engine

How a Florida woman helped change the motorcycle industry

General Posts / By

by Daniel Figueroa IV from https://www.wmnf.org These days, motorcyclists live and die by their Dyno sheets, the ultimate measure of an engine’s power. But when the machines came out in the late 80s, it was a women in Florida who bought one of the first units and helped reshape the world of motorcycling. Fifty years later Pam Brown remembers how she got her start wrenching on engines with her dad. They’d work on Volkswagen parts together because he happened to need a hand and she was the one who was around. But when he bought her brothers some single-speed mini bikes, small motorcycles, they were off limits. “He said I could not ride a motorcycle because you are a girl,” Brown recalled. “Girls don’t ride motorcycles.” Fortunately for her, Brown’s neighbor had a crush and a full-fledged motorcycle. “Jimmy Keeler, that’s right” she said. “Eighty cc Binelli.” He let her take a ride. She let the clutch out a little too quick and popped an accidental wheelie, sped down a hill and went – maybe a little too quickly – into a turn. But she made it. And she fell in love. Brown is one half of the couple behind Cycle-Rama, a high performance machine shop in Pinellas Park known over the world for building some of the most coveted aftermarket engine parts in the V-Twin motorcycle world. She’s been there for 38 of the shop’s 45-year existence. But it was in 1989 that Pam Brown put her foot down and made a purchase that helped reshape the world of powersports. The chassis dynamometer In the late 80s, Mark Dobeck invented the first chassis dynamometer. Before that, a mechanic had to ride a bike to tune it and measuring horsepower and torque was mostly a guessing game. Dobeck’s Dyno allowed […]

How a Florida woman helped change the motorcycle industry Read More »

Motul Set For 2021 MotoGP Campaign With Team Suzuki And Pramac Racing

General Posts / By

from https://www.scoop.co.nz Motul continues winning partnership with reigning MotoGP champions Team Suzuki- Motul and PRAMAC Racing sign exclusive deal for 2021 The 2020 MotoGP World Championship season was an incredible year, which saw Team Suzuki and Motul claim a clean sweep across the Drivers and Teams Titles. The famed Japanese manufacturer will continue with riders Alex Rins and Joan Mir, a line up that remains unchanged since 2019, with a clear aim of repeating the championship successes in 2021. Motul will continue as the Official Lubricant Partner of the Suzuki factory team, extending the close working relationship between the two brands that have delivered success at the top flight of motorcycle racing for the past 32 years. This partnership has pinned its hopes on the championship-winning Suzuki GSX-RR, which has seen only minor upgrades due to a MotoGP engine freeze over the winter. The aim is clear for 2021 – to repeat the success of 2020 and achieve back-to-back titles. Motul also confirms a key technical partnership with PRAMAC Racing for the MotoGP World Championship, inking a three-year deal which will see Motul and PRAMAC Racing competing at the top flight of motorbike racing until 2023. Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco will be leading the charge in 2021, both on the highly competitive Ducati Desmosedici GP bike which scored 5 podium finishes in the hands of PRAMAC Racing during the 2020 season. This partnership extends away from the race track, where Motul Heavy Duty will be working closely with PRAMAC’s industrial applications in the energy and material handling sector. Motul will provide first fill lubricants at factory level for PowerGen equipment, providing high-performance diesel and gas lubricants to improve mechanical efficiency. The 2021 MotoGP World Championship season begins this weekend, at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on the 26-28

Motul Set For 2021 MotoGP Campaign With Team Suzuki And Pramac Racing Read More »

