These were prosperous years for the British motor-cycle industry, a flourishing proprietary-engine business (led by J.A.P. and Villiers) allowing smaller firms like Coventry-Eagle to concentrate on frame design with their 1926 J.A.P. engined 200 c.c. B33. In the early 1920s belt drive was still in evidence on light weights as typifued by the 1921 2 1/2 h.p. Wooler also used belt drive, though this one has a foot-operated infinitely-variable gear. Chains and multi-speeds, however, featured on even the little 1925 “round tank” 2 1/4 h.p. B.S.A., long the transport of G.P.O. messenger boys.Unit construction of engine and gearbox was gaining hold, on Royal Enfild’s 1919 inline four cylinder prototype, retrieved for exhibition from a forgotten storeroom after 35 years. Sunbeam’s 1925 Light Solo had proper chain cases, and superior finish which justified a price of $88 for a touring 500.
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Posts Tagged ‘engine’
Motorcycles 1919-1926
Friday, August 7th, 2009Sports Cars to 1939
Friday, July 31st, 2009In the beginning, every journey was a hazardous pleasure: ergo, every car was a sports car. The 1903 Mercedes Sixty was effectively Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Lotus Coswoth rolled into one: this example nearly competed in the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup (which a sister car won), and was Lord Northcliffe’s personal transport until 1910. The 1907 Napier 60 was conceivedas a six-cylinder town carriage, though a similar sports two seater was used by S.F. Edge to cover 24 hours at 65-91 m.p.h. on the then-new Brooklands Track.
Once the motor car was reliable, models conceived for the sheer pleasure of driving were viable. Race-bred was the 1912 ALFONSO XIII Hispano-Suiza, named after Spain’s motoring monarch: it offered the same 70 m.p.h. from only 3-6 litres that the big Mercedes had given from over nine. (more…)
Post World War II Sports Cars
Sunday, July 26th, 2009After World War II, the hairy, hard riding sports car became largely obsolete, though the 1950 J2 Allard with its stark bodywork remained as a superb motor cycle on four wheels. Designed round American V8 power, it wore a 3-9 litre Mercury on the home market, but big Chrysler and Cadillac of up to 300 b.h.p. were used for export. Typical of the new generation was the 1950 Jaguar XK 120-quite, comfortable, yet with a 31/2 litre twin-cam 160 b.h.p. six cylinder engine giving speeds of up to 120 m.p.h.
This example won an Alpine Gold Cup for three successive clean sheets (1950-1-2) in the Alpine, but for racing Jaguar evolved the advanced 1954 D-TYPE, with an entirely new monocoque struture and 250 b.h.p., corresponding to nearly 200 m.p.h. in suitable tune. It won Le Mans three times 1955, 1956, and 1957. (more…)
Honda VTX 1800 – Part 3
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009Continued From Honda VTX 1800 – Part 2
Perhaps the most confidence-inspiring thing about the VTX is the brakes. While featuring a linked setup, these aren’t considered Honda’s trademark LBS stoppers as used on the CBR1100XX or GL1800 Gold Wing. Rather, the brakes are linked only rear caliper distributes braking force, through a proportioning control valve, to the center pistons of the tree-piston front calipers. A cruiser is the right application for this technology, and the bike stops in an impressive 45.6 feet from 30 mph, and 173.8 from 60 using the rear pedal alone, all while resisting premature lockup.
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Honda VTX 1800 – Part 2
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009Continued From Honda VTX 1800
This is, however, a remarkably vibration free motorcycle for being what it is, which is essentially a pair of cylinders with some ancillary equipment attached. These pounding power pulses are attenuated with several vibration and damping schemes. The 52 degree vee and 72 degree dual offset crank pins work with each other to take care of the primary vibes. However, this offset-pin crank introduces a rocking couple – a sort of paddling motion – so this is canceled by use of a gear-driven balance shaft rear of the cranck, which in turn drives the primary gear. (more…)
BMW Rocks The Boat
Thursday, July 16th, 2009Hot Of Its Eight Con-Consecutive year of record sales, BMW has cut loose with a boatload of mods to two of its more popular models. This is no biennial deckswabbing, either. In the case of the R1150RT, it’s all but a stem to stern re do.
