American Sportbike with transverse, longitudinal crank v-twin ?

[hoytstaab]

Hello -

 

I know this is not a Guzzi, but I thought you fine folks would appreciate its "direction"

 

By the way...when I went to the library to find articles on this design, I came across the CycleWorld magazine's debut article of our beloved V11 Sport in the Sept. 1999 issue (almost 10 years already!)

 

The pictures in the CW issue were very sharp.

 

Anyway, I hope you find this interesting (most of you probably already know about it)....

 

write-up is on my blog at:

 

http://ridethetorquecurve.blogspot.com/

 

[John in Leeds]

Hello -

 

I know this is not a Guzzi, but I thought you fine folks would appreciate its "direction"

 

As a design brief it looked quite sophisticated - although I'm not sure of the benefits of tranvers V twin and chain drive. I'm sure others will enlighten me.

 

Would like to post a pic of a bike ATK in Utah were considering producing but has recently fallen through.

 

950 - 1200 vtwin decent power already but a dry weight of some 135kilos - you will already recognise the engine from my pic on the top left.

 

Pretty bike, sad it will not see production

 

[hoytstaab]

The only advantages I have heard of about chain drive is the ability to adapt to varying racetrack setups. I don't know if weight-savings would be another advantage or not.

 

The other design features seem to compliment one another. That is, the transverse configuration allowed for a short wheelbase by also using an alternative front suspension (engine moved forward). He may have wanted to make up for power losses in the chain drive by using desmo valves.

 

Nice bike. The Spondon frame looks good. Was Spondon going to be part of the production supply?

[fotoguzzi]

don't you have to turn the power 90 degrees from the crank to the chain gear? I think you would loose about 15% of the power over a direct drive sprocket bike... about the same loss as a drive shaft set up. so I would prefer a shaft drive for all the obvious reasons.

[John in Leeds]

Nice bike. The Spondon frame looks good. Was Spondon going to be part of the production supply?

 

Joint ventures are always complicated and the players keep their cards close to their chests

 

The original announcment - Spondon bike second down

 

Some of the ATK - Highland Sweden saga

 

 

No mention was even made of Spondon in these posts - wierd

[hoytstaab]

don't you have to turn the power 90 degrees from the crank to the chain gear? I think you would loose about 15% of the power over a direct drive sprocket bike... about the same loss as a drive shaft set up. so I would prefer a shaft drive for all the obvious reasons.

 

fotoguzzi - yes, the gearing would require a 90-degree change in direction for chain drive (with accompanying power loss). I think the biggest reason to go through that is to allow for easier racetrack setup variability.....the "Swallower Guzzi" riders would be the best to talk to about that topic.

 

 

No mention was even made of Spondon in these posts - wierd

 

Hey John - I was going to ask if that was a Spondon frame until I saw "Spondon" as part of the image filename in your post....so that tipped me off. Riddle solved.

[John in Leeds]

Hey John - I was going to ask if that was a Spondon frame until I saw "Spondon" as part of the image filename in your post....so that tipped me off. Riddle solved.

 

Nice one mate.

 

The daft thing was the posts I was referring to were the links recording ATK's progress.

[JoeV11]

John

It's curious that the two bikes in the background are two strokers. I'd love to see one of these lightweight terrors sold in US soil.

 

 

Joe

[RHIP]

Great blog - this is what they are supposed to be. I hadn't heard Hudson Bell before, but I do like the cut - and I'm 57.

 

I, too, have a problem with a transverse engine and a chain, or for that matter, an inline like a K1200s or a FJ with a shaft. The 90 degree shift in the powertrain just doesn't seem elegant or efficient.

[DeBenGuzzi]

John

It's curious that the two bikes in the background are two strokers. I'd love to see one of these lightweight terrors sold in US soil.

 

 

Joe

they did, last year, I think they were like 9K and not street legal but they brought in and offered like 50 of them if I'm not mistaken tho the color was of a goldish variety, its over on the Aprilia forum. Would be one HELL of a mean fun track machine.

[John in Leeds]

John

It's curious that the two bikes in the background are two strokers. I'd love to see one of these lightweight terrors sold in US soil.

 

 

Joe

 

For your interest Joe - the Kawa 500? 3 cylinder and the Suzuki GT750 belonged to the guy who commissioned the Spondon Highland bike. They were both fully restored mint bikes sold a few months ago on ebay.

 

He purchased a dual independent runner engine from Highland and got Spondon to fabricated a light fine handling frame. Highland saw it, liked it and have tried to further it in a joint venture with ATK. Like all prototypes this cost a fair bit but to my mind was worth it. The possibility of a 135 kilo 130 rwhp v-twin road iron for me is mouthwatering.

 

Please say a little more about the Aprilia pictured.

[JoeV11]

As DeBenGuzzi said we only got the track version, but I'm sure people have gotten plates from states that are less particular about it. I'd love to see them bring in the RS250 and make it street legal, but this thing is pretty quick. Here's some info from a two-stroke forum:

 

The US model is strictly "Track Only/Competion Use Only" bike tho it would be easy and simple to make it street equiped as the left and right hand control/switch is there and it is wired. Wiring for the lights, turn signals, mirrors and rear fender / plate holder is all you need to make it street legal. The "Track Only" bike's motor was hand picked and I think it has a built in lap timer too.

 

Stock dyno @ 26 Hp, derestricted dyno @32 (stock exhaust, non mods air box, stock everything). Weighs 120Kg (264lbs)

 

Put Jolly Moto pipe, V-Tech reeds, 34MM Carb and pipercone air filter on it. Had it up to 106MPH with a few RPM's left.

 

MSRP $5499, US dealer markup up to $2000 + fees

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/353/964/Moto...Track-Bike.aspx

[charlie b]

I always liked the Honda CX500/650 especially the turbo version. Seemed the motor was put in the 'right' way After the first year they actually got the electronic FI sorted out too. Fuel hog though.

 

I saw a later Honda that looked like it had a V4 in the proper configuration. It had a lot of fairing around it so could not get a better look at it. Never saw one again so don't know if it was my imagination or not.

 

charlie

[felix42o]

I always liked the Honda CX500/650 especially the turbo version. Seemed the motor was put in the 'right' way After the first year they actually got the electronic FI sorted out too. Fuel hog though.

 

I saw a later Honda that looked like it had a V4 in the proper configuration. It had a lot of fairing around it so could not get a better look at it. Never saw one again so don't know if it was my imagination or not.

 

charlie

 

 

The Honda ST series is set up like this. I know it's bad, but I look twice every time, continuing to confuse it with the new Norge ...

[charlie b]

Yep, that's it. Funny, they've been around for a long time and I never really paid much attention to them.

 

charlie