'Less than' what they have been 'numbered' as engines, have always existed.
Look up the capacity of the '505' twin cam KTM engine.
Every overbored 450 I've ridden - all well set up ones, they have been, have been better bikes than the 450 they were based on. The '511', is far better than it is at 449, same with the '505' KTM Twin Cam engine over it's '450' version. And I find the current single cam KTM the same - the bigger engine, is nicer.
It's why I'm so in favour of the premier class of MX, going to 500cc / or better still, Open capacity.
Have the Premier Class, open to a variety of 'solutions', as it was in the 500cc class era - but even moreso. As, I'd love to see, BIG capacity, Grunt Monster 4ts return, as an addition to the current 450s , even 500 / 510.4cc screamers. Hey, I grew up around 580 /635 CCMs, And 360 / 390 Huskies, 380 CZs, and 380 / 400 / 440 / 490 Maicos, plus 370cc RM through to 465s, and on and on with various brands.
And 450 and above 4ts, that have rev limiters that come in at 11 / 12k rpm
are screamers.
The Premier Class, Should be about bikes that are inherently difficult for a rider the deal with. And the various solutions that can be used to make them usable, for a rider / riders.
We've just seen the MXDN, that has the usual crap about 250s being faster, and " we don't need those scary big bikes anymore".
Well, that's nearly always been the case. With reference to 250 vs 500s, of yesteryear, and now, non Foo Foo 4ts. World Level 250 4ts are bumping at, or over, 50 HP. If you think not, well, you are 'limited in your knowledge'. The Bike It / Cosworth Yamaha 250s are 3speeders that reportedly rev to 16,500. Moto3 Road Race 250 4ts are limited to 13,500 / 13,000 RPM - sorry, I can't recall exact limits, but when the 'cooking variety, standard production NSF250R from 2012 has a smidge over 47HP at 13,000 rpm, it's not hard to see World Level 250F MXers, being at / above 50 HP, right now. As they have No restrictions in revs, or modifications, other than having to pass noise standards, and not be a forced air induction. Everts said earlier this year, that the KTM Team 250Fs, were at 48 / 49 HP. I'd say that was a rather low figure -unless it's at the rear wheel, with a knobby bouncing around off the roller.
BMW got the Husqvarna brand for the price of a few months of the BMW Executive Coffee room budget.
KTM had p***sed off BMW - no , not just the Motorcycle division, but the Monster that is the BMW Group in it's entirety - by openly stating they intended to surpass them in sales, so, BMW picked up Husky for cents in the dollar, and had a go. It kept Husky around for a few extra years.
The BMW 'Controllers', and, by that I mean the Auto side of the company, saw the waste of money that should have been used for the BMW Road going bikes, and 'stopped play', as they say. BMW Motorcycles, are just a 'symbol' of BMWs history, but, one they do make a good amount of Euro's from. The profit from the bikes, probably pays for the car factories 'tea room ' budgets. Good Cookies and Coffee, cost a bit in Europe, you know.......
They, the BMW accountants 'stopped play', fairly suddenly, and, in a bit of a hit to how the Castiglioni's have done so
very, Very well, with the selling of 'Marques', for big money, then re-aquiring them for peanuts - or, being 'paid' to re-aquire them, BMW, apparently, approached KTM with a deal that was pretty much a present. Teutonic solidarity?, or just a '
f*** 'em, the conniving bastards' attitude to MV's / now the young Castiglioni's probable expectations of a wonderfully cheap a re-aquisition of Husqvarna. Just check out Harleys purchase from, then return of MV, to the Castiglionis, for an education, gentlemen. A Very Nice way to make money, that was, for the Castiglionis. I can't recall the figures, but it came down to something like $1 .......
As for the "Italians bled it (Husky? - well, not even MV) dry racing MVs", well that sure as hell wasn't the case. The MV Factory / Castiglionis, did not bleed anything dry by racing MVs. They've had sweet F.A, to do with racing MVs. They may have bled it dry, but not by racing MVs.
But you're right with the latter point, Motosportz, we are consumers of toys, with regards to our dirt bikes.
The bestest of Toys, in my opinion : Motorcycles / Two Wheels.
