The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Honda V4 Engine with Unequal Cylinder Spacing and Cylinder Deactivation

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If Honda's dual clutch, which will debut on the new VFR, got your attention, how about a V4 with unequal front and rear cylinder spacing plus cylinder deactivation? These Honda patent drawings show the layout of their new engine with the front cylinders widely spaced and the rear closer together. The connecting rods are mounted to the crankshaft with the rear cylinders both … [Read more...]

2010 Yamaha YZ450F Turns Cylinder Around – Air Travels Straight Through

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A common question is why motorcycle engines aren't arranged with the air intakes in the front and the exhaust in the back. Reasons given for the usual arrangement are many but Yamaha evidently thought the straight thru approach might make sense so their new YZF450F makes this "revolutionary advancement" by turning the cylinder around, slanting it to the rear and just like that, … [Read more...]

Honda Dual Clutch Transmission – Automatic Shifting for Big Engine Sport Bikes

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Honda has announced their "Dual Clutch Transmission" for use in large displacement sport bikes. I read through the description of this new bit of technology and it's pretty interesting, one clutch for odd gears, the other for even gears. Each clutch engages the next gear then, with the assistance of the computer, gradually disengages one clutch and engages the other for a … [Read more...]

Mac Motorcycles After Buell Fits Yamaha Power

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Decisions often have far reaching effects. When Buell crushed the Blast, it caused a bit of collateral damage to the Mac Motorcycles plan of basing their new bikes on the Buell sourced 500cc single. After retiring to the pub for a "what now?" session, the boys at Mac came up with some alternative ideas and sent over this reworked image of the Spud with an engine from the Yamaha … [Read more...]