Horsepower vs. Torque ?

[Rebel73_imp]

It seems that car and motorcycle people are often obsessed with horsepower, but from what I've gathered, it seems that torque is actually the more important number in the real world.

Horsepower seems to become more important at triple digit speeds, such as in racing, but getting onto freeway on-ramps and 0-60 is more about the torque.

Thoughts?

[the Ferret]

Torque makes you move... Horsepower makes you move fast.

[gossman_imp]

Torques is why Harleys can be tough for a Hayabusa to beat in the 1/4 mile.

[the Ferret]

Any Harley Davidson that gives a Hyabusa a hard time in the quarter also has an abundance of horsepower.

107 ft lbs of torque and 75 horsepower will come off the line easily and quickly but will run out of steam fairly early in the game.

107 pounds of torque and 75 horsepower will haul 2 with luggage effortlessly up to about 90 mph though.

A well balanced bike has both.

[Rebel73_imp]

I think torque is more directly correlated with acceleration, and horsepower more with top end speed.

[the Ferret]

Rollie Free's Vincent ran 150.313 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1948 with about 70 horsepower. Just took a long time and a guy foolish enough to wear nothing but a bathing suit to do it lol

Ironically an unrestricted 85 Horsepower CB 1100 will not match that speed on the street since the fastest one reported has gone 134 mph (properly geared it would undoubtedly do it on the Salt Flats). Not much progress in 67 years eh?

[Ack-CB11_imp]

I think of it this way. Torque gets you going, HP keeps you going.

[Rebel73_imp]

That's part of my point. How often do we really go 100+?
I may flirt with the ton on occasion, but I'll never marry it. Lol.

[flynrider]

I've never really understood this discussion. Torque is one of the two measurable components used to derive engine horsepower. The other is RPM, but you never hear anyone comparing horsepower vs. RPM.

An engine that puts out a lot of torque, but doesn't rev very high is power equivalent to an engine the puts out a lower torque value, but revs faster. Gobs of torque at really low RPMs are ideal for things like tractors and military tanks. Tiny amounts of torque spun at really high rpm are good for things like turboprop engines on airplanes. Both of the above engines can have the exact same amount of horsepower, but torque and RPM relationships are quite different, to suit their very different needs.

[gossman_imp]

Any Harley Davidson that gives a Hyabusa a hard time in the quarter also has an abundance of horsepower.

107 ft lbs of torque and 75 horsepower will come off the line easily and quickly but will run out of steam fairly early in the game.

107 pounds of torque and 75 horsepower will haul 2 with luggage effortlessly up to about 90 mph though.

A well balanced bike has both.

You are right, I should have said 1/8 mile they will give the Hayabusa a battle.