Small New Bike vs Big Old Bike

[Alexlebrit]

Are smaller engined bikes such a disadvantage? I have a feeling the answer's no. First off there's the weight advantage, not only is it less to pick up, but it's less for the engine to push about, that we can all work out. But let's say you're on a budget (like the bloke who wants to source bikes in France on here). You could buy a big old bike or a smaller newer bike. If you've ever seen a Top Gear old car test you'll have seen them cocking about on a dyno and being hugely disappointed at the escaped horses. We buy our engines and wear them in and from then on we start wearing them out. So I'm thinking is there such a power advantage after all between a new small bike and a big old bike.

Lets say something like an old XT (picking on the girls) When it was new it had 44hp but that was in 1989. How many of those horses have fled since then? Or a Serow in 2002 it had 20hp, but how many now? I'll compare that to my new Terra Adventure, its 125cc produces 15hp and in theory they're all still in there.

But that's all theory, has anyone got any practical thoughts, I'm getting more and more convinced that as big bikes get heavier and more complicated and as petrol gets more expensive small, light and simple is going to be the way to go.