| This whole topic is such a bag of worms - but I don't think any of us can resist!
IMHO (I've learnt a new acronym) power is nothing without the skill to exploit it:
eg., the higher the skill, the better the rider is able to exploit small bhp differences - so at MotoGP / WSB level a few bhp can be important BUT at lower skill levels the rider is the limiting factor and it takes a much larger bhp difference to significantly affect lap times.
My lap times arround Snetterton and Cadwell on a 162bhp Probike and a 112bhp 600 are virtually the same. Tellingly, I was marginally quicker on the 600; I believe because it takes more skill to USE the probikes 162bhp and I don't have that skill.
I do know that the most effective way to improve my lap times is to improve my time through the corners and I am certain that working on this aspect (mostly skill but perhaps some bike set-up) will give me bigger improvements than an extra 5 - 10 bhp. | 
01-Jul-2005, 22:46 
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