| Depends what you want from it.
I discussed horsepower with KeefyB after we had chased round Cadwell together on TA2. My 80 odd Bhp ST was being left for dead on the straights by 748's, 749's and pretty much everything else except for SS's. However, Keef said that his 999 (124ish Bhp) and the 749S's were quite evenly matched on the straight bits (although the 999 was quicker it wouldn't blitz past).
So I think that horsepower figures are a bit misleading as to what the bike will go like in real life. Well, up to a point obviously, when there's a big difference (like 748's having 20% more power than me) there's only going to be one outcome. When the gap is narrower it's much more difficult to tell.
I would only worry about max horsepower if I only did track days and my riding style was 'point and squirt', or obviously if I was racing and wanted every last drop of power. On the road I'd reckon that anybody who says they can use a 749S to it's max is telling porkies, so I wouldn't worry about a few Bhp difference, 'cos if you can't use all the power a 749S has on the road anyway any extra horsepower is a waste.
PS: Did anybody else look at the test that Chris Walker did in yesterday's MCN? Pitted an R1, RSV Factory, ZX10R, GSX-750 and a 749S together in road tests. This was to sort out which bike he would buy for himself. His comment on the 749S was that it was "under-powered in this company, but still got plenty for the road". He ended up buying one, or would have but when he got back to the showroom saw the 749R and went for that instead. So if it's quick enough for the Stalker on the road....it might be quick enough for you.  |