Do we really need 180+ cv motorcycles?

I have been a motor bike fan all of my life, at 14 I purchased my first Honda 50 for riding round the local fields and I broke my collar bone for the first time at 15, luckily I was wearing a helmet so I had no other injuries.

Fast forward to 2022. I am now lucky enough to own and enjoy several motorbikes and I currently have 6 and 5 of the 6 are 1000cc or more whereas I also have a stunning new Yamaha TMax 560 Techmax. This one I bought brand new, I generally prefer to purchase my bikes second hand because in the UK many users do very few miles so you can pick up some stunning used bikes which have not really been used at all.

Recently I agreed to trade in my lovely 2020 TMax 530DX for a new TMax 560 Techmax simply because I drooled over the Techmax when I was in the UK recently and it is truly lovely so I could not resist the trade in offer that my old mate Martin at Alf England gave me. My riding buddy Brian the Barnes (who like me loves France) agreed to ride her down to Troyes (our fave French city) and I rode up from Amalfi to meet up for a mates weekend. My old 530 FLEW, I took her up to an indicated 110mph at 7k revs and she was as steady as any bike I have ridden not to mention super comfy for 800km full day riding. Same on the way home with the 560 and the new one feels even better!

So here we go. Do we really need loads of horsepower and all the rest??? No, not really. With the TMaxes on cruise control I could motorway cruise at 140/150kph with loads in reserve and they both returned over 25 kilometers per litre so some 60 mpg which I have never seen from any of my big bikes. AND I left behind several big bikes too cos they could not handle the wonderful motorway corners in Italy hehe.

So my wonderful 1000cc superbikes? I love them to bits but we can cross continents on a 560cc twin with 47 cv in total ease plus comfort. AMAZING. And a quick ps, it must be said that the new TMax is packed full of electronics. The only one that I think is totally essential is ABS cos it can really save your life, the rest are super comfortable “extras”, cruise control is also great cos you can relax and stretch your right hand so great on the motorway!