The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Aniket Vardhan’s Musket 998 V-Twin Startup Video!

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Aniket Vardhan's Musket 998 V-Twin
Aniket Vardhan’s Musket 998 V-Twin
The color of this video is way off, but the sound, … well the sound is right on. This is the Musket 998, designed, and built by Aniket Vardhan. He created the patterns, cast the cases and built this engine from two Royal Enfield 500 singles.

There has been a lot of anticipation surrounding this project and I’m sure this video will cause smiles all around the world, … literally, all around the world. Excellent!

Video below:

Link: Musket V-Twin

Previously on The Kneeslider:
Musket 998 initial assembly
Casting the Musket V-Twin
Pattern Making as Engineering Art

Comments

  5. I’m very happy to see this day for Aniket, and also for the rest of us.

    Just imagine the patience of doing this entire project once to make the Musket 700cc V-Twin, and then having everyone say that they’d rather have a 1000cc, so go back to the drawing board and do it AGAIN as a 1000cc!!
    THAT is perseverance!

    So, the highest congratulations are in order for Aniket to achieve this milestone, not just once, but TWICE!

    Obviously, I’m dying to get my hands on a set of these engine cases!
    Big “thumbs up!”

    • Really, no one wanted the 700??? I’d love to have a bike that size! I’d just like to have a lighter frame/total package. I went and checked out an Enfield this spring and was shocked how heavy they were.

      • Ken,
        I think Aniket could accommodate people with the 700, if they want one. I don’t want to step out of line, or speak for Aniket, but if you want that, I’d recommend to contact him about it.

        As for the weight of the Bullet, it has been going up in recent years.
        The older kick-start bikes were only about 350 pounds. Then they added electric start and various bits and bobs, and now it’s over 400 pounds.
        But the old ones are still around, and that’s what we are using for completing these crankcases that Aniket is building. The 350 Bullet parts fit on the 700 Musket, and the 500 Bullet parts fit on the 998 Musket.

        If you want a lighter frame, there are custom frame builders around who would love to have a chance to build a frame around this beautiful engine!

        • Well, my kids don’t have to go to college, do they? Now, if only I could scrape together enough ching to get a Mule frame and slap in the 700… Might not be the fastest thing out there, but I bet it would be a hoot to ride!!!

      • Ahoy KEN!
        Good news! The new cases have been made to allow either 350 or 500 top ends! And, what’s more, I’ll be experimenting with alternative piston options for the 350 using aftermarket sleeves and new alloy jugs that I plan to cast next, which will allow upto 80mm pistons- yielding a 900 using the 350 heads. This is a really interesting route (pioneered by John Hutchins of Tollgate Classics in the UK), who does 350 to 450 conversions using a BSA 441 or FIAT piston…the 350 has a more compact combustion chamber, the big bore will yield a certain amount of squish band all around the circumference, all good things.
        Many thanks!
        Aniket

        • Aniket,

          Any thoughts on fitting “Big Head” bullet heads? It looks like the rear exahusts clearance of the fron cylinder is pretty tight, would they fit?

        • You made a 700 and we wanted a 1000. Then we wanted ACE goodies on it. Now here’s another one. Going forward cylinders and heads from the new UCE bike will be available at a ,lets say with a relative ease compared to the cast iron ones. So, ….you know where i am going with this.

  6. Hurray for Aniket! It looks and sounds great.
    As Thomas Edison once remarked, “Genius is one
    percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

  7. Lately there are a lot of “bike builders” who are really just customizers—a paint job, new wheels and brakes, maybe grafting on a monoshock. THIS guy is a BIKE BUILDER.

  8. Simply beautiful! Fabulous work, Aniket! How many “builders” have the perseverance to conceive such a project, then carry it through to completion, AND make it a beautiful piece of sculpture at the same time? Not many, but Aniket has proved time and again that he is a true builder. This engine will be all any motorcycle needs.

    Love the sound — too bad it will need silencers! I want pipes like these that spit flame like a radial aircraft engine!

    One small quibble — with the power this engine will make, maybe you’ll want to put a bigger front brake on the bike, even if it is a test mule.

  11. Brilliant Stuff!

    A Very clever and determined bloke!

    I’ve enjoyed following his project through The Kneeslider.

    I’ve got to say, that downtube is ‘unique’.

    As for the sound, something like a Conti style muffler – Staintune make The Best – would create a superb sound. Even Harleys with that sort of muffler with the full flow fluted, spiral baffle, sound magnificent.

  13. Hi Guys 🙂
    As always, THANK you!
    Few quick notes:
    Many thanks to Tom and Chumma of ACE for their help in sorting out last minute tuning issues. A great long chat with Tom gave me a *much better* understanding of intake cam timing. My approach was to get the cam-lobe peaks (max. lift point) correctly oriented, but stock cams have just enough variation that the moment it *opens* may be off by a tooth even if peak lift position is correct! I now have the concept and the reason firmly embedded in my head – the intake cam closing event is the *most critical* of all valve open/close events.
    Just a quick note about the weird frame downtube mod- this bike has a stretch of only 2.5″, made possible by that custom curved downtube which makes room for that front cylinder – this gave a wheelbase is approx. 56.5″, only 1″ longer than the Vincent. In comparison, the 700 had a stretch of 6.5″as I went with the easiest route- just stretch the top tube. That made a very stable ‘touring’ setup but for those who want a quick turning twisty loving machine, let’s see how this works out.
    For this bike, decided to try something different in as many areas as I can.
    Amongst other changes, the flywheels are lighter (there is a noticeable change in how quickly it picks up revs).
    I’m currently torn about the exhaust- should I do a 2 into1 ala Vincent or a 2 into 2 with a pipe on both sides for that pleasing symmetry?
    Working on completing the rest of the bike, will have ride videos coming next.
    Thanks very very much again everyone!
    Very best regards,
    Aniket

