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Using V-Twin Engines...
scootz - 26/6/10 at 10:57 AM

I quite like the idea of using a V-twin engine in a reverse-trike purely because of the power-delivery, but I'm a little conscious that with one (large!) cylinder sitting almost vertically, then I could be compromising the all-important centre-of-gravity issue.

I'm thinking that an in-line four will have more of it's weight sitting forward in the car (and possibly lower).

Has anyone ever weighed a V-twin? I'm following a train of logic that says the V-twin engine must be heavier as the bikes they populate tend to be heavier machines than their litre 4-cylinder competitors.

Any opinions?


StevieB - 26/6/10 at 11:02 AM

I thought of using a v-twin in my midget race car build.

My main concern wasn't so much the vertical height, as I think that's not too much different to a normal 4cyl motor, and you only have one rather than 4 cylinders, so probably actually a better CoG. My main concern was more to do with the front cylinder sticking through the area where my suspension would need to be.


smart51 - 26/6/10 at 11:02 AM

boxer engines are good for low C of G. I guess that's why Grinnall use them. Scooter engines are the same. V twins are nice and narrow, which is good for a single seater. How tall is the engine you're looking at? How high is the crank from the sump. An individual engine will have a low C of G if the crank height and overall height are low.

On mine, I'm moving the battery and cooling right to the front to help improve weight distribution a little.


BenB - 26/6/10 at 11:25 AM

Go the whole hog and fit a V4
There a ST1100 "trike" on youtube.


ali f27 - 26/6/10 at 12:07 PM

I fancy puting v max in my car anbody looked at it


scootz - 26/6/10 at 01:05 PM

It will be going into a single-seater, but there is plenty room at the back for a 4-cyl.

Re. the Boxer engines. Are they not super-heavy?


BenB - 26/6/10 at 06:37 PM

I know STM put a twin engine car in one of the locosts. It was certainly a Honda lump perhaps the SP1 if I recall correctly.


phelpsa - 26/6/10 at 07:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scootz
It will be going into a single-seater, but there is plenty room at the back for a 4-cyl.

Re. the Boxer engines. Are they not super-heavy?


The newer generation of BMW engines are lighter (the 1200 range), but still not great on the power to weight front. You also have to run a silly low diff ratio (around 2:1) or massive wheels to get a reasonable top speed....


smart51 - 26/6/10 at 07:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
The newer generation of BMW engines ... have to run a silly low diff ratio (around 2:1) or massive wheels to get a reasonable top speed....


Except with a single rear wheel, you can use the same wheel and final drive as the donor bike