You need more power these days.

[slider03]

Maybe, instead of more power, in certain cases the bikes could use a little more weight. I've been riding my 800 Vulcan Classic to work this week, 40 miles one way, including a multi lane interstate through St. Louis. The bike has plenty of power, but after being passed by eighteen wheelers on a windy day, a couple hundred pounds would have been helpful.

[ZooTech]

Maybe, instead of more power, in certain cases the bikes could use a little more weight. I've been riding my 800 Vulcan Classic to work this week, 40 miles one way, including a multi lane interstate through St. Louis. The bike has plenty of power, but after being passed by eighteen wheelers on a windy day, a couple hundred pounds would have been helpful.

You can kill two birds with one stone, ya know!

[ronboskz650sr]

Maybe, instead of more power, in certain cases the bikes could use a little more weight. I've been riding my 800 Vulcan Classic to work this week, 40 miles one way, including a multi lane interstate through St. Louis. The bike has plenty of power, but after being passed by eighteen wheelers on a windy day, a couple hundred pounds would have been helpful.

You can kill two birds with one stone, ya know!

In fact if you have more weight, you need more power! Spinning wheel gotta go round...

[slider03]

Well, ZooTech, you've got a point. I think I'm about a year away from a Vulcan 1600 myself, especially if I keep riding to work.

[PhilD9er]

"Lighten up Phil. My post was not directed at you. I specifically said, " folks that I personally know ". I don't knowyou and wouldn't dream of imposing my pomposity on you until I did.

As for YOUR horsepower requirements, if you really need 120 hp at the rear wheel to deal with LA traffic, something is wrong or you're just pulling my chain. '

Sorry about that, John. That day some guy ran a red light and cut me off. I had to do a five foot swerve in nanoseconds. Didn't mean to overreact to you.

Today some guy in a truck ran over people at a bus stop on Sunset. There was a person under the truck and the paramedics were just going about their business with the other victims. He was dead. It was a weird scene.

That sort of thing happens all the time here. People are angry, distracted, in a rush. Yes, you need more power in the engine and brakes. Not to mention nimble handling.

[Uncle_Bob]

Hey Guys Im 22 years old have no bike riding experience and several years of car driving under my belt. I live in a very snow intensive winter wind ice, snow all the time during the winter, and you know what 90% percent of the time when people wind up in the ditch its the 4WD SUV's im not kidding you 9 out of 10 cars that loose control and go in the ditch are 4WD SUV's.
That being said Id like to say something about the German driving discipline.
They have something called "lane discipline" people get ticketed very heavily for stupid things such as following too closeley, not using turng singnals, it doesn happen but raley because the penalty is so high.

[Ninja Geoff]

Hey Guys Im 22 years old have no bike riding experience and several years of car driving under my belt. I live in a very snow intensive winter wind ice, snow all the time during the winter, and you know what 90% percent of the time when people wind up in the ditch its the 4WD SUV's im not kidding you 9 out of 10 cars that loose control and go in the ditch are 4WD SUV's.
That being said Id like to say something about the German driving discipline.
They have something called "lane discipline" people get ticketed very heavily for stupid things such as following too closeley, not using turng singnals, it doesn happen but raley because the penalty is so high.

haha yeah, SUV's do the same thing around here all the time. Best part is passing them in my little japanese car.

And as for the German driving discipline, that's the main differance between their freeway driving abilities and ours, and why they can handle the Autobahn.

[jmillheiser]

SUV drivers end up in the ditch because they think they can drive like its dry out even when its a blizzard. It may get going in the snow better but it stops WORSE than a car due to the extra weight of the vehicle.

As for the German drivers. It takes 18 months and several thoudand dollars worth of driver training to become a licenced driver in Germany. Plus their traffic laws are strictly enforced. Their TUV standards to register a car/bike are also very strict. Modified cars must have safety equipment appropriate to their performance level, heavily modded cars MUST have a rollcage, approved racing seats w/ harnesses, upgraded brakes/tires/suspension, and a function splitter/spoiler. Any bike there must have a steering dampener to run on the autobahn, plus appropriate tires, and the rider must have full gear to go on the autobahn.

[swatter555]

I drive/ride on the LA freeways also, and its every bit as nuts as PhilD9er says it is. For a motorcycle commuter, its dangerous. I dont know what it is about socal, but people drive like they are trying to get a hospital because their wife is in labor. On top of having a lead foot, people are just inconsiderate and often distracted.

I dont find the soccer moms dangerous, I find the people on cell phones in massive SUVs dangerous(this plus soccermom is death on wheels). Plain and simple, when people in socal get on the freeways they are in far too big of a hurry and just plain selfish.

I NEVER saw an overturned car in my life before I moved to socal, but now I see them on a regular basis. How can people be so stupid? A three lane change done in half a second with nary a glance? No problem, we got ya covered. ALL of the traffic doing 20 over the limit? We got ya covered there too. Going 80 with half a car spacing between you and the car in front of you? LA drivers wouldnt miss the chance. Hasnt rained in six months and it starts to rain, should you slow down? Hell no, as a matter of fact you better speed up before all the spots in the mall parking lot are taken and god forbid you have to walk from across the street with an umbrella.

ANYWAY

Do you need a faster bike to survive in LA traffic? Given two riders of the same ability, the one on the faster bike will find functioning in LA traffic easier. When your on a road with half of the traffic doing 20-40mph over the limit, a bike with 30hp is going to be left wanting. Having a bike that is in top gear going 70mph and having lots of torque left to call on instantly is an advantage.

Frankly, I dont commute on the highway here in socal. If you do, then its only a matter of time before all of the luck,speed,and skill in the world wont save you from a cager doing a formula lane change into you from your blind spot.

PhilD9er, sounds like you want a busa or a GSX-R1000.

[Scott58]

Actually cars have alot less power then they did in the 60's. There is just a hell of alot more of them.