Royal Enfield Tops Clean Manufacturing Test

General Posts / By

by Arun Prakash from https://www.rushlane.com Royal Enfield Tops Clean Manufacturing Test With BMW, Honda, KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ducati Japanese motorcycle manufacturers along with their European counterparts are considered clean enough barring those from Italian manufacturers. Ever wondered which bike manufacturer has the cleanest running motors. No, we are not exactly talking about emission standards of a motorcycle which are very much equal thanks to emission standards. We are talking about the preciseness of the company’s manufacturing process which results in minimum quantities of impurities getting through an engine from an assembly line. Test by FortNine FortNine recently collaborated with a laboratory that evaluated similar criteria for various car makers across the world. The lab tests the first service oil from various manufacturers and checks the presence of impurities of different magnitudes and sizes which are a result of less than a perfect manufacturing process. A similar evaluation was conducted for several motorcycle manufacturers. FortNine collected first service engine oil from twelve random brands of motorcycles and sent them to the labs for testing. These brands are Royal Enfield, BMW, KTM, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, Triumph, Suzuki, Harley Davidson, Aprilia, Ducati and Yin Xiang. The results which arrived recently, around seven months later, might be a little surprising to motorcycle enthusiasts, especially those from India. Royal Enfield has beaten the rest, and managed to top the list in the clean manufacturing process test. Quantity & Nature of Impurities The impurity measured were of various sizes with particles ranging from less than 5 micrometres to 100 micrometres. The laboratory even tried evaluating larger particles but some of the samples were so messed up that they formed alliances with smaller sized impurities which made it hard for scientists to make an accurate reading. However, readings taken were pretty consistent for impurity particles of

Royal Enfield Tops Clean Manufacturing Test Read More »

Vance & Hines Launches New Four-Valve Suzuki Racing Engine

General Posts / By

Racing Applications include Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Pro Street Classes https://vanceandhines.com/ February 1, 2021 – Santa Fe Springs CA – Vance & Hines today launched the company’s long-expected four-valve motor for Suzuki GS-based drag racers. The new powerplant will debut at the NHRA Gator Nationals in Gainesville FL in mid- March. Several teams will be competing with the new Suzuki-based motor and a new Vance & Hines-designed chassis at that event. “The scale of this launch is unprecedented in the drag racing world and it highlights our company’s technical capabilities,” said Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy. “This engine and the cylinder head design are applicable to several racing classes and easily adaptable to every team that is currently running a two-valve Suzuki GS. This launch is a proud moment for Vance & Hines and hopefully will net many victories for our Suzuki riders in 2021 and beyond.” The new four-valve head modernizes the technology in Suzuki drag racing motors. It replaces the two-valve design which was introduced in 1998 and it retains the 1850 cubic centimeters engine displacement. For the first time, Vance & Hines has integrated finger follower technology rather than a shim-under-bucket design in a drag racing cylinder head, which allows for less mass in the valve train and increased RPM. The intake and exhaust port spigots are modular, so they can be adapted to different air boxes and exhaust pipes without redesigning or remanufacturing the head itself. This allows the new head to be used not only in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class, but also in the Pro Mod and Pro Street classes. Design credit for the motor, code named “VHIL18504V,” goes to six-time NHRA champion Andrew Hines. The head was completely developed in Solid Works CAD design and was a fully functional running model

Vance & Hines Launches New Four-Valve Suzuki Racing Engine Read More »

Harley-Davidson Milwaukee Eight Gets Bigger and Meaner

General Posts / By

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Harley-Davidson Milwaukee Eight Gets Bigger and Meaner with New 131 S&S Kit Do you know that saying “there’s no replacement for displacement?” It applies to all types of internal combustion engines, fitted on both cars or motorcycles, and has been the driving force behind many stunning machines over the years. In the motorcycle world, Harley’s Milwaukee Eight engine is one of the most famous powerplants. Part of the big twin family that has been around for eight decades, it was introduced in 2016 with a total of eight valves – four for each cylinder – hence the name. Generally, these engines come in three displacement options, namely 107, 114, and 117 ci. There’s an even bigger variant on the market, the Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee Eight 131, “the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created,” but this one is offered as a crate solution. Those looking to get more cubic inches and more power have several solutions at their disposal. The latest comes from S&S and is designed for Milwaukee Eights fitted on bikes from 2017 to the present day. Comprising upgrades like a new-design forged piston and 4.25-inch cylinders, the kit can take engines all the way to 131 ci (2.1 liters), but only when paired with the company’s stroker crank – we’re told the upgrade works with stock crankcases as well. According to S&S, the stock engine height remains after the kit is fitted, and so do the original serial numbers. There are three variants of the kit available, namely Wrinkle Black with highlighted fins, Wrinkle Black with non-highlighted fins, and Black Granite with highlighted fins. Regardless of the version, the price is $1,299.95, but that increases to $1,529.95 when opting for the stroker crank as well. Still, that should be peanuts

Harley-Davidson Milwaukee Eight Gets Bigger and Meaner Read More »

