That’s true to some extent. Those wattage numbers are pretty fuzzy depending on how it’s measured (continuous vs instantaneous power and such).
However the actual article is almost exclusively focused on being able to go 40mph+, and the hassle of making the motorbike street-legal and getting licensed.
Well I’ll be the idiot.
I think it’s hard to say that it was in vain. I feel like it demonstrated some important points clearly:
If it was going to have true impact it needed to be followed up by more incidents and copycats. Without that it’s only a nudge, and maybe not a wake-up call, let alone the full-on revolution that may be needed to force change. (Not speaking of political overthrow of the government, that’s a whole other topic)
Luigi may not have been the pebble that launched an avalanche but neither was he nothing.