Radial engine

Anyone seen one of these before? (hope its not a duplicate)

[BillyC]

Classic radial piston engine, as used on aircraft for much of the past 100 years.

The main characteristics are that they're extremely reliable - the design means that one or two cylinders can stop functioning, and the engine still runs. While they don't necessarily run fast, they produce huge amounts of torque - ideal for aircraft.

Not seen one on a motorbike before - very unusual, but no bad idea either.

Well yes, I meant on a bike :P
I think I would very much like to try that baby out but only with a twin Lewis gun mounted on top

There was a couple in MCN a few weeks back, that was one of them, the other had the engine rotated 90 degrees, ill see if i can find a pic...


Definitely a talking point...

did someone say... "huge amounts of torque"... now I wants one.

I mis-read that as rotary for a minute (not wankel rotary) - riding along with those cylinders spinning between your knees would be hair-raising

the torque reaction on the longitudinally-mounted one must be intersting too!

Originally Posted by shao

That's an awful lot of front cylinders to conk-out in the rain

[northwind]

That top one is absolutely gorgeous... Wouldn't want to bin it though.

Originally Posted by weazelz

the torque reaction on the longitudinally-mounted one must be intersting too!

Hehe interesting point! hope the bike doesn't flip round :P

Originally Posted by weazelz

I mis-read that as rotary for a minute (not wankel rotary) - riding along with those cylinders spinning between your knees would be hair-raising

the torque reaction on the longitudinally-mounted one must be intersting too!

The engine doesn't rotate - just the crankshaft. See here:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/radial-engine2.htm

I never understood how those rotating aircraft ones worked.