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.

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.  This is distinct form a radial engine.  In a rotary engine, the entire cylinder head rotates around a stationary crankshaft (animation.

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.

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.)   

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

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.)   

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

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.   

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