Fairwell to Air-cooled engines?

[furious_blue_imp]

There was a good discussion on the Honda "Designer's Talk" pages about their decision to build the CB air-cooled. They felt it had to be if it were going to be the bike they wanted it to be. IIRC, it's the first air-cooled bike they've built in 20 years.

Since this can of worms is open, how about dragging out the 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke debate?

The Lotus 2 stroke research engine might be a path to some future with that kind of engine

http://www.lotuscars.com/gb/engineering/...rch-engine

[GoldOxide_imp]

Glad to read almost five years out that air-cooled is still a thing, particularly with the CB.

[pekingduck]

Writer doesn't have a clue. Suzuki Boulevards are water cooled, not air cooled, I know because I owned one. Engineering a NEW large displacement air cooled takes a bit more work for sure, after owning the CB for little more than a month I can tell you it is pretty quiet, again something that the author is wrong about. That article is just a summation of a person's bias, not based on fact.

I think he was referring to the 650 single S40 Boulevard, or LS650/Savage. A lot of these older air-cooled designs are likely grandfathered in, including the old XR650L and DR650S dual sports. Don't know how a lot of the Chinese-motored smaller bikes can get in legally though.

[Wisedrum]

The CB is by no means noisy. I agree, a very quite bike, if not reved high. The EFI Bullet creates a much more destinctive sound as a one cylinder. Also the W800 after having lost the inlets of the exhaust pipes without my help, they rusted and get lost all of sudden, creates a more recognizeable sound with new inlets build by a forum member of the W-Forum in Germany. A little bit in the direction of old british paralleltwins. Nice to listen to. Kawasaki uses some damping material in different motorcovers to cut down engine noise though.

Do more think that ever more restricted emission laws will put an end to aircooled engines in the upcoming future. Maybe watercooled ones are better in overcoming the harder getting emission values but don't look as good. Not half the way.

But I don't worry about it. Once you've registered a motorbike and are allowed to ride it in the public, it is allowed to drive there. The German word for it is "Bestandsschutz", don't know the american one. The only thing that can change with time is, you're not allowed to ride everywhere with your bike(s), something that right started with diesel cars in some cities over here. Very strange and its just the beginning. Other countries in Europe are a step further like France. If your bike does not fulfill certain emission norms you have to stay out of town. Very nice perspectives for the future...

Wisedrum

[GoldOxide_imp]

When the neighbours fire up their [air-cooled] gasoline powered snow throwers on a clean, quiet, crisp, and frigid cold winter morning, their unprocessed exhaust particulate fills the air. It is nauseating, and reminds me how we even got out of the 60s and 70s and before that. Add air-cooled lawnmowers and two-stroke weed whackers - their is a lot of air-cooled things to tackle before penalizing modern air-cooled motorcycles.

[dbarkdoll_imp]

Don’t forget about leaf blowers. Talk about freaking noise pollution.

[LongRanger_imp]

I've got a relatively new four-stroke Honda snowblower. All stock. It has no throttle control (always WFO) and no muffler to speak of. You'd never expect 160cc to be so loud!

[GoldOxide_imp]

Don’t forget about leaf blowers. Talk about freaking noise pollution.

Yeah, how could I forget, ... but some how something came over me.

[flat out_imp]

Yea stand next to a Duc with a dry clutch and you want to yell to the owner " quick turn it off, something's wrong with your bike.
I resemble that remark! I've got a Moto Guzzi Stornello and it does make a bit of a racket while idling, but it's a nice racket. It's all part of the experience.
t.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I think the oil cooling is mainly for the top end. CB is still a true air-cooled piece of engineering art.

RE dry clutch: Not a very attractive sound for a casual riding experience.