Re: oilheads-digest V1 #49

[Bruno Valeri <bvaleri@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Don MacQueen" <dmac@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <oilheads@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 11:55 PM
Subject: Re: oilheads-digest V1 #49


> I remember when reliability *was* both a prime reason to buy a
BMW
> *and* a given.  Why shouldn't it still be so?

Because you cannot get more than 100% reliability. When everyone
builds 100% reliability, it's not longer a differentiator.
Sheesh! Thought for sure you'd catch this on the fly.

> >Historically, they have never been cutting edge (Telelever,
ABS
> >etc aside).
>
> With all due respect