?

[Pedro]

I would appreciate cheaper gas prices for sure, but my 1200 uses less than 5 lt/100km, if I ride normally and stay out of motorways it's got enough of a fuel range that I forget about gas prices between fill ups 

It'll take a while for me to consider exceptionally low fuel consumption as something that draws me to a bike, however, high fuel consumption does make me turn away from one, that has always been the case.

[XTreme]

The reality is (and I've been saying it for years) nobody needs more than 100bhp. You may want it......but you don't need it!

My bike just sips fuel anyway......so increasing prices are not going to make a great deal of difference to me.

[Tango]

25 minutes ago, XTreme said:

 

My bike just sips fuel anyway......so increasing prices are not going to make a great deal of difference to me.

Is that what attracted you to the bike in the first place, Pete?

[Tango]

39 minutes ago, Pedro said:

I would appreciate cheaper gas prices for sure, but my 1200 uses less than 5 lt/100km, if I ride normally and stay out of motorways it's got enough of a fuel range that I forget about gas prices between fill ups 

It'll take a while for me to consider exceptionally low fuel consumption as something that draws me to a bike, however, high fuel consumption does make me turn away from one, that has always been the case.

With gas prices going up the way they are at the moment do you not notice the difference between your fill-ups? 

If 1000cc+ bikes disappeared from the market, would that have a big effect on you?

[XTreme]

Just now, Tango said:

Is that what attracted you to the bike in the first place, Pete?

Not at all Bob!

What attracted me to it was it's a Thumper (I love 'em) and it's light at 190kg. Plus the underseat fuel tank gives it a low centre of gravity which is a big difference to the top-heavy Strom.

Fuel consumption wasn't a consideration at all.....it's just an additional benefit.

[Catteeclan]

It's weight does matter as I've aged but it was more of what I could getup of a tankful that influenced my purchase.
As for big bikes, once again age has mellowed me so grunt of overtaking something far outweighs out and out power so a larger capacity bike would still be attractive to me.

[Tango]

Back in my youth I had a mate that told me and the others that he was going to give up drinking beer when it got to 50p a pint! How we all laughed! Well, I think that after a budget beer did hit 50p a pint, so he stopped drinking...........for a whole week! Obviously we ripped the piss out of him when he came back to the pub! 

But, unleaded has hit €1.63/litre at our local supermarket and I'd not be surprised to see it hit €2/litre by Christmas.  My bike seems to have settled at 3.1L/100km, so I'm not too worried, but I'm guessing that some will be starting to feel the pinch. The government is even talking about issuing fuel vouchers for people on low incomes!

Car engine sizes seem to be getting smaller, so I expect that there will be a move from the bike manufacturers to reduce the number of higher capacity bikes?

[skyrider]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

With gas prices going up the way they are at the moment do you not notice the difference between your fill-ups? 

If 1000cc+ bikes disappeared from the market, would that have a big effect on you?

not a chance never had a bike bigger than a 600 anyway

[Pedro]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

With gas prices going up the way they are at the moment do you not notice the difference between your fill-ups? 

If 1000cc+ bikes disappeared from the market, would that have a big effect on you?

I notice the difference in prices, obviously, at putting in 25 liters at a time it shows. My joke was that it it does have autonomy so I forget about the cost and just enjoy it.

 

I bought my bike for touring with a passenger, for that I do think the torque of a big bike is ideal, and carrying loads it's not necessarily less economical than a smaller bike. If I was restricted to 1000 then I would get a 1000, I wouldn't cry over it nor would it be the end of the world, but I would rather have mine. In fact, If BMW made a boxer 1000cc I would go and ride one to see how it would be, as a solo rider now I think it would be really cool.

[Pedro]

As a side note, big capacity engines aren't ending, what might be ending is stock bikes with big specific horsepower numbers.

[XTreme]

10 minutes ago, Tango said:

But, unleaded has hit €1.63/litre at our local supermarket

Around €1.40 here!

[Tango]

8 minutes ago, Pedro said:

I notice the difference in prices, obviously, at putting in 25 liters at a time it shows. My joke was that it it does have autonomy so I forget about the cost and just enjoy it.

