The cars and bikes thread!

[Samanator]

A little different bike made it home with me yesterday. Happy Birthday to me

Congrats. That is really something. I had a VFR750(1994) and then a VFR800(2003) V4's over the years.
I see some similarities in the frame structure on this except the Hondas where the first bikes to have single sided swing arms with a simple eccentric chain adjustment. This is obviously more stout. I'm not well versed currently in what is the current thinking on swing arms or suspension progression. The rear shock seems to have a wire or cable going to it. Does it have some sort of active suspension? This has a far more serious front end like the Ducati's. It appears to have ABS and if it is like the Ducati probably some form of traction control? Now wheeIie control is new but bikes have just continued to gain so much power that is probably necessary. As probably you, I grew up learning to up shift without a clutch. It works even on a Harley and was a neat skill to master. Then the cutoff switches were optional for the racing bikes to do it sort of automatically. Now there are probably more things to better this process along with rev matching for downshifts programmed into the computers.

I did own a Aprilla twin at some point in the 90's before the MV Agusta (early 2000's). Then I started to back off some to less radical bikes like the Triumph Speed four (AKA the great Pumpkin) and a few Bonevilles which fit south Florida roads better. I could buy a few year old ones new in the crates with full warranty at good discounts that I got a different one nearly every 9-12 months. Up until the end I usually had a sport bike and one of various cruisers from Henderson(remember those), Harley, Victory and Indian.

As a note 100Hp/L for naturally aspirated engines was the old racing engine formula when I was young. Based on @Raza note they have since more than doubled that. Also, Honda had an oval piston GP motorcycle engine that revved to 20,000 rpm back in 1979. It had two connecting rods per piston and the entire bike had many innovations that eventually made their way to street bikes.

When I was picking up the new Wave Runner i saw one of these. Probably all the bop around the neighborhood bike I need these days, plus with the blood thinners any motorcycle scare me. They claim 166 mpg for these and I'm assuming it will do at least 50mph with a 123cc engine. It would fit sideways in the bed of the truck kind of like a spare tire. More likely to buy a ATV.

[happyscrappyheropup]

Congrats. That is really something. I had a VFR750(1994) and then a VFR800(2003) V4's over the years.

I had their predecessor, the '84 VF1000F.

I see some similarities in the frame structure on this except the Hondas where the first bikes to have single sided swing arms with a simple eccentric chain adjustment. This is obviously more stout. I'm not well versed currently in what is the current thinking on swing arms or suspension progression. The rear shock seems to have a wire or cable going to it. Does it have some sort of active suspension? This has a far more serious front end like the Ducati's. It appears to have ABS and if it is like the Ducati probably some form of traction control? Now wheeIie control is new but bikes have just continued to gain so much power that is probably necessary.

Yes, semi-active Ohlins front and rear. I think most of the hyperbikes/nakeds run similar Ohlins setups. The KTM runs a WP, since they own White Power suspension. The new bikes have Bosch Inertial Measurement Units and have lean angle sensitive traction control, ABS, and wheelie control.

As probably you, I grew up learning to up shift without a clutch. It works even on a Harley and was a neat skill to master. Then the cutoff switches were optional for the racing bikes to do it sort of automatically. Now there are probably more things to better this process along with rev matching for downshifts programmed into the computers.

Yeah, bikes have gearboxes that lend themselves to clutchless upshifts. I have always done it on track days and drag racing. When I drag raced my Hayabusa, I had an air shifter, which had a kill box/cutoff. The big thing with new bikes is just tapping the lever up or down. Just use the clutch at low revs/parking lots/getting rolling.

I did own a Aprilla twin at some point in the 90's before the MV Agusta (early 2000's). Then I started to back off some to less radical bikes like the Triumph Speed four (AKA the great Pumpkin) and a few Bonevilles which fit south Florida roads better. I could buy a few year old ones new in the crates with full warranty at good discounts that I got a different one nearly every 9-12 months. Up until the end I usually had a sport bike and one of various cruisers from Henderson(remember those), Harley, Victory and Indian.

