New Yamaha 3 Cylinder Engine

[Friz]

Perhaps old news to those who really keep up with these things, but I found this really interesting.

http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/news/index.aspx?id=513654

Opinions?

I read that Yamaha plan to have a ton of 3 cylinder engine bikes out in the next few years. May even replace their inline 4s, although I'm not sure how viable that is.

Older bikers I know claim an odd number of cylinders to be the best. For those that have ridden a triple, what do you think?

 

[extreme601]

Perhaps we'll be seeing a Yamaha Sprint GT in the near future

 

[Bikermole]

Who'd buy a Yamaha R675 when Triumph's Daytona 675will probably be cheaper.?

They do say that imitation is the best form of flattery, Triumph is doing well at the moment

 

[Friz]

They do say that imitation is the best form of flattery, Triumph is doing well at the moment

From what I read; Yamaha have lost a lot by trying to hold out throughout the recession, while companies like Triumph and Ducati are on the up. So... maybe.

But I wouldn't call it imitation. You might know that a lot of older bikes used to be triples. There are a lot of cylinder combinations and shapes that were popular in older bikes but aren't seen as often today.

A quick Google for "Yamaha Triple" shows this XS750S, for example:

So it's certainly not a new thing.

The reason they're doing it is because of how they've angled (I think?) the cylinders in order to create "zero inertial torque" using the "Crossplane concept". If I remember right, the middle cylinder is placed differently and moves separately to the other two, which are in sync.

I'm no engine buff though.

It was revealed as part of a speech on how Yamaha has "lost it's way". We'll just have to wait and see what happens next.

Perhaps we'll be seeing a Yamaha Sprint GT in the near future

Nothing will make up for that British Triumph logo.

 

[24HourBiker]

You're right, Yamaha have suffered massively in the recession. The 3 cylinders that they are planning on rolling out are simply a way of cutting costs.

If you think about it, an extra cylinder costs more in materials, engineering and labour for the guy/gal that has to fit it. By getting rid of one, you save yourself a whole bunch of Benjamins.

In my opinion, Yamaha's should be 4's. The top end of the R6 & R1 can't be reproduced with a triple, it isn't physically possible. Yamaha will lose customers because of this decision, but also gain some from Triumph. Simply because i don't know a Triumph rider who doesn't comment on the 'amazing' engine every time they jump off. So having another BIG manufacturer producing sports triples will have an effect on Triumph.

Personally, i love 4's, so i'm biased. And it is a good way of cutting costs and reducing their losses. But honestly, if i was given a choice between a 4 cylinder R1 or a triple, i know which one i'd rather live with.

 

[Friz]

You're right, Yamaha have suffered massively in the recession. The 3 cylinders that they are planning on rolling out are simply a way of cutting costs.

If you think about it, an extra cylinder costs more in materials, engineering and labour for the guy/gal that has to fit it. By getting rid of one, you save yourself a whole bunch of Benjamins.

So you're not buying into the thought that it'd be a better ride?
I imagine a lot of money would have gone into the R&D of a new engine. Especially one that has to be good enough for them to be making such bold claims about it, and one designed around a new set-up concept.

In my opinion, Yamaha's should be 4's. The top end of the R6 & R1 can't be reproduced with a triple, it isn't physically possible.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Like I said in my first post, it doesn't seem viable that Yamaha switches to triples.

Yamaha will lose customers because of this decision, but also gain some from Triumph. Simply because i don't know a Triumph rider who doesn't comment on the 'amazing' engine every time they jump off. So having another BIG manufacturer producing sports triples will have an effect on Triumph.

Personally, i love 4's, so i'm biased. And it is a good way of cutting costs and reducing their losses. But honestly, if i was given a choice between a 4 cylinder R1 or a triple, i know which one i'd rather live with.

As a brand new Triumph owner, I am loving the engine. People are totally right when they say how amazing they are.

Whether people start moving over from Triumph to Yamaha if they start producing Triples is something else though. I wanted a Triumph not just because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about regarding a Triple engine, but also because I didn't want another ordinary Japanese bike like all the ones I've had previous.
I know there are a lot of Triumph owners that feel similarly to that. It's the same sort of reason people go for Ducati, Aprilia, KTM etc.

 

[Daffee]

You're right, Yamaha have suffered massively in the recession. The 3 cylinders that they are planning on rolling out are simply a way of cutting costs.

