After writing about the V-Quad engine the other day, I had the opportunity to talk with Greg Nelson. Greg’s a pretty interesting guy and after discussing the V-Quad, I think it has some potential. A few readers looked at it and were not very impressed, but Greg thought it would give the custom builders something a little different to play with not to mention it would be a nice engine in the right motorcycle powered car, like maybe the HotRodHawg. I have to agree.
I asked Greg about cooling, which was my first concern and he said he’s been running one in the FXRS shown here with no trouble at all, the power the engine produces means you need very little throttle to get moving and keep moving. Unless you’re really hard on the throttle continuously, generating a lot of heat, cooling isn’t an issue.
The pictures here of his prototype also show how unobtrusive the engine is. What I find striking is that with a quick glance you might miss the extra two cylinders which is kinda neat. Some builders might draw attention to the extra cylinders, which would be understandable, but if they wanted to be subtle about it, they could do that, too. The FXRS prototype was recently sold and he’s thinking the next bike to get the V-Quad should be a bagger. A 200 horsepower 4 cylinder bagger, I like that!
He also said the engine fires big bang style, the cylinders fire together on both engines so it sounds just like a regular Harley. Although a twin turbo version has already been built, one customer has a supercharged version in the works.
Greg also has plans for a Bonneville run. They are planning on running in both AP-G and AP-F (gas and fuel) classes to see what they can do. That should answer questions about any durability issues under load.
The engines use relatively few unique parts to join the two, though there is a lot of experience and knowledge in the engineering of those parts. Each engine is run on a test stand and video of the run is included with your purchase so everyone knows it was running before it was shipped. They are $21k in an unpolished form, figure an extra couple of thousand for complete polishing. If you figure the cost of 2 engines alone, that’s not a bad deal.
No, this engine isn’t designed for a sporty canyon carver but it doesn’t take a lot of thinking to come up with some interesting placement ideas. I like it and I also like the idea of someone who decides to make something like this and actually goes out to his shop and does it. The added benefit is you can buy one, too. Nice work, Greg.
Link: V-Quad 4 Cylinder Engine
Clive M Sanders says
I like how the bike is symmetrical. theres no “bad side”.
jp says
Definitely the thing for a hot bagger…I could see a nice Road Glide setup with this motor being a super sleeper!
chris says
“with a quick glance you might miss the extra two cylinders” i’m staring and if i didn’t know i’d probably still miss them. this engine is awesome. any idea what the EPA has to say about it?
Sean says
This would solve the problem where the left hand side of the Vincent looks terrible.
Dave says
I think the V-4 design is awesome but it should be 100ci total displacement. The smaller cylinder size would allow the compression ratio to be increased in each cylinder.
OTTOMAN says
WELL I MUST ADMITT, IT DOES LOOK BETTER THEN I THOUGHT. BUT IAM WONDERING WHAT MAINTANCE MUST BE LIKE [ADJUSTING PUSH RODS TIMEING AND SUCH]. ALSO HOW ARE THEY CONNECTED . I DIDNT READ OR SEE THAT.
discontinuuity says
Why would you run them so they fire at the same time? Wouldn’t that create horrible vibration? I guess if you’ve already got a 45 degree V-twin, vibration isn’t your biggest issue, but it still sounds like a bad idea to me. Didn’t Ducati did the same thing on their V-4 racing motor? Is it because they want all of the vibration to be in one plane only?
guitargeek says
Two stories about the twin Harley, yet when I search The Kneeslider for “Millyard” I get nothing.
It’s real neat that this guy put two Harley engines together side by side, and I certainly don’t want to take anything away from his achievement, but I’m curious why there’s no mention anywhere about Allen Millyard’s various KZs, especially the 2300cc V12.
QuantumCat says
How come people aren’t warming up to this?
I’d love to have a HD V4! I’ve been contemplating on how to connect them -but alas, I am a physicist, I know more about nanophysics than about mechanicanical stuff 🙁
Next to that I love the way thay kept the engine slim, no abotion-legspread like you have with the Boss Hoss, for instance!
AND the ability to fit it in a stock frame (I’m kind of biassed in favour of the FXR)
Too bad the engine will be a tag too expensive to buy, let alone to ship it to Holland