More people are turning to riding a motorcycle as opposed to driving a car because it is exciting and fun. When you want to buy a motorbike, you need to consider several factors such as bike size, engine displacement, and cost of ownership, among others. However, the power of the bike and its torque are some of the most crucial aspects to bear in mind when making your purchase decision. This article delves into motorcycle power and torque. The information is useful for riders who wish to buy a motorcycle for the first time.
What Are Motorcycle CCs -- CC stands for cubic centimetres, and it measures a motorbike's engine. In simple terms, CC refers to the volume of the engine cylinders, and it has a bearing on the smoothness and power of a bike. Notably, engine cylinders help in the process of internal combustion, whereby fuel is mixed with air and subsequently ignited to generate power. With more CCs, you get more power, smoothness and speed.
Importance of Combustion Process -- When you start a motorbike, a combustion process must occur to generate power and propel the bike. So how does combustion occur in the cylinders? First, a motorbike engine sucks fuel and air, which combine through a pressurised process, leading to the ignition of the gasses. Consequently, the mixture of fuel and air burns to produce energy and excess gasses. The energy gives a bike power, while the excess gasses are ejected through an exhaust system. Therefore, if your preferred motorbike has a large cylinder volume — say 1,000 CC — then it will suck in more fuel and air and subsequently generate more power compared to a small engine, such as a 350 CC engine.
Relationship Between Engine Capacity, Power and Torque -- Apart from the size of a motorcycle engine, other important factors come into play to give a bike more power and speed. A motorbike produces power by combining torque, which is expressed in Newton-meters (Nm), and revolutions per minute (RPM). Therefore, looking at power alone can be misleading because you might not tell the true character of a bike. Power, in this sense, refers to torque multiplied by RPM. Therefore, to achieve maximum power, you need a bike to deliver maximum torque at a high RPM. Most importantly, test ride various motorcycles in the same category to determine a bike that fits your needs in terms of engine capacity, power and torque.
To learn more, contact a resource like Matt Jones Motorcycles.