New VFR1200 V4 Engine - High-Tech Honda

Last week we brought you a report on the Dual Clutch Transmission that will debut on the forthcoming Honda VFR1200. This innovative gearbox will offer the rider fully automatic or semi-automatic shifting action, and is said to improve both performance and economy without sacrificing the interactivity and sense of control that sport riders demand. The transmission won't be the only revolutionary element of the new VFR's design. The VFR has always been Honda's technology flagship, and this latest iteration is shaping up to be no different.

An additional video features Honda's V4 Engine Designer, Tsutomu Ishii, introducing other high-tech features and clever engineering solutions that will appear on the next VFR. Ishii comes to the VFR project direct from MotoGP, following Honda's long tradition of moving engineers from the racing program to the production side. Ishii led MotoGP engine development from 2005-2007 and has applied lessons learned working with the 990cc V5-powered RC211V and 800cc V4-powered RC212V directly to the new VFR platform.

These solutions include a novel cylinder layout, with the number one and four cylinders located in the front cylinder bank and straddling the number two and three cylinders in the rear bank. This, along with the Unicam single-cam setup adapted from the CRF dirtbikes, makes the new V4 engine exceptionally compact and easy to package. A unique phase-pin crankshaft with 28-degree throw is said dramatically reduce vibration, so much that no counterbalancer is needed. And to optimize throttle response, a throttle-by-wire (TBW) system is fitted for the first time on any Honda streetbike.

Here is Honda's latest video, detailing the above innovations and more:

URL: ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LgnNrAPC5g