power or torque ?
Discussion
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To be honest, big torque numbers is less relevant with bikes.
In fact, although there are many shades of opinion on this, torque output matters less as the weight of a vehicle drops.
It's handy with big cars, essential with lorries.
So, for a bike, it's not really an issue, unless you weigh 20 stones plus!
Power = torque times revs divided by 5250!
http://ask.cars.com/2007/04/what_is_torque.html
http://ask.cars.com/2007/04/what_is_torque.html
Edited by Beemer-5 on Wednesday 30th January 11:59
CHR, easiest way of explaining it is with a bike with big torque, you can be a lazy git, and not change gear quite as much as you need to on one with big power, and less torque. Sort of the difference between a 600 and a thousand, only different, if you see what I mean.
Personal experience moving from a twin to an IL4, was that the twin would get you to illegal speeds so smoothly you didnt notice it, where the IL4 needed bigger revs to get there, so you hear it more.
Personal experience moving from a twin to an IL4, was that the twin would get you to illegal speeds so smoothly you didnt notice it, where the IL4 needed bigger revs to get there, so you hear it more.
If you're bored and have nothing to do... http://craig.backfire.ca/pages/autos/horsepower
If you want to be a racer, screaming it through all the gears, making sure youre in the right gear all the time.... you want power.
If you want to overtake easily and ride nice n relaxed, torque is what ya need.
Of course, it's not as simple as HOW much torque you have... it's about where does the engine make the torgue in relation to RPM, how long does the torque last as you accelerate etc
If you want to overtake easily and ride nice n relaxed, torque is what ya need.
Of course, it's not as simple as HOW much torque you have... it's about where does the engine make the torgue in relation to RPM, how long does the torque last as you accelerate etc
Power is how fast the back wheel goes
Torque is the force at which the back wheel turns. Its the force of turning.
An engine puts out a certain torque at x amount of bhp.
100bhp @ 12500rpm.
78.6ft-lb of torque
This is high revving bike - you have to get to 12500 revs to make maximum use of the torque
A Harley might put out 78.6bhp of Torque at 5000 rpm. This makes the turning force easier to get to, meaning the bike has more grunt, but less top end insanity...
Torque is the force at which the back wheel turns. Its the force of turning.
An engine puts out a certain torque at x amount of bhp.
100bhp @ 12500rpm.
78.6ft-lb of torque
This is high revving bike - you have to get to 12500 revs to make maximum use of the torque
A Harley might put out 78.6bhp of Torque at 5000 rpm. This makes the turning force easier to get to, meaning the bike has more grunt, but less top end insanity...
Imagine torque as the size of the shove you get when you accelerate.
Now imagine Power is more like the number of these shoves you get per minute.
So a small capacity 600cc sportsbike would have a small torque figure like 40ft-lb. It will never give a huge lunge forward but it will keep giving you that smaller push (more or less) for a wide rev range; probably 7-8,000rpm. So it will be fast.
On a torquey, primitive engine like a Harley, you'll get a much larger lunge forward from the torque but probably only over about a rev range of 3000rpm. You'll need to keep changing up sharpish to stop the engine overrevving or becoming breathless. This type of torque delivery better suits a short-shift style of riding.
On a V-twin you'll get more torque at lower revs due to the larger piston size. The weight of the pistons (and the forces on the conrods etc accelerating this mass) limits the speed they can operate, thus limiting the revs available (as does the breathing of these larger pistons).
Now imagine Power is more like the number of these shoves you get per minute.
So a small capacity 600cc sportsbike would have a small torque figure like 40ft-lb. It will never give a huge lunge forward but it will keep giving you that smaller push (more or less) for a wide rev range; probably 7-8,000rpm. So it will be fast.
On a torquey, primitive engine like a Harley, you'll get a much larger lunge forward from the torque but probably only over about a rev range of 3000rpm. You'll need to keep changing up sharpish to stop the engine overrevving or becoming breathless. This type of torque delivery better suits a short-shift style of riding.
On a V-twin you'll get more torque at lower revs due to the larger piston size. The weight of the pistons (and the forces on the conrods etc accelerating this mass) limits the speed they can operate, thus limiting the revs available (as does the breathing of these larger pistons).
rsv gone! said:
Imagine torque as the size of the shove you get when you accelerate.
Now imagine Power is more like the number of these shoves you get per minute.
So a small capacity 600cc sportsbike would have a small torque figure like 40ft-lb. It will never give a huge lunge forward but it will keep giving you that smaller push (more or less) for a wide rev range; probably 7-8,000rpm. So it will be fast.
On a torquey, primitive engine like a Harley, you'll get a much larger lunge forward from the torque but probably only over about a rev range of 3000rpm. You'll need to keep changing up sharpish to stop the engine overrevving or becoming breathless. This type of torque delivery better suits a short-shift style of riding.
On a V-twin you'll get more torque at lower revs due to the larger piston size. The weight of the pistons (and the forces on the conrods etc accelerating this mass) limits the speed they can operate, thus limiting the revs available (as does the breathing of these larger pistons).
Now imagine Power is more like the number of these shoves you get per minute.
So a small capacity 600cc sportsbike would have a small torque figure like 40ft-lb. It will never give a huge lunge forward but it will keep giving you that smaller push (more or less) for a wide rev range; probably 7-8,000rpm. So it will be fast.
On a torquey, primitive engine like a Harley, you'll get a much larger lunge forward from the torque but probably only over about a rev range of 3000rpm. You'll need to keep changing up sharpish to stop the engine overrevving or becoming breathless. This type of torque delivery better suits a short-shift style of riding.
On a V-twin you'll get more torque at lower revs due to the larger piston size. The weight of the pistons (and the forces on the conrods etc accelerating this mass) limits the speed they can operate, thus limiting the revs available (as does the breathing of these larger pistons).
Torque is how hard you can punch
Power is how fast you can punch.
Engine produce torque (its a rotational force). The more an engine can rev then the more power it will produce.
A high torque engine with low revs (big cc's harley) can produce the same power as a low torque engine with high revs (600cc middleweight) One punches hard but slow the other punches soft but fast. The same result, you get a sore face
p.s. torque is usually measured in Nm or lbft and power in kW or bhp.
Power is how fast you can punch.
Engine produce torque (its a rotational force). The more an engine can rev then the more power it will produce.
A high torque engine with low revs (big cc's harley) can produce the same power as a low torque engine with high revs (600cc middleweight) One punches hard but slow the other punches soft but fast. The same result, you get a sore face
p.s. torque is usually measured in Nm or lbft and power in kW or bhp.
Craphouserat said:
Still bored - maybe reading or trying to read to much. Can someone explain in idiots terms what torque is..is it a good thing or bad thing? It has a lot to do with power right?
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