Radial

[belfastguzzi]

Most of the pics here before have had the engine turned the other way, have they not?

[DeBenGuzzi]

no, I believe the only actual running versions are like the one you show there, I did see one that was just a show piece but wasn't able to run for many reasons turned the other way, I would LOVE it if there was a way to have a smaller rotary, it would sound like pure porn star style sex on wheels, I don't know how you ride that monster tho, would melt your right thigh before you made it to the gas station to fill up, might want to live close by or just circle the gas station too,

[DeBenGuzzi]

BFG, you must mean this

http://www.bikernet.com/bikebarn/PageViewer.asp?PageID=912

 

 

 

a smaller more up to date version of this engine would be sweet, maybe not IN the wheel but could be used instead of the huge ones ppl try to use

http://www.greyfalcon.us/Killinger%20and%2...0Motorcycle.htm

out of the sopwith camel they say, impressive and yet sad it was that small and weak to fly an airplane??

[Skeeve]

a smaller more up to date version of this engine would be sweet, maybe not IN the wheel but could be used instead of the huge ones ppl try to use

http://www.greyfalcon.us/Killinger%20and%2...0Motorcycle.htm

out of the sopwith camel they say, impressive and yet sad it was that small and weak to fly an airplane??

 

Great link, thanks for posting it! & I thought no one was crazy enough to try to do the Megola one better...

 

As for "small & weak," airplanes were more like kites back then: wood & paper, glued & held together w/ bits of string! Didn't take as much of an engine to get one of those off the ground in a stiff breeze!

 

That radial rotary valved 3cyl 2-stroke couldn't have had much performance back then unless "blown," given the non-existent grasp of expansion chamber acoustics and likely-poor crankcase supercharging such a layout would possess. Putting a blower on it would make it viable, but I'm still not certain I'd want all that gyro f/x going on inside the front wheel of any bike I'm trying to steer!

[Ballabio Bertie]

Check these out..

[DeBenGuzzi]

I want a JRL rotary, I bet its in the 100,000+ range easy tho

 

totally a bike I would love to ride and accent to my larger than life persona

[belfastguzzi]

BFG, you must mean this

 

Yes, there have been a few variations of that, haven't there?

 

I remember putting that Killinger and Freund in the Quiz Forum some time ago. That's a good article you found.

[mike wilson]

Radial http://www.aviation-history.com/engines/radial.htm and rotary http://www.aviation-history.com/engines/rotary-theory.htm engines are two entirely different beasts, despite their similar appearance.

 

The engine from a Sopwith whatever would most emphatically _not_ be 600cc. As you can see from the second link, about 900cubic inches (somewhere about 15l) was common for a 100HP engine. That was a good power to weight ratio in those days.

[Steve G.]

The grand daddy of the radial powered bike, the priceless Megola:

 

Steve

[macguzzi]

I love the mad things motorcyclists do

[mike wilson]

The grand daddy of the radial powered bike, the priceless Megola:

 

Steve

 

It's a bleeding rotary!

 

Here's the oldest motorcycle you are ever likely to see.......

 

[belfastguzzi]

Here's the oldest motorcycle you are ever likely to see.......

Does it run on Horlicks?

[Steve G.]

It's a bleeding rotary!

 

Here's the oldest motorcycle you are ever likely to see.......

 

 

 

No, it's definitely a radial engine, it's got pistons!

Steve

[Steve G.]

It's a bleeding rotary!

 

Here's the oldest motorcycle you are ever likely to see.......

 

 

 

My old buddy Pete's bike:

 

Steve

[mike wilson]

Does it run on Horlicks?

 

 

I bet it smelled of wheee! after the first ride.