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Thruxton R has adequate power to ride on Freeway

5K views 25 replies 17 participants last post by  exc911ence 
#1 ·
I chuckled when reading on the TPUSA thread ( aircooled twins, technical) how one member bemoaning the demise ot TPUSA felt a Thruxton 1200 would not have adequate horsepower for freeway riding. He felt that a TPUSA modified 865 bored to 904 or larger would be better suited to the job.

I don't ride like this and I can't imagine surviving for long doing so. It does hopefully put to rest the silly idea that the new Thruxton 1200s are lacking in power for any type of road use.

Glen

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=jdq_cZN8nbE
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm sure your 865 has plenty of speed for freeway riding. My Buddy has a dead stock 2014 865 and it works very well on Interstates, provided you aren't trying to keep up with an insanely ridden zx14.
My stock 1975 Norton Commando has more than adequate power and speed for any freeway, as does my 1947 Vincent.

Most modern bikes now are so overpowered that some owners get to thinking that we must have at least hundred and fifty horsepower just to trundle down the freeway.
If one really wants a bike with a wicked amount of power, an 865 Bonneville seems a strange starting point, but I guess TPUSA made a business of this for awhile.

Glen
 
#8 ·
I've ridden a ZX-14 and I promise you he was using half his throttle while the Thrux was getting it's neck wrung, but the point (at least to me) is a TR should be plenty for any highway riding below the threshold of what would have you on Global News at 6 and the front page of the Province if the cops caught you here. I guess you can roll like that in Malaysia. I would like to see that same match up on a much twistier less car-trafficked road.
 
#9 ·
I've ridden a ZX-14 and I promise you he was using half his throttle while the Thrux was getting it's neck wrung
Absolutely. The Thruxton wouldn't stand a hope in hell of keeping up with a ZX-14 if the vehicles weren't there. This is simply a competition to see how fast two riders are prepared to go past vehicles on a busy road, and if the ZX-14 rider was stupid (and suicidal) enough to open it up fully he'd probably be dead before the end of the video.
Let's get real, don't bother trying to compare things like the Thruxton to a sports bike. It's like comparing a Ford Fiesta to a WRX. They can both be driven fast, but one is seriously more powerful :)

Having said that, it does show that the stability and handling of the Thruxton is acceptable. It's certainly not real racing, but I've been on a few modern bikes that would scare the hell out of me if I slipped around cars on bends at that speed. Good reason for choosing the 'R' version.
 
#10 ·
That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The R has plenty of go. Even my bone stock Bonny 865 has enough power for highway use.

It could use more more overtaking oomph at the legal limit but otherwise it's perfectly fine. The R would burn past cars like they're standing still.

Besides... anything over 75mph and the wind starts getting annoying.

As for the vid, well, those riders are just being dolts. The ZX14 rider has the distinction though of being a relaxed dolt...
 
#11 ·
That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The R has plenty of go. Even my bone stock Bonny 865 has enough power for highway use.
It could use more more overtaking oomph at the legal limit but otherwise it's perfectly fine. The R would burn past cars like they're standing still.
Besides... anything over 75mph and the wind starts getting annoying.
As for the vid, well, those riders are just being dolts. The ZX14 rider has the distinction though of being a relaxed dolt...
What's the stupidest thing? That the ZX-14 is faster than the Thruxton, or the fact that people are claiming that the Thruxton is able to keep up with a ZX-14? :)

Just to talk statistics instead of BS, we have a bike with 100lb/ft / 160hp vs one with 75lb/ft / 85hp. I mean seriously, why are we even having this conversation?

If you want to beat a ZX-14 (in a straight line), buy a supercharged Hyabusa. If you prefer the more relaxed low-revving, strong (but not ridiculous) power of a nice bike, get a Thruxton-R.

Let's move on.
 
#14 ·
No, what the OP was talking about (the lamentation elsewhere about the R's suitability for the freeway).
I thought it was quite clear what I'm talking about?????
ETA: I get it now, you thought I was replying to you! Rest assured I was just waffling in general.
Oh, no problem, I thought that's what you were referring to. My response was also intended as a reference to the people imagining the Thruxton could give that bike a run for it's money, and not aimed at you either :)
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
I don't think anyone seriously thinks the Thruxton R is as fast as a zx14 in a straight line. What got to me was the discussion and sort of concept put forward ( in another thread elsewhere) that because these new 1200s don't rev to the moon they somehow lacked power to run on a freeway.

I will say that the R outpulls my litre sportbike in a straight line top gear roll on and does so by a fair margin. I also prefer the R over the Sportbike for really twisty roads. I'm not sure I'm actually faster on it, but it just seems to take less effort to operate. Maybe new technology (2016) vs older (2005).


Glen
 
#25 ·
I'm kinda in a unique position on the question of a 904 TPUSA engine, a ZX1400R and and Thruxton 1200 R since I've owned all of them and raced all of them on the drag strip and Bonneville Salt Flats.

I had Bonneville gearing on the ZX1400R and still did a respectable 11.1 @144mph at the drag strip. The best I got from the 904 was 12.86 @107 mph, the 1200 R did a best of 12.2 @ 109 mph. I did not get the best out of the ZX1400R because it is pretty damn scary without a wheely bar. I might get have gotten the 1200 R down to 11.9-12.0 with some more practice but the first gear gearing makes it damn hard to get to 2nd before the rev limiter kicks in.

I ran the modified ZX1400R at Bonneville and got a best of 196.7 mph, just a tad over 130 for the 1200R and 140 mph for the 904.

To me the best bike for the street (speed, handling, looks, gas mileage, etc) is the 1200R hands down. The Kawasaki is way too much and the 904 has to work very hard to keep up but still hauls the mail. The 1200R is refined and handles everything easily as opposed to the 904 Thruxton.

I love both of the Thruxtons and sold the Kawasaki before it decided to kill me.

JustDad

Plan on taking the Thruxton R back to Bonneville this year - I've got a 37T sprocket to replace the 42T should be awesome!
 
#16 ·
I can't help but be nervous when i watch videos like that, that being said, im sure the R as well as any other thruxton has more than enough power for the freeway.

The real question is why would anyone want to ride a bike on the freeway. I can stand it my self, i would rather find some nice twisty back road... call me old fashioned i guess.
 
#19 ·
I haven't ridden in Florida, however a friend who lived there for awhile said the only opportunity to lean his bike into a corner was on a freeway exit or entrance ramp.

After living for years on a country road which leads to mountain roads, it would be an adjustment to live in a land of freeways and straight, flat roads.

Glen
 
#20 ·
Adequate power to ride Freeway? In the 60's and early 70's 40hp VW's were all over the interstates, running 70 to 75 mph all day. The problem with lo HP is not a steady cruse but trying to pass someone doing 55 mph on a two lane road where you have to plan ahead and get a running start. I'v owned cars with that problem but never a bike.
 
#26 ·
The Thruxton would have plenty of power for highway riding, it's the lack of wind protection that would get to you.

Even with the sidecar attached, I can sustain a relaxed 100-120kph with my 865cc T-100, passing many cars along the way. Without any windshield or fairing though, it's gets old fast.

When I plan long distance riding, I load up my Hayabusa instead. Loads of "passing power" and excellent aerodynamics to boot! :wink2:
 
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