I Think OCR Predicted This One at Bike Week

[MZ5]

Chugging up hills in the low and mid range gets you to the top.

What you just said is: "Reducing power output improves traction." Duh. Increasing mass/inertia has a similar effect as reducing power output. The counterbalance increases inertia. All of us dirt bike riders know that a higher-inertia motor of the same hp will 'hook up' better than a lower-inertia one. We may or may not be able to recognize the reason behind it, but our observations show it clearly. It has zip to do with firing interval on a single.

We must be careful that we don't confuse a well-designed overall package with a somewhat unusual firing arrangement. This is marketing trying to play up a frankly very small thing, masquerade it as something it's not, and use it to drive sales. I'm glad it's working for Yamaha. It's not working to beat the 'flat-plane' Hondas on the track, but I hear it's working on the showroom floor, where myth works better than fact.

 

[dduelin]

Do you think long bang and Big Bang motors in GP were/are marketing hype?

I think I agree with you about marketing a cross plane triple as nonsense. I kind of lost you after "Duh".

 

[MZ5]

To repeat:
We must not become confused into thinking that the success of a well-integrated overall package (the series of bikes you refer to) is due to some triviality (the odd firing order of their engines). Were the particular bikes of old that you mention successful? Of course they were! Was that due solely, or even primarily, to their uneven firing order? I think the best answer to that is found by asking: Did everyone else copy them and make those quirks the new 'standard,' or did those peculiarities fade away?

I don't immediately see what a 'cross-plane' 3-cylinder's crank throws would look like. I have only ever heard one of the new Yamaha 3s once, I think. It didn't sound 'right,' the way a Triumph 3 or even a half-speed inline 6 does. However, so much about exhaust sound is dictatedby pipe and port lengths that I don't consider that one instance definitive. Heck, maybe I just heard it wrong.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

I know it is available on the FJR, not sure about any of the lower models. I don't think it's an option on the FZ series.... which is a shame.

trey

Nope not on the FZ's. After I finished with my FZ1 I considered the 9 but without the ABS I never gave it a second thought but it sure does have a sweet motor.