A multi-time CW Ten best winner in its previous iteration, the fully faired RT gets a new engine computer, increased displacement, a six speed gearbox and “fully controlled” catalytic converter. Other cosmetic and mechanical updates include a restyled fairing, 17 inch rear wheel (replacing the outdated 18-incher), tandem headlamps with integrated fog lights and fitment of BMW’s new Integral linked brakes with standard ABS.
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Motorcycles: The Pioneering Years, 1898-1918
Friday, July 10th, 2009Both motor cycle and light car have a common ancestor in the de Dion-type tricycle with single-cylinder engine geared direct to the back axle: the 1898 Ariel was a successful British version, Two wheelers came later, their early form consisting of a simple bicycle frame into which were inserted a single-cylinder power unit, a fuel tank, primitive controls, and a plain belt drive with no gears or clutch. Components could be bought out – engines mainly from de Dion, Minerva, or M.M.C.
The 1903 Madison was a bicycle built by a small shop in Gillingham, dorset, fitted with a 200c.c. clip-on engine made in Derby. The Leicester-built 1903 Clyde was a similar machine sold on a regional basis. Many famous names started with bicycle-based types: in France the pioneers were Werner (a 1903 2 h.p. was ridden from John o’Groats to Land’s End in 653/4 hours), while in England there were the 1902 Matchless, 1903 Rover, and 1903 Triumph, this last using one of the first proprietary engines built by J.A.P., long a general provider to Europe’s motor cycle industry.
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Is Your Car As Efficient As It Should Be? – Part 2
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009Continued From Is Your Car As Efficient As It Should Be?
How about the back end of your car? Use a similar test. One you’ve remove the pinion, the rear wheels should spin freely. If you’re testing a pan car or an F1 car with a straight rear axle, this is a good way to find out how those rear pod bearings are doing. Make sure that an impact with a wall hasn’t compressed the left side hub so that it’s too tight against the pod bearing. You should be able to move the axle back and forth just a teeny bit – enough to allow a little movement, but not so much that you can hear it click when it moves from side to side. The axle and wheel assembly should roll smoothly and glide gradually to a stop.
If you find that even fresh bearings spin down quickly, check the alignment of the pod halves. (more…)
The Motor Car’s Progress – 1930s
Monday, July 6th, 2009The cost accountant governed the motor car’s progress through the 1930s. Foolproof vehicles were the order of the day. The 1938 Morris 8 featured cellulose and chromium plate (easy to clean), a crashproof synchromesh gearbox and hydraulic brakes, while magneto ignition (expensive to make) was replaced by the simpler coil. To introduce schoolchildren to motoring (if not the public road) the At co lawnmower factory launched their Junior miniature in 1939: it had only one forward gear, but controls were of orthodox car type.
Stylists tidied up outlines and produced such streamlined excesses as the 1935 Chrysler Airflow, a tear drop shape on which the traditional radiator gave way to an aggressive grille – wheel had to be removed to get at the valves! More restrained was the Chrysler’s English equivalent, the Humber Super Snipe, here seen in 1941 as Old Faithful, Field Marshal Montgomery’s personal transport from El Alamein to the Sangro. Its independent front suspension gave a smoother ride.
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Quick Ride Yamaha Midnight Star
Friday, July 3rd, 2009Shedding Light On The Dark Star
Just what is in the water-cooler over at Yamaha? Lately, these cats can do no wrong, R1 and R6 sport-bikes? Tape-measure home runs. YZ-F moto-Thumpers? Two more dingers. And after a so-so showing with the retro Royal Star V-Four. Yammie crunched another one into the cheap seats with the Road Star V-Twin, maybe the best of the “metric” mega cruisers (apologies to Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1500).
Now comes a little line refinement, the limited edition Midnight Star, which gilds the basic Road Star package with a chrome-plated fork (shrouds and legs), blacked-out engine highlighted by polished fins, and that padded piece de resistance, a studded seat. (more…)