I had a great run thru the nasho on the weekend with a KTM 1190 RC8. anyone who knows the road south of Sydney knows that it is a tight and windy bit of road, about 35 miles long with some ultra fast and ultra tight sections, lots of change in elevation. Great ride.

The KTM and the RK were even as long as I was in the right gear and we were doing up to about 120. Above 120 he really started to walk away. The Kings barn-door aerodynamics package was holding me back.

Driving out of the corners he was often a gear too high and I could wind 2 bike lengths on him while he waited to get on the cam, and then he would take it back off once we got above about 110 to 120. I think the KTM wasnt making the 150hp that it is supposed to have, he should have been able to put more on me than that.

I would say he was riding about 6/10 and I was about 8/10, I have ridden that road harder than that on my own before (with a lot more scraping and a few o fark moments at the turn in point!!), I didnt realise how fast the king is until I could keep a 1200cc sport bike with an average pilot in my sights.

When we got to the end of the run the look on the KTM riders face was priceless. He asked if the king was stock (duh). I asked him how hard he was going and he said he was flat out down the straights, pushing moderately thru the corners which was basically what I was doing. He couldnt beleive the triple lights were still in his mirrors. He wasnt valentino rossi but he could ride ok, I am sure a better rider (or one prepared to take more risk) would have kicked my azz, but thats not the point. In real world riding the 09 is fuggin fast in a straight line and thru a set of corners.

BTW the brembos were stunning, pulling up from those speeds time and time again and only going a little spongy.

My 124 is pulling 122 ft lb @4500 and 123 hp @ 6000, AF is all over the place and goes from 16:1 @ 4200 to 12.8:1 @6250. Torque is 117 @ 3500 and 112 @5500. She needs a custom map which is happening next service, hopefully getting the fuelling right will put her in the 130/130 bracket which is where she should be.

The driveline is stock and I worry that a hard 1st gear launch is gonna pull the mainshaft out of the box, or break the belt, or walk the layshaft out the trap door, so that mechanical sympathy prevents me from hitting her too hard before second gear. Its a miracle that the gearbox can handle more than double the stock power and torque and I dont want to push it too hard. I would like to upgrade to a Baker F6F (and a stronger clutch) as soon as they get a kit for the 09, and then I would like to take her to a strip.

Anyhow, long post but the bottom line is I think I could give a 600 some real competition in a straight line, if that was my thing. But for real fun I am gonna lurk around the nasho and wait for the next superbike. Just the look on their faces is worth the cost of the fuel.

 

Rice burners have narrow power curves - the power comes on hard and then dies - until you shift (up) back into it. Close ratio transmissions are a must for these engines because of this fact. The thing is, while the clutch is in - you're not accelerating. An engine that has a broad power curve (torque/hp) has the advantage here. I agree that the skill of the rider has a lot to say re outcome - stoplight-stoplight. In this type of competition Harley might have a chance (dpending on rider). At a drag strip(?); forget it! There is no stock harley that can get down to under 12 sec over 1/4 imo.

Anyway, it's a different market demographic - the picnic thing (or cross country) is a good comparison in MOCO's favor. When was the last time you saw Kawasaki tattooed on someone's arm? As far as the market goes - HD is solid and will continue to be UNLESS THEY PULL A COCA-COLA (you know, the REAL thing).

 

Most of the answers you've gotten are sort of right......the fact is it would depend on where and what type of race you are looking at.

1/8 mile or less and I think you would hand him his ***. My Night Train can pull a small crotch HARD from a dead stop but once he gets rolling then we're done. A small bike is usually a wheelie machine if they launch too hard and a built HD isn't.

My 2 cents.

 

A 600 should still have the edge from anything but really low speeds. Your bike should be similar to (or a little slower) a V-Rod, and a V-Rod accelerates slower than a 600. It's all in how you ride the bike. Ride it a couple of gears too high and you take the edge off the performance.

 

That's quite a big generalization. Have you ever ridden a sportbike? Look at the link below and tell me that's a narrow power curve.

http://www.areapnolimits.com/images/...8_dyno_big.gif

And typically the power doesn't just die off, quite the opposite actually. Sportbikes usually have alot more over rev capabilities than a Harley. Most sportbikes also have alot better roll-on acceleration in 6th gear than just about any cruiser. So actually you have to use the gearbox more on a cruiser than you do on a big sportbike.

 

Any rider with half a clue on a sportbike isn't going to be using his clutch in that scenario however...a VERY slight rolloff of throttle and you can click it up a gear with no effort. By the time a 600 gets to, say, 30mph it will be over anyways. He'll rocket up to 80 from there and then once in second you can kiss him goodbye. The Harley will have shifted 3 times at least and lost more time doing it. Anyone who doesn't believe that hasn't ridden a modern sportbike.

 

And kingkingking, I think your scenario came down to rider skill and comfort with your respective machines. That KTM in the hands of an experienced and confident rider should walk away from a heavy tourer, regardless of the powerplant you've got. The power to weight ratio and suspension capabilities of the KTM are far greater than even highly modified Harleys.

 

Pulled up to a Ninja (600cc) last week at a stop light. I'm at just over 100/100... Someone had the great insight of saying "don't let them know you're racing"
Well, that didn't work either. I lifted the wheel in 1st and 2nd riding for all it was worth. He pulled up next to me,tilted his head as if saying "really?"
At that point I think he got serious, slid back, and punched it. At 105 I gave up, but in honesty it was over @ 45mph...
I knew I had 0% chance of winning, just wanted to see how bad it would be. I have no idea what it would take to win, but at these weights... twice what I had might have been a respectable loss..............

 

Look, no offense, I own a Street Glide and love it. I used to ride sport bikes. If you know how to ride and use a clutch, there is seldom a contest between a Harley and a sport bike. As others have stated the weight to hp ratio is your first big obstacle and then there is the clutch. If you want a fast bike that is somewhat reliable buy a sport bike.

 

My buddy has an 05 Night Train that he has been sinking tons of money in. He now has about 70K into between motors and paint jobs etc... He now has an S&S 124 that pushes about 130hp and 155lbs torque. He has raced several 600's for short distances (red light to red light) and smoked them all. Now he claims the bike doesn't scare him as it use to so now he wants a Boss Hoss. I told him to save his money and buy a 1000cc or higher crotch rocket and he will be thrilled over the performance, but he refused to own jap