If you think about it, an extra cylinder costs more in materials, engineering and labour for the guy/gal that has to fit it. By getting rid of one, you save yourself a whole bunch of Benjamins.

In my opinion, Yamaha's should be 4's. The top end of the R6 & R1 can't be reproduced with a triple, it isn't physically possible. Yamaha will lose customers because of this decision, but also gain some from Triumph. Simply because i don't know a Triumph rider who doesn't comment on the 'amazing' engine every time they jump off. So having another BIG manufacturer producing sports triples will have an effect on Triumph.

Personally, i love 4's, so i'm biased. And it is a good way of cutting costs and reducing their losses. But honestly, if i was given a choice between a 4 cylinder R1 or a triple, i know which one i'd rather live with.

The new R1 is crossplane crankshaft anyway which means that the engine produces more low down torque like a vtwin but it doesn't quite have the top end, so a triple wouldn't make much difference anyway, for road use having more torque is better than top end, nobody really needs to do 186mph on a road bike.

 

[gpzDave]

Very interesting, I wonder how long it will be before all of the Japanese brands have a 3 cylinder bike.

Remember a few years ago, no one but KTM (and some other European companies) made Supermotos. But now, a few years after it was first proven to be popular, every man and his dog makes them.

 

[Cliff]

Apparently, most riders are not concerned with which bike is the most powerful in its class, since they all make ridiculous power anyways. The current mindset is that since the "charismatic" companies(I.E. Ducati and Triumph) have been on the up, Honda and Yamaha have decided to go back to their historic motors(I-3s for Yamaha, V-4s for Honda). They're hoping with this, they will give their bikes a very unique character that will start bringing back customers.

I personally hope it goes this way, and starts bringing more innovation into motorcycles, not just a bunch of electronics.

 

[Friz]

Apparently, most riders are not concerned with which bike is the most powerful in its class, since they all make ridiculous power anyways. The current mindset is that since the "charismatic" companies(I.E. Ducati and Triumph) have been on the up, Honda and Yamaha have decided to go back to their historic motors(I-3s for Yamaha, V-4s for Honda). They're hoping with this, they will give their bikes a very unique character that will start bringing back customers.

I personally hope it goes this way, and starts bringing more innovation into motorcycles, not just a bunch of electronics.

I actually really hope this is the case.

 

[MotoRick]

Me too. My favorite Honda models were developed thirty years ago (Interceptor). I like quirky stuff.

 

[24HourBiker]

Don't get me wrong, i agree with you. Triples are great engines, but i personally like the rush of a 4. And i like revving the nuts off a 4 cylinder 600 rather than having the power ready to go like on a twin or a triple.

With regards to Honda, V4's are amazing. I recently rode an Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC, which is a bonkers bike, the most fun i've had with my clothes on in fact. A V4 Fireblade is, in my opinion, the epitomy of perfection. That chassis, that engine, that styling. Heaven.

I'd like to try a Yamaha triple, and i may be proved wrong, i may eat my words when the new R6 comes out next year. I'd love Yamaha to prove me wrong and make me love a triple like i love a 4, but until they do, i'll stick to my screaming top-end 4 pot.

 

[MysteriousVlogger]

I read about this a dew days ago. If you make a 3 cylinder R6 you can't call it a R6 anymore to be honest, it would have a completely different engine in.

 

[WhattheAnderson]

I read about this a dew days ago. If you make a 3 cylinder R6 you can't call it a R6 anymore to be honest, it would have a completely different engine in.

Well you could so long as the displacement remains the same, it just wouldn't be the same kind of beast as it currently is. It would have a lot more torque and a little narrower which would allow it to be a bit more rider friendly in the dimensions. It just wouldn't be the screamer that it currently is. I think a 3-cylinder R6 would be rather intriguing.

 

[Daffee]

I wouldn't have thought they would stay 600cc, it would make more sense to go 650 to 700cc to make up for the lack of a cylinder, like Ducati have the 848, but thats still classed as a supersport

 

[Stenno]

They're gonna make a street triple but with Japanese build quality and it's going to be brilliant, unfortunately

 

[Daffee]

A 800cc triple Fazer would be interesting

 

[WhattheAnderson]

I was already thinking of buying a Street Triple next anyway, maybe I will have to look closer at the next Yamaha FZ8 as competition. I love the 3-cylinder sound

 

[Friz]

It's going to be a few years till we see bikes with this in at least!

 

[Mikesmotorbike]

haha, might be about when my restriction is done