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Main Area => Odds n Ends => Topic started by: porsche4786 on June 28, 2006, 07:32:43 PM

Title: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on June 28, 2006, 07:32:43 PM
My uncle sent me this...

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822235968.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822242043.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822251356.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822254412.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822261411.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822263953.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822270464.jpg)

(http://f5.putfile.com/6/17822275320.jpg)
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: rangerbrown on June 28, 2006, 07:50:20 PM
as an aircraft mechanic, this brings a tear to my eye. i love it.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: makenzie71 on June 28, 2006, 07:57:45 PM
I love how this picture gets passed around all the time with "look at the airplane motor in it" remarks but NO ONE...and I mean not a single person EVER says "whoa...check out the one in the back powered by a Rolls/allison 250/88 turbine...
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on June 28, 2006, 08:01:34 PM
A turbine on a motorcycle is just dumb, but it's sweet on a street legal car...


http://www.cardomain.com/features/jetbeetle

how about a beetle? that is street legal....
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: scottpA_GS on June 28, 2006, 08:08:23 PM


I see it has no controls ??

I guess it doenst run... well it may run but it doesnt look like you can ride it ?? can you?
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on June 28, 2006, 08:42:11 PM
Quote from: scottpA_GS on June 28, 2006, 08:08:23 PM


I see it has no controls ??

I guess it doenst run... well it may run but it doesnt look like you can ride it ?? can you?

I'm sure it's ridable, most choppers don't have front brakes. Maybe is has some kind of suicide shifter...? and all other wires and cables are probably in the bars.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: GeeP on June 28, 2006, 08:53:42 PM
Interesting...
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: Alphamazing on June 28, 2006, 09:05:27 PM
Holy shaZam! that's cool.

It's probably got a one speed tranny (do airplanes have transmissions?) or maybe a CVT.

Quote from: makenzie71 on June 28, 2006, 07:57:45 PM
I love how this picture gets passed around all the time with "look at the airplane motor in it" remarks but NO ONE...and I mean not a single person EVER says "whoa...check out the one in the back powered by a Rolls/allison 250/88 turbine...

Holy shaZam! that's cool.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: annguyen1981 on June 28, 2006, 09:22:20 PM
Mak:  This may be a dumb ?, but which bike are you referring to?
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: TragicImage on June 28, 2006, 09:34:35 PM
silver one in the far back, first picture.


almost can be mistaken as a fender....


radical sweep on the cowlings.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: annguyen1981 on June 28, 2006, 09:43:52 PM
Holy SH*T!!! :o

I really did think that was a fender!
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: Codger on June 29, 2006, 02:33:10 PM
Here is the engine data
http://www.rotecradialengines.com/specs.htm
This looks like most choppers, all styling and little performance advantage.  Imagine the torque roll on this pig.
Same for the turbine.  Power characteristics are all wrong for ground vehicles.  It is great if all you want is top speed.
Chrysler learned it, Ford learned it and Howmet learned it.  The chrysler patriot had a slight advantage in the hybrid function covering the power gap.
A diesel bike makes more sense.  Military has a diesel KLR.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: rangerbrown on June 29, 2006, 02:54:11 PM
Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on June 28, 2006, 09:05:27 PM
(do airplanes have transmissions?) or maybe a CVT.


no most don't, how ever, high rpm engines like turbo props (jet powered prop) have reduction gears.

this bike may have at least a 3 speed, the radials only have a rpm range of 1000 to 3000 rpm there a lot of hp but even more tq and thats what there good for. they don't go normally go faster that 2500 rpm or the prop can do supersonic, (tips if long enough). 

i would guess by looking at it, it make about 300-450 hp and 600tq that just a rough guess.



pop quiz hot shots what does all radials have that most other engines have.




hint, it's a number, piston question.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: Kerry on June 29, 2006, 08:11:18 PM
Quote from: rangerbrown on June 29, 2006, 02:54:11 PMpop quiz hot shots what does all radials have that most other engines have.

Did you mean to say, "that most other engines don't have"?

