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JRL Cycles Radial Engine Motorcycle Video

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 11/19/2007

Radial engine motorcycle by JRL Cycles

We’ve seen the photos of the radial engine motorcycles with those gorgeous 7 cylinder Rotec radials, but how many of you have heard the engine run? Here’s a short video of the engine at high idle with a few throttle blips thrown in. It sounds good and really smooth. I like it!

Video below:

Link: JRL Cycles
Related: Radial Engine Motorcycle by JRL Cycles

{ 12 comments… add yours below ... }

John 11.19.07 at 12:07 pm: That is ridiculous. Totally un-neccesary. But completely desirable!
coho 11.19.07 at 2:09 pm: Wow. I can only imagine the arm-lengthening capabilities of such a machine.

Given the height of the tank relative to the pilot and feet first controls it looks an awful lot like a huge Gurney Alligator. Maybe Corbin will make a Smuggler for it and finish the illusion.
Keith 11.19.07 at 7:32 pm: John you sound like a tree huggin’ yuppie . Just take of your skirt , grow some balls and drop your purse . This is a awsome custom . It is neccesary , it’s not ridiculous and I want one .
Sean 11.19.07 at 7:58 pm: That’s just silly. Purely, mindbogglingly silly. Where do I sign?
JC 11.19.07 at 9:14 pm: Radial engine, blah, make mine a rotary engine (and I don’t mean a Mazda!)
Gus gus 11.20.07 at 1:40 am: AWSOME !!!!!!!!!
Tim 11.20.07 at 3:26 am: sounds good, looks cool if you like that style of bike…………..but……

how do the two bottom rear cylinders get cooling air? theres one just about where the lady’s knee would be if shew were sitting on the seat, and one below that behind what I presume is the belt drive (or chain, whatever) to the gearbox. HD rear cylinders run hotter than the fronts, and on air cooled Buells the rear cylinder gets fanned A LOT. Maybe this thing isnt designed to be run at slow speeds or for a long time? Ideas anyone?

Say what you like about the Jesse James one, at least when the thing is moving, ALL the cylinders were out in the breeze. (Jesse’s one might have had somewhat compromised ground clearance though)
Jeff 11.20.07 at 3:48 pm: Pretty radial Err… radical I’ve spent some lonely nights sitting between a pair of Pratt 985s drumming away . Check the gas and fill the oil
willie schmitz 11.20.07 at 3:59 pm: Great engineering exercise. The bike looks good too.
There’s a bunch of radials out there. From a huge Lycoming X7750 monster (couldn’t find a link to it) to some nicely crafted scaled model power plants. The Rotec appears a tad big for M/C use.
Be nice if one of the custom builders would come up with something a little smaller and mount it laterally.
Tim 11.21.07 at 3:30 am: Willie, Jesse James did just that earlier this year:

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2006/05/10/radial-engine-powered-motorcycle/
willie schmitz 11.21.07 at 2:03 pm: Here’s the link to the Lycoming XR7755.

http://www.aviation-history.com/engines/xr-7755.html
guitargeek 11.21.07 at 2:49 pm: Further proof that just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD…