OK - this isn't intended as a thread about a bucket engine but "Buckets" seems a good place for it considering who regularly posts here.
I've been thinking what the ultimate 2T engine would be unencumbered by any rules and restrictions. Huge marine diesels are very efficient but don't actually make much power considering their size. An RS125 makes lots of power but efficiency is down. There are direct injected engines in outboards, scooters and snowmobiles. But given a few very basic criteria like it has to fit in a bike and has to run on petrol, what would the engine be.
My thoughts were possibly a twin, parallel, tandem, or probably V. About 500cc, forced induction, 4 valve heads solely for exhaust, fuel injected directly into the intake passages. The intake passages would be straight and of a tuned length, or not, directed into the cylinder at the optimum angle and fed from a pressurised annulus. The cylinders would be phased to fire 180deg apart to even out the load on the supercharger and the demands on the intake plenum.
Transmission wise I don't see why more bikes don't use a CVT style transmission. Not a basic scooter version but something like that used in high performance snowmobiles. A 4-stroke style plain bearing bottom end could be used but then there would be issues with piston length and sealing intakes to crankcase.
I'm just curious what other people think would be the engine configuration given very few rules. I'm trying to think of something for TZ to get into before he gets too old that would be interesting and push boundaries a bit.
Bookmarks