Power Delivery Characteristics Of A Twin Vs A Four

The thruxton is a heavyweight boxer, two big pistons banging up and down slowly, with more cc's and more torque.
Your hornet gets it power by being lightweight, small pistons fleeing up and down. The power comes from the pistons running at high speeds, but this means you'll not get the torque, due to less cc's.

You get power by being big or fast, but you'll get more torque from bigger engine.

Depends what you like, I like big v-twins and the way they produce their power and torque, but others prefer the smooth power of a 1050 triple. Up to you.

V4 is the best way to make power and torque. That's why most Moto GP bikes use them. That's why Ducati now use a V4 for their panigale. You get smooth power and torque from a big engine. More pistons will allow smoother running at higher revs (natural harmonics and more stuff I don't understand or can explain).

And then you throw firing orders into the mix !!! Screamers and big bang's using crank angle's!!! Can do clever things, try a big bang R1, very different inline 4 , litre bike.

 

Have you had the bodies balanced? I know the sv 650 ran like a pig at low revs, if they were out of balance. Might be worth a try, and cheaper than ECU reprogramming.

 

Don’t forget torque is a straight measure of cylinder pressure whereas horsepower is a mathematical computation of torque cycles over time and hence how much ‘work’ an engine can do. A four at the same rpm has twice the firing cycle and is inherently smoother but normally aspirated multivalves tend to produce little torque at low rpm. The twin flywheel mass and counter rotation balance shaft etc., needs time to spin up ...... and hence differing characteristics. The biggest thing is the Honda needs to be kept on the cam to generate its power while torque from the twin can be wound on.....much as the Street Twin bhp figure belies the way it drives.
ALL of them suffer the breathing difficulties of anti pollution kit. I well remember 650s becoming 750s and 850s with the same output as lead was removed from petrol and octane ratings tumbled. Cubes count!

 

It will be all down to just where in the RPM range the engines start to develop their torque and how much, as the old saying goes BHP is how fast you go, but torque is how quick you get there.

 

Is this your first big twin?

Incidentally, I was speaking to an associate the other day, and told him I was riding a Tuono now. He said he'd borrowed one recently and absolutely hated it!!! Same as he hated Ducati's (old v-twin 1098's etc), horrible lumpy things. If I tell you he has 10 bikes in the garage, all of them Japanese, and most of them V4 & 4 IL engine (Hondas, fireblades, etc). Been riding these 4's all his time on bikes, just didn't know how to ride a big twin.

Without having a shot on your Thruxton, wouldn't know if it had a problem, but I would guess, maybe your trying to ride it like a 4 ?

Keep it above 2000 revs when dawdling through villages (only time I ride slow enough for mine to 'chug'), and just use the mid-range torque, short shift up and just enjoy that surge of torque. Your four will happily pull between 1000-2000, but your twin won't. Your twin won't rev up to 12,000 (mines does), so run around in that lovely big lump of twist available in the midrange.

 

Never putting anyone down, glad you took it as intended. We all know they drop off, but the way you describe, does make it sound like something more. Check the throttle body balance and then ecu flash, hopefully that will improve it.

 

There seems to be far more writing here than is necessary, it’s a 1200 twin that’s just the way they are

 

The old Honda 400-4 was utterly gutless at low rpm almost made a 250 Yamaha seem torquey until it came on cam......

 

My Daytona 675R, and GSXR1000,ZX10,ZX9,ZX7,Rd350lc,X7,FS1E, YZ,125,250,490, CR 500, Kx500 I’m not going to go any further they’re all different.

That’s bikes guys. just like women.
One mans poison is another mans cure!!!
,

 

All bikes have to be in the power band of the characteristics to the engine.
Myself I prefer the twins style of power delivery, my MT 01 only makes 90 bhp but 115 foot pounds of torque making its power under 5k although I rev her harder(limiter at 5.5k)
Twins from different engine makers are all different too, I had a Tuono which had the rev range of a 4 but pulled like a twin also my 865 Bonnie revs to 8k but without the shear grunt of the MT.
Having not ridden a modern Truxton I can only say your twin is different again from others you have ridden and you need to have her in "her" sweet spot.

 

Don't think they fitted a rev limiter to the Tuono! Really shouldn't do 12k on a v-twin.

 

There is one! you can set it to the limit you prefer

 

BANG!

 

It does !!!

 

Doesn't mean rev her to 12 though remind me not to buy a second hand bike from you