Engine configuration

[FloydV]

The busa of course is an inline 4. That tends to make it kind of wide in the front. Someone told me that an inline engine is easier to balance.

I'm wondering, since the engine is water cooled, why Zuke or Kaw don't build a V-4 or an L-4. It would make the bike easier to straddle, and offer a thinner profile.

So, someone tell me why an inline engine is preferable. I see motoGP bikes having 5 cylinders in some sort of V fashion. And, I think Ducati builds an L4.

 

[Joker]

 

[pbghost]

honda's interceptor is a v4 if I'm not mistaken

 

[memorex]

SO is the V-Max

 

[DaCol.]

Aprilla's new Bike is a V-4 ! Might be the balancing thing, stay tune, some of the Engine Guys on here should know for sure and not myth's

 

[FloydV]

Yeah, I'm really curious now. I didn't know there were that many Vs or Ls out there. Kind of makes me think of going from a straight 8 to a V8. I remember watching Paul Newman hosting an OmniMax movie about CART. Those cars are limited to a tiny displacement, but they were still using a V8 configuration (Ford if I remember correctly). Those cars are plenty fast!

 

[ibified]

Yes, an Inline 4 is generally a LOT smoother than a V4 configuration. Read this:

The Venturers - Yamaha Venture Technical Support Library

Hopefully this explains it in fairly easy to understand terms.

Plus, at the RPMs you turn in a sport bike, an I4 or 90 degree offset V8 (think CART/IRL/F1 cars) is going to be THE way you want to go, as balance is critical at high RPM.

Additionally, they're easier to build from a cost standpoint: you only have one head gasket, one head, etc, plus its better from an air management standpoint - all the air goes in on one side and all the air goes out on the opposite side, and its all usually in a flat plane. Plus it makes it a lot easier to build equal length exhaust headers.

 

[afterhours]

when building a bike the manufacturers take lots of things into consideration. cost is a major factor and an inline is cheaper to build...and more popular t the common man. a v engine requires two sets of everything....cyls. heards, valves,cams sometimes even cranks

motogp are v configuration because they are thinner and more compact engines, they are not worried about cost...

you also have to look at corporate history and heritage...suzuki and kawasaki have a long lineage of great,revolutionary bikes that are inline. when building a new sportbike you have to build what the rider wants....most GSXR riders would not buy a new GSXR 1000 if it was a v-twin....or even a v-4.

so while a v ngine is the most logical....it is sometimes marketing decisions that dictate this stuff

 

[Mr Bogus]

when building a bike the manufacturers take lots of things into consideration. cost is a major factor and an inline is cheaper to build...and more popular t the common man. a v engine requires two sets of everything....cyls. heards, valves,cams sometimes even cranks

motogp are v configuration because they are thinner and more compact engines, they are not worried about cost...

you also have to look at corporate history and heritage...suzuki and kawasaki have a long lineage of great,revolutionary bikes that are inline. when building a new sportbike you have to build what the rider wants....most GSXR riders would not buy a new GSXR 1000 if it was a v-twin....or even a v-4.

so while a v ngine is the most logical....it is sometimes marketing decisions that dictate this stuff

+1 Costs first... function second (most of the time)

 

[FloydV]

Yes, an Inline 4 is generally a LOT smoother than a V4 configuration. Read this:

The Venturers - Yamaha Venture Technical Support Library

Hopefully this explains it in fairly easy to understand terms.

Plus, at the RPMs you turn in a sport bike, an I4 or 90 degree offset V8 (think CART/IRL/F1 cars) is going to be THE way you want to go, as balance is critical at high RPM.

Additionally, they're easier to build from a cost standpoint: you only have one head gasket, one head, etc, plus its better from an air management standpoint - all the air goes in on one side and all the air goes out on the opposite side, and its all usually in a flat plane. Plus it makes it a lot easier to build equal length exhaust headers.

Thanks for your explanation and the link. Now I understand why a 45 degree twin is the worst, while an inline 4 is the best and a v8 is even better. Very clear and helpful.

 

[FloydV]

+1 Costs first... function second (most of the time)

Copy that. Double just about everything, including assembly time.