Why are Parallel Twins EVERYWHERE in Motorcycles?

[@nathanfisher7264]

Yam, hate to be that guy but a 270 crank does not give pulses every 270 degrees. Cylinder one fires, then two fires 270 degrees later. Then you get a full rotation plus 90 degrees before the next power pulse on cylinder one, then two goes off again at 270. So it's kind of a gallop, 270-450-270-450. It's actually the same as a ninety degree V-Twin. To get even pulses you need a 360 crank, but then the balance is horrible. 180 gives good primary balance with even more gallop in the spacing of the power pulses. The thing is, you can never get all of evenly spaced power pulses, perfect primary balance and a single head in any two cylinder engine. And no two cylinder can achieve perfect secondary balance. The 270 crank is just a decent engineering compromise, and that little gallop sounds nice. I think the reason we're converging on this layout is all about keeping the costs down in the face of increasing pressure from emissions regulation. I don't think that these are the bikes that the manufacturers want to build but rather the bikes that they are being forced to build. An inline four is vastly superior until you look at complexity and realize that there's double the parts, and when building ICE engines is already becoming more expensive due to how hard they have to work to meet emissions this was where a decision was made to cut costs. I'm an old dude. I ride an old air cooled four. You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. The only thing better is a six, but I don't have that kind of money.

[@ellwoodwolf]

It also doesn't sound significantly better

[@Subarusyndicate]

@@nathanfisher7264 what engines would they be building if not for emissions then? Almost sounds like you’re suggesting because the V-8 is the most powerful engines why don’t all cars have them. Genuinely interested

[@nathanfisher7264]

@@Subarusyndicate it's not always about power, or at least not all about power. The smoothness and sound are addictive. I don't think you can compare the auto industry to the motorcycle industry, either. There are a relatively small number of automobile enthusiasts and a huge number of people who view cars as transportation. With motorcycles that's flipped on its head. The vast majority of riders, particularly in developed countries, ride because they truly love motorcycles, not because they're basic transportation. So if companies release a bike that doesn't speak to the rider there's a good chance that it won't sell, whereas nobody really loved Chevy Cavaliers or Ford Escorts but those cars sold in the millions. Anyway, I tend to think that motorcycle companies and riders would prefer four cylinders to two today just like they did in the 80's and 90's. But when you combine inflation with low wages and the pressure for emissions compliance, companies wouldn't be able to sell bikes if the price went up by a couple thousand dollars. They have to walk a fine line which involves a lot of compromises.

[@nazzalgrylls1403]

Bet not a lot.of.people read.this

[@vebez5993]

@@nathanfisher7264I’d rather have 270° crank than an inline 4. You don’t have to rev them out to get power, they sound amazing like a VTwin, and they are super torquey with usable power. I think they’re the best engine for the street and I think most people that ride are riding on the street anyways so that’s where the market is going. Also the 180 degree parallel is so boring, why not make it 10x better and give it a 270° And actually give it some character.

[@garethbull2226]

As someone who lives outside the USA, I'm going to call you out a little bit Yam. The detail is when you said Yamaha started the parallel twin engine in multiple models trend with the CP2 engine in the MT07. The MT07 launched in 2014. Let's rewind the clock a little bit, to 1991, and a Yamaha sport-tourer with a parallel twin engine, the TDM850, which was followed in 1995 by a slightly different version of the same engine in a sportier chassis, the TRX850. In the TRX850, Yamaha changed the crankshaft and camshafts from a conventional 180 degree design to a crossplane 270 degree design. The TRX850 only received minor changes before Yamaha stopped building it in 2000. The TDM850 also changed over to the same 270 degree crossplane twin engine in 1996 and was built until 2001. In 2002 the TDM was relaunched with a fuel injected 900cc crossplane twin engine and stayed in production until 2011. Yamaha USA never gave the TDM or TRX much attention, these bikes sold mostly in Japan, Europe and Australia/New Zealand. The CP2 engine has a parent in terms of engine configuration and use across multiple bike models aimed at different market segments, the 850cc crossplane twin engine from 1995, used in the TRX850 and the 1996+ TDM850.

[@lenphil9875]

After decades riding fours, I really would struggle to downgrade. There's something about the effortlessness of a four that is beautiful.

[@hyweljthomas]

Nah, they're just different; lower torque makes riding more fun.

