An OT question for the gear heads 'round here...

by Paul , Sunday, February 08, 2015, 21:29 (3516 days ago)

Guys, I'm contemplating updating my bike to something more comfortable for the longer trips I'm making these days. The XL200 has been a good bike and has plenty of power for the riding I usually do. It's miles ahead of the little GN125 in power. Where it is lacking is in riding comfort. The longer hauls leave my gimpy leg in less than stellar condition due to the cramped riding position. So I'm considering picking up what passes for a 'cruiser' down here. My question has to do with power and torque. There are three models I'm looking at, plus a long shot possibility at the end. The numbers are as follow:

Maximum Power 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm
Maximum Torque 28Nm @ 4000 rpm

Maximum Power 18.8 bhp @ 8400 rpm
Maximum Torque 17.5 Nm @ 7000 rpm

Maximum Power 18 hp @ 8000 rpm
Maximum Torque 15.5 nm @ 5500 rpm

Maximum Power 27.2 bhp @ 5250 rpm
Maximum Torque 41.3 Nm @ 4000 rpm

The first and last ones in the list above are larger displacement then the two middle ones. What I find interesting is that the torque is so much higher in relation to the rated horse power. What does one gain by higher torque? For comparison, a GS500 is rated at 39.2 Nm @ 7600 rpm and 45.5 hp @ 9200 rpm. But I digress. The last one is a long shot, as it's considerably higher priced than the other three which are comparably priced.

Any help in figuring out the figures above is greatly appreciated. Thanks!