Topic: Death of the Inline - 4----

[ekpent]

  Not sure if anybody has been following a lot of the new tech in the mags and rags but I see that a lot of the new bikes today are going to less cylinders. Ducati and KTM are currently sporting some of the most powerful engines in  V Twin configuration. Big twins like BMW are still at the top of the class in some areas like Adventure machines. Yamaha has followed Triumphs lead now in the Triple format with its 900 and 700 twin bikes. Harley is a force in drag racing and cruising that Japan has mimicked for years. Lots of new twins are hitting the scene in a parallel configuration.There are still some very good inline fours pushing the envelope but I think in the near future we will see them wane a bit. Less cylinders means less weight and construction costs and the power to weight is increasing on these new machines.
   Inline 4's is a classic badd ass design but does anybody else see the writing on the wall for the future in 10 or 20 years ??

[goldarrow]

Keep buying more sohc4 bikes...

Some youngsters of today who have up on their bikes, will look back 20 years from now and will want to get one for their kids.  Only will be harder to find then

[Retro Rocket]

The Yamaha triple is a great engine, good power, light and sounds great...   Look at this French dealer version of the MT09 {FZ09 in the us}   Extremely fun bike by all reports 

[dave500]

shame about its looks.

[ken65]

i hope its not a transformer.

[demon78]

Yeah it looks like some one kicked a big dung beetle up the ass.
Bill the demon.

[DH]

  Not sure if anybody has been following a lot of the new tech in the mags and rags but I see that a lot of the new bikes today are going to less cylinders. Ducati and KTM are currently sporting some of the most powerful engines in  V Twin configuration. Big twins like BMW are still at the top of the class in some areas like Adventure machines. Yamaha has followed Triumphs lead now in the Triple format with its 900 and 700 twin bikes. Harley is a force in drag racing and cruising that Japan has mimicked for years. Lots of new twins are hitting the scene in a parallel configuration.There are still some very good inline fours pushing the envelope but I think in the near future we will see them wane a bit. Less cylinders means less weight and construction costs and the power to weight is increasing on these new machines.
   Inline 4's is a classic badd ass design but does anybody else see the writing on the wall for the future in 10 or 20 years ??

It'll depend on how far the parameters of a particular design can be taken while still being
reliable. I'm betting it's gonna be a long time before the inline four is surpassed in areas
like smoothness and horsepower. I don't know a lot about other designs, it just seems to me
that the idea of increasing displacement by adding cylinders with revability being a pleasant  (and necessary) side effect to obtain both, is gonna be hard to beat.
Maybe the inline 4 will have a more specific purpose in the future?...I guess the smoothness of the
inline fours have me spoiled. The thing I think will be the nails in the coffin for ANY design will
be all electric. I know they're here, they're just not mainstream yet....JMO, I may be totally in the
dark

[Damfino]

shame about its looks.

i hope its not a transformer.

Yeah it looks like some one kicked a big dung beetle up the ass.
Bill the demon.

+1...Damn!!!

[DH]

I'm betting it's gonna be a long time before the inline four is surpassed in areas
like smoothness and horsepower.

With all due respect, DH, nearly every triple I've ever ridden have been far smoother to me than any inline four. Not that I don't love an inline 4, but many models of triples are equal to the task of delivering smooth, reliable, torque-filled grins for single or two-up riding.

I've  personally ridden a BMW triple (K75) for more than 200,000 miles and would in a heartbeat rate it more enjoyable than my K100 that ran duty alongside of it.

Like i mentioned, I could be in the dark. and progress marches on.
Whatever the result, it'll be interesting.

[Retro Rocket]

shame about its looks.

I love it....

[754]

When I 4s get outlawed, only outlaws will ride them..  Heh..heh..

[martin99]

Power to weight ratio is always going to be a prime consideration for a race bike, and it follows that the current generation of road-going race pretenders will want to emulate their racing heroes by riding similar bikes. Can't blame the manufacturers for wanting to capitalise on such a big chunk of the market. But those of us who like the look and feel of an inline four are also far from under-represented. There's room for us all and it's not all about performance for everybody (heck, some people even like Hardly Dawdlesons).