[@paulcompme856]

I could not make my mind up so I got one of each. A parallel Twin (RS 660) and a inline 4 (CBR 600RR). I love the engine breaking of the parallel Twin and the sound of the Inline 4. I have a great time riding both bikes. Cheers.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox4574]

All these parallel twins are wonderful ... they make my Guzzi even more special 🙂

[@evanhandelong7685]

Due to emmisons and ease of manufacturing. Basically manufacturers are cheaping out

[@ellwoodwolf]

100%

[@MarlinRando]

CAFE/CARB standards are killing the 4s.

[@Mike-q1z9w]

Well they are in business to make money. If they don't make money, they might stop making bikes.

[@TheGingerBread27]

@@MarlinRandocafe standards are killing everything

[@masonmax1000]

the funny thing is in the USA our forests and grasslands literally suck up more carbon then we produce as a nation every year, its preposterous that Emissions are getting stricter, we cant really get any cleaner unless we start burning hydrogen in our ICE engines LOL. I asked AI to get me the quote and here it is "the world's forests absorb significantly more carbon dioxide than the United States produces annually, acting as a "carbon sink" that effectively removes a net amount of carbon from the atmosphere; meaning forests globally sequester more carbon than the US emits in total."

[@PRSer]

I'm perfectly fine with decently powered, reliable and easy to maintain parallel twins. I don't live in the parts of the world that honestly realistically requires anything more than 50hp. Don't get me wrong, I love high powered inline 4s, V4s and triples. The H2s and M1ks all have a place in the motorcycle industry but I'm not the demographic that can really afford that tier of motorcycles. If there are better parallel twins produced every year, I'm cool with that.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

I bought a Kawasaki W800 as a returning rider, thinking that I'd "upgrade" after a few months getting my chops back. That was a year ago. For the riding that I do, its 47 rear-wheel horsepower offers ample performance, and the way that the engine is tuned makes it a dream around town and through the twisties. I'm in the market for a vintage Guzzi or BMW, but I'm not getting rid of the Kawasaki anytime soon. It has such great "real world" performance and ease of operation.

[@kleinbottled79]

I live in Southern California which, short of the German autobahn, has among the world's most demanding freeway systems. Steep hills, short merges, relatively fast aggressive drivers. Even here, 50hp is genuinely enough. I was fine riding a 40hp 300, did it for years. Anything past 65hp or so isn't really making you any safer either I don't think. On a faster bike you (at least I) start becoming tempted to make moves that are difficult for other motorists to anticipate.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

@@kleinbottled79 A mate of mine learned to ride on an R3 Yamaha. As soon as his licence conditions allowed, he "upgraded" to a Triumph 765. He maintains that the R3 was easily up to the task of Australia's roads and in some ways more fun than the Triumph. He owned both concurrently, for a while, and he would regularly ride the R3 despite having the more powerful bike. And, by the way, I have to say that I agree with your surmise of bike power 100%. I've ridden a lot of bikes, over the years, ranging from Honda Trails with single digit HP ratings to 100HP sports bikes. If I cast my mind back to my favourites, they're all bikes that fall into that 45-70HP range. They're fast enough to get you out of trouble, yet slow enough to thrash a bit, in the right circumstances. Yep, race tracks and autobahns are a different kettle of fish, but I don't ride on either of those.

[@kleinbottled79]

@@davidbrayshaw3529 "Slow enough to thrash a bit" Is the key to the fun of them I reckon. Really have to pick my moments to light up my CBR600RR; and when I do it's more thrilling, yes, but I don't know that it's actually more fun. And it happens less often.

[@kenmcbride3446]

@@kleinbottled79 Being on the 10 or 15 kinda feels like being in a mad max movie to me. Gotta keep your head on swivel for sure. So many aggressive and/or oblivious drivers that you really can’t let your guard down. But then we get roads like the 74 so it’s hard to complain! Plus year round riding weather if you can live with triple digits!

[@thecman26]

Nah, I prefer the sounds of a snappy inline 4!

[@stevec6427]

I've had singles, twins, triples and fours. The one I least like the noise of is fours, they have no character to their sound

[@thecman26]

@@stevec6427 no, I believe your mistaken. Nothing as sweet as the whine of a K5 gixxer. Maybe that of a V4 VFR with aftermarket exhaust or that of a 2 stroke 250.

[@dr.science_0177]

I prefer the inline 3

[@Subarusyndicate]

As an MT-07 rider, I can’t say enough good things about the bike and its motor. Power is where a street rider would want it. Fun to rev out, but also fun to ride tamely and chill out at street legal speeds.

