The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

New GM and Chrysler Pickups May Expand Demand for Natural Gas Refueling

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While everyone is waiting for some battery breakthrough to push electric vehicles into the mainstream, GM and Chrysler just announced upcoming bi-fuel pickup trucks, that could have an impact of a different sort. These new pickups won't use ethanol as their alternate fuel, it will be compressed natural gas and this could be a big deal. While there already are a lot of heavy … [Read more...]

1909 Torpedo V4 Replica by Pavel Malaník

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Building replicas of antique motorcycles can be a challenge, but when the prototype was built as a one off promotional model and the whereabouts of the original, if it still exists, is unknown, it's going to be infinitely more difficult. Pavel Malaník, who evidently has some experience building this sort of machinery, put together this absolutely wonderful 1909 Torpedo … [Read more...]

Millray V4 – Another DIY Motorcycle Engine Design from the Past

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While digging through the archives in The Kneeslider research library, an interesting article turned up. It was about two engine builders, brothers Robert and Harry Millray of Saugus, California. It seems back in 1969, they had the idea of building a motorcycle engine, a 1200cc V4, and being hands-on "get 'er done" kinda guys, that's what they did. The engine is a 60 degree, … [Read more...]

Desmohog Finishes the DesmoHarley Engine Project

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The very impressive DesmoHarley engine built by Chris Barber we covered years ago has a home in a complete bike. I never followed up on that project and a comment in the previous post reminded me that it's about time I did. Several years ago the build was already under way and here is the complete bike, the Desmohog. Putting Ducati 900ss desmo heads on a pair of Axtell … [Read more...]

Radial Bi Rotary Balanced Piston Combustion Engine

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You've heard of radial engines and rotary engines, you probably also know a piston radial has a fixed cylinder block and a rotating crankshaft. A pistonless rotary like the Wankel has the same fixed engine block and a rotating rotor, while a piston rotary, looks like a radial, but the cylinder block rotates around a fixed crankshaft. So far, so good. So, what's a radial … [Read more...]