    • Don’t agonize over the downtube — you’ll sort the frame later. As for the exhaust, now you’ve learned about intake valve timing, do some research on exhaust tuning. A 2-into-1 system might not look as pleasing as mufflers on each side, but it can be tuned to scavenge the cylinders of spent exhaust and promote even greater filling of the fresh charge. In the “old days” this was called an “extractor exhaust” and makes a noticeable difference in power production, especially on smaller-displacement engines (below 1.5 liter). It was one of the chief speed secrets of the MG racers during the 1950s. By paying attention to pipe length and the internal dimensions and contours of the critical junction, you can easily pick up a handful of horsepower. Of course, a free-flowing muffler is essential; but to keep it reasonably quiet it would have to be quite large. Still, by tolerating some of that magnificent sound, you can use a muffler that would be nicely proportional and still not annoy the neighbors (too badly).

  14. Last thing I read (10/24/12) : “Aniket says he’s been averaging 80 hours per week for several months with the goal of getting the engine running before cold weather really sets in.”

    So he pulled it off! Great job. Great sound as well. As for the exhaust: the bike deserves a set of twin mufflers, classic Triumph Bonneville style.

  15. Hi there B50 Jim,
    Many thanks for your comments! I’ve appreciated your continuous interest right from the start – 3 years ago!
    The scavenging provided by the 2into1 is certainly desirable and I may go that route…am actually thinking of bending up 2 sets of pipes, one of each style, the ‘pipe either side’ looks so pretty…I’m a sucker for pretty 🙂
    Tricky thing will be to do 2into1 and get equal pipe lengths so that their wave tuning matches…the way the pipes exit the front and rear heads, the rear needs a bit of length to catch up with the front…the Vincent 2into1 setup was the same too- longer arc for the rear pipe…let’s see how it goes. I have a nice 7′ length of stainless to screw up 🙂

  16. That looks like a very tidy bit of work, but how is it different from the Australian-built Carberry, that has been around for years?

    • Hi there Robert.
      Firstly, Carberry have stopped production earlier this year. There was an article about this in an online Bullet magazine at http://www.greenlane.biz
      They came out with their motor when I completed the casting patterns for my first attempt- the 700 V twin.
      It was indeed different in approach- thoroughly modernized internally, with hydraulic lifters, electric starter, gerotor oil pump and a a dry sump.
      My original idea was to make a V twin for the Indian market where the Bullet is made and beloved to millions…therefore keeping strictly to the design philosophy of using only freely available and inexpensive stock Bullet parts. This feature would of course appeal to Bullet riders in any country who want this motor and needn’t worry about spares and maintenance. Of course, I discovered later that in India, any sort of mod. to frames or engines was illegal…which kinda was a bummer to put it mildly but still working on it 🙂
      This simplicity of the Musket will have a strong impact on cost…the Carberry’s sophistication did have its price tag- when they had the engine pricing up on their site, it was about $11,000 for the engine kit and $22,000 for a complete bike. I’m shooting for rather lower.
      Thanks!
      Aniket

      • Aniket,
        Getting the rules regarding modified bikes in India changed might be easier if you had the help of someone influential who is also an avid motorcyclist. I’m thinking of M.S. Dhoni, of course.
        Worth a try maybe ?
        Tom

  18. Hi Aniket,

    was years a go when i saw the 700 twin, and its awesome to see the 1000.

    my only and only question is – When and how does one get a set of engines in India?

    i’d die to build a bike around that emaculately crafted powerplant.

    have a 350, and a 500, and would love to have a 700 and 1000 one day.

    that engine is supremely beautiful

    thanks,

    Henri

  19. I’m still trying to figure out how to convince my parents they need one of these for their RE sidecar rig. That or put together one of these engines and stuff it into a Ducati like Matthew and Sid Biberman. An EnCati? A DuRoy?

    Fantastic work, Aniket. I always enjoy seeing progress on your bike.

  20. My motorcycling hero has been for many years Allen Milyard; he is now joined by Aniken.
    My wife once asked me why I was so fond of British motorcycles, and after a moments thought replied: “becaused they look like what a motorcycle should look like”. She never really understood that though. Aniken does. He has captured the essence of the Bullet and expanded it into a bike Royal Enfield probably should have built 50 years ago. Reddich would likely have not developed such beautiful cases; Aniken’s work is superb, both in form and function. Now for the real question: will it fit into the lovely Manx racing featherbed replica I have in my shop?

  21. P.S. Aniken, someone earlier mentioned the brakes, my thought here is that a “period” 4LS brake would be proper. Ideally a Fontana, but the Grimeca unit would look appropiate as well. For that matter a nice John Tickle twin leading shoe brake would suffice for most riders.