My Favorite Motorcycle Engine

[BobFV1]

Hi All -

My favorite motorcycle engine is the BMW flat twin. It's not the fastest or the prettiest, but many iterations are quite reliable. I love the power in the low end, the low cnter of gravity, and the minor vibration that lets me know the bike is underneath me but doesn't make me piss blood. I have not been a Boxer rider that long, just a couple of years, and I will probably divest myself of my current flat twin when the new K1200GT comes out, but I think it will still be my favorite.

What's your favorite???

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/pics/Motorcycles-Engines/Boxer-2-bmw_1975_r90s-Engine-B.jpg

[geechie]

I'm with ya, BoB-NTM.

I'm pretty much tore up with the torque characteristics of the boxer engine. Not to mention how easy it is to adjust the valves. I looking forward to an R1200?? hexhead which I feel is somewhere in my future.

George

[GPM]

After riding boxers for 20+ years, I bought a K bike. For smoothness and power there's no comparison. Although I plan to keep the K, the only new bikes that really tempt me are the new boxers.

There was something about my old R80/7 running down the road at 4K that the K bike just can't match. Kind of like the difference between a Miata and an MGA.

[Promethean]

I for one...love the ST....drool.

-Abhijeet

[arkline]

I'm partial to twins - parallel, different degrees of V or L, flat boxer, Guzzi type 45 degree opposed, whatever. The sound is important, but its the torque that is best. Stump pulling torque :D .

[Dallara]

Boy, am I going to be unpopular here... :eek:

The greatest motorcycle engine I have ever sampled has got to be the second-generation and later Honda VF-series V-Fours - from the 1986 VFR-750-F onward. I only wish they housed one in a bike I liked these days.

It's only drawbacks were a bit of complexity and being difficult to work on for certain things.

But those engines' incredible qualities are nearly boundless...

They are smoother than any twin I have ridden, but not *too* smooth. Just enough thumping to let you know it's there, and the good, low-frequency kind of vibe so familiar to us BMW fans...

The most incredibly *torquey* feel of almost any motorcycle engine ever made. Better than any four, twin, or single I have ever encountered. There used to be a saying about Honda V-Fours that went:

How do you know if a Honda V-Four is in its powerband? If all four plugs are firing.

Nothing could be more true... No matter where you were, or what kind of corner you were in - you had a selection usually of at least three gears that would get out of there, which each seemingly equal of the others. Absolutely amazing thrust, but in a comfortable way... With no fear of lighting the rear tire up. You just showered down on the throttle on exit and the thing just launched, with no surprises or drama.

And they were always going, and accelerating, much faster than they felt like they were.

"Seamless" is an overworked word describing so many motorcycle powerplants these days, but no other engine except a Honda V-Four ever really felt that way. There is a good reason Honda's VFR-series has such a devout group of followers, and that Honda keeps building them. There is also a good reason Honda keeps sticking with a V-configuration for their MotoGP bikes... Like the current V-Five and the much rumored new V-Three. It's because *NOTHING* puts the power down better than they do.

They are ultra-reliable, too... Just like most Honda's. As long as they have oil in 'em they will run forever, literally.

If you have never sampled a Honda V-Four you owe it to yourself to give one a try, especially if you can get a ride on a non-VTEC equipped one. They are the best powerplants in motorcycling, and if they weren't so damn expensive to manufacture you would see a ton more V-3's, V-4's, V-5's, and V-6's. Yamaha's M-1 MotoGP bike even has a split-crank so it emulates a V-4 firing sequence and power delivery... It was one of the things Valentino Rossi insisted on when he went to Yamaha.

BMW twins are gems, and so are Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, Honda, etc. V-twins, but I promise you not a one of them can measure up to the pure power delivery quality and feel of a Honda V-Four.

Try one and see!

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara)

[Bones]

Hmmmm.....

On one hand, I very much agree with the qualities of the V4 that Allan describes. In fact, I "consulted" Allan before buying a VFR and researched it further, as well. His description is spot on. But he forgot to mention one thing. A V4 with a decent aftermarket exhaust is one of the most SWEET sounding, motorcycle engines ever. Loud and vibratory enough and throaty enough to make the hair on the back of your neck sit up at attention, but not too loud and not obnoxious. When revved, it roars in a way that means business and NEVER failed to bring a smile. The V tec on the new ones are somewhat annoying in a few ways, but that engine platform is fantastic.

The delivery of power is just what he says and it is SO very deceptive. You suddenly find yourself going very fast but are not sure how you got there. Even distribution is how I would describe it.

BUT....that isn't the question you asked. You asked about "favorite."

I guess I would have to say the flat twin of the BMW. Why? It isn't the fastest engine out there; it sure isn't because it makes a sexy sound. It does have great torque, but sometimes a bit too much engine braking.......
The reason I have to vote it as my favorite is because no matter what MC's I have owned, I seem to keep coming back "home" to the boxer bike in one configuration or another. It just overall feels the most "right" for all purpose riding, which can include sporty, touring, putting around, whatever.

I sold the VFR. I have owned a few in line 4's which were all exciting when I got them, but too seamless, in the end. Someday, I will have a V twin (go ahead, flame me now and get it out of the way), but I have owned 3 boxers and loved them all (except for the servos on the 1150R).

Jeff

[DarthRider]

I'm mighty fond of those boxer twins!
Here is one Dean-0 took out of his first BMW, a brand new 1926 model!

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/44315759-S.jpg

[jamming]

Dave, good to see ya again, Missed ya brother. Looks like alot of us are here from the R site.
FYI..sold the R, gonna miss it...bought an R1200ST.
Roger

oopppss...BTW, Im with Darth...boxer twin..ALL the way.

[Rchop]

Here is my favorite:

http://www.frsengineering.com/0259.JPG

[geechie]

For me it has to do with character.

George

[bmwcliff]

Have to say it is the Boxer twin, tried a "K" a few years ago, and just had no soul. I just had my 71 Boxer VW Camper engine rebuilt, they are simple and just seem to go on forever.:cool:

[BobFV1]

Have to say it is the Boxer twin, tried a "K" a few years ago, and just had no soul. I just had my 71 Boxer VW Camper engine rebuilt, they are simple and just seem to go on forever.:cool:

Cliff - I totally agree with you, but I have to tell you, I bought a new VW Touareg SUV 2 years ago this month (2004 model) and it has the Audi W-8 model V8 engine. 330 Horsepower of perfectly tuned, silky smooth delivery. It is the best engine I have ever had, period. My point is - unbelieveable that those incredible and character-filled old air-cooled boxer motors from VW bugs and busses have "evolved" to the pinnacle of the engineer's art.

So - boxers are my favorite. Current generation of German engine engineering are my passion!

[DarthRider]

Hey Jamming -
Good to "see" you Roger!
Welcome home...

Dave

[bmwcliff]

BobFV1, Just so you dont think I am stuck in the "stoned ages", my daily driver is a VW Passat with the 1.8T, and I absoulutely love it. The Toureg is a sweet machine, tried to interest THE BOSS, but she likes her Lexus, and it has been a tad more reliable than the VW.:cool:

[MidlifeMark]

In addition to the pleasure I get from my Airhead & Oilhead, I got a ton of mileage out of the Boxer engine when I was up at MIT doing a graduate certificate in Systems Engineering. Every time we got a homework assignment in my Systems Architecture class where we had our choice of system to write about, I would write about the Boxer engine. Must have gotten 4 or 5 papers out of that baby! Whether the topic was product line evolution, or maintainability, or whatever, BMW motorcycles and Boxer engines somehow found their way into the conversation. What made it work was that the guy who graded the papers was a rider from way back who has long been an admirer of Beemers.

My next Boxer purchase is a 235 HP twin-spark, complete with dual magnetos. Hope to have it in the hangar next month.

[TorqueMonsterMT-01]

Mainstream? If it is air cooled and has two cylinders, I like it.

Very special. I had a chance to ride the Ducati Mono-something-or-other a few years back in Europe. This is the little V-twin with one piston replaced with a counterbalance weight. That thing was real cool.

[huffergasen]

Best motor I ever encountered was the one that powered a 1992 Suzuki GSX 1100G. Mirrors completely clear at 110 mph; after that, I was too stricken with fear to look!