Engine Desing

The Harley is not made to be smooth. Both pistons connect to the same
crankpin and fire right after each other. This is part of the famous
Harley lope as the engine goes bang bang flup flup.

I don't believe so. Since it is a FOUR cycle engine, Each cylinder only
fires every other revolution. It is timed so that one cylinder fires each
revolution. They alternate but since they are staggered, so is the timing.


"Sport Pilot" wrote in message
oups.com...
The Harley is not made to be smooth. Both pistons connect to the same
crankpin and fire right after each other. This is part of the famous
Harley lope as the engine goes bang bang flup flup.

Both pistions are on the same crankpin at a 45 degree angle, they share
the same camshaft and lobes. One one revelution both cylinders fire
and on the next revolution they are on the exhaust and intake stroke.
Bang Bang ...... Flup Flup. Listen to the engine next time you are
sitting next to a Harley at a stop light. It is very obvious.

On Wed, 11 May 2005 23:19:25 GMT, "Cy Galley"
wrote:

I don't believe so. Since it is a FOUR cycle engine, Each cylinder only
fires every other revolution. It is timed so that one cylinder fires each
revolution. They alternate but since they are staggered, so is the timing.

Cy, I think they really do go bang bang, flup flup because of the
angle of the V. They cannot be timed so that they can fire as equally
opposite as a horizonatally opposed twin.

Harley actually attempted to patten the sound against Japanese copies.
They called it: potato potato potato potato and said it was theirs and
theirs only. Think they lost that fight.

Corky Scott

Harley actually attempted to patten the sound against Japanese copies.

They called it: potato potato potato potato and said it was theirs and

theirs only. Think they lost that fight.

HuH? Harleys were built that way in the 19 naughts! This was done to
save weight. Unlike you the engineers back then knew that you could
provide two crankpins and have one cylinder fire every 360 degrees at
what ever angle they chose. The 45 degree angle is simply to get the
engine into a small space as possible in the frame.

It was the Japanese who copied Harley. Maybe Harley tried to sue them,
but most Japenese v twins use ofset crank pins for a smoother run.
Also the cylinders are more ofset to improve cooling.

On 12 May 2005 10:52:25 -0700, "Sport Pilot"
wrote:

HuH? Harleys were built that way in the 19 naughts! This was done to
save weight. Unlike you the engineers back then knew that you could
provide two crankpins and have one cylinder fire every 360 degrees at
what ever angle they chose. The 45 degree angle is simply to get the
engine into a small space as possible in the frame.

I should have known that, after all I just got finished putting
together my Ford V-6 which is a 90 degree bank angle V-6. It has
displaced crankpins to allow for even firing.

Corky Scott

The Harley Davidson engine is a copy of the 1898 or so De Dion-Bouton.
HD didn't originate it, and there is no way in hell they can keep
anyone else from building a v-twin engine. They lost their essential
point.

Offsetting the cylinders gives you a "rocking couple". But since the
Japanese imitation Harleys are for people who want approximate Harley
appearance and are mechanical idiots....

wrote:
The Harley Davidson engine is a copy of the 1898 or so De
Dion-Bouton.
HD didn't originate it, and there is no way in hell they can keep
anyone else from building a v-twin engine. They lost their essential
point.

As I recall, the Japanese were not imitating the engine, only the
sound. The plan was to mimic the sound electronically.

--

FF

Corky Scott wrote:
On Wed, 11 May 2005 23:19:25 GMT, "Cy Galley"
wrote:

I don't believe so. Since it is a FOUR cycle engine, Each cylinder
only
fires every other revolution. It is timed so that one cylinder
fires each
revolution. They alternate but since they are staggered, so is the
timing.

Cy, I think they really do go bang bang, flup flup because of the
angle of the V. They cannot be timed so that they can fire as
equally
opposite as a horizonatally opposed twin.

Harley actually attempted to patten the sound against Japanese
copies.
They called it: potato potato potato potato and said it was theirs
and
theirs only. Think they lost that fight.


IIRC they claimed trademark protection, not patent.

And they won.

My girlfriend says Harley's sound sexy. Now you know why.

--

FF

Earlier, wrote:

IIRC they claimed trademark protection, not patent.

And they won.

Trademark instad of patent, yes. But as for winning, Unka Cecil tells
it different:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000915.html

...The Japanese put it more diplomatically when
fighting Harley's trademark request, arguing
that all big motorcycles sound pretty much the
same. After six years of legal proceedings and
no resolution in sight, Harley caved, claiming
it had won in the court of public opinion,
etc...

This SF Chronicle article says that they dropped the trademark attempt
in 2000:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...618EDT0176.DTL

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com