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Advances in horse power over the years?

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WildGoose
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Joined: 21 Mar 2002
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PostPosted: 19:30 - 27 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Flip flop.

Invented in 1915, by Bradbury + Co.

Fuckers.
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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 21:50 - 27 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote

4 horses back then really meant 4 horses most likely.
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Shaft
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Joined: 27 Dec 2010
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PostPosted: 01:49 - 28 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote

MinhDinh wrote:
4 horses back then really meant 4 horses most likely.


Not necessarily.

Back then, motors were taxed by their HP ratings, so the lower the HP, the lower the overall cost.

The HP ratings were based on the RAC standard, which multiplied bore size by the number of cylinders, nothing to do with swept volume; this lead to lots of undersquare engines, featuring tiny bores and massive strokes.

Granted, the engines of the day weren't hugely powerful (compared to what we can achieve today) but they weren't as poor as their HP ratings would lead us to believe, if you used more modern calculations.

What they were was very torquey, which is why they could pull very tall gearing and often had only two or three speed gearing, or just a single speed direct drive.
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Robby
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Joined: 16 May 2002
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PostPosted: 06:27 - 28 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote

As shaft said, horsepower was measured differently so is not directly comparable with the current measurement of brake horsepower, and a 4hp bike from then would be expected to have more horsepower then a 4 bhp bike today - at a guess more like 8-10 on a modern dyno.

It would feel far more powerful to ride than a modern 4bhp moped. Probably not much more top speed, I wouldn't expect much over 45mph, but more flexibility. It is after all a long stroke low revving 500cc single, so you get plenty of torque from that heavy crank and flywheel.
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