[@peeperpawsmcgee]

I was eyeballing a mt07 this summer for a new bike, but when I was in the showroom they had a ktm 790 duke there with an instant 1500 rebate making it significantly cheaper than the mt07. I took the duke home and love it. But holy hell am I scared of the 9000km service. The Cam issue is real, supposedly fixed on the 2023 models but I'm not going to be convinced till I see it. All that aside the bike is incredibly agile and fast. My previous bike was a suzuki drz400 and another reason I leaned into the KTM was its low weight. I was shocked that the KTM delivers low end power like the drz400. the power delivery is surprisingly similar except that the band is much wider and obviously stronger.

[@TheParaxore]

270 degree crank is definitely the way to go for twins

[@EvendimataE]

i prefer the inline 4 sound.....especially if its straight piped...LOL

[@MultiDragola]

Yeah I have cb1100 and can't ride any twins, vibrations are as bad as my thumper pit/dirtbikes

[@joeykimball5705]

Idk man, they sound good sometimes but I honestly think the best sounding bikes are v4s and parallel twins. My fz07 sounds like a v twin real low in the idle and goes through a crazy range of sounds throughout the rev range. I can easily tell whereabouts in the range I am due to the differing sounds. I like it a lot.

[@Danol123]

Try listening to the Goldwing’s Boxer 6 straightpiped. That thing sounds insane.

[@yarilich544]

Same here. I thought I wrote this comment

[@TheDBall73]

Well, I’m a noob that just turned over 2000 miles on my first bike this year (2024 Suzuki GSX 8S). Been riding 3 months, getting my full endorsement next weekend, and I love my 270 degree Suzuki. Sure, I could put an exhaust on it and make it sound a little more manly but I like the stealth location it’s now. I foresee no interest in getting rid of this bike for a long time. It’s quick, clean, turns heads, and it’s a blast.

[@markybear23]

I have a 2023 and it’s my first bike - I have a couple vids of it here.

[@HifeMan]

I traded in my MT09 for a 2023 GSX-8S and i love it. Sure it doesn't have the top end of the MT but it still pulls just like it till 9K and that pull to me is the most fun over speed. It also doesn't wanna just wheelie everywhere due to the longer wheelbase, which to me is a plus. Already got 5k miles on mine and got it fully tuned with an exhaust/intake mods ect. A great bike i will keep for many many years to come. Also as someone who own many many twins, this bike is my favorite one. :) Btw an ECU flash and intake mods will give you some good gains if you ever do want some extra power but still want it to be stealth. (Will be louder to the rider due to increase intake noise.)

[@ivangrob7084]

I also have a 2023 GSX-8s and it's also my first bike. I made my "A" license on CB650r and CB650f 4 cylinders. They had nice sound, but they were felt heavy and the center of gravity were also high. The suzuki feels lot less heavy, despite its wieight is similar.

[@mikelfunderburk5912]

I've had a Ninja 500 for years. Love it. Plenty of punch off the light, comfortable, great fuel economy and with the mods it sounds great.

[@BarnettSpeedSuzukiThou]

Bcos they're cheap

[@snakeies66]

And strict emission laws

[@tomekvilmovskiy6547]

single cylinder is waaaay cheaper )

[@alexandrosamanatidis7825]

​@tomekvilmovskiy6547 singles have insane vibrations though . Parallel Twins are manageable at high rpms .

[@xsdfl4244]

It is indeed cheaper to reduce emission by reducing no. of cylinders. I mean you will not buy the R6 with the cost of a R1 thats the whole reason they switched to R7

[@Soeks77]

@@snakeies66emission laws 😂 a 2500cc 4 cyl is worse than a 400cc 4 cyl.

[@etobiCRACKscorpions]

All the functionality of the parallel twin sounds like exactly the engine I need but I still bought the zx4RR!

[@floofiegaming8596]

I’m planning on getting one soon, how do you like it ?

[@etobiCRACKscorpions]

@@floofiegaming8596 I'm very happy with it. Its night and day different after the flash. After a couple month riding pre-flash I couldn't believe how heavy the restrictions were. The next largest improvement is weight reduction. Removed the tail, added full SS headers and exhaust and its much more nimble now. In all reality its not the right bike for my city driving application but as a supersport its all you need on the road and highway.

[@floofiegaming8596]

@@etobiCRACKscorpions wow thanks! I think it might just be the one for me :)

[@clonecommandermike332]

First bike?

