There have been rumors of Kawasaki developing a supercharger for streetbike applications and after doing a little digging, sure enough, here’s a very recent patent for exactly that. The blower is located behind the engine (number 38 in the drawing).
Kawasaki engines never struck me as weak little things to begin with, and depending on the amount of boost, this could add enormous power. I’m not sure which model or models it’s intended for, but if you start with a ZX14, what you’ll be able to do with that on the street is open to debate, but I imagine the marketing department will find a use for it.
When or if this will see the light of day in an actual production bike remains to be seen, patents sometimes go nowhere, but it’s a relatively low cost way to bring out a new model and these days, that’s a plus.
Patent explanation below:
The disclosed engine supercharging device is provided with a supercharger (38) that pressurizes air aspirated into an engine (E); an air cleaner (36) that cleans outside air; a clean-air supply duct (56) that supplies clean air (CA) from the air cleaner (36) to the supercharger (38); a supercharged air duct (62) that supplies supercharged air (SA) from the supercharger (38) to air intake ducts (60) of the engine (E); and a relief valve (68) that adjusts the air pressure in the supercharged air duct (62); The exhaust outlet (68b) of the relief valve (68) is contained in the air cleaner (36). The engine (E) has a plurality of cylinders, the downstream portion of the supercharged air duct (62) is formed from an air intake chamber (64) that supplies intaken air to the air intake duct (60) of each of the plurality of cylinders. The relief valve (68) adjusts the air pressure of the air intake chamber (64).
Ken says
I have a feeling this would better on an ATV or side-by-side or maybe a 400cc bike…
Turbos are very useful on smaller engines to give it the performance of larger engines for short bursts (passing, freeway onramps, etc.) while keeping the fuel economy of said smaller engine. This leads me to ask a question: In this economy, why haven’t any of the large manufacturers put out a standard bike that is capable of getting 75mpg or better? If my old Geo could get 50 mpg with its crappy 3 cylinder 1000cc engine, why can’t a 1000cc bike get 50% better fuel economy while still maintaining some decent performance???
BigHank53 says
The main problem high mpg bikes have is the horrible, horrible aerodynamics of motorcycles. Despite the smaller frontal area, lots of bike create more drag than full-sized cars, due to huge coefficients of drag.
FREEMAN says
There are bikes that get high mpg. A lot of folks dismiss them as not being “real,” however, since they tend to be of a smaller displacement.
Ken says
See, that’s just the thing. I have a friend I ride enduro with and his 250 gets 75mpg. my 450 at the same gearing gets 50mpg and my bike weighs less than his! Now, I have a lot more performance out of my machine, but I know that an engineering team could get a liter bike to eek out 75mpg if it had the right set-up.
Donnie says
One of note on that list – the BMW F650GS. It achieves 63 mpg, better than quite a few bikes of smaller displacement. I’ve always been amazed at how BMW achieved that kind of efficiency with their big 650 single, especially considering that Kawi’s big 650 single only gets 50 mpg. A LOT of factors that go into that beyond what we see on paper/electrons; however, I still find it impressive.
Dorzok says
forget about applying this to the zx14 or concours. a comact supersport with suerbike output in a sport touring package.
Russell B! says
I’m just wondering why this is worth a patent application. Was a patent actually issued?
M!ke D! says
This is a great idea, especially in the higher elevations, where FI can actually improve your mpg’s. Kawasaki has always been a step ahead in the street bike category, now if they could only get it together in the racing world. All the turbo Hyabusa’s better watch out!
jason says
@ Russell B: I’m betting the patent was on the layout of the setup due to the packaging requirements to make this compact.
Anyone else think the chassis in the patent drawing looks like the new zx14 pic just released? Looks like their upper section (monocoque)
M!ke D! says
Hayabusa!
hoyt says
apparently there is going to be an announcement on Oct 10th. Based on all of the Kawi teaser videos on the web, it looks like it is going to be a ZX-14.
Motoputs says
Nothing new or inventive here. I can not see a patent being issued for this.
todd says
it would likely be a design patent.
-todd
jason says
even if it’s “not that original/inventive” as some are saying, patents protect the product from being 3D scanned and produced/sold by someone else without paying for the design or rights to build sell, right? I would assume it’s just part of the legal protections needed by companies, and it doesn’t have to be completely ground breaking to be an original arrangement…
Oscar says
I think this would be much more useful in a small displacement bike – say, 400cc to 600cc. That could result in power comparable to a 1000cc engine with even better torque and lower fuel consumption.
Brent says
What next? Will Kawasaki patent round wheels?
