More Power (Guy Stuff)

I was thumbing through the new issue of Bicycling Magazine when a full-page ad for a motorcycle caught my eye. It’s not unheard of for motorcycle manufacturers to advertise in the human-powered cycling publications, although you don’t see Harley-Davidson buying any ad space…something about the wrong demographics/lifestyle image/etc. Harley riders don’t wear lycra, at least not in public.

Anyway, this ad was for the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, a truly hot-looking bike if you go for that style. But it was the juxtaposition of these two phrases that really grabbed my attention: 184 horsepower, 375 pounds. I don’t know about you, but I find that astounding. That’s a pound/hp rating of just over 2, and I don’t know of another production vehicle on the face of the earth that can match it.

And, speaking as one who once hit 120 on a Kawasaki that wasn’t nearly as jet as this, I can say that I don’t really want to know what it will do down a long straight stretch of west Texas highway.

I did some quick research to try to find a way to put this bike’s credentials into perspective, and came up with the following table.

I just threw Lance in there for fun. Obviously, his $10 mil per HP isn’t accurate; the net present value of $10 mil per year for who knows how many years is going to inflate that number considerably.

Of course, the McLaren F1 is the world’s fastest production auto, hitting just over 240 mph back in 1998. I don’t think it’s still in production, but there used to be one flitting around Midland.

So, what’s my point? Well, if you have to ask, then you really shouldn’t be reading posts like this to begin with. The simple contemplation of man’s mastery of the mechanical should instill a joy and pride that leads to an unconquerable desire to go into the garage, don a welder’s helmet and bang on something with a hammer.

See ya…