[@etobiCRACKscorpions]

@@clonecommandermike332 Nope, 20 years ago I had a Yamaha FZR400. Almost the same bike but possibly better because of the aluminum frame.

[@turboboy0]

My first 2 motorcycles were parallel twins. 1987 Honda rebel 250 followed by a 1991 Suzuki gs500e waaaay back in 1991 when I started riding streetbikes. With the exception of the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 classic I bought in 2009 the other 7 or 8 bikes have all been inline 4 like my current 2019 zx14r.

[@hailwood900]

One clear central reason for twins: Less squish volume (perimeter of cylinder and above compression ring) so lower engine-out emissions, so easier job for exhaust after-treatment, so easier overall to meet emissions. Consumers don't know much about emissions cuz manufacturers don't talk about it. Emissions don't "sell" bikes, but design engineers know it's now the main problem to solve. Yes, cars / trucks can still use 6 and even 8 cylinder engines, but the emissions controls (and costs) for them are several generations above bikes.

[@LDDivision]

Parallel twins in bikes is analogous to 4-cylinder engines in cars /trucks.

[@sandercobussen2848]

As a Ducati rider I have to say I absolutely loved riding an MT07 for a while. The torque that engine deliveres combined with the low weight is a lot of fun. And I kinda liked the sound of it too, especially with an upgraded exhaust

[@johnhowell8779]

I love my 2009 i4 Fazer FZ6 - the sound, the power delivery, the riding experience, everything. If anyone made another i4 like that bike currently I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Otherwise, looking at switching up to a XL750 Transalp next year (hopefully/maybe/finances allowing).

[@constantinosschinas4503]

TRX 850 was the first 270 degree modern production bike back in 1996. Ducati destroyer. It was developed from an experimental 270 engine driven by Peterhansel at Dakar, in the early 90s.

[@StreetSinner]

Kids these days just don't have the huevos for the literbike, I guess. They probably want to "live" or "not be paralyzed" or "not cook their nuts until they're tiny lumps of charcoal". Of course, if you're a real badass, you gotta have that H-D financing -- you know, that outlaw shit.

[@simonb6982]

Who needs those American dinosaurs and I4s? I2/I3/V2 (not H-D!)/V4 all the way.

[@EugeneMazur]

Make ptwins for mass market and good financial margin and keep producing niche fours and triples for those who care(me)

[@Infynyte1133]

Must have triple. Need 3 CYLINDERS

[@F1ll1nTh3Blanks]

The new 660s and the CBR650 are my go toos in the daily sport/naked class not necessarily because they're the best but because of the noise. I can't let it go. I can't move on.

[@nadjasunflower1387]

My first bike was a Honda CBR 600 F4i, my favorite bike was the Honda RC-51. That V-twin growl was just amazing, and spoke to the soul. (Didn't hurt with Nicky Hayden - R.I.P. slaying the Ducati's in World Superbike either lol) Now I'm older, and most likely have given up the compact "rice rockets" for a better riding feel / position. That 270 degree twin, has just enough growl to invoke memories of hearing that RC-51 V-twin, to stir the soul again...

[@NYCZ31]

RC-51’s that aren’t clapped out are becoming pretty collectible.

[@vader5454]

Triple-cylinders are the best imo. Best of both worlds 🤙

[@id10tcertified]

Which is why Triumph’s original 750 triple (T150) won the Isle of Man for five consecutive years (1971 - 1975) So much for the so called legendary CB 750 Honda.

[@peterwilson8039]

Am I the only one who realizes that all the noise about the sound of the 270 degree twin is just marketing hype. People nowadays are too susceptible to this type of marketing manipulation. I leaned my lesson back in the day, when a favourable review in a motorcycle magazine influenced me to buy a 1967, 250 cc BSA Starfire. While the article admitted that the motorcycle wasn't technically a match for it's peers, it talked about "character". I learned that when people talk about character in the context of a motorcycle, it's because they have nothing else to boast about. Take the new Norton Commando for example. Reviewers can only talk about it's character because, nothing else about it is any good.

[@m0rafic1]

I thought I was the only one who couldn't hear a difference.

[@wulfdean]

One of the best handling bikes ever made the Laverda 750S was the real forerunner to the modern Ptwins. Also the first from Yamaha was the TRX850 which I rode brand new it was a beast as good as the RS660.

[@0HARE]

As an adventure bike rider with one cylinder engine bikes, I was happy to move up to a two cylinder bike with the ‘24 Triumph Scrambler 1200xe. It seems to have a weird firing order, but it’s got plenty of torque and power, so I’m happy with it.

