Interesting article in this months CB on the Cosworth Norton. Seems to be a very good example of the reasons why using adapted car engine designs for bike motors, isnt that good an idea. Real shame though, as a powerful light, modern, twin cylinder motor, in the early 70's may well have saved Norton from going down the tubes!

The Harley VR1000 engine was developed in conjunction with Porche. It still blewup every race (must have been the Harley bits) It's now the V-Rod. The auto guys are always leading edge but it trickles down, thank you F1 but don't know if I want an 18k RPM poppet valve Norton though. Saw the Cosworth at the 82 USNOA Down East Rally in 82 belonging to Team Obsolete http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/_nor ... racer.html.

Just for the record, there was no Porsche involvement in the VR1000 bike. And no Harley bits either. It started as getting Nascar and Indycar folk getting 2 cylinders of a V8 into a racebike. All on a very limited budget, by all accounts. Apparently late in the day, Cosworth was involved - but that limited budget killed it off.

Porsche subsequently did the V-Rod design and development - successfully, as you would expect of Porsche. Anyone seen any $$ quoted as the contracted price ?

Hopethishelps.

What you need is two cylinders from a Bristol Centaurus Engine , if youre looking at a Twin .

Matt Spencer wrote:What you need is two cylinders from a Bristol Centaurus Engine ,

There is actually something along those lines out there - BIG is the word that comes to mind.
Search for Gunbus.
http://thekneeslider.com/images/gunbus-1.jpg

Someone locally did 2 cylinders off a Merlin engine quite a while back - 'simply' cut from the back of the motor. = DOHC 4 valves per cylinder watercooled, ~5 litres v-twin.

With a 2 speed gearbox and framed with something suitable, it could turn some fairly fast times over the 1/4. Corners were not to its liking, we gather....

Makes you wonder what these guys with the VR1000 and Cosworth were doing.... ?

tied up in technicalities most likely . To methodical to see clearly ? ?

Stood in front of The R/R Merlin twin in motorcyle museum in Qld and then went and asked at counter ' where is it ' .
Was sitting on floor or stand , and the supercharger and carb were disproportionate, was looking for a ' HUGE ' engine.

At 6in x 6 in ( or is one 5 1/2) it seemed no bigger than a FLX or whatever the Evo Harleys are, as its O.H.C. without
the Harleys massive rocker covers. 2 1/2 litres a pot or 27 / 12 = something.

Bristol Centaurus would be about 4 litres Ea. , Hercules about 2 1/2 Ea. Though their SLEEVE VALVE , so would be as
short as a Two Stroke .

Also if youve heard a Hawker Sea Fury , We could do away with the muffler .

Being watercooled means the lack of fins on Merlin V-twin make it look quite small.
Very compact design too.

Did you check out the Gunbus V2 ? That thing is a monster.

Finding/making the mechanism for a sleeve valve v-2 engine may not be too simple. ?

I have heard a Sea Fury, as it happens. One flew over a few years back, very high - I was drawn to the enormous sound from what looked rather like a Spit in profile. On its way to an airshow, I later found...