Need a good description for "Power Band"

[Boneman]

As the title states, I'm trying to find a good and simple explanation (or demonstration) for Power Band to use to explain to my Novice motorcycle students. Keep in mind some have never even been on a motorcycle before taking the course, nor are they mechanically inclined. Thus inlies the challange.

I know what the power band is, but I find it's one of those things that is hard to put into descriptive words and articulate for a new rider witout getting too technical on them (as that will go over most of their heads). But we want them to understand what the power band is and why it's important to stay within it.

Anyone out there have a fairly simple, not too technical dscriptiong, example, or even a comparison to something else? Any links, videos or diagrams would also be appreciated. (Vegas Rider I'm looking at you mate!)

I've listened to some of the other instructors teach the Power Band segment and have some ok notes, but would like to come up with my own, easy to understand explanation.

Thanks guys!

 

[DefyInertia]

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[mawebb]

I'll give it a shot as I frequently have to explain technical things to non-technical folks.

Think of it in terms of what it is like for a person to push someone on a swing without moving from your starting position. If you stood right behind to them, you can only push them your arms length. They would not move very far, as you simply don't have much leverage or momentum. Ignore the fact that they will swing back and bump into you, as that's not the point, although you could relate that to stalling the bike.

Now consider what would happen if you to a step or two before pushing them. Now they will easily start to swing a reasonable distance as you now have some momentum or inertia. This would be the preferred area of the power, not too hard or too fast, but with a reasonable amount of energy.

Now to go to the other end of the spectrum, start 3 meters away and start running towards the person on the swing. You will now have an excess of energy, sending the poor person on the swing flying, pretty well out of control. This is like giving the bike too much throttle and dropping the clutch.

So all in all it is about developing enough inertia within the motor, the pistons acting like the person pushing the swing. Not enough, and no movement. Too much and you no longer in control.

I hope that makes sense. Let me know if this works for the students.

 

[urbanj]

I guess it depends on what you want to get out of telling them.

If you define Power to them as "the rate of doing work" then you can state the any engines "power band" is when that engine does work most efficiently. This translates into not lugging the engine in a specific gear to produce speed. Engines working above their power band is a mute point as most red lines are there right after peak hp or are higher so when you shift you are right near peak torque.

If you fall under the power band the bikes engine will be at a slow speed in relation to road speed and when producing less power and with less torque multiplication by the higher gear it will be much harder to accelerate.

 

[Kilbane83]

I'll give it a shot.

Imagine pulling a heavy load up from the ground using a wheel and hand crank. If your wheel is a small, it will be easy to turn the wheel very fast for a long period of time, but you will not get the load up very quickly. If your wheel is too big, it will take alot of effort to turn the crank, making you tire quickly, but you will pull the load up faster. The idea is to find the balance of wheel size to cranking speed where you can optimize the pull without sacrificing stamina.

This is pretty much how a motorcycles powerband works, you match the proper gear (wheel) to the proper RPM (cranking speed ) to achieve maximum pull. Too much rpm in low gear and you'll wind the bike out actually losing power, like you would turning a small wheel as fast as you can. Too high a gear without enough cranking speed (rpm) and load will be too heavy, the bike will lug and die like you would trying to turn a gigantic wheel with a very heavy load.

 

[champion221elite]

The powerband as it relates to an engine is a certain range of RPM's specific to a particular motor where maximum horsepower and acceleration are realized.

It varies from one engine design to another, but every engine will have a power band. This range is best described as a place where acceleration will happen the quickest because the engine is working as efficiently as possible.

For example, the FZ6 powerband seems to kick in around the 8,000 rpm mark. The engine will run and accelerate at lower rpm's, however, the engine really seems to "wake up" as the rev's climb past 8,000. This is influenced by many factors including intake and exhaust timing, fuel injection timing, engine compression, air box/ intake design and many other factors.

 

[Chris]

In simple terms maybe you could try explaining it like this.

The power band is a certain range of rpms where the engine works very efficiently, thus producing the most power. Which is why the bike accelerates very quickly when in the power band.

For a more extensive analogy many of the above are good suggestions.

 

[Disco]

We all know each bike is different, but would a simple demonstration with a bike running/in neutral with instructor controlling, and rev it up & down (in said bikes known 'power band') giving them something to see and hear? May assist getting the non-techo's to understand.

The only way I could explain powerband is by sounding an awful lot like James May!

 

[sxty8goats]

The powerband as it relates to an engine is a certain range of RPM's specific to a particular motor where maximum horsepower and acceleration are realized.

It varies from one engine design to another, but every engine will have a power band. This range is best described as a place where acceleration will happen the quickest because the engine is working as efficiently as possible.

For example, the FZ6 powerband seems to kick in around the 8,000 rpm mark. The engine will run and accelerate at lower rpm's, however, the engine really seems to "wake up" as the rev's climb past 8,000. This is influenced by many factors including intake and exhaust timing, fuel injection timing, engine compression, air box/ intake design and many other factors.

This is the best simple explanation I've heard so far. Beginner bikes tend to be tuned so that the power is down low and there is less noticeable, if any, 'powerband' On the flip side, two stroke dirt bikes tend to have a fierce powerband that could throw inexperienced riders if they don't expect it when it hits.

My question to you is why do you feel it is necessary to keep the bike in the powerband? I don't know anybody that rides 4 cylinder sport bikes while keeping the revs up above 8k all the time. Our bikes seem to have two personalities, the calm-getting-around-town between 2500 - 5500 RPM and the 'whoo hoo' power band that kick in @ 8k and runs to @ 12K. But I certainly wouldn't advise a noob to keep it in the powerband.

 

[TeacherJoe]

How about . . .

The efficient operating range of the engine without lugging or over-revving.

Joe

 

[Mancolt]

My question to you is why do you feel it is necessary to keep the bike in the powerband? I don't know anybody that rides 4 cylinder sport bikes while keeping the revs up above 8k all the time. Our bikes seem to have two personalities, the calm-getting-around-town between 2500 - 5500 RPM and the 'whoo hoo' power band that kick in @ 8k and runs to @ 12K. But I certainly wouldn't advise a noob to keep it in the powerband.

I was wondering this same thing. Why do you recommend keeping it in the powerband for general street riding boneman? Unless I'm trying to have a great time and tear it up, I'm almost never in the FZ6's powerband at 8k RPM.

I have enjoyed reading people's explanations of how to define the powerband in layman's terms!

 

[RJ2112]

As the title states, I'm trying to find a good and simple explanation (or demonstration) for Power Band to use to explain to my Novice motorcycle students. Keep in mind some have never even been on a motorcycle before taking the course, nor are they mechanically inclined. Thus inlies the challange.

I know what the power band is, but I find it's one of those things that is hard to put into descriptive words and articulate for a new rider witout getting too technical on them (as that will go over most of their heads). But we want them to understand what the power band is and why it's important to stay within it.

Anyone out there have a fairly simple, not too technical dscriptiong, example, or even a comparison to something else? Any links, videos or diagrams would also be appreciated. (Vegas Rider I'm looking at you mate!)

I've listened to some of the other instructors teach the Power Band segment and have some ok notes, but would like to come up with my own, easy to understand explanation.

Thanks guys!

Powerband: The 'Sweet spot' where you get good performance out of the engine. It won't stall, and it won't explode, in that range.

 

[RJ2112]

I was wondering this same thing. Why do you recommend keeping it in the powerband for general street riding boneman? Unless I'm trying to have a great time and tear it up, I'm almost never in the FZ6's powerband at 8k RPM.

I have enjoyed reading people's explanations of how to define the powerband in layman's terms!

The '6 has a serious 'step' in the power band, at about 7K up to red line. The 'useful' power range is obviously much wider, from around 2K up to 12K.

