Best engine configuration?

**avgas** · 9th April 2009, 20:08

Nothing like 1 piston going around a crank moving EVERYTHING
Plus its more natural - if ANYTHING is wrong with the engine you can still feel it. It amazes me the morons that drive/ride around with 1 cylinder off by a few degrees and they cant tell.
If only they made them past 100kW!!!!!???!!!!

**avgas** · 9th April 2009, 20:14

Originally Posted by dipshit

You're right, i don't agree. Radially mounted brake calipers are more of a marketing gimmick than something that will help to get the power to the ground.

As someone who has some experience with the old R1 motor i can tell you why its not a gimmick nor does it affect performance.
The old IL4 block made a gentle rocking at the lights when you had a lumpy idle. The whole bike, very gently would rock left and right (i am talking super gentle - very hard to notice). Changing the firing order fixed it.
Beside its not the first time - shit Harley had that a VERY LONG TIME AGO.
Biggest gimmick i have seen was those bloody air rams - never go directly to airbox.

**EJK** · 9th April 2009, 20:21

Originally Posted by jono035

EJK:

Is it just me or is that BMW engine in the picture you attached missing the valves from the head that is laid out on the right hand side?

You are right. Good find

**doc** · 9th April 2009, 20:42

I'd buy this tomorrow, if it was available. Utter simplicity.

**rocketman1** · 9th April 2009, 21:16

I have owned most.
The big V twin in my opinion is the best.
They can be a bit lumpy around town, in traffic but thats when you should ride a scooter or a pushbike, in any case.
They have a sort of SOUL that the other don't have.
Dont get me wrong I love riding the GSXR as well but through all the speed and smoothness it offers
I have no doubt that as far as reliability, power, efficiency and smooth rocket like power down to 1st gear crawling in traffic an in line 4 is hard to beat.
But its just not a V twin.
As another said there are a lot of motors as good as a V8, but you just cant beat their soul... hard to put into words

**Taz** · 9th April 2009, 21:19

My bike has none of your listed options so had to click other....

**Madmax** · 9th April 2009, 21:33

Originally Posted by Blackshear

I'm guessing the only people that started those things were the team of mechanics that come almost integral to the craft?! Fucked if I'm gonna let some joystick wonder start MY week of hard labor!

I met one dude who new the engine number even witch aircraft it was in
(it gets that bad you can remember part numbers at times)
The old Napier Engines have been rebuild so many times no one knows
witch bits belong to witch
Have a look at some pics there are always a bunch of guys looking at the
engines (wonder why)

**Whynot** · 9th April 2009, 21:44

Originally Posted by Madmax

I met one dude who new the engine number even witch aircraft it was in
(it gets that bad you can remember part numbers at times)
The old Napier Engines have been rebuild so many times no one knows
witch bits belong to witch
Have a look at some pics there are always a bunch of guys looking at the
engines (wonder why)

witch aircraft?
you talking about the broom?

**Madmax** · 9th April 2009, 22:17

Originally Posted by Whynot

witch aircraft?
you talking about the broom?

QUOTE=Whynot;2020820]witch aircraft?
you talking about the broom?[/QUOTE]
http://www.enginehistory.org/P&W/R-4...360History.pdf
will this do
shit i think motoguzzi 120 degrie twin was cool

**BMWST?** · 9th April 2009, 22:23

Originally Posted by James Deuce

I made a subsequent post about that. You may want to read it.

i did,thanks

**warewolf** · 9th April 2009, 23:47

Hmmm owned single, parallel twin, inline four, parallel twin, inline triple, inline triple, inline triple, single, single, single, single, single... (those last 5 being dirt bikes of various types). Ridden boxer twins, vee twins, L twins, vee fours, more inline fours, more parallel twins, lots more inline triples & singles. They all do the job at hand with the differentiating factors being personal preference and/or external influences (eg dirt bikes are still almost exclusively singles).

While all you folks are debating whether the V2 is better than the IL4, I would point out that the IL3 is the best of both worlds.

But hey, one man's best is another man's belly laugh. Even if you could agree criteria, there'd still be more than one right answer for that scenario.

**Madmax** · 9th April 2009, 23:49

Originally Posted by Madmax

QUOTE=Whynot;2020820]witch aircraft?
you talking about the broom?

http://www.enginehistory.org/P&W/R-4...360History.pdf
will this do
shit i think motoguzzi 120 degrie twin was cool

[/QUOTE]
the first cyl was just about in line have the frame
the other was behind the rides arse
(i think i will give up on this game!!! wake me up when the two stroke
tripples a natural place in in life)

**Mikkel** · 9th April 2009, 23:50

Originally Posted by warewolf

Hmmm owned single, parallel twin, inline four, parallel twin, inline triple, inline triple, inline triple, single, single, single, single, single... (those last 5 being dirt bikes of various types). Ridden boxer twins, vee twins, L twins, more inline fours, more parallel twins, lots more inline triples & singles. They all do the job at hand with the differentiating factors being personal preference and/or external influences (eg dirt bikes are still almost exclusively singles).

While all you folks are debating whether the V2 is better than the IL4, I would point out that the IL3 is the best of both worlds.

But hey, one man's best is another man's belly laugh. Even if you could agree criteria, there'd still be more than one right answer for that scenario.

Seriously mate, with a post that sensible you don't belong here!

For the record, I suspect you might be right though.

**James Deuce** · 9th April 2009, 23:58

Four stroke triples leave me cold. They sound weird, thay have none of the bottom of a well setup 4, none of the mid-range of decent twin of any config and run out of steam like a single at the top. Compared to either a 4 or twin of the same capacity of course.

Triumph have managed to make the 1050 sound like a late 70s Daihatsu Charade.

Again, I reserve the right to own my own opinion.

**Mikkel** · 10th April 2009, 00:19

Originally Posted by James Deuce

Again, I reserve the right to own my own opinion.

Everyone has the right to their own opinion, and in this case I am sure most wouldn't try to take it off you...

The Daytona 675 seems a very very competitive machine indeed and the wail they make coming down the straight is quite magnificient (IMO ofc).

As I have understood it there is a certain volumetric range within which each cylinder works best (resonances and shit) and so the number of cylinders depends, ultimately, upon what torque-to-power characteristic you desire versus the total displacement of the engine.