Why Don't We See Factory Turbocharged Motorcycles?

[bhairava]

In the last ten years we have seen (and ridden) the results of an incredible horsepower race among the "Big Four" Japanese manufacturers. Think back to 1994 - if someone had told you that in 10 years you would be able to buy a 100hp 600 or a 1000 that puts down nearly 170hp, right off the showroom floor, would you have believed them?

 

Many factors have contributed to the increased horsepower of the current crop of Japanese 4-cylinder sport bikes. The switch from carbs to fuel injection, combined with more advanced engine management computers, have made possible much more precise fuel tuning. This in turn has allowed higher compression ratios, which allows the motor to take advantage of more aggressive cams. A multitude of factors dictate the maximum horsepower achievable on a street-tuned naturally aspirated motor, and changing one can allow changes/advances to others.

 

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that we will see more big jumps in horsepower in the near future. Consider the fact that current MotoGP bikes, which feature purpose-built racing engines running on advanced race fuel and tuned with engine management systems which cost more than the average production sportbike, are currently putting out approximately 240hp/liter (equating to around 240hp from a 990cc motor). The most powerful production 4-cylinder sport bikes (like Kawasaki's new ZX10) produce in the neighborhood of 170hp/liter on pump gas (while still meeting emissions regulations). Unless you want to run your streetbike on $12/gallon race fuel, there isn't a whole lot of room left. It seems likely that 4-cylinder sport bike horsepower will peak at around 190 hp/liter in the near future (I am discussing wheel horsepower figures).

 

One would think that 115hp 600s and 190hp 1000s would be fast enough, but it is clear that the consumer will continue to demand more power for the forseeable future. Each of the Big Four wants the prestige and selling power that comes with having the most powerful sport bike available.

 

Where will the Japanese find more power? Why not turbochargers? Relatively recent developements, particularly compressors using ball-bearing center sections, have all but eliminated the dreaded "turbo lag", at least in low-boost applications. The popularity of Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution and Subaru's WRX (in standard and STi trim), both of which use small-displacement turbocharged motors, may herald a resurgence in the popularity of factory turbocharged automobiles. Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution features a 2.0 liter, inline four-cylinder which is considerably less technologically advanced than current Japanese inline four sportbike motors, yet still manages to put out a claimed 271hp.

 

With a small, ball-bearing turbocharger system optimized for lag-free response at between 7 and 12 psi of boost, I would venture to say that 220hp/liter is not out for a street-tuned inline four. Although not many people would feel that a ZX-10 needs 50 more horsepower, how many would go for a 135hp 600?

 

Will a major Japanese manufacturer release a factory-turbocharged sport bike within the next 3 years? Time will tell, but considering the amount of money they must be spending on engine R and D for relatively small gains, I would say it seems likely.

 

 

eh, cum ar fi ?

 

motoreta cu turbo pe ea, din magazin ?

[vrajitorul din oz]

Nu prea imi dau seama ce ar putea sa faca cu asa ceva marea masa a motociclistilor pe drumuri normale. In afara, bineinteles, de a-si rupe gitul. Da pentru asta e de ajuns si un R6 . Daca cauciucurile ar evolua in aceeasi masura, sa zicem ca ar fi o chestie.

[arunescu]

ar putea sa introduca un sistem in care turbina sa creeze presiune numai in treptele superioare - wheelie in a 6-a

[Axa cu Scame]

GPZ 900 R Turbo. Productie de serie in anii '80

[Dogg]

Think back to 1994 - if someone had told you that in 10 years you would be able to buy a 100hp 600 or a 1000 that puts down nearly 170hp, right off the showroom floor, would you have believed them?

 

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that we will see more big jumps in horsepower in the near future.

 

ete nu.....

[Sher]

cred ca doar GPZ 750 a fost turbo.

[Hellryder]

In articol scrie de 220cp/litru la un motor de motocicleta cu turbo. Ei bine, prin anii '80, niste nemti au luat un motor de pe un BMW K100 si au pus turbina pe el si au scos 245cp/litru. Destul cat sa foloseasca motorul pe un avion usor...

 

 

Ry.

[cristi-mic]

Apropo de avioane usoare si motoarele lor, voi stiti ce motor am vazut la un avion de 4 persoane (micut si usor) ?

5.000 cmc, 130 CP, 2500 rot/min.

Cind mi-a ziz tipul cifrele astea si eu am facut ochii mari, replica a fost: Pai da, ce credeai, astea-s ca motoarele de camion, turatie mica si viata luuuuuuunga.

Asa ca nu trebuie avuta impresia ca motoarele de avion sint "impinse' la cine stie ce puteri, de fapt ele au viata cea mai usoara.

La capatul opus gasim motoarele de barca...ele saracele merg tot timpul la blana....vai de ele.

[Hellryder]

Apropo de cai putere si turbo:

 

700 Horsepower from Suzuki Hayabusa

(link to this article)

 

March 11, 2005 Perhaps the most insane news we've posted on Gizmag this week comes from the inaugural DynoJet Horsepower Challenge held last weekend in Valdosta, Georgia, USA. Basically, DynoJet make motorcycle dynamometers and they provided a bunch oif them and anybody could roll up and the guy whose bike made the most horsepower won. The winning fellow was Hank Booth of Great Falls, Montana, whose highly modified 1999 Suzuki 1300GSXR Hayabusa motorcycle with an NLR turbocharger cranked out an incredible 701.32 horsepower.

 

Other winners in the Import Unlimited class with Booth included; RCC Turbo/Richard Peppler, of Ontario with 559.02 HP, and Glen Bertagnoli coming in third with a 445.16. All of the top three competitors were using the Suzuki Hayabusa engine.

 

Revving the scale in other classes were Kent Stotz with 210 bhp on a turbo powered Honda in the Imported V-Twin Cruiser Open class while Don Smith squeezed a respectable 118 bhp out of a 600cc Suzuki.

 

The domestic bike category was dominated by, well, what else would you expect ... Harley Davidson. The champ in this class was Kevin Kelly of Weston, Florida who managed to get his harley producing 247 horsepower in the V-twin Unlimited category, narrowly ahead of Nick Trask of Phoenix, Arizona whose Harley generated 228 horses.

 

Brandon Rybicki's turbo-powered Harley V-Rod produced 191 horses.

 

 

Articol luat de pe www.gizmo.com.au -> sectiunea motociclete

 

Ry.

[reptile]

Daca ar fi asha ceva shi prin Romania shi ne-am putea permite,motociclishti ar deveni o raritate