Interesting new 450cc engine....

[GPracer2500]

Not for a quad, but anyway....

Swiss dirt bike manufacture Husaberg (owned my KTM, btw) has released info on its 2009 FE450. They've taken a different approach to the engine's layout....

http://www.nsdsc.ca/images/09%20berg/2009%20husaberg%205.jpg

http://www.nsdsc.ca/images/09%20berg/2009%20husaberg%204.jpg

http://www.nsdsc.ca/images/09%20berg/2009%20husaberg%203.jpg

http://www.nsdsc.ca/images/09%20berg/2009%20husaberg%202.jpg

http://www.dackhuset.net/dackhuset/dhweb.nsf/1251222975CBC100C1257390006C5C70/$FILE/02.jpg

http://www.dackhuset.net/dackhuset/dhweb.nsf/13FD09DBF2525534C1257390006CA125/$FILE/08.jpg

http://www.nsdsc.ca/images/09%20berg/2009%20husaberg%201.jpg


Husaberg says in their press release:

ENGINE
The heart of the new Husaberg generation is the new SOHC one-cylinder engine with a displacement of 448.6 or 565 cc. In addition to top performance, the developers’ goal was a modern, compact design and a high degree of durability, as well as to position the crankshaft near the overall centre of gravity, thus facilitating the handling by means of the engine design.

70° CYLINDER ANGLE
A shallow cylinder angle of 70° enables the crankshaft to be repositioned more than 100 mm higher and approx. 160 mm further back, which moves the crankshaft’s rotating masses closer to the motorcycle’s centre of gravity. In this position, the gyroscopic forces generated by the rotating crankshaft have the lowest possible leverage effect on the bike, which results in exceptionally easy handling for a four-stroke, single-cylinder. The favourable side-effects of the lifted engine are a reduced overall width and notably improved ground clearance – an enormous advantage in narrow, rocky terrain.


This engine highlights something we might see more of. Not necessarily this exact design.....but the use of EFI is going to free-up engine/chassis designers a bit. One little mentioned benefit of EFI is that you can orient the throttle body/injector pretty much any way you want. Even the downdraft version of the Keihin FCR carb (which was never developed into an MX version anyway) doesn't let you do all the things you can do with EFI as far as how you arrange and orient the parts.

I look forward to seeing more and more creative designs in the future. Who says the engine, intake port, exhaust port, gas tank, etc etc has to be in the same place they've been for nearly all hi-performance ATV's/dirt bikes thus far? Without a carburetor needing to be situated in a certain way you can start switching up all sorts of things.

i htink the only downside to the way the engine is mounted is looking at all the bends in the exhaust, less bends = more flow

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by FoxHondaRider
i htink the only downside to the way the engine is mounted is looking at all the bends in the exhaust, less bends = more flow

Maybe. But I've seen some F1 and MotoGP engines with spaghetti-like headers. I think as long as the bends are smooth it isn't an issue.

[wilkin250r]

There's a formula somewhere, but I'm not going to dig it up right now.

But the main factors are the radius of the bend in relation to the diameter of the pipe. As long as the bend radius is about three times as large as the pipe, it doesn't impose a significant restriction.

[bwamos]

Must have a fairly unique system for lubricating in side the crank case since the crank case is pretty much like they turned an engine around backwards and then tilted it vertical.

Either that or that sucker holds a LOT of oil.

[kawiefan]

talk about an oddley shaped header