 

I bought my bike for touring with a passenger, for that I do think the torque of a big bike is ideal, and carrying loads it's not necessarily less economical than a smaller bike. If I was restricted to 1000 then I would get a 1000, I wouldn't cry over it nor would it be the end of the world, but I would rather have mine. In fact, If BMW made a boxer 1000cc I would go and ride one to see how it would be, as a solo rider now I think it would be really cool.

Yes, sometimes you cannot put a price on something, the cost is not a factor in the benefit it gives. 

I had an R90/7 back in the day.

[Tango]

9 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Around €1.40 here!

Ours is for E10, too!! Diesel is a bit cheaper. 

[Skippy]

I’ve had a huge number of big capacity, powerful bikes over the years including GSXR’s, Blades, Zx’s, R1’s and of course, a couple of Hayabusas. I can honestly say I’ve been a passenger on all of them as my skills and abilities are far outweighed by those of the bikes.

Moving on and having recently picked up a cosmetically challenged, 23 year old CBR600F3 with only a 100bhp (on a good day) I cannot understand why 99% of us would ever need anymore. It’s still far faster than me and handles more than well enough for public roads.

The problem is that bikes sell based on what we want rather than what we need. Mind you, that’s half the fun right?

[XTreme]

18 minutes ago, Skippy said:

I’ve had a huge number of big capacity, powerful bikes over the years including GSXR’s, Blades, Zx’s, R1’s and of course, a couple of Hayabusas. I can honestly say I’ve been a passenger on all of them as my skills and abilities are far outweighed by those of the bikes.

Moving on and having recently picked up a cosmetically challenged, 23 year old CBR600F3 with only a 100bhp (on a good day) I cannot understand why 99% of us would ever need anymore. It’s still far faster than me and handles more than well enough for public roads.

The problem is that bikes sell based on what we want rather than what we need. Mind you, that’s half the fun right?

Word on the street is you're considering a Chinky Ray? 

[Skippy]

45 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Word on the street is you're considering a Chinky Ray? 

Blimey, someone’s been gossiping. Always partial to a takeaway Pete. Dunno, I do like a curry and of course there’s always an Italian…..

[busabeast]

3 hours ago, XTreme said:

Not at all Bob!

What attracted me to it was it's a Thumper (I love 'em) and it's light at 190kg. Plus the underseat fuel tank gives it a low centre of gravity which is a big difference to the top-heavy Strom.

Fuel consumption wasn't a consideration at all.....it's just an additional benefit.

190kg is still fairly hefty though I know weight distribution is a big part of it its still quite alot my ninja is about 175kg though I know not everyone could live with the frog position 

[Six30]

4 hours ago, XTreme said:

The reality is (and I've been saying it for years) nobody needs more than 100bhp. You may want it......but you don't need it!

My bike just sips fuel anyway......so increasing prices are not going to make a great deal of difference to me.

Speak for yourself Miss Daisy

[XTreme]

6 minutes ago, Six30 said:

Speak for yourself Miss Daisy

That 100+ bhp must make a big difference in the back of your van?

[busabeast]

Just now, XTreme said:

That 100+ bhp must make a big difference in the back of your van?

I think mine has about 115 but I want a busa so looking at 190 odd, yes I don't need all that power but I WANT IT!!

[Skippy]

3 minutes ago, Richzx6r said:

I think mine has about 115 but I want a busa so looking at 190 odd, yes I don't need all that power but I WANT IT!!

See, I was right. Bikes are about ‘want’ rather than ‘need’. I need a car but I don’t really want one.

[busabeast]

Just now, Skippy said:

See, I was right. Bikes are about ‘want’ rather than ‘need’. I need a car but I don’t really want one.

Well im also looking at a 2014 beemer 7 series, I quite like them and £14.5k with 75k miles isn't bad value 

[Skippy]

Just now, Richzx6r said:

Well im also looking at a 2014 beemer 7 series, I quite like them and £14.5k with 75k miles isn't bad value 

I guess for me I’ve never been in a position to buy a car that would have excited me……..the nearest I got was a Triumph TR7 when I was 20 years old and much later an early Audi TT so that says it all really. Not much of a four wheeled pedigree!

[Six30]

5 minutes ago, Richzx6r said:

Well im also looking at a 2014 beemer 7 series, I quite like them and £14.5k with 75k miles isn't bad value 

For 15k you’ll get one with indicators