[@brandonjefferson257]

I love the triumph triples.... Man those things are addictive!

[@danieljohnson2503]

Rocking a Ducati Monster and really enjoy the L twin. I came up on inline fours starting in the seventies thru the early 2000s then diverted onto Harley's for awhile. As long as I'm riding, I'm happy.

[@Ceen328]

I myself love the sound of a screaming 13k+ RPM inline 4, BUT you just can't use it in a somewhat legal manner on open roads. And that is coming from a german with the autobahn. On a fast track, that is a different story. Now I got myself the new Hornet 750 and tbh, the last time I had that much fun in the twisties and country side roads, was back when I owned a SV650 ~15 years ago. Also, IMHO everything above 100hp on a bike, is either to cater to your ego, or for the track. Seeing all these hyper nakeds makes me shake my head. People here think they become the ghostrider 2.0 when buying these bikes. 🤣

[@davidarmstrong3481]

Great video, this one has it all: history, science and technicality.

[@nightcoremetal2518]

CFMoto demoed a 250cc 270 degree ptwin recently too. There was never any western coverage of it, but on their global website its mentioned in a press release back in July.

[@brunothepug8807]

Always a V-twin guy until I got a Triumph 865 parallel twin with a 270 crank. This motor has made a believer out of me with its decent low end torque and it's tractable power delivery with that pleasing exhaust note. Still, I like the grunt of a V-twin down low for easy cruising. But I remember my old 750 four being so perfect. Maybe it is just a memory being nostalgic. If I had the chance to have my old Honda 900SS four again would I jump at it, hell yeah I would. The 80's and 90's was the heyday of the Japanese big 4 cylinder bikes making incredible power.

[@PavelessAdventure]

I love my t7! That cp2 is amazing, long maintenance intervals and plenty of torque,

[@ultimatemassive9501]

My 2009 Bonneville has a 360 degree crank and it sounds really great.

[@MrMcTavishOBS]

I own a ‘14 monster 796. It’s an air cooled 2 valve motor. I just picked up a new mt07. The power delivery of the 07 is what I expected from the Ducati. I love the look and sound of the Ducati and I’m sure the 4 valve liquid cooled ones are more refined but mine kinda lacks anything under 4k rpm. Once you get it above 5k it comes alive but for commuting it’s not the greatest. The mt07 on the other hand is great. I’ve lifted the front wheel on accident with a smile on my face many times

[@BMK500]

The RS660 is the best-sounding twin Yamaha’s CP2 engine is in the conversation of being the best motorcycle engine ever made in regards to reliability and versatility

[@nikolasrichter456]

Got a 1973 Yamaha TX 750. First bike ever withe counter Balance. Also after 50 years it runs so smooth and brings tons of fun riding it. But being honest, I also love the roughness of my 1275 HD Sportster and my „high“ reving Ducati Monster. Also got a Suzuki 650 single, which is quite awesome. But to me, twins in all kind of forms are the best sounding and most emotional engines for a bike.

[@davidmoore_723]

Because of government BS, not because of the consumer.

[@vebez5993]

No because 180 degrees suck

[@mytmousemalibu]

The 270° as far as P-twins go, sound by far the best! As an motorsports audiophile, that is a big consideration to me. That said, there's a CP3 triple in my garage because I love that sound and hooligan energy!

[@karlfonner7589]

Am I wrong to like them all? So long as they don’t leak oil all over my pant leg😊

[@dilly2023]

Agreed!

[@alexiliades9199]

If it ain't an inline - 4, I'm out the door 🔥🔥🔥

[@1993russy]

The triples are it for me! Really excited to see cf-moto's 675. Definitely one on my list!

[@MrLeo3D]

My 1st bike was Honda 175cc parallel twin from late 70s, 2nd was 200cc parallel twin from 1982 restored in 2000, driven till 2008. Had a chance to drive a friend's Parallel Twin 1977 CB350. Boy, that was like "Wow". Most local bikes here were single cylinder 125cc or below at that time.

[@jonmartin88]

I have a Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster and its parallel twin has nice torque at low revs. Very relaxed experience. Good for long cruises. I used to have a Kawasaki Z900R Cafe. Very high reving, lots of power up high. Great for short rides on twisty roads. Number of motorcycles you want =number of motorcycles you own+ 1.

