How Much Do You Know About These Engines?
If you read the words V-twin, Inline Triple, and Flat-Four and they simply puzzle you, then you need to read this article. But don’t worry; we won’t bore you with all kinds of technicalities, such as valves and shafts. This is simply your friendly update on what’s what.
It can’t hurt to know these things, right? An engine is also known as the heart of a motorcycle, and developing an understanding of these metal hunks that successfully whisk us away from boredom is nothing but a joy for gearheads.
Riders are quite enthusiastic about the Triumph inline triple’s sound but also about Ducati’s V-Twin’s versatility. In fact, there’s no such thing as the best engine type, but an engine that fulfills your desires.
We’ve looked over the expert’s opinions and compiled only the most relevant, interesting, and useful details about each and every engine type. Each of these engines has its own set of quirks, so it’s worth giving them a try. From the roaring V8s to the lesser-known gas-turbine motorcycle engines, here’s a detailed breakdown of ten distinct engine types and all their pros and cons.
Wankel-Rotary engine
At one point, the Wankel rotary engine seemed to be a real deal. It was lightweight, small, totally uncomplicated, and very strong. But their fuel efficiency issues limited their widespread adoption when it came to motorcycles.
You probably didn’t know this, but Norton famously won the 1992 Senior TT at the Isle of Man with a Wankel-engined motorcycle. When it comes to this particular one, the pros are that it has fewer moving parts, so there’s less wear and tear, and that it has a high power-to-weight ratio.
On the other side, the cons are that its unique design also requires specific expertise for maintenance, and it has shown fuel inefficiency many times.
Single-cylinder engine
Single-cylinder engines are quite simple and efficient. They’re ideal for entry-level bikes or even off-road applications. They are also quite slim and mean, and they are known for their great maneuverability. They are more forgiving of novice riders.
A one-cylinder engine is amazing for dirt bikes because it generates power in pulses, which allows the back wheel to gain enough traction in difficult terrain. However, their inherent vibrations at higher RPMs and lower power might deter some riders.
Moreover, single-cylinder engines are commonly known as thumps because of the sound they make. Single-cylinder engines are known to have helped countries devastated by wars stand back up on their feet.
They are very reliable and cost-efficient, which makes up for their lack of power. Does a small company known as “Vespa” ring a bell? Some of the pros include the fact that they’re simple and lightweight, but also the fact that they’re fuel-efficient. However, the cons are that it has vibrations at higher RPMs and limited power compared to multicylinder engines.
Parallel-twin engine
Parallel twins will offer quite decent performance without the complexity of larger engines. But they lack the smoothness of inline fours. And because the pistons move in opposite directions at different times, it sort of creates something known as a “rocking couple,” which leads to vibrations that disrupt the engine’s overall smoothness.
However, these engines are known for offering a good linear power band, which is another fancy way of saying that the engine delivers power at different types of RPMs. Among the pros, we included affordability and fuel efficiency, the fact that they’re compact and lightweight, and the fact that they’re easy to take care of.
On the cons, we have balancing and vibration issues and an overall lack of bottom-end torque.
V-Twin engine
To boost displacement, they added another cylinder to the single-cylinder engine. It resulted in a twin-cylinder motor masterfully arranged in a V-shape. The addition of a cylinder makes things even more complex because it requires carburetors, valvetrains, and cylinder heads.
Thus, it results in a doubling of power loss by friction. Because the front cylinder blocks the rear cylinder, there could be some overheating issues. V-Twin engines, renowned for their torquey power delivery but also for their distinctive exhaust note, might have found their niche in the cruiser and custom motorcycle segments.
It’s not as smooth as some other configurations, but they still offer ample low-end grunt. Harley-Davidson used the V-Twin in its motorcycles for more than a century. Also, American riders learned how to handle the Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin from their own cradle. When the angle between the two cylinders is the correct one, meaning it is 90 degrees, it turns into an L-Twin engine.
Boxer twin engine
To address the issue of the rocking effect in parallel-twin engines, Max Fritz, a talented and key engineer at BMW, created a brand new, fresh engine setup. This innovative design places two cylinders in a horizontally opposed manner.
In this specific configuration, the cylinders sit opposite each other at a 180-degree angle. Boxer twins also provide wonderful balance and reduce vibration. Their wider profile could even affect the handling and limit the motorcycle’s ability to lean at significant angles during tight cornering.
On the flip side, this engine could also prevent leg injuries if you are unable to keep the rubber on the road and end up sliding on the tarmac. Some of the pros include reduced vibration due to opposed pistons and a low center of gravity for excellent handling.
But the cons include the fact that it’s quite difficult to maneuver in city traffic because of its wider profile, that it is limited to some motorcycle models, and that it has no room for forward-mounted foot controls.
Inline-triple engine
Three-cylinder motorcycle engines, such as Triumple tripes, are well-known for their smoothness and balanced power delivery. They also feature three cylinders placed side-by-side. Despite all these virtues, manufacturers favor completely other configurations, which has limited the natural evolution of this type of engine.
For instance, the Honda CB650F follows the inline-triple’s design principle but also uses an inline-four with a missing cylinder. In both single- and dual-cylinder engines, there are a couple of moments in the stroke cycle when pistons briefly come to a standstill.
This could easily shorten the power stroke. But in inline three-cylinder engines, three pistons move around the same crankshaft, which eliminates any instance during the cycle when all pistons stop at the same time.
Inline-four engine
Inline-four engines are rather synonymous with high-performance motorcycles. Some of them are popular across sports bikes, and these beasts deliver exhilarating performance at all times. In an inline-four engine, there’s always a minimum of one piston engaged in the combustion process.
That’s why these engines are constantly referred to as “screamers.” Some of the pros include smooth power delivery across the RPM range, high performance and power output, and screaming exhaust notes. On the other side, it is known to be difficult to manufacture, require high-end and regular maintenance, and might present secondary imbalance problems.
V4 engine
The majority of MotoGP bikes are propelled by V4 engines. But crafting these types of engines also demands top-tier engineering and a lot of investment. The V4 engines have four pistons arranged in a V-shaped layout, also linked to a shared crankshaft.
This type of configuration enables engineers to employ a smaller crankshaft, which would significantly reduce vibration and ensure a joyful ride. If you haven’t bought your helmet yet, what are you looking for? Here’s the coolest choice you will ever find!
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