Originally Posted by
AtomicPunk
Insane. An old instructor told us at highway speeds at 3000 rpm, a piston changes direction 6000 times a minute, or 100 times a second. And actually stops (however briefly) at TDC and BDC. Just amazing engines last as long as they do. Engineering fascinates me.
AtomicPunk: I'm an engineer, and that kind of engineering is child's play for me. OK, Ok, ok, I jest. I used to be an automotive engineer (I mainly did seats). And now I do much more boring stuff than seats. I can barely stay awake to do my job. That's why I come in here on the forums, to wake me back up! What amazes me MORE than the amount of metal flying around, is that an oxygen / fuel mixture in itself can keep up that pace, and that the flame rate that oxygen / fuel burns is quite capable of sustaining that piston speed / rate. And then put all that amazing crap together and man has made it work so smoothly.
When I'm driving my Lexus and feels like I'm floating down the road at 80 mph, I consider what's going on inside the cylinders is amazing and that I'm so isolated from it.
As for the 3 cylinder sound, I don't believe any motorcycle engine sounds better than the Triumph triples, when pushed. The ole 70's Japanese triple 2-stroke engines are right there with them. That sexy little 2 stroke puff of smoke might push them over the top.
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View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.5 L/100 km ... 51.0 mpg (Imp)