Motorcycles Technology
A More Powerful Engine
This inline two-cylinder engine with a 270-degree phase crank is capable of reproducing the traction performance and pulse of the V-twin engine used in the original XRV650 Africa Twin, while contributing to greater mass centralization and a lower center of gravity. The displacement has been increased from 998cc of the previous model to 1,082cc, and the output has been improved by approximately 7%.
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The Engineer Talks
-In general, the larger the displacement of the engine, the larger and heavier the engine tends to be, right?
“This time, we have increased the displacement by extending the stroke, which could be a disadvantage because it increased the height of the engine. However, we also wanted to make the engine as light as possible, so we reviewed every detail of the engine and reduced the weight by 2.5 kg for the MT type and 2.2 kg for the DCT type.”
-What are the significant contributors for it?
“We reviewed the specifications down to the smallest detail and built up a list of areas that we thought we could improve. One of the biggest changes was the elimination of the balancer shaft, and the sub gear that was applied to the primary drive.”
-What is a sub gear?
“It is a mechanism where two gears are stacked on top of each other, like scissors, to pinch the other gear and reduce the gap between the gears. By using this, we have been able to reduce the noise generated.”
-It seems that more focus has been paid to noise control.
“In order to eliminate the need to use two layers of gears, we have reviewed the gear tooth shape, accuracy, and management methods to reduce the gap between the gears, which is called backlash. As in the case of the lower pipe of the frame, I think this has also been made possible because we have accumulated a lot of know-how through continuous production. It was a very simple development, but compared to the development of electronic control, it went smoothly (laughs).
The muffler uses the same exhaust valve system as the CBR1000RR in order to achieve power output, exhaust sound, and pulse feeling while minimizing the increase in volume and weight associated with the increased displacement and power output.
Maximum power output has been increased by approximately 7% over the previous model. As with the previous model, the throttle-by-wire system has been adopted to improve the response speed, resulting in an engine that responds more linearly to the rider's operational demands.
New Items Adopted in the CRF1100L Africa Twin
A Frame Designed for Flexibility
The DCT in Closer Harmony with the Rider’s Feeling
Suspension for variable characteristics
Electrical Systems for Greater Adventure
