Motorcycles
have been around for more than ten decades. During this time, motorcycle
engines have developed through tweaking and reworking items to get the best
performance. There have been more than one dozen engines, but some never met
with success. Cost efficiency and customer satisfaction brought failure to a
number of used motorcycle engines.
All
motorcycle engines are fueled by gasoline. To best understand engine types, it
is important to understand how an engine works.
A
pole called a rod cranks inside the engine and creates a draft that pulls both
gasoline and air into a chamber called the cylinder. Inside the cylinder, a
piston and rod quickly move up to push the gasoline and air into a smaller
space where it meets the spark plug. The spark plug produces a spark between
its two metal pieces.
Once
the spark plug gives off a spark, the gasoline and air explode. This pushes the
piston down, which in turn drives the belt or chain. This action is called
torque. The movement of the belt or chain causes the rear wheel of the
motorcycle to revolve. A motorcycle's performance is determined by how many
cylinders are inside the engine and how they are arranged.
Single
cylinder engine:
A
single cylinder engine has one cylinder and one piston. Single cylinder engines
are used in all off road motorcycles. The single cylinder provides a lot of
torque, but also a load of vibration. The vibration is loud and one of the
qualities that dirt bike race fans crave during a race.
Twin
cylinder engine:
Logically,
twin cylinder engines have two cylinders. The cylinders are placed together at
an angle. Usually the cylinders are positioned at a 90 degree angle, but there
are exclusions to that standard. A twin cylinder engine produces more power
because there is more torque and more fuel used. Twin cylinder engines do not
vibrate as much as a single cylinder engine.
Now,
as stated above, there are exceptions. The boxed or boxer design finds cylinders
placed side by side. This produces even less vibration, but adds a new issue.
The cylinders tend to jut out the side of the bike, which makes it hard to take
sharp corners. Another issue is the tremendous heat that the cylinders project;
it makes leg protection a necessary evil.
Triple
Cylinder Engines
A
three cylinder engine finds the cylinders included in a head. This type of
engine offers a load of power, but it also requires more parts. Each cylinder
requires an additional fuel injector and carburetor. The more cylinders
included on an engine, the higher the engine RPM. More RPM means more power.
Triumph makes motorcycles using three cylinders and boy can they fly!
Four
Cylinder Engines
The
four cylinder engine is just like the three cylinder engine only it has the
additional cylinder and therefore weighs more. As is true of any engine, more
cylinders equal more power and smoother sailing.
It
is important to consider how much size and power you require in your
motorcycle. If you are taking your bike off road, you need a bike with plenty
of torque and a low rpm to make it up hills and quickly navigate corners. For
off roading, stick with a single cylinder. A double cylinder is your second
choice.
If
your main purpose for riding a motorcycle is riding through traffic and along
roads, do not purchase a bike with less than a twin cylinder engine, although a
three or four cylinder engine is a better idea.
If you have to interest in used motorcycle engines the go through the website http://www.necycle.com.
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