As a note 100Hp/L for naturally aspirated engines was the old racing engine formula when I was young. Based on @Raza note they have since more than doubled that. Also, Honda had an oval piston GP motorcycle engine that revved to 20,000 rpm back in 1979. It had two connecting rods per piston and the entire bike had many innovations that eventually made their way to street bikes.

When I was picking up the new Wave Runner i saw one of these. Probably all the bop around the neighborhood bike I need these days, plus with the blood thinners any motorcycle scare me. They claim 166 mpg for these and I'm assuming it will do at least 50mph with a 123cc engine. It would fit sideways in the bed of the truck kind of like a spare tire. More likely to buy a ATV.

The Grom are really popular, but I'd probably go for something like a DRZ400SM if I was looking for something to beat around on. Throw a tailpack or saddlebags on it for grocery or wine shop runs.

[happyscrappyheropup]

Grabbed a fender eliminator... really just a piece of metal with a few bends and holes drilled. Replaces the large plastic piece that's required by law on new bikes. I like the short tail on the Tuono and removing the factory undertail/fender enhances that look.

Pretty easy overall, the factory tail came off with a single connector and 3 fasteners. I had to wire in a new tag light and reused the factory turn signals, the latter had convenient weatherpack connectors. It made for a quick swap.

Before...



After...



I started digging into the settings for the electronics. There are 3 Aprilia defined riding modes and 3 user defined modes. Each riding mode changes the parameters for:

ATC = traction control
AWC = wheelie control
ABS = antilock brakes
AEM = engine map (high, moderate, low power modes)
AEB = engine braking
ASC = suspension control
ALC = launch control



Some work to setup, but easy to swap between modes on the fly. Just have to select the new mode and close the throttle to reset the mapping.

[geoffbot]

Launch control is terrifying - did it once and once only on my gixxer. Pin the throttle, dump the clutch and hold on for dear life. Put your legs on the pegs when you can

[Samanator]

Grabbed a fender eliminator... really just a piece of metal with a few bends and holes drilled. Replaces the large plastic piece that's required by law on new bikes. I like the short tail on the Tuono and removing the factory undertail/fender enhances that look.

Pretty easy overall, the factory tail came off with a single connector and 3 fasteners. I had to wire in a new tag light and reused the factory turn signals, the latter had convenient weatherpack connectors. It made for a quick swap.

Before...



After...



I started digging into the settings for the electronics. There are 3 Aprilia defined riding modes and 3 user defined modes. Each riding mode changes the parameters for:

ATC = traction control
AWC = wheelie control
ABS = antilock brakes
AEM = engine map (high, moderate, low power modes)
AEB = engine braking
ASC = suspension control
ALC = launch control



Some work to setup, but easy to swap between modes on the fly. Just have to select the new mode and close the throttle to reset the mapping.

Curious how they lower engine braking? Does it mess with the cams and hold open a valve or something?

[Samanator]

Curious how they lower engine braking? Does it mess with the cams and hold open a valve or something?

Found this, which would have been my second guess. https://www.cycleworld.com/why-engin...s-and-why-now/

[geoffbot]

Curious how they lower engine braking? Does it mess with the cams and hold open a valve or something?

Good question-I'd never asked! I guess the ecu keeps the revs in a more gradual decline?

[happyscrappyheropup]

Curious how they lower engine braking? Does it mess with the cams and hold open a valve or something?

My guess is that it's holding the throttle blades open slightly in the lower engine braking modes. The V4 has a LOT of engine braking compared to my big bore inline 4cyl Busa, if you close the throttle on the Tuono it wants to come to a stop.

[geoffbot]

This is fun https://youtu.be/FFmT22sq6u8

[geoffbot]

This might be the best car youtube channel https://youtu.be/LKIYUGNNEWk