VIDEO: Norton NRV588 rotary-powered motorcycle in action
Norton NRV588 rotary-powered motorcycle - Click above to watch the video
Undoubtedly, the company that's most often associated with rotary engine technology is Mazda. The Japanese automaker has been building Wankel powerplants for decades, with the current RX-8 standing alone as the only new automobile powered by the innovative engine architecture. In reality, though, many firms have experimented with the rotary engine, including Suzuki, which offered a rotary-powered motorcycle in the Seventies. Up until the mid-Nineties, European racetracks were filled with the buzzing sounds of Wankel-engined Norton motorcycles terrorizing their larger four-stoke twin-cylinder competitors and winning races such as the Isle of Man TT in 1992.
That unmistakable buzzsaw sound is set to make a comeback at this year's running at the Isle of Man as the latest Norton revival takes to the track. Click past the break for a video of the rotary-powered NRV588 as it makes a few laps at Donington Park and the dyno. Pay special attention to the exposed exhaust pipes, which reportedly get so hot they need to be made from Inconel.
[Source: Visordown via Asphalt and Rubber]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jeff McNeil 5:25PM (4/14/2009)
I don't see the video
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Peter Rockwell 5:31PM (4/14/2009)
Neither do I.
Tony 5:32PM (4/14/2009)
Click on the Visordown link where autoblog lists the Source. It should pop right up.
Kitko 5:35PM (4/14/2009)
Rotary powered motorcycles were not uncommon in Russia/Soviet Union, and rotary powered Ladas were favoured by the KGB drivers. In both cases, the technology was licensed from the original source - Felix Wankel. Lada were producing small series of rotary engined cars until late 90s, early 00s.
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dukeisduke 5:41PM (4/14/2009)
Wow, Inconel. That stuff has been used for heat shielding near jet and rocket engines, like on the ADM-20 Quail decoy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADM-20_Quail
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noodlz 5:42PM (4/14/2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph-n7-naQxo
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Joe K. 5:42PM (4/14/2009)
Geez, Is that a propulsion rocket, or an exhaust pipe? That was popping flame like crazy...
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JF 5:52PM (4/14/2009)
Agreed, it almost looks and sounds like it has a turbo with anti lag. Does anyone know if backfire like this is common in Wankel engines?
HotRodzNKustoms 6:14PM (4/14/2009)
The flames are VERY common with wankels
PJ 6:37PM (4/14/2009)
+1... it looked (and sounded) more like a bike with a rear-mounted .50 cal!
pmiddle5 7:45PM (4/14/2009)
JF, I doubt it to be much different then any engine which does not have a fuel cut set up (when you release throttle there is still fuel being sprayed)
Stuka 8:32PM (4/14/2009)
Just about any race engine will do that. If you watch any of the GT series, you will see most of the cars do this when they let off or downshift.
Joe K. 9:12PM (4/14/2009)
Yeah, but that exhaust is much closer to the pilot's ass than any GT car's is to its driver... Just saying...
Eddie Cheong 8:27AM (4/15/2009)
My RX-8, running a Mazdaspeed intake with GReddy catback will shoot flames at the track. This is running without any ECU modifications.
Steve 5:47PM (4/14/2009)
I have been dealing with rotary engines for a long time...they are good...for a while then they are junk...great idea but just not the best engine design..
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pmiddle5 7:46PM (4/14/2009)
elaborate.
Streetrally 10:31AM (4/15/2009)
I agree with pmiddle5. If you have no facts your statement is useless.
I was able to run my 1st generation RX-7 until 180K mi- until the rear end went out. Bought the car with 100K on the clock. Then it was my 2nd gen NA that lasted me until 130K which originally had 90K on the clock.
The only problems I had with said cars were a clunky transmission and basic maintenance. I had ZERO problems with the engine. Rotaries are great, quirky engines. Their only downfall is that in order to to get the most out of them you have to baby them quite a bit.
Robert 5:50PM (4/14/2009)
I want one! I've heard some of the rotary race cars exhaust got so hot that you could practically see through it. I'm not so sure I'd want to be sitting right on top of the exhaust pipe. Kinda rather it be far away from my body as possible.
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Joe K. 6:05PM (4/14/2009)
You know the Isle of Man TT course is lined with hay bails... I don't see any fire hazard if this thing is laid down...
pmiddle5 7:47PM (4/14/2009)
The 787B which won LeMans has a hole melted behind the driver seat from the heat. Yikes!