[@nunya8412]

when i was younger in the early 2000s we all had money to buy "luxury" items like an inline 4 sport bike by just working in warehouses. kids today dont have that kind of money. i am hopeful for a resurgence of the middleweight inline 4 nakeds though. the gsx s750 was so close to what i wanted that im sad i didnt buy one before they discontinued them

[@Skidz75]

They are cheap.. but Triumph has got them absolutely mastered. No one builds quite as sweet of a P-twin as Triumph. ❤️

[@karlfonner7589]

I guess I’ll be the only one to mention a flat six. I saw a big brother on a Valkyrie that was straight piped. He was very intimidating to cars. I loved every minute of it while he was splitting lanes. I think he was a dragon

[@drewherbi]

P twins are cheap and quick to produce, can be done in a ton of configurations and crank angles, ecu's and big bore p twins mean you can get a super sport with wicked top speed or a torque monster. You can build a p twin for any use case

[@jamesziebarth8811]

I still rock the 90 degree v-twin in my 01 sv650s and I love it

[@lovingmylifeasIage6741]

Yeah, I for one wanted something different than all the others. So I traded in my 2021 MT07 for a 2023 ZX4RR. It brings a smile to my face every time I ride it.

[@WMDTVIDS]

While i currently own several bikes, i have not owned every type of engine. One of my favorites is an old KZ750 twin, a 360 degree parell twin. Good torque, adequate power and geared just right. A lightweight, 75 hp parallel twin is just what the K L R needs....

[@IvoryOxen]

Thumpers 4 Life!

[@stephenreese2005]

My 22 ninja 650 is a great commuter bike. Love the sound with the Yoshimura alpha exhaust too.

[@10000Mistakes]

Cheap, nice power, far easier to work on, adequately smooth, powerful, lighter weight, packaging advantages (narrower and shorter) and decent gas mileage makes the parallel twin a winner for me - even before the 270 craze. The 270 just brings out the best in the configuration, imo. A good parallel twin the the perfect core to build a great, well rounded bike around.

[@ChaseLancaster]

The CP2 engine sound fits the looks of the XSR700 so well. I love my bike.

[@Theminebros122]

can't beat a high revving V Twin for me, great sound and smooth power

[@barryaronson9697]

German auto manufacturers, especially BMW, have figured out the ideal (with regard to efficiency and emissions) displacement per cylinder is 500cc. Using this logic, the best liter engine would be two cylinders. Make the cylinders parallel and you have a light, compact, cheaper engine that will deliver plenty of power and torque in a useful RPM range (say, 4K to 8K) with good efficiency and low emissions.

[@Danol123]

I’m definitely a V-Twin guy, but you can’t deny the performance of any engine. V4 for instance are insane. Triumphs 660 triple c engine is the best feeling engine with good torque across the whole range. On my old Vulcan 500 that thing uses the GPZ ER500 engine found in the GPZ/Ninja 500. It wasn’t very specced as it had less hp than original, but still it had so much torque i could powerwheelie in second gear which is insane for such a heavy bike with such a small engine. And it was quick. So all in all it boils down to preference and requirement depending on what you need it for.🤷🏻‍♂️

[@The.JZA.]

Whenever anyone mentions a 4 cylinder motorcycle engine they always think of R6's and CBR600RR's. What about the more street biased 4 cyl engines like the CB650R or CB1000R? These 4 cyl engines have a nice smooth powerband right from low rpm up to red line. Yes they won't rip your arms out of their sockets with the meaty torque but they will still accelerate you pretty rapidly with low-mid range torque and then when you get them singing they will hustle. Kind of the best of both worlds. You get a super smooth engine, decent low end for around town and an exciting engine to rev to the red line. Typically parallel twins are super torquey but lacklustre at the top end (think MT07, GSX8S). There are some that have both low end torque and power but they generally sacrifice some low end to be able to have that top end power (think RS660 or Duke790/890/990). Parallel twins are cheap, easy and light but I still think a 4 cyl is more exciting and a better engine to own (I have owned an MT07 and CB650R). I haven't owned a 3 cyl yet so I can't comment but maybe that new Honda electrically supercharged V3 engine might tempt me.

[@sallhame]

Inline fours when I was younger. And V-4s, like Honda VFR750 and 1100 Pan European. But now, only twins. Harleys, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis. And the coolest parallel twin ever made, the unbeatable Norton Commando, that I am very happy to own. If you want to buy a low cost high quality parallel twin, I recommend a Yamaha TDM850 or TDM900. From 1996 they had a 270 crank.

