Advantages of vee-twins

[Image]

Found this which made intersting reading.


ADVANTAGES OF VEE-TWINS
1/ Large engine size narrower for better balance.
2/ Lots of bottom end torque where it counts.
3/ Easier and more forgiving to ride.
4/ More engine braking making it good going into corners.
5/ Higher torque powers out of corners faster.
6/ Better gear ratio (you could get home with only 3rd if you needed).
7/ Higher vibration allows the rider to 'feel' more of what the bike is doing giving better seat of pants control.
8/ Emits a real hooligan sound that riders love.
9/ More forgiving throttle in and out of corners and gear changes.
10/More instant response for quick decision overtaking.
11/Pop and burble sound that owners/fans adore.
12/Stylish image (more 2 strokes appear in movies).
13/Loud engine bass noise makes traffic more aware of you.
14/A group of two-strokes makes a very large presence (making them highly popular with outlawed motorcycle organisations).
15/Few owners go back to in-line fours after owning a vee twin.


DISADVANTAGES OF VEE-TWINS
1/ More vibration on the bars can give numb fingers at approx 50mph.
2/ Loud engine/exhaust unpopular with neighbours.
3/ Vibration can give numb elbow on long journeys especially at 50mph.
4/ On a tired battery or poor set up it is more tempermental to start (you are trying to crank 50% of engine).
5/ Not everyone wants to frighten the public.
6/ Will never have a smooth posh BMW feel/sound.
7/ Can cause embarrasing stall at lights (which is why some set revs slightly higher than manufacturers rec).
8/ Some motorcyclists uncomfortable with the 'bad boy'image of vee twins.
9/ Hated by police forces.
10/The price paid for extra acceleration is a slightly lower top end speed.
11/Very unpopular with riders following behind you on long journeys (noise).
12/Shyer riders uncomfortable with high profile character of vee twins.

[Furrybiker]

I think this relates to Harleys, but a fair bit is true of our bikes. You can tell its about Harleys as it keeps talking about 50mph

[Image]

My storm has the worst vibration at about 50mph. Enough to numb the hands I was riding over Woodhead Pass yesterday in torrential rain and high winds at a steady 50 ish (didn't dare any faster in those conditions) and my throttle hand became so numb I had to keep letting go and shaking my hand.

[leevtr]

Found this which made intersting reading.


ADVANTAGES OF VEE-TWINS
1/ Large engine size narrower for better balance.
2/ Lots of bottom end torque where it counts.
3/ Easier and more forgiving to ride.
4/ More engine braking making it good going into corners.
5/ Higher torque powers out of corners faster.
6/ Better gear ratio (you could get home with only 3rd if you needed).
7/ Higher vibration allows the rider to 'feel' more of what the bike is doing giving better seat of pants control.
8/ Emits a real hooligan sound that riders love.
9/ More forgiving throttle in and out of corners and gear changes.
10/More instant response for quick decision overtaking.
11/Pop and burble sound that owners/fans adore.
12/Stylish image (more 2 strokes appear in movies).
13/Loud engine bass noise makes traffic more aware of you.
14/A group of two-strokes makes a very large presence (making them highly popular with outlawed motorcycle organisations).
15/Few owners go back to in-line fours after owning a vee twin.


DISADVANTAGES OF VEE-TWINS
1/ More vibration on the bars can give numb fingers at approx 50mph.
2/ Loud engine/exhaust unpopular with neighbours.
3/ Vibration can give numb elbow on long journeys especially at 50mph.
4/ On a tired battery or poor set up it is more tempermental to start (you are trying to crank 50% of engine).
5/ Not everyone wants to frighten the public.
6/ Will never have a smooth posh BMW feel/sound.
7/ Can cause embarrasing stall at lights (which is why some set revs slightly higher than manufacturers rec).
8/ Some motorcyclists uncomfortable with the 'bad boy'image of vee twins.
9/ Hated by police forces.
10/The price paid for extra acceleration is a slightly lower top end speed.
11/Very unpopular with riders following behind you on long journeys (noise).
12/Shyer riders uncomfortable with high profile character of vee twins.

2 Stroke is mentioned in the list. Think you mean 4 stroke, 2 cylinder mate.

[BigVeeGrin]

why are they "hated" by the rozzers?

[tony.mon]

My storm has the worst vibration at about 50mph. Enough to numb the hands I was riding over Woodhead Pass yesterday in torrential rain and high winds at a steady 50 ish (didn't dare any faster in those conditions) and my throttle hand became so numb I had to keep letting go and shaking my hand.

Get it fixed, then.
They don't all do that.

Suggets you start with carb balance, loosening and retightening all of the engine mounting bolts, and maybe going back to standard bar ends, if you have aftermarket ones. Otherwise weighted inserts in the bars, try different make of clip-ons (woodcraft?)
Maybe remove, clean, refit and torque properly the alternator rotor.

Check compression on both pots to make sure they match.

If it still vibrates, sell it and buy another one.

[StormingHonda]

I think this relates to Harleys, but a fair bit is true of our bikes. You can tell its about Harleys as it keeps talking about 50mph

My harley Davidson sportster can do over 90mph ( so i'm told ) but you really dont want to do that on a Harley Davidson sportster, its not a nice experience.

