twin vs inline 4

[CBROldMan]

( for street riding)

I know the simple answer is ride one and see for yourself, which I hope I get
the chance to do; but wondering how the acceration differences are at different speeds for the i4 vs a twin of almost the same cc.

Heard that the twins have more low end torque and the i4's have more high end torque, but how does this translate to actual riding?

The i4 will take off faster from 70 to 90+ where the twins will take off faster from the beginning, but not accelerate as fast at higher speeds?

[Süsser Tod]

It depends on what kind of twin and what kind of I4 you're talking about, it's not really that simple. For example, my XJR1300 has more torque (80lb/ft) than my SV1000S (75lb/ft).

That being said, the twin will have a broader powerband and it will start at lower rpms. You don't need to shift as much to keep a twin within the powerband. As far as which one is faster, if both have similar HP, as long as you keep them in the powerband, it will come down to rider skills.

[Tony216]

Why ask why, buy a triple.

IMO, the big difference is most twins feel slower than they are going and most inlines feel like they're going faster than they are.

[ANORXIC'51]

Originally Posted by Tony216

Why ask why, buy a triple.

IMO, the big difference is most twins feel slower than they are going and most inlines feel like they're going faster than they are.

That's the best explanation I've heard for how I feel on the two. Not until I compared a few of my videos and saw how well the 848 moves out of corners compared to how I came out of corners on the RR. The twin lets you feel what its doing...almost like its pounding each horse into the ground via the rear wheel. Whereas on the I4 it felt more like "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH *shift* AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH.....IM FLYING SO FAST!!!"....(as the RC8R and 1098 absolutely annihilated me out of the hairpin and museum corner, lol). That last part is mostly due to me having no clue how to actually ride an I4.....which simply can be fixed by downshiftingone more gear than I think I need to.

Until I get more seat time on the CBR, I am a much better rider on a twin.

[PhilB]

I prefer a twin for the street, as it makes its best torque and power closer to the engine speeds you use when riding on the street. Fours make their best torque and power up top, so you sort of have to choose between torque and civility.

Of course if your four is big enough, it doesn't matter because you have plenty of power and torque even when you aren't near the engine's peak, but then you are dealing with a quite large engine and the big bike to carry it, and I find that non-ideal. If you don't mind a big bike, such as for touring, then a big four (or even better, a six) will give you more of everything, everywhere. If you want big usable torque in a smaller and more nimble bike, then a twin is the better answer.

PhilB

[arcticamt6]

Originally Posted by Tony216

Why ask why, buy a triple.

IMO, the big difference is most twins feel slower than they are going and most inlines feel like they're going faster than they are.

Truth.

Though, the triples aren't quite dead in the middle of the two, they lean a little bit more toward the inline 4 feel. At least the 675 motor. I've only rode the 1050 motor once or twice.

[Chauncey]

Originally Posted by arcticamt6

Though, the triples aren't quite dead in the middle of the two, they lean a little bit more toward the inline 4 feel. At least the 675 motor. I've only rode the 1050 motor once or twice.

Ever rode the Rocket III? Talk about a wheelie machine!

[arcticamt6]

No, I tried to but they didn't have a demo for me to take. I am extremely interested in trying out a Tiger 800xc though, as I may want to buy one in a few years.

[tandersn9]

I'd say the only i4 I've ridden that has the same grunt an my TL would be the hayabusa, but once you get up to 120 forget about it. But how often do you need to go that fast on the street.

A bike that can quickly get to 100 or 110 on the street is practical enough and I think a 1000cc twin fits the bill nicely.

[f2benny]

I had an SV1000 briefly but it left me flat.. I was used to the whack of hp that a inline 4 gave and although there was plenty of power. the way I was used to riding it seemed boring to me. I went to the FZ1 and loved riding again.

[Tony216]

Originally Posted by arcticamt6

Truth.

Though, the triples aren't quite dead in the middle of the two, they lean a little bit more toward the inline 4 feel. At least the 675 motor. I've only rode the 1050 motor once or twice.