I'm gonna guess: an odd / uneven number of pistons.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: rangerbrown on June 29, 2006, 08:22:30 PM
yea, thats right sorry, was in a rush to type it, a radail will never have even number of cly. 5,7,9 un less there double row
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: aaronstj on June 29, 2006, 08:55:13 PM
Maybe all radial engines have an odd number of cylinder, but thar doesn't mean all non-radial engines have an even number (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RC211V).
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: PapaFox on June 30, 2006, 06:08:47 AM
For those interested, here it the engine they have used

http://www.rotecradialengines.com/0RotecR2800/R2800.htm

The guys behind the engine originally made engines for RC planes, and just decided to scale everything up. They sure are fine looking engines if you get to see one in person
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: fodder650 on July 04, 2006, 07:32:23 AM
When I look at that what I see looks more like a Rotary. Which would make NO sense. But thats what my eyes see. Im sure its a radial. But for some reason I keep seeing Gnome Rotary. Maybe its the Flyboys trailer I just saw the other day.

But is it just me?
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on July 04, 2006, 09:52:46 AM
do you even know what a rotary engine looks like? it has no pistons, that engine has pistons.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: aaronstj on July 04, 2006, 09:59:58 AM
Nope.  He knows what he's talking about.  He talking about a traditional aircraft rotary engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_engine).  This is distinct form a radial engine.  In a rotary engine, the entire cylinder head rotates around a stationary crankshaft (animation (http://www.keveney.com/gnome.html).

You're thinking of a Wankel-style pistonless rotary engine.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: fodder650 on July 04, 2006, 02:05:36 PM
Thank you Aaron and yes thats what I mean. Its the front of the engine and the way the crankshaft looks like it just ends. And thats what makes me think that.

Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on July 04, 2006, 02:50:55 PM
Quote from: aaronstj on July 04, 2006, 09:59:58 AM
Nope.  He knows what he's talking about.  He talking about a traditional aircraft rotary engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_engine).  This is distinct form a radial engine.  In a rotary engine, the entire cylinder head rotates around a stationary crankshaft (animation (http://www.keveney.com/gnome.html).

You're thinking of a Wankel-style pistonless rotary engine.

well when i hear rotary engine, i think of a wankel or a renesis, probably because that's what my car has. a wankel.
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: GeeP on July 04, 2006, 07:44:30 PM
Nope!  A rotary most definately has pistons!  A Wankel rotary does not.   :)
All you need to know is here:

http://www.enginehistory.org/Gnome%20Monosoupape.pdf

While we're on the subject of radials, this is my kind of music:
(Turn it up until your windows rattle, then turn it up one more notch.)   8)

http://www.enginehistory.org/Sounds/P-47D_2.mp3



Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: porsche4786 on July 04, 2006, 11:59:54 PM
Quote from: GeeP on July 04, 2006, 07:44:30 PM
Nope!  A rotary most definately has pistons!  A Wankel rotary does not.   :)
All you need to know is here:

http://www.enginehistory.org/Gnome%20Monosoupape.pdf

While we're on the subject of radials, this is my kind of music:
(Turn it up until your windows rattle, then turn it up one more notch.)   8)

http://www.enginehistory.org/Sounds/P-47D_2.mp3







yes, i already know, somebody else already mentioned it, no need to tell me twice. i'm sure your average joe would think of a "rotary engine" as a wankel
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: GeeP on July 05, 2006, 12:17:14 AM
My post was not meant to offend, simply to state that both can be considered rotary engines.  A rotary has pistons, a Wankel rotary does not...  Humor, that's all.   :)
Title: Re: radial engine on a motorcycle!?
Post by: fodder650 on July 05, 2006, 10:27:01 AM
Actually after you said it, it made me think I shoudl have said it different. Its kind of funny because they have nothing in common. But unless your a WW1 aviation nut, and there arent many, you would think Wenkel. Plus the fact that there have been wenkel engined bikes. Makes sense since you dont really need the low end torque on a bike.

Now to go find some pictures of the wankel rotary powered bikes. So we can make this thread legitmate again.

Not to mention the torque steer on a gnome rotary would pull the bike down whenever you pulled the throttle. And all that castor oil (see rotaries are a full loss engines) hitting the tires and the rider would get annoying and more then a bit dangerous.

Fun thread to think about what a Gnome Rotary bike would look like. I'd bet Jay Leno would buy it. He'd buy anything odd like that