New R1 crankshaft

Motorcycling
1

I’m still trying to get my poor little heid round this, but looks interesting for sure:

2

Thanks, that’s a nice little link.

I’ve always said the best test of new bikes is superstock racing, European superstock championship starts this weekend at Valencia.

3

it’s called a cross plane crank , coventry climax ( yes a real name …lol) used it first in their 1.5 ltr V8 in the 1950’s

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/2492847602_f7a299070f.jpg?v=1210798239

this engine started life as a FIRE BRIGADE water pump , 4valves per cylinder , 1.5 ltr V8 , with CROSS PLANE crank 1961 , it’ then was used in formula 1 cars , then pretty much the same basic engine , just cut in half …

ended up in the Hillman Imp , which is half a V8 hence thats why it leans on one side (only the oldies will remember the IMP )

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2438754219_85276dcf9d.jpg?v=0

so you could say that the NEW , R1 has a hillman imp engine design in it

pretty much every V8 since has used the CROSS PLANE design

Honda used it on their " BIG BANG " NSR500 years ago it means that all cylinders fired very close together

which allowed the rear wheel to grip before getting beaten to death once again …lol

although Doohan preferred the screamer engine , he could get it sides ways better like that …

4

Thanks for that, Keith, I hadn’t realised it went back so far. I remember the NS500, just got the impression that Yamaha had gone further and designed something really weird this time.

Ah, the Hillman Imp, I remember it well (saw one pootling along down in Sussex last year). Didn’t it have a tendency to spin when braking into corners?

5

there’s nothing new mate , just they like us to think it is so it sells more bikes …

all it’s for is to give the rear tyre a break of a nano second or 2 , and it drives like a V4 engine which i can say owning a V4 is a good thing :slight_smile:

the old IMP’s had a problem with fuel stavation on long steep hills and had to be reversed up …those where the days

6

Remember NorImp bikes Keith?:wink:

7

Fu*cking hell Keith

talk about p1ssing on Yamaha’s parade! :P:D

how can they get away with all this ‘revolutionary cross plane crank’ stuff when Keith has so expertly driven a Hillman Imp straight through Yamaha’s puffed up claims of engineering innovation?! :w00t: lol :P:D

8

So it’s fair to say the new R1 is closer to a “Ditch Pump” than our Vee Twins;):smiley:

Thats one in the eye for the IL4 brigade:P:D:D:D

9

it was a very advanced engine for it’s day , the V8 had double over head cams and 4 valves per cylinder and all for a fire pump engine , i went to the kent fire brigade museum and they have one in there …i was getting my spanners out and the man who runs it came along …:smiley:

i do indeed , an IMP engine in a feather bed frame …something like this :

10

Expertly driven ??? :hehe:

Well other than the fact that the crossplane crank design is pretty much as old as the V8 engine layout itself & was not invented by Coventry Climax in the 60’s & the Imp engine had a normal flat plane crank, I guess he’s spot on… :smiley: :wink: