The dyno doesn’t lie. It tells exactly how much power is being put out at
that moment. A tool that is used by many to prove bragging rights, “my bike
puts out 111.6 hp on the dyno,” and since yours only puts out 109.3 my bike is
faster. Bragging rights, that don’t necessarily translate into faster or
quicker. They are just numbers on a graph, and true tuners can make them work
for them. True, you may have more power at redline, but who drives at redline?
We spend most of our time starting and stopping, and riding in between, how many
brag about their power while cruising? Years ago it became a focus, speeds from
40-60, then 60-80 gave a better indication of where the true power laid, but
again was measured in high gear. Don’t we all downshift for maximum power
application? And so another argument is better left to the street to be
proven. But with computers doing the tuning for us now, an engineer can arrange
for power delivery at any given rpm to translate to road speed. Much more
complex than stated, but that is the end result. For instance our 2015 Mustang
V-6, has 300 hp, can go from 0-60 in 5 seconds, do the quarter in the high 13’s,
hallowed ground for muscle cars from the 60’s. But also on our last two road
trips, we averaged over 26 mpg one trip, and over 27 the next. The computer put
the power where it was needed, how I cannot explain, but you don’t need full on
300 hp when cruising, but do on acceleration. And the dyno tells the engineer
where the power is, how much throttle is being used, and they can tune the
engine then. All done electronically, which years ago took months of testing to
achieve. Now you just put your foot in it and go, or twist the throttle, which
is now electrical. But still the power ratings entice us.....
When Triumph brought out the new Bonnevilles last year, we were
disappointed in the power ratings, the horsepower was down, but torque up
substantially. But few brag on torque, until we rode one. And found the power
where it was needed, immediate, and no weak spots until close to redline, but
which time you would have shifted anyway. Roll on power when needed in everyday
events, not just on a dyno for bragging purposes. They were right, we read it
wrong, the street was the test. We all won on that one, just like the Mustang,
real life is the test. But yet still many are into bragging rights about their
dyno testing, not realizing that temperature, humidity, and other factors effect
the outcome. A 110 hp ride one day can be only 103 on the same dyno tomorrow.
Or 111 later. All based on external factor, the dyno just reveals what it is
seeing at that time. In that moment in time based on the conditions. The
numbers don’t lie, the motor may be tweaked, but later readjusted for the next
run. Computers do most of it now, thousands of times a second, making our rides
self tuning in that respect, always seeking the best for the conditions based on
sensory input, numbers may change, but it is still up the rider/driver to put it
pedal to the metal or WFO on the throttle. All the power displayed means
nothing in the wrong hands, and at that point bragging rights are just that,
bragging. Right?
Years ago I attended a church that had a man of the year award. Given for
performance, read duty to the church in the name of God. Certain criteria were
set up, and the men in the church tried to live by and up to the demands, in
order to win the prize. To be Man of the Year. And being young, I envied these
older men, who seemed to have it all together. Until I started working with
their junior high and high school age kids. And a much different man was
revealed. Scripture tells us to listen to both sides of an argument, for the
first always seems right until the other side is heard. Now hearing both, I saw
the men as different, but also their kids too. Much pressure was put on them to
perform for the church, for their parents, to represent what the secular world
thought a Christian should be, that they got confused. I learned of how things
were different at home than they appeared in public. How saintly parents had
drinking and anger problems at home, hidden from view. How some kids were
rebellious and on drugs, but putting on a show at church, sometimes the parents
knowing it, sometimes in denial, sometimes missing it all together. It was all
about a physical presence, how they were seen in church, and for the man of the
year award. And getting to know the kids found out they had inherited the same
fault of performance. The church being their dyno, where the numbers didn’t
represent the true power within them, but only what they were doing that day and
time. And when I had got to know one man of the year and his family, I know how
a young Dorothy Gale must have felt seeing the Wizard behind the curtain, and I
still think about that today.
The Bible refers to those in Christ as saints, not canonized, but standing
out as different from the world because of Jesus Christ. We shudder at being
called a saint, or being referred to as holier than thou, but God sees it
different. As we should, but don’t. When Paul introduces his letters as to the
saints, he was and still is referring to people just like us, you and me. We
all have problems, battles, and temptations just like the unsaved. Being a
Christian doesn’t exempt you from them, but does give you power over them. It
is called wisdom, which comes via the spirit, only to those in Christ. The word
saint means distinct, holy, set apart, and living for God. And our lives should
reflect it. We will have our ups and downs, get over it, but grace and peace
are a constant in Christ. No matter the circumstance, we can have God’s grace,
it never changes, and his peace in the midst of a storm, when we need it most.
And often times when not seen. Joy is not the absence of suffering, but the
presence of God. His light shines brighter in the darkest situations. Two
characteristics of Jesus we can have all the time, if we choose. Power not
found on a dyno, not measured in actions, but rather reflected in actions based
on our hearts. What we think we act, what we say we mean, and that defines who
we are, in a dyno based world. But God knows our hearts much better, and you
may be man of the year, have more power based on a dyno run, but God sees the
inner man. Sadly so do others, if we are called saints, and to be saints, why
don’t we live like saints?
Today your life will be run on the dyno, and it will be interesting to see
what it shows. On God’s dyno it is not by might, not by power, but by his
spirit. If love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, meekness, long
suffering, and self control are in you, then it will show up on your dyno run.
The things of God, the fruit that describes how he is, and how he is within us.
But we all need some tuning, and he knows it, so has provided mercy when we
screw up, the only way to get mercy. And like a computer tunes an engine for
maximum performance via input, we can live in the spirit the same way, forgiven,
persevering, and showing the same grace to others. Love is the true dyno test
of life. Not being man of the year. Maybe a sign I saw years ago over a man’s
desk explains it better, “THE TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS HOW YOUR KIDS DESCRIBE
YOU TO THEIR FRIENDS.” How does your life describe Jesus to your friends? Your
enemies? What is different about you that would make you want to know Jesus?
The dyno just records what it sees. He who has been forgiven much forgives
much. Jesus forgives all our sins. All. Isn’t that what we want revealed in
our dyno test of life? If you think it is tough winning the man of the year
award, wait until you try to repeat the next year. The competition only gets
worse, the numbers grow. Only Jesus knows the heart. Get to know him, he just
loves you as you are, he just doesn’t want to leave you that way. Heaven is the
award, given out daily via his spirit. Brag on Jesus today by showing his love,
on a dyno his power is off the chart. And always there when we need it. That’s
meekness, power under control. And you have bragging rights to what?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com