 

[mstewar1]

View attachment 27748

Ok, maybe not.

I like Rj's explanation. Other than that, I'd ask people what they do for a living and work at finding an analogy from their life.

 

[alanrim]

Jug and Tap...

If the tap is turned on low the jug takes a long time to fill, turn the tap on too much and much of the water splashes out of the jug. Get the perfect balance and the jug fills quickly without splashing.

 

[Boneman]

I was wondering this same thing. Why do you recommend keeping it in the powerband for general street riding boneman? Unless I'm trying to have a great time and tear it up, I'm almost never in the FZ6's powerband at 8k RPM.

Several things here guys:

1. We are not focusing on the FZ6, or any other particular bike.

2. Keeping with the whole "novice" course, they are on 150CC bikes. It is even more imparative for smaller powered (cc) bikes to be in the power band as they don't have much power to begin with. If you don't keep these bikes in the power band, they are not very responsive and the available power is limited.

3. Safety. As for keeping your bike in the power band while street riding, the reason for this is so IF you need to get on the thorttle for whatever reason like an emergancy or sudden passing or any need for sudden acceleration, you want that immediate acceleration to be there. If you are not in the power band, it wont be there. In teh traffic course the students are on a variety of bikes ranging from 250cc to 650cc, so again we need to teach the 'general theory' of staying in and using the power band.

Now, having said that a lot of bikes these days, including our FZ6's, have a vary wide range of available power to them. Twist the throttle at most speeds and gears and your off. However, it is poor riding practice to say be cursing around town in 5th gear at 3K rpm. If you suddenly need to roll on the power, you now need to down shift and then roll on. And even if you do get some reponse out of your bike, it wont be nearly the same as if you were in the power band area. You may not always have the time to downshift.

So we teach our students to stay in the power band as much as possible for these reasons; and being on a 150cc bike just emphasizes the importance of being in the power band while riding. We also don't know what bikes they may purchase and end up on down the road.

Again we teach our students what you should do "idealy", dosen't mean that once they leave the course that they are going to continue to do them or create their own habits. Other things we teach that are not always followed after are things like down shifting/compression braking and proper lane position/dominance.

Think back to when you took drivers ed and see if you still do 'everything' you were taught.....

 

[tuningfork]

View attachment 27748

LOL I knew I'd see a pic like this in this thread

 

[Boneman]

^^ Lol, yeah I keep a big rubberband in my pocket and then hold it up and say "Power band...this isn't it". Always gets a few laughs.

 

[fz6shaun]

As the title states, I'm trying to find a good and simple explanation (or demonstration) for Power Band to use to explain to my Novice motorcycle students. Keep in mind some have never even been on a motorcycle before taking the course, nor are they mechanically inclined. Thus inlies the challange.

I know what the power band is, but I find it's one of those things that is hard to put into descriptive words and articulate for a new rider witout getting too technical on them (as that will go over most of their heads). But we want them to understand what the power band is and why it's important to stay within it.

Anyone out there have a fairly simple, not too technical dscriptiong, example, or even a comparison to something else? Any links, videos or diagrams would also be appreciated. (Vegas Rider I'm looking at you mate!)


hi boneman,

hopefully this can help. tell you everthing you need to know about powerbands so you can shorten and explain better.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t5Jwuiil8k]YouTube - Toby's Kitchen: What is a powerband?[/ame]

 

[sxty8goats]

How about . . .

The efficient operating range of the engine without lugging or over-revving.

Joe

There is a lot of usable power below the power band. At least the way I was taught to understand power band. Our bikes tend to make a noticeable jump in power @ 8,000 RPM and continues to make power until 12,000. People often say 'the bike comes alive @ 8k' or 'the bike wakes up at 8k'

That is what I have always considered/ understood to be the 'power band'. But 90% of the time, I ride in the very usable 4,000 to 5,000 RPM range.