I had the opportunity to borrow a Suzuki SV650 for a couple of weeks last year, and for a entry level basic build quality bike I was mightily impressed. Smooth, torquey and lightweight, slim too with the engine contained in the frame. But at the end of the day it ain't for me, and I can't see the inline fours dying out any time soon. Maybe on the track, but I think they'll likely continue to hold their appeal for many on the road and it would be a short-sighted decision by the manufacturers to stop producing them.

[martin99]

When I 4s get outlawed, only outlaws will ride them..  Heh..heh..

Priceless

[Stev-o]

Inline 4's in bikes and V-8's in cars have been on the way out for some time now.  With modern technology, smaller motors are putting out motors with higher horsepower. 

My (former) Honda S2000 had a 2 liter (2000cc) 4 cylinder motor with 240 hp. 

[simon#42]

in 20 years i doubt we will have any petrol engines that we would recognise . wonder if we will have a forum for our old electro/hydrogen hybrid honda's by then .

[Retro Rocket]

in 20 years i doubt we will have any petrol engines that we would recognise . wonder if we will have a forum for our old electro/hydrogen hybrid honda's by then .

I don't know Simon, but i'll bet there will still be a few sohc's on the road, there will be fuel, didn't you watch Mad Max....

[Juan1]

I4's will always be around as long as there are people who want to pretend they are Valentino Rossi.  What we are seeing in the motorcycle industry is intelligent bike design thanks to the great recession.  3s and 2s are cheaper to manufacturer and have more torque, at least the way most modern 4s are engineered. 

All of that said, I wonder why no one is making 4s that are torque monsters outside of Suzuki with their Bandit.  I guess you lose the high RPM potential with a longer stroke, and in doing so lose the big advantage of the 4, which is high RPM potential due to the lighter pistons. 

[eigenvector]

The CB1100 is still alive and kicking.

Dang near bought one this September - having ridden my F800 GT for 2 months now I'm wishing I had bought it.  Just got scared away by that air-cooled motor - and that strangely underpowered engine.

[ekpent]

There are still new 5 speed 2013's available that can be had  brand new from Honda for very attractive prices now if you dicker. Most buyers want the revamped and slightly restyled 6 speed 2014's. Friend has a 2014 that I have rode with. He says in the 'real' world it has plenty of power for him and in the right places, very good low and midrange with good handling and ergonomics.

[MRieck]

Honda themselves predicted the end of the motorcycle inline 4......in 1983 after the introduction of the Interceptor. They cited compactness, perfect primary balance etc etc etc of the V4.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Hey now, don't you bad mouth my V4's!!
They are fun too and sound sweet above 7k!

[Bailgang]

.Harley is a force in drag racing

When the rules are so heavily in your favor it's hard not to be. The Japs have no problem taking advantage of rule changes in fact they've built a few v-twin sport bikes of their own in response to rule changes in the AMA. With that said I can't help but wonder why there aren't any Jap v-twins in the NHRA pro stock bike class. Do the rules only apply to the HD's?

[Retro Rocket]

.Harley is a force in drag racing

When the rules are so heavily in your favor it's hard not to be. The Japs have no problem taking advantage of rule changes in fact they've built a few v-twin sport bikes of their own in response to rule changes in the AMA. With that said I can't help but wonder why there aren't any Jap v-twins in the NHRA pro stock bike class. Do the rules only apply to the HD's?

Have a look at any decent Harley drag bike and I will eat my hat if you can find one factory part on those engines, that includes the cases, not really Harley's at all....

[Retro Rocket]

.. and I will eat my hat if you can find one factory part on those engines, that includes the cases, not really Harley's at all....

Would you care for fries (chips) with your order, Sir? 

Just poking a bit of fun, Retro. I'm sure a dragger will be along to clarify the rules and factory equipment... You're point is well made, though.

Fries please...

[Bailgang]

Have a look at any decent Harley drag bike and I will eat my hat if you can find one factory part on those engines, that includes the cases, not really Harley's at all....

Sure looks like an HD to me don't it, well kinda sorta? There's got to be an HD decal on it some where.