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...]

V-Quad Goes 164.172 mph at Bonneville

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The V-Quad engine, basically a side by side V-Twin, that Greg Nelson produces, was installed in a custom motorcycle built by Brouhard Design for owner Mike Maggio. They took it to Bonneville recently and Maggio ran 164.172 mph for a new record in the APGU class. This is an open motorcycle (no fairings or streamlining), push rod, gas, unlimited engine size above 3,000 cc's. This … [Read more...]

Gordon Calder’s Motorcycle Engine Gallery

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Photoshop is often abused, ever see one of those supermodels before the computer magic? Yikes! On the other hand, sometimes photos just need a cleaner background or a few blemishes removed to bring out what's hidden in plain sight and that's where Gordon Calder's talent lies. He finds motorcycle engines the perfect subject, wrapped as they are in the surrounding frame and … [Read more...]

Moto Guzzi W103 – 3 Cylinder V-Triple Motorcycle Engine

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Have you ever noticed how once you start looking for things, they just seem to jump out all over the place, like W configuration engines. After mentioning the Anzani W3 the other day, I came across another one I had never seen before, this one is the Moto Guzzi arrow W103, a 3 cylinder engine in a V-Triple, arrow or "W" configuration. This arrow configuration engine was … [Read more...]