I agree, the 1050 makes power more like my 01 GSXR1000 did than my Ducati MS4R did.

Originally Posted by arcticamt6

No, I tried to but they didn't have a demo for me to take. I am extremely interested in trying out a Tiger 800xc though, as I may want to buy one in a few years.

Me TOO!!!! That bike really calls to me (probably because I'm about to become Formula 40-legal).

[uncalcetindelana]

My personal opinion and experience, perhaps some can relate to this:

My background is dirt bikes, so monocylinders. I am so used to the mono powerband (in general, not all are the same), that everytime I ride a four cylinder bike I have a hard time feeling comfortable with the powerband, because I'm only doing 8000k RPM and the bike is already vibrating a lot and making the sound that in my head corresponds to "SHIFT NOW!!!". In all the times I've ridden my father's BMW S1000RR, only once, on a very long straight, did I even go over 10k RPM. And yes, I was going fast, but slower than I've ridden my Ducati and I felt I was going to die/blow up the engine.

I just can't relate to the sound when riding, even though I like it from a 3rd person perspective.

Twins, on the other hand, even "peaky" ones like the 916, feel very natural to me. Even hitting the limiter, I feel at home with what the engine's doing. It feels natural.

Tony's description to me is perfect, and personally, I like the thrill of riding, but I prefer the "in control" feeling of the twin's powerband/engine sound/character.

[Wayne's Striple]

IMO whether twin, triple, or 4 cylinder it depends on the bore/stroke ratio and the cam lift/duration profile. The new Ducati Panigale v-twin for instance is capable of 195 hp but has lost the low end grunt of earlier models. A 4 cylinder can be tuned for lots of low end power but the high-end rush will be lost. My Triumph 675 STR 3 cylinder will do a top gear roll-on from 40-60mph in 3.3 sec according to a road test I have read (and it feels like it too) and still quickly screams to the 13,500 rpm redline. It all depends on how the manufacturer designs/tunes the engine for it's intended purpose.

[kevin_stevens]

Originally Posted by Wayne's Striple

IMO whether twin, triple, or 4 cylinder it depends on the bore/stroke ratio and the cam lift/duration profile. The new Ducati Panigale v-twin for instance is capable of 195 hp but has lost the low end grunt of earlier models. A 4 cylinder can be tuned for lots of low end power but the high-end rush will be lost. My Triumph 675 STR 3 cylinder will do a top gear roll-on from 40-60mph in 3.3 sec according to a road test I have read (and it feels like it too) and still quickly screams to the 13,500 rpm redline. It all depends on how the manufacturer designs/tunes the engine for it's intended purpose.

That's not entirely true. Torque comes from specific firing instances, and for the same displacement, those bangs are simply bigger and more powerful the fewer cylinders there are. You can design *around* the basic characteristics, but they are still there and still affect the final design of the engine. Nobody is going to confuse a Panigale with an S1000RR.

KeS

[Sequentialshift]

Originally Posted by uncalcetindelana

My personal opinion and experience, perhaps some can relate to this:

My background is dirt bikes, so monocylinders. I am so used to the mono powerband (in general, not all are the same), that everytime I ride a four cylinder bike I have a hard time feeling comfortable with the powerband, because I'm only doing 8000k RPM and the bike is already vibrating a lot and making the sound that in my head corresponds to "SHIFT NOW!!!". In all the times I've ridden my father's BMW S1000RR, only once, on a very long straight, did I even go over 10k RPM. And yes, I was going fast, but slower than I've ridden my Ducati and I felt I was going to die/blow up the engine.

I just can't relate to the sound when riding, even though I like it from a 3rd person perspective.

Twins, on the other hand, even "peaky" ones like the 916, feel very natural to me. Even hitting the limiter, I feel at home with what the engine's doing. It feels natural.

Tony's description to me is perfect, and personally, I like the thrill of riding, but I prefer the "in control" feeling of the twin's powerband/engine sound/character.

I was also brought up on a diet of crossers and so for the street prefer a twin as I like the instant snap of power from the moment you move rather than the build up of revs on a 4 .