A new American that isn't a shake pile V twin!

[Ivan]

Opposing cranks. That had to take some figuring. Good idea though. Interesting concept.

The Isle of Mann TT electric division is pretty cool. I watched it on HDT channel (High Def Theater?) and those bikes were somewhere between the 600 and the liter bikes in speed, but they only did two laps I think, might have been one. The jest I got was they could trample the liter bikes if they wanted to, but wouldn't last a full lap....yet. Pretty amazing.

[Guy_b_g]

I'd miss the exhaust noise tho...have to get used to a whole new idea of what sounds "cool".

The opposing crank idea was used in several of the last 500cc MotoGP bikes before they went to 4 strokes, it's still used in 250cc 2 stroke Rotax GP engines used in SuperKart racing.

First time I've heard of it being used in a four stroke though.

[fredintoon]

Opposing cranks. That had to take some figuring. Good idea though. Interesting concept.

The Isle of Mann TT electric division is pretty cool. - - -

Hi Ivan,
nothing new in opposed cranks, Ariel made their Square 4 from the '30s to the 50's. And to see something really weird, check the net for the superposed flat 4 in George Brough's 1938 Golden Dream.
Electric Bike:- "A device that claims virtue for zero pollution by using stored energy produced by burning coal in a power plant located hundreds of miles away."

[Guy_b_g]

My electric won't be powered by coal, strictly nuke, wind and solar...

[Ivan]

There's a guy here in Hutchinson that has the 350 Boss Hoss. After looking at that, by definition, I don't think you have a head to end up on if you ride one of those.

His rear is some 60 series car tire, and I'd bet that thing would sit upright with out a stand. The rear is probably more than a foot wide. I don't understand it at all. He said you can't hammer it off the start cause its too much and will get away from you. Not sure if he meant torque, accelleration or just operator headspace and timing. I couldn't get him to race my old XS11, even though I tried.

A 502 in a bike would be just stupid. Although, I am sure that's why they sell. Maybe next they will but a 6V149 Detroit Diesel in a bike.

Ah, well, we'll have to see where the Czys and the Motos end up. Both very interesting bikes.

[Guy_b_g]

The newer Boss Hosses have rounded rear tires like most bikes, they currently make them in 350 and 500cu in flavors. The big problem is traction. They challenged the Suzuki Hayabusa to a 1/4 mile race and had to do it 2up because they couldn't get it to hook up off the line, the 502 trounced the Hayabusa until the very end, when superior aerodynamics took over on the 'Busa. Even 2up the Boss Hoss didn't really stop spinning the rear tire until waaay down the track.

nothing new in opposed cranks, Ariel made their Square 4 from the '30s to the 50's.

I never thought about how Ariel might have achieved a square four, interesting. Almost nothing is really new under the Sun..even 4 valve heads had been used by 1910.

[Ivan]

Yeah Fred, I don't think the electric is going to plow the way to no smog. Some guy, Newton I think was his name, rambled on about some "law" that energy is not created or destroyed, it just changes forms. That ZEV's exhaust pipe is there, just not present with the actual vehicle. But that's all political anyhow.

I think that electric will soon be the definition of performance because its compact. When the energy density of batteries gets high enough, I think you'll see a switch to predominantly electric in performance applications because of the energy produced per weight. Its already happened in model aircraft and cars. We just have to wait for the expense to lower and the tech to raise ever so slightly. But the new day is in sight, or so it would seem.

I still like the sounds and smells of old carbs and megaphone exhaust, even if it were in a hotrod instead of a bike.

[Guy_b_g]

I think that a combination of high charge density batteries and ultra capacitors are going to be where the future lies...great strides are being made in both technologies right now.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/jun2006/bw20060628_655501.htm

[Ivan]

I remember something about the tire compannies having to design a motorcycle tire big enough to fit a Boss Hoss. Might be this guy either has an older one or is financed to the hilt paying for it and can't afford a scoot tire over a cheap tire for a '85 Mustang. Dunno.

I figured traction would definately be an issue. Just not sure it was that guy's issue, if you catch my drift.

Boss Hoss against a Busa sounds like that race on Top Gear with the Veyron matched up against the Zonda. Straight line wasn't really a race at all. Zonda didn't stand a chance, but throw a couple tight turns in there and things got really interesting.

Still wouldn't sit on top of a running 502

[Guy_b_g]

Still wouldn't sit on top of a running 502

Neither would I..a sneeze and a twitch of the throttle could be catastrophic.

[Guy_b_g]

Here's a video of a Boss Hoss big block vs a ZX12.... 2nd run is very interesting...don't see a massive torque reaction...a lot of tire smoke tho.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI_GvCl8ei8

[cueball]

Thanks Fred

That one didn't make the abbreviation list

[fredintoon]

- - - Almost nothing is really new under the Sun..even 4 valve heads had been used by 1910.

Hi Guy,
it's said that except for electronic stuff anything you see on a modern bike was first tried before the first world war.

[Montreux_Blue]

Just from a 30 foot "looks kinda like" the Buell ans Suzuki 90 degree twins were knock offs of the Ducati design. IIRC, they ripped it from an early MV Augusta, but I could be wrong.

It's a Duc-eater and a close resemblance. Just like the XS11, the Japanese made a more powerful product for cheaper. I can't even tell I'm doing 160 on it compared to doing 150 on my old Buell that felt like flying off the road.

[Ivan]

Yeah, a guy at work here has an SV1000, that looks very close to the DUC engine, from 30 feet away. Funny how those Asians can use a copy machine to improve the original. hehe.