[@Thanatos2996]

I wouldn't say it's the best configuration, especially when thumpers are objectively the best configuration for dirtbikes, but I adore my V-strom 800's parallel twin. It's smooth, predictable, and always has torque to give when I want it.

[@Cowelly84]

I think you'd choose the bike before what engine config it has. Saying that, I prefer the sound of a V2 over any bike. The crunchy, grunty sound is addictive.

[@Scuba_420]

Very reliable engines. Didnt even do the valve clearances for 60,000kms (40,000ish miles) on my Versys 650

[@ultimateiphonedng8756]

From my riding and owning experience all configurations have their charms, shortcomings and bonuses. But the two that stand out most are the V4 (as in the Honda VFR 750 and VF750C) and the jewel like 90 degree V2 250 (Honda Spada 250). The later would have been expensive for the capacity but the smoothness, rev-ability, power delivery and weight for that class is an object lesson in just how good a 250 can be.

[@kylehartley3822]

Personally love my 2019 ninja 650, bought it used for 6k with 2k miles on it and it was in near perfect condition, the dealer slapped new chain sprockets and tires on it to my choosing and i got a nice helmet and jacket by buying outright with them plus all maintenance is covered for 3 years. Its super snappy and low end torque is amazing for a first bike. Personally dont care to have the fastest craziest best sounding bike while i get comfortable being on two wheels for a few years. dont think ill sell when or if i upgrade id rather keep it to share with family and friends that wish to ride it is a really nice bike imo

[@operator0]

P-twin w/270 crank always sound awesome. Singles sound like toys, triples are bland, and I-fours are uninspiring, but the P-twin is always great. The only other engine configs that come close are anything in a V. I think everyone can agree that the best is the cross plane I4 in the R1.

[@acoitheadventurer1001]

270 degree 1000cc twin next please.. I own GSX 8S and very happy with it.. What you said about this engine is correct.

[@drakeb6168]

I myself am a sucker for the screaming soundtrack that the i4 gives a bike. Tho that said I am a Honda fanboi and would buy the vintage bike I like anyway. Thanks for helping get me back in the saddle

[@yveslemieux5528]

Yes, I love my Yamaha FJR with 4 parallel cylinders. Easy to work at very low speed and easy to work at very high speed.

[@flatcapcaferacer]

Triumph's 1200cc parallel twin motors are one of the best. Smooth, dependable, flexible and and with enough power to remain interesting.

[@valkrys68]

Triumph had the America and Thunderbird cruisers that ran parallel twins. Big, heavy beasts that road the highway unequaled in comfort.

[@ragerider6283]

Interesting vid. I currently own my first 270° P/T & I'm very happy with it. Very similar to a V-Twin in all but the highest revs. Yamaha were WAY ahead of their time & released the adventure bike styled TDM850 in 1991 & then the sporty TRX850 in 1996, both of which were 849cc PT's with a 270° crank. However, while the TDM did quite well for a decade, the sportier TRX was considered an odd ball at the time & didn't sell well or last long. Nonetheless, it was a nice bike which I always liked & was evidently a sign of things to come as the GSX8R is essentially a latter day TRX.

[@williamduckworth305]

Gimme a triple, best of both worlds

[@Mr_Glenn]

Except for the sound, imho.

[@williamduckworth305]

@Mr_Glenn Oh I would have to re pipe and flash it.

[@Jackal9405]

Trx850 was also crossplane, yamaha was already thinking the future. Tdm 900 was made up until 2012 also crossplane.

[@constantinosschinas4503]

I have a TRX. First production 270 degree. The soundtrack with remus Ti racing exhausts is a melody. I find the looks rather exciting as well. It looked old and DIY made even when i bought it, brand new.

[@dmosier]

Went from a boxer to parallel twin. No complaints about either 😊

[@cisarvialpando7412]

4:06 180° crank sounds like a single cylinder engine...

[@rctractif]

No totally not

[@Surpriseify]

Confidently wrong statement Nice

[@Kompost]

I used to own both, they were nothing alike.

[@ZulRf]

Bro i use single cylinder bike and it sounded really different. It's so distinctly different no matter the displacement

[@Bbbbad724]

I loved my Yamaha XS2, the 72,and it ran great.

[@aerodynamicsagittarius]

1084cc from Honda and 1200cc from Triumph are very nice 270 parallel twins - around 102 horses and 112 Nm of torque. The torque is great, but I'd say ~120 hp would make these engines pretty much *perfect*.

[@southendparaquest]

Yamaha were arguably already on the parallel twin case early, with the original Super Tenere and then the TRX850.

[@davidleatherwood6228]

I sat on a Vulcan S and immediately discovered that the compact nature of the parallel twin engine caused the length of the frame to be simply too short for me to fit comfortably on. Soundwise, the 270° p-twin just sounds to me like a 180° with a pipe on it.

[@Mr_Glenn]

I actually love 270° twins or CP4/V4 engines. I love the unevenness. I own a normal FP 4 cylinder right now and it's nice but also a bit bland.

[@jed4265]

Also gotta give a shout-out to the Triumph Thunderbird and Speedmaster cruisers!!! 270 ptwins.

[@Ntmoffi]

4 bangers and V-twins are my favorite.

[@Shaebrython]

V4 is the pinnacle

[@Rocco4Jesus]

I was waiting to hear your comments on the Rotax 798 cc that’s in the BMW F & G series bikes. They have a cool buzz to them. Nice spread of torque too.

[@shah9394]

cough cough .......VFR 800---------V-4

[@codydavis4513]

Cough cough RSV4/Tuono V4

[@6chhelipilot]

@@codydavis4513 Cough cough. Expensive to make.

[@codydavis4513]

@@6chhelipilot at least they still make them

[@CoolKillkennyCat]

The latest vfr800 was barely updated over the last 20 odd years and from factory is out gunned by most similar displacement parallel twins. Would be awesome to have a new naked gear driven cam v4 though.

[@mikethehitman4587]

Bring back the V4

[@Black_Drako]

The answer is out there, given by our beloved Kawasaki: ZX4RR

[@pepperidgefarmsremembers92]

Not for 10k lol

[@Black_Drako]

If you don't have the money, go buy a chinese bike.

[@kellykingston5600]

@@Black_Drako Does someone hear poor folks talking? LOL

[@jamesfoxx6650]

It always seems like for me personally, I’m a day late and a dollar short I’m just now trying to get in the game of the motorcycle world and was anticipating on a Yamaha R6 with a in-line four over a parallel twin, but oh well

[@L4ND.SH4RK]

I liked the 2015 Ninja 650... trying to get this 1st Gen hayabusa done so I can feel some real power

[@gregsuelzle7135]

My bandit 1200s has it for my size and torque va speed all day long and tomorrow too.

[@zimsterize]

Parallel twins are the worst for cold weather or a battery that's below 95%. That's one of the worst things - with other motors you get a "warning period" if the battery is getting due for replacement, a parallel twin just STOPS WORKING one day...

[@billfowler2867]

I ride a parallel twin bike. (CTX 700). Excellent behavior from the engine. I wouldn’t say no to a few more horse power though.

[@toportime]

Three cyclinder engines sound so sweet.

[@joehillbilly]

Sorry, but listening to a kubota tractor engine was never sexy. Nor is a triple motorcycle. Inline four, yes!!!!! Inline six, oh hell yes. Triples and twins, blah. 40 years of riding experience. Nothing sexier than a20,000 rpm four cylinder

[@mytmousemalibu]

Gotta go with my man on the triples! Still love the rest of them but the demonic, abrasive howl of a triple is bliss. Similar sound to a 20B 3-rotor which I adore.

[@trollface7998]

But vibrates like an earthquake 💯

[@2twolow]

​@trollface7998 I never noticed vibrations from my cp3.

[@kleinbottled79]

Three cylinders are a love it or hate it thing. I liked how they sounded until I rode one and my brain rejected the signal. My mechanical empathy started to throw serious error codes. It just sounded and felt wrong somehow. Maybe time would fix it, I've only ever rode them for short periods of time. And yes, I realize this is a 'me' problem. My riding buddies love triples. Try it before you buy it is all I'm saying.

[@newbierides]

After owning an MT07 and an MT09. A triple is always going to be better imo, way smoother and linear power delivery from 0 to 100+mph. The sound is also too sweet.

[@brianheard4565]

Cheap and cheerful - that's parallel twins. Luv 'em.

[@2twolow]

I've owned them all. I'd say the best engine for me is the cp3. Lots of power up and down the rev range. Sounds good. Reliable. What else is there to want?

[@ThreeBikeMike]

I’ve got a Triumph Speedmaster and a Tenere 700 and the motors are great.

[@charliebrownmn3747]

I have 2 single cylinder thumpers and a 50ci v twin all cheap with minimal cost to operate and maintain