Meet the Ducati master re-creating Isle of Man-winning motorcycle

General Posts / By

by Ellie Honeybone from https://www.abc.net.au You may be forgiven for assuming the world’s leading manufacturer of Ducati bevel drive engine parts would live in a bustling city, perhaps in Italy or the United States, somewhere central and close to consumers. But in fact, this talented engineer and self-described “petrol head” lives in a tiny historic town, deep in the forests of south-west WA. Even though shipping his handmade engine parts around the world from Nannup is a logistical nightmare, Brook Henry wouldn’t have it any other way. A family business Mr Henry grew up surrounded by Ducatis. His older brothers imported and distributed the high-performance motorcycle brand in New Zealand from the late 1960s through to the 1980s. “I spent pretty well all my time at the workshop, fixing, racing and working on Ducati bevel drive twins and singles,” Mr Henry said. “I also did an apprenticeship outside that business as a toolmaker, but I never liked doing toolmaking and I always wanted to go back to motorcycles.” That love of motorcycles grew and continued for the next 40 years with Mr Henry now a household name and ‘master’ in the Ducati world. He has travelled extensively, inspected designs inside Ducati’s Bologna factory and even appeared on bike lover Jay Leno’s US television show. After settling down first in Perth and then further south in Nannup, Mr Henry developed a business building, designing and shipping bevel drive parts, engines and complete motorcycles across the world. Pandemic revives restoration projects There are only so many original bevel drive Ducatis in existence, making Brook Henry’s business incredibly niche. These bikes were built during the 1970s and 80s and made famous after legendary British champion Mike Hailwood won the Isle of Man race in 1978. When the world went into COVID-19 lockdown during

Meet the Ducati master re-creating Isle of Man-winning motorcycle Read More »

Video: TMC Dumont is a 300hp motorcycle fitted with a Rolls-Royce aircraft engine

General Posts / By

by Jahla Seppanen from https://www.themanual.com When you’re a retired Formula One driver, what else can you do in your free time except build mind-bending concept motorcycles? In the case of Tarso Marques of Brazil, that’s exactly what he’s doing with the insane TMC Dumont motorcycle. Yes, it’s still a concept so, no, you can’t drive it yet. In fact, you might be wondering how it even works because the construction shouldn’t make sense in real life. This hub-less bike swaps a traditional car engine for a 1960s Rolls-Royce aircraft engine, creating an absolutely sick design with a body aesthetic that is futuristic, svelt, and should definitely be in the next 007 movie. Anatomically, the aircraft engine is positioned where a standard motorcycle engine and fuel tank would be, but takes up an enormous amount of space. Basically, as much as a full frame, radiator —the works. The massive 36-inch wheels are essentially spoke-less and completely open in the center, so with the 300-horsepower engine, we’re hoping the brake disk and caliper have something to hold on to … because we can’t see it. Based on the low-riding profile of the seat and engine, it’s questionable how the bike could sit above the ground, but it does. At least, the concept does. Just pray for a road without speed bumps. Some motorcycle enthusiasts have questioned the safety and turning abilities that would result from having the back “wheel” so close to the rider — hello, wedgie or mega backside tire burn — and have called the bike “impractical.” That being said, TMC Dumont drove away with the “Best of Show” award at the 2018 Daytona Bike Week. This isn’t the first time a motorcycle fanatic has strapped an airplane engine to their hog. Back in 2013, the Red Baron bike featured

Video: TMC Dumont is a 300hp motorcycle fitted with a Rolls-Royce aircraft engine Read More »

Ducati Multistrada V4 Engine Revealed as 170 HP Granturismo

General Posts / By

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Come November 4, a new Ducati bike will be revealed. Called Multistrada V4, the two-wheeler is supposed to be the world’s first production motorcycle to be fitted with front and rear radars. But perhaps of more importance to us is the fact that it will use a brand new V4 engine, one the bike maker revealed on Thursday (October 15). Because the powerplant is meant to animate the fourth and most advanced generation of the Multistrada V4, nothing was left to chance and, starting from the existing tech and taking inspiration from MotoGP, a beautiful piece of hardware was created. Somewhat smaller that the version it replaces (85 mm shorter, 95 mm lower, but 20 mm wider), the engine is also light. It weighs 66.7 kg (147 pounds), 1.2 kg (2.6 pounds) less than the current record holder, the Testastretta twin-cylinder used on the previous Multistrada 1260. 1,158cc in displacement, the engine makes use of a new distribution with a spring valve return system, part chain/part gear – timing distribution, and a counter-rotating crankshaft. All this and a host of other engineering tricks allow the V4 Granturismo to spit out a massive amount of power: 170 hp at 10,500 rpm, and a maximum torque of 125 Nm at 8,750 rpm. As said, apart from the engine the new Multistrada bike will bring to the table rider-assistance technologies that are not to be found anywhere else in the motorcycle industry. More precisely, the bike comes with a front radar that governs the Adaptive Cruise Control (AAC) technology. It calculates and adjusts the distance from other vehicles, when the bike’s speed is between 30 and 160 km/h (18 to 99 mph). At the rear a similar system will act as a type of early warning system and

