This is probably a really daft question, but I’m going to ask it anyway.
As far as I’m aware, single-cylinder and twin-cylinder bikes are known for their low-down torque; fours (since Euro emissions regulations became more stringent) have more of their power up-top. Triples are somewhere in the middle.
So, how would the following bikes feel to ride? And how would their power be spread out?
A 1,200cc single
A 400cc V-twin (I know there was an SV400, so mebbe someone’s here has actually ridden one!)
And, getting extreme:
A 600cc six
A 1,000cc eight
A 400cc ten
How does the cylinder count affect things? Obviously a 600cc six- or eight-cylinder engine would have smaller pistons. But would they be long and thin or short and fat? What difference would that make to the power?
Has anyone ever built a weird engine like this?
As you can probably gather, I’m on my tod at home and have waaaay too much time on my hands! :hehe:
I doubt that there are any 1200 singles, beyond a certain size it would probably shake itself apart. Again with the other engines you propose, don’t think anyone has made one. You also don’t mention layout, but a in line six would be a sweet engine as it has both primary and secondry balance, and is one of the most perfect layouts. It would make a four seem rough (Honda or Kawasaki made a six but before my time).
Moto Guzzi made a V8 race engine but it was a 500cc not a thousand, and it wasn’t a great success because the engineering wasn’t really up to the task.
As for a 10 cylinder 400, that would be a work of art.
The problem for engine construction is the more cylinders the more complicated and the smaller the components for a give size of engine. A 600cc single is easier to design and build than, an 600cc twin, or a 600cc four. And when you change from inline or straight to V configuration is makes it harder still (you double the blocks, heads, camshafts, etc).
Having a longer stroke gives more torque, but will reduce power as the bore will be narrower resulting in smaller valves. A wider bore in comparison to the stroke will allow for higher revving engines and more power. It is part of the engine design philosophy, do you have a over or under square engine design?
That is part of the reason (more so than Euro emission regulations) that most 600 engines are high revving, it is simply to extract as much power as possible for the race bikes (CBR600RR, R6 etc). And another reason the Fazer has no mid range, it uses the same engine as the R6 that is then retuned for less power, but the engine design remains the same, and does the fundamental power delivery, i.e. you have to rev the ******** off it.
1200 cc single? Probably exists as some crazy Nordic marine engine.
Worked on some stupid single cylinder diesel thing like that once stuck in a timber (remember that stuff?) Baltic trader back when you could still buy spares for a 40 year old engine. Probably a bit big for a bike. Had a whole small room to itself.
Small multi’s? Check out the world of model aircraft engines, see how small you can go.
Not a lot of power, particularly below (say) 10,000 rpm, but they only weigh ounces.
Don’t think there is any new format for the conventional petrol/oil burning engine.
Neck out time. The Wankel was the last great original engine design. 'Till the next one.
2800cc:w00t: