Comparing bananas and lemons - Part 4 : Efficiency

Lets look at mileage figures now – We will use kmpl * hp as the metric for both engine and wheel horsepower values respectively, so we have engine efficiency and vehicle efficiency

Model	HP	RWHP	KMPL	Wheel Eff	Eng Eff
Hero Honda CD100	7.5	6.225	75.00	0.466	0.562
Pulsar DTSI 220	21	17.43	40.00	0.697	0.84
Karizma ZMR	17.6	14.608	45.00	0.657	0.792
CBR 250	26.4	21.912	30.00	0.657	0.792
Honda CB750	67	55.61	14.36	0.798	0.962
Suzuki Hayabusa	190	157.7	13.6	2.144	2.58
Model	HP	RWHP	KMPL	Wheel Eff	Eng Eff
Diesel bullet	7.5	5.625	40.00	0.225	0.3
Std 500	22	16	28.00	0.448	0.616
Std 350	18	12	35.00	0.42	0.63
Lightning 535	26	20	24.00	0.48	0.624
Enfield CL500	27.2	21.2	28.00	0.593	0.761
ACE Fireball bullet	37	31	28.72	0.890	1.062
Enfield Interceptor	56	50	16.41	0.820	0.918
Model	HP	RWHP	KMPL	Wheel Eff	Eng Eff
Jawa 250	12	9	35.00	0.315	0.42
Yezdi Roadking	16	13	35.00	0.455	0.56
Yamaha RX100	11.5	8.5	35.00	0.297	0.40
Yamaha RX135	14	11	35.00	0.385	0.49
Suzuki Shogun	13.8	10.8	35.00	0.378	0.48
Yamaha RD350	30.5	26.5	16.00	0.424	0.49
Maico 760	43	34.4	8.00	0.275	0.34

These numbers are self explanatory – no doubt it’s a meaningless metric because km/l is not measured while running at peak power, but the relative numbers between bikes will remain more or less similar.

The Hayabusa makes amazing amounts of power for a liter of petrol, and the Fireball impresses too, despite being based on an antiquated OHV Enfield engine

Summary

• New technology is not always better, whatever metric you choose - except for real…
• …rocket science (Hayabusa class bikes) , which will win hands down on any contest, except where rockets cannot be ridden.
• The legendary Brit super bikes are still way ahead of today's "hoi polloi" bikes.
• Two strokes are generally very bad on almost all metric.
• There is no substitute for wheel horsepower, raw displacement, or a skinny rider!
• The RD350 is a winner when it comes to two strokes, but even it pales in front of the Maico 760
• Enfield's are a class apart on what they do best - pull like a tractor.
• If you ride Enfield's, get a Fireball, it's as close to rocket science as you can get while maintaining its pedigree.