Ducati Multistrada V4 Engine Revealed as 170 HP Granturismo Read More »

New Harley-Davidson Stage IV Kits Turn Softails into Meaner Screamin’ Eagles

General Posts / By

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com It was only at the end of August that Harley-Davidson announced the availability of “the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created,” the crate Screamin’ Eagle 131. But since a complete engine swap might seem a bit extreme for some, here come some upgrade kits for a slightly smaller tuning job. There are a number of them made available this week by the Milwaukee bike maker, dedicated to Softail bikes manufactured from 2018 and Touring motorcycles made from 2017. The biggest and most extreme is the 114ci to 131ci upgrade, one that is described by the company as “the largest Harley-Davidson bolt-on engine upgrade to any Milwaukee-Eight motor.” Sporting things like CNC-ported heads with 1 mm bigger valves, high-lift SE8-517 cam, high compression pistons and a 64 mm throttle body and intake manifold, the kit gets the engine’s power all the way up to 124 hp and 135 ft-lb of torque – these levels are achieved when the upgrade kit is backed by the Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon Mufflers. Next up is the 107ci to 128ci upgrade, featuring, naturally, about the same changes. In this case, the output levels go to the same horsepower rating as with the larger kit, 124 hp, but torque output is somewhat lower, at 127 ft-lb of torque – Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon Mufflers are needed here as well. The 114ci/117ci to 122ci upgrade also brings increased power. Depending on the bike it is used on, there are up to 15 percent more horsepower and 13 percent more torque squeezed out of the engine. Last but not least is the 107ci to 119ci upgrade that adds 23 percent more horsepower and 17 percent more torque. The new kits are already out, and you can find more information about

New Harley-Davidson Stage IV Kits Turn Softails into Meaner Screamin’ Eagles Read More »

Harley-Davidson’s Most Powerful Crate Engine Now Available for Softails

General Posts / By

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Back in early 2020, Harley-Davidson announced the introduction of the Screamin’ Eagle 131, a V-Twin described as “the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created.” At a time of its introduction, the engine was advertised as being made specifically for Touring bikes manufactured starting with 2017. Now the Milwaukee bike maker announced the powerplant should work just as good and is available on select Softail models. More specifically, the bolt-in 131 is the perfect replacement for the Milwaukee-Eight engine fitted from the factory on 2018-later model Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycles. “Our adrenaline-seeking riders asked for thrilling power and torque with reliability,” said in a statement Harley-Davidson Product Manager James Crean. “The Screamin’ Eagle 131 Crate Engine delivers exactly that. Developed by the Screamin’ Eagle performance team and factory-assembled at Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations to ensure the highest quality standards, this high-performance engine is genuine Harley-Davidson.” When the engine was introduced, Harley advertised an output of 121 hp and 131 ft-lb of torque at the rear wheel when paired with Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers, but in the Softail configuration we’re told the powerplant would churn out 124 hp and 135 ft-lb of torque, also when combined with Street Cannon mufflers. The numbers were achieved by matching the 4.5-inch stroke of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine with new 4.31-inch bore cylinders and fitting high-lift camshaft, high-performance cam bearing, high-compression forged pistons, a 64mm throttle body and intake manifold, and high-flow fuel injectors. Harley offers the engine through authorized dealers and comes in two finish treatments, Black and Chrome or Black and Gloss Black. Making sure everyone know what V-Twin your bike is packing is 131 Stage IV badging on the cylinder heads and timer cover. Harley sells the crate engine from $6,195 for the oil cooled variant

Harley-Davidson’s Most Powerful Crate Engine Now Available for Softails Read More »

Scroll to Top