A New Direction For BMW?

[Rikugun]

I've always been a fan of triple cylinder engine configuration but this type wasn't on my radar.

Article here:
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/bmws-radical-triple-concept-and-w-3-cruiser-to-speed

[motoracer8]

 Leave it up to BMW to do something odd.  I had two K100 BMW's, alittle odd but both nice motorcycles.

[dingleberry]

Yee gods!! What the.... looks like a cross between a Harley and a radial engine. A narrow well balanced engine no doubt. Wonder how well it would wheelie.

[fret not]

Well, it looks pretty good.  If it's real I hope it works well.  Looks like part of a radial engine, so I wonder how does it sound? (like a WWII aircraft with several cylinders not firing ?)  Probably has a unique cadence.

[The Prophet of Doom]

How hard could it be to do the same on a vision?

[jefferson]

I found some videos of the Fueling W3 that you can do to your Harley. It really just sounded like a Harley. I was disappointed.

[Rikugun]

I imagine the cadence, sound, power delivery, etc. has a lot to do with the firing intervals as dictated by the rod journal configuration. The article outlines a few of the possible methods. This may define the exhaust note much like a crossplane R1 sounds different than a more typical 180 degree in line four.

[fret not]

"How hard could it be to do the same on a vision?"

Oh,not hard at all, if you have the requisite skills and equipment.  However, if you are like most of us it would be an enormous undertaking to make it happen.  One would have to REALLY WANT TO. ;)  Oh hell, why stop at one, why not add a couple more cylinders and make it a 5 cylinder engine? ::)