[StormingHonda]

why are they "hated" by the rozzers?

If its talking about Harleys, then you know the joke about the difference between a hoover and a Harley.

The dirt bags on the hoovers on the side.

[mik_str]

I have to laugh at a lot of this "V-twin stuff".....

The old "massive low-end" argument always comes up..... in the real world, it`s somewhat difficult to use this proverbail torque as rolling on the throttle at really low rpms on a twin inevitably has the engine virtually shaking itself apart (any V-twin; have ridden numerous Victory, big Yamaha (air-cooled) and Suzuki C109 twins and all of them did/do it, never rode a Harley, don`t really care to TBH....). On the flipside, I have ridden a Bandit 1250 (and CBF1000) and let it run down to just over 10 mph in SIXTH (ridden two-up nonetheless) and the thing just motors away in an arm-stretching manner when you roll on the gas... so much for all the blabbering about I4s needing lots of revs....

I LOVE my Storm (and its V-twin) but this type of "propaganda" is just that......

[Furrybiker]

mikstr, I totally agree, even my 1985 GPz550 will pull away from near walking pace in sixth.

[seb421]

I have to laugh at a lot of this "V-twin stuff".....

The old "massive low-end" argument always comes up..... in the real world, it`s somewhat difficult to use this proverbail torque as rolling on the throttle at really low rpms on a twin inevitably has the engine virtually shaking itself apart (any V-twin; have ridden numerous Victory, big Yamaha (air-cooled) and Suzuki C109 twins and all of them did/do it, never rode a Harley, don`t really care to TBH....). On the flipside, I have ridden a Bandit 1250 (and CBF1000) and let it run down to just over 10 mph in SIXTH (ridden two-up nonetheless) and the thing just motors away in an arm-stretching manner when you roll on the gas... so much for all the blabbering about I4s needing lots of revs....

I LOVE my Storm (and its V-twin) but this type of "propaganda" is just that......

Agree totally with this, the blade (954) is linear smooth in top gear from bugger all revs, i remember when i had a 'do' on a Z750 that was so low and mid end focused, would have made a fantastic road machine

Tho my mates 2010 ZX6R is dead until it gets up in the rev's

[mik_str]

I have to laugh at a lot of this "V-twin stuff".....

The old "massive low-end" argument always comes up..... in the real world, it`s somewhat difficult to use this proverbail torque as rolling on the throttle at really low rpms on a twin inevitably has the engine virtually shaking itself apart (any V-twin; have ridden numerous Victory, big Yamaha (air-cooled) and Suzuki C109 twins and all of them did/do it, never rode a Harley, don`t really care to TBH....). On the flipside, I have ridden a Bandit 1250 (and CBF1000) and let it run down to just over 10 mph in SIXTH (ridden two-up nonetheless) and the thing just motors away in an arm-stretching manner when you roll on the gas... so much for all the blabbering about I4s needing lots of revs....

I LOVE my Storm (and its V-twin) but this type of "propaganda" is just that......

Agree totally with this, the blade (954) is linear smooth in top gear from bugger all revs, i remember when i had a 'do' on a Z750 that was so low and mid end focused, would have made a fantastic road machine

Tho my mates 2010 ZX6R is dead until it gets up in the rev's

The underlying issue here is not one of engine architecture but rather state of tune. A ZX6R, which is putting out in the area of 200 hp/L (specific output) will of course be relatively peaky, it is tuned to run optimally at the high rpms necessary to achieve those hp numbers. How anyone in their right mind can even think of comparing a big Hog (with a staggering s.o. of about 50 hp/L or less) to a 600 cc supersport and somehow draw inferences about engine configuration behaviours is beyond asinine IMHO (and I don`t mean you, Seb, by that comment, I realise that was not your intention; it`s targeted at the "hoggers" who disseminate this kind of crap and think they are somehow all-knowing about engines because they ride antiquated paint-mixers on wheels).....

[playerone]

because they ride antiquated paint-mixers on wheels.....

now that got me chuckling

[vtwin]

If it still vibrates, sell it and buy another one.

That's what the previous owner did

[leevtr]

I have to laugh at a lot of this "V-twin stuff".....

The old "massive low-end" argument always comes up..... in the real world, it`s somewhat difficult to use this proverbail torque as rolling on the throttle at really low rpms on a twin inevitably has the engine virtually shaking itself apart (any V-twin; have ridden numerous Victory, big Yamaha (air-cooled) and Suzuki C109 twins and all of them did/do it, never rode a Harley, don`t really care to TBH....). On the flipside, I have ridden a Bandit 1250 (and CBF1000) and let it run down to just over 10 mph in SIXTH (ridden two-up nonetheless) and the thing just motors away in an arm-stretching manner when you roll on the gas... so much for all the blabbering about I4s needing lots of revs....

I LOVE my Storm (and its V-twin) but this type of "propaganda" is just that......

Totally with you on this. My CB1300's were stupidly grunty. I could actually pull away froma standstill in 5th...without any throttle. Slow, admittedly, but true. I love my storm but the big cb makes it feel feeble at low revs.