The in-line engine configuration has me completely turned off. :dgt:
With that much HP every tim you blipped the throttle it will want to lay on its' side.[smilie=2:
Ever watch your front fenders when you blipped the throttle of your car? Now imagine that with only 2 wheels. :doh:[/QUOTE]
Not really an issue here, Honda's ST 1100 and 1300 have the same V-4 configuration with the inline crank. Firing order plays a role along with transmission design, balance shafts etc. Others that come to mind are the GoldWing, Moto Guzzi, BMW.....I've ridden all these without the bike flopping over whilst blipping the throttle.
Some more info.
From the Motus press release (sorry about the formatting)
“To create the ultimate sport tourer, we had to either work around the shortcomings of available engines or develop a purpose built engine for our application” said Brian Case, Vice President / Design Director at Motus.
Domestically made streetbikes are all currently powered by v-twin engines, which did not meet performance or efficiency targets for the MST concept. “The domestic motorcycle market is dominated by air-cooled v-twins, but to be successful in the long term, the MST has to present clear improvements over existing technology and not be another “me too” product,” said Case.
After a global search and lengthy discovery process, Michigan-based Katech Engines emerged as the clear choice to help Motus design and build the KMV4.
“When researching quality engine builders, Katech was identified as a powerhouse of engine durability, engineering, and manufacturing,” said Lee Conn, President of Motus. “Katech has over fifty endurance racing championships, experience developing new engines for OEM’s, and access to the most advanced engineering and prototyping technologies. We couldn’t be happier with our decision to retain Katech for the KMV4”.
“Katech is thrilled to finally announce our involvement with Motus,” said Fritz Kayl, co-founder of Katech. “The KMV4 is an exciting project that fits well within our capabilities and experience. We incorporated technology from our race programs to increase durability, performance, and efficiency. We are ahead of schedule and are refining the KMV4 into the most reliable motorcycle engine made,” said Fritz Kayl.
“We didn’t focus on maximum horsepower; we focused on heightening the rider experience. To us, that means tons of torque over a wide RPM range, low vibes, high efficiency and bulletproof durability. Enter the KMV4, a liquid cooled V4 with gDI,” said Case.
If you've never heard of Katech
clicky here for some backround.
A very interesting thing about this new engine is the fact that it features direct fuel injection. Very high tech stuff that, this will be the first 4 stroke motorcycle engine to be made available with this (
expensive) technology.
