A brief history of the inline-4 motorcycle

[billday]

http://www.ebay.com/gds/A-Brief-History-of-the-Inline-4-Cylinder-Motorcycle-/587497fc7471131f8ff61b51/g.html?roken2=ti.pSmFtZXMgTWNCcmlkZQ==

[Laitch]

Thanks for the link, billday!

[billday]

You're welcome, Laitch.

When they get to the K, they leave out one of my favorite details about BMW's decision to go with the inline 4.

With all their experience (and brand identity) with boxers, you'd think they would have gone for a water-cooled boxer 4, right? But they were also committed to creating a motorcycle unlike any other, and Honda already had the Gold Wing on the market. (And the Gold Wing was shaft drive, too . . . .) My understanding of the story is: if not for the Gold Wing, our K's would be boxers.

[Chaos]

Thanks for the link, nice read.  I had heard BMW was designing a boxer 4 but trashed it when Honda came out with the Goldwing.  Interesting to fantasize how that might have evolved if they had gone that route. 

[billday]

Thanks for the link, nice read.  I had heard BMW was designing a boxer 4 but trashed it when Honda came out with the Goldwing.  Interesting to fantasize how that might have evolved if they had gone that route.

For one thing, there would never have been a 3-cylinder BMW.

[thecableguy]

For one thing, there would never have been a 3-cylinder BMW.

Sure there would.... Two on the left and one on the right.


Jim

[billday]

Sure there would.... Two on the left and one on the right.


Jim

According to this,

http://www.ebay.com/gds/a-brief-history-of-the-triple-cylinder-motorcycle-engine/587c9da7399d3101c5a7a134/g.html?roken2=ti.pSmFtZXMgTWNCcmlkZQ==

some guy has stuck a third cylinder onto a Harley V twin.

(Don't bother reading this article if you want to learn anything about K75 history.)

[Laitch]

(Don't bother reading this article if you want to learn anything about K75 history.)

The writer could only manage to mention it in one sentence. He must have run out of words.