Motus Motorcycles

[derf]

Originally Posted by goof2

My thoughts as well. It is interesting but I'm skeptical it will actually happen and even if it does chances are it will be ridiculously priced.

Look at the success rate of US bike companies with great ideas for great products.

Victory (great bike, but a harley clone)
Indian, same as victory.
Confederate, built on the Vtwin platform
Buell, great bike driven into the ground by harley, truley squandered potential
Fischer, a decent bike nobody ever heard of
Roehr, the american version of Bimoto, also nobodys ever heard of it

I love the idea of owning a small boutique brand bike, but I don't think I will ever, just too many variables.

I seriously considered a buell instead of the KLR, but even that, the most successful non cruiser american bike company has failed us.

[nhgunnut]

Originally Posted by derf

Victory (great bike, but a harley clone)

I don't own one anymore and Don't mean to quibble but the Victory Drive train is hardly a HD Clone.
Overhead Cams,, gear driven primary and cassette tranny. Make it Very Different than any of the V twin Pushrod bikes, better to compair it tot he Metric Cruisers.
That said I would love to see Motus put out a bike. Test Dynos are notoriously optimistic. Even so a Production V 4 with even 100 ft Lbs of torgue could make a Fun Power Cruiser.

[Amber Lamps]

Isn't there a reason that you want the rotating mass to go the same way as the wheels?

Ie; = - = not = | = I know that Moto Guzzi runs theirs that way but don't they have to add counter-rotating mass to make it work? Won't this cause handling issues on a "sport" tourer?

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

Isn't there a reason that you want the rotating mass to go the same way as the wheels?

Ie; = - = not = | = I know that Moto Guzzi runs theirs that way but don't they have to add counter-rotating mass to make it work? Won't this cause handling issues on a "sport" tourer?

The engine will try to twist the bike over to the side when the crankshaft is accelerating. I've heard Guzzis aren't great about it, but at the same time I haven't heard many complaints about BMW's boxer engined bikes which should do the same thing.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by nhgunnut

I don't own one anymore and Don't mean to quibble but the Victory Drive train is hardly a HD Clone.
Overhead Cams,, gear driven primary and cassette tranny. Make it Very Different than any of the V twin Pushrod bikes, better to compair it tot he Metric Cruisers.
That said I would love to see Motus put out a bike. Test Dynos are notoriously optimistic. Even so a Production V 4 with even 100 ft Lbs of torgue could make a Fun Power Cruiser.

Sure, but they want to make "sport" bikes....

[Dave]

Originally Posted by goof2

Pairing pushrods (relatively low tech and cheap) with direct injection (relatively high tech and expensive) doesn't make much sense to me.





My thoughts as well. It is interesting but I'm skeptical it will actually happen and even if it does chances are it will be ridiculously priced.

motocyz anyone? wanna bet it becomes electric prior to release?

[Avatard]

If they're smart, they'll license that engine design to others. That would even be great in a small car, an ATV, small inboard...

[derf]

Originally Posted by Avatard

If they're smart, they'll license that engine design to others. That would even be great in a small car, an ATV, small inboard...

Now there is an idea, start small, and if you are a sucess, build a bussiness from there!

[Gas Man]

Originally Posted by Avatard

If they're smart, they'll license that engine design to others. That would even be great in a small car, an ATV, small inboard...

It will be a great engine because what most of these guys here aren't understanding is the low end torque that you get from a push rod motor.

Either way I hope they pull it off and make it happen... WOW would it be amazing!

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

It will be a great engine because what most of these guys here aren't understanding is the low end torque that you get from a push rod motor.

Either way I hope they pull it off and make it happen... WOW would it be amazing!

An engine's valvetrain does effect low end torque through their size and timing, but their method of actuation is irrelevant. Pushrod engines are typically designed to produce low end torque only because a normal pushrod engine's valvetrain cannot hold up to high RPM. An overhead cam engine could easily be designed to make that same low end torque, but without the RPM restrictions there isn't any reason to do so. A Hayabusa engine generates almost as much torque as this engine and makes significantly more horsepower with less displacement. The new ZX-10R engine also generates almost as much torque and more horsepower with even less displacement than the Hayabusa. Motus is leaving power on the table by going the pushrod route.

Originally Posted by Dave

motocyz anyone? wanna bet it becomes electric prior to release?

That seems to be the trend. Whichever magazine had the all electric issue recently was littered with companies following that business plan.

1) Develop a gasoline powered motorcycle.
2) Try to take deposits on it.
3) Realize deposits aren't rolling in for a Desmosedici priced piece of vaporware no one has heard of.
4) Make a shitty electric version.
5) ???????????????
6) Profit!