I notice several commenters have assumed this a patent on a turbocharged bike, but from the drawing it’s pretty clear that it’s not; it’s a supercharger, probably a roots type. I see no advantage at all to that. An ICE can only stand so much compression without detonation. If you use external compression then you reach that pressure with less expansion and that just hurts efficiency.
Rob says
Turbos and superchargers can be tuned produce low down power. In such a design engines need to revved less, use less fuel and increase the engine life. Engine life is increased twofold one by revving less and two by by having less stress on the piston, conrod and crank from having to pull air into the engine. All engines should be FI as far as I’m concerned or at least have air rammed into them by some other means… Will be sweet on a big engine if it’s tuned for low down (save gas and engine) or tuned for high revs (drag strip here we come).
Max says
you can see that the supercharger is a centrifual type, why they would choose this is beyond me.. they have the disadvantages of a supercharger and a turbocharger (sucking power from the engine, not having instant boost and maximum boost when you shift down – say for a corner.. :S).
Personally, i would’ve liked to see a twin screw SC with water to air intercooler.
Kenny says
When Kawasaki originally released the ZX14 (ZZR1400 as it’s known to the rest of the world) they adjusted the fuel map so that the engine couldn’t unleash its full torque at low speeds. Presumably due to fears that riders wouldn’t be able to handle the bike at low speeds.
In that light, their choice of a centrifugal charger makes sense in addition to relatively better fuel consumption.
The patent is probably just for staking ground purposes. As far as I’m aware the only other current design for a production motorcycle with an integrated supercharger is the Roehr.
It would be interesting if they included a means of disconnecting and bypassing the supercharger like the old Lancia Delta turbo-supercharged rallycar.
This design would also be a boon for any aftermarket upgrades since there is a chance that a roots type, or twin screw could be bolted in with relatively little modification. That is assuming the proposed new EU legislation on motorcycle modification doesn’t go through.
Like many readers I would personally prefer to see this on a small capacity bike 400-600cc. But more likely, if this patent ever sees fruition it will be on Kawasaki’s Z1000 or 750.
NextVoiceUHear says
How about using that blower in a “scooter” like the 500cc twin Yamaha T-Max ?? Ohhh MaMa!
Sick Cylinder says
I beleive Kawasaki already make a jet ski with a supercharged four cylinder engine – I think it is 1500cc. I have read previously (MCN) about this patent application – it is expected to be on a 1400cc bike and be only very lightly boosted.
Keith says
chain drive? in that location? PUHLEASE…direct gear drive is the best way to go.
F0ul says
Very interesting reading.
I certainly think there is a market for a turbo 600 cc bike. It would have the 50-60 mpg at cruising speed, and 150bhp for the ego and the track.
I have been contemplating adding a supercharger to my VFR but I would prefer a turbo – all these diesel turbo cars on the market have brought the price of turbos right down, but I am yet to work out how to add it to my bike! 😉
A manufacturer doing the work for me would be one way around the EU rules!
Sick Cylinder says
@FOul – it would be very difficult to turbo a VFR because of the exhaust layout.
WestOfBen says
F0ul – if you own a 5th or 6th gen VFR 800 go here: http://www.aaperf.com/
gildasd says
I am surprised at the lack of any intercooler… The revs will be limited by knock (unless there is a bypass at hight revs that we don’t see in these drawrings).
Rob says
It makes sense for Kawasaki to improve their big engines first, assuming that their liter plus bikes are the ones that suck the most fuel. Using a supercharger that doesn’t work well at peak revs is in line with that mode of thinking. Big bore bikes for the next decade are going to have to do more than just go fast. Economy is going to play an ever larger part of the marketing of these beasts.
Dan says
Take a ride on a bike equipped with a centrifugal supercharger and you’ll understand why Kawi would want to look into this: flawless & instant throttle response, incredibly smooth powerband, practically silent operation (if the supercharger uses a planetary roller traction drive), tiny size for easy packaging, simple tuning, extremely efficient operation, and a boost response curve that not only keeps detonation at bay but helps make that monstrous power actually controllable and usable (for the most part, that is…200+whp is still 200+whp).
Every form of forced induction has its upsides and downsides, but for a motorcycle, it’s really hard to beat a centrifugal supercharger once you take everything into effect…
Klaus says
Liter-sized inline-fours grew to 1300 and 1400cc and may have reached their limits. Instead of increasing to 1.5L or 1.6L it makes more sense to put a blower onto an existing engine.
Supercharge it instead of supersize it!
Donnie says
I’d actually like to see something like this applied to, say, a KLR 650 perhaps? I know it’s a design for a 4-cylinder, but the big Kaw dual sport could use a little extra oomph, and a supercharger would add a bit of a punch on the low end. The added weight might be a bit of an issue though.