slparry wrote:my understanding was that water cooling allows tighter tolerances, which allows more power and less emissions?
Hmm...tight gets a new meaning in that combustion chamber (a portion of the stroke gets the water cooling, the rest is pure air - thus "tight" is related with what exactly?). And what happened to that oil "cooler" ? (an exchanger actually made by KTM).
Emissions wise a hybrid mapping strategy as found in a lot of Jap bikes (say speed density at lower rpm and Alpha-N further on) could yield far better results - not to mention Direct Injection (see Motus and modern car engines) and ion sensing (see Vrod/Delphi).
Power wise the game is over long time ago : Multistrada, The new 1200 KTM Adv, the Explorer, that weird looking Honda etc etc etc.
R12S, black, ex Ohlins (now WP), full HPE, RB3(in place - at last)
Apparently Eric likes Austria (but not KTM, RS use a Rotax thing).
In any case for superbikes the likes of 1190RS, RC8R, 1098/99 etc etc a boxer is totally out of question for 4 main reasons: (a) 2 crank journals (meaning axial fluctuations, oil starvation and bearing havoc), (b) bad intake topology (meaning the obvious), (c) brick like aerodynamics (meaning the obvious), (d) Gothic aesthetics.
Other than that the pinnacle of 2cyl tech these days is the mighty Panigale motor (but a recent BIKE reported an amusing Big Bang in a demo bike - no specific reason provided by Ducati)
R12S, black, ex Ohlins (now WP), full HPE, RB3(in place - at last)
What I mean is that it could be a disaster IF a boxer engine was on duty.
Obviously as it is the RS is rather stunning - only problem: 40K + taxes + expected iffy build quality.
Ah, I see Yes, given Eric's track record it's almost certain to be a triumph of design and innovation - flawed and under-developed in execution Couldn't picture the RS with a boxer engine
Ah, I see Yes, given Eric's track record it's almost certain to be a triumph of design and innovation - flawed and under-developed in execution Couldn't picture the RS with a boxer engine
Interesting post. HD are at a crossroads, there 1600cc lumps are restricted to meet emmission regs, they have got to go liquid cooled and are probably on the pace already with the now old technology of the joint venture porsche lc engine in the VrracccresssRod.Think back, who would have ever thought Porsche would have gone lc? It aint rocket science just new to bmw mcycle boxers. No big deal just progress.
Fiat Panda.
Fiat Scudo (with speedblock, pipe carrier, reversing sensors, reversing camera, tow bar, some new rust and Fake Plumber logo)
started out with nothing, still have most of it left.
... Its main features are fully sequential injection, a compact layout and low weight. The Alpha/n-based engine management system with torque interface draws on a wide range of parameters. For example, it enables perfectly controlled torque output and adaptation of response to a diverse range of conditions via the E-gas characteristics attributed to the various riding modes. The control system is based on the volume of intake air which is determined indirectly via the throttle valve angle and the engine speed. Based on additional engine and environmental parameters (including engine temperature, air temperature and environmental air pressure), the engine control system determines individually adapted levels for injection volume and ignition timing together with stored mapping characteristics and pre-set correction functions.....
However an Alpha-N mapping strategy (the crudest and most primitive around) IS NOT based on Intake Air Volume as the writer claims (rather wishful thinking that one).
Elsewhere is claimed that no knock control is required ... another wishful thinking in systems using narrow band L-sensors (on/off switches to be honest).
But the biggest news (not widely advertised, he he) are ..er...hmm... the made in China gearbox (a first step towards a 100% made in China BMW).
R12S, black, ex Ohlins (now WP), full HPE, RB3(in place - at last)
D'ya know until I read this I hadn't realised that the new engines had the engine and gearbox as an integrated unit and that they'd gone to a wet clutch. Assuming access is easy I guess that's going to be better for the global travelling brigade
--
Steve Parry
Current fleet: '14 F800GS, '87 R80RS, '03 R1100S BoxerCup, '15 R1200RT LE Dynamic, '90 K1, '05 K1200S
Yes, given Eric's track record it's almost certain to be a triumph of design and innovation - flawed and under-developed in execution 
Couldn't picture the RS with a boxer engine 
