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

[ofreen]

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.

Sure didn't last long, did it? By 1987 the Hurricanes were out and the V4's became niche bikes that were heavier and slower than their I4 counterparts.

[MRieck]

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

I like the 86 V750....gear drive cams....much more expensive for the extra 50cc back in the day! Side fairing pieces come off in a second etc. Getting the carbs on though

[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.

Sure didn't last long, did it? By 1987 the Hurricanes were out and the V4's became niche bikes that were heavier and slower than their I4 counterparts.

Yeah....that is an interesting point.

[Bailgang]

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.

Sure didn't last long, did it? By 1987 the Hurricanes were out and the V4's became niche bikes that were heavier and slower than their I4 counterparts.

Yeah....that is an interesting point.

Well there first gen v4's were released before they were properly developed. My kid had a first gen vf500 interceptor, it was actually a pretty strong running little bike but ended up dropping a valve which turns out was a common problem with them at first at least with the 500's. Oddly though it wasn't the dropped valve itself that killed it because it didn't damage the piston or the head, what killed it was the small retainers had dropped into the crank case and got between the gear that drives the oil pump. Something had to give so the oil pump mounting points in the engine case snapped making the case junk. A talented tig welder may have been able to repair it but it would've taken a lot of work so my kid parted the bike out and got a cbr600 instead.

[Duke McDukiedook]

yeah, 500's are prone to dropping valves if you flog 'em too hard but people still like them if they can find them intact.
Putting carbs back on my 86 bikes is an exercise in balance and futility. Usually I tie the handlebars to a roof rafter and stand on top of the carb plenum with hands on the same roof rafter for balance. Then I pretend I am on one of those balance discs at the gym and my fat ass seats it or it pops out and I have to go through the miserable process again and again. Yes, it sucks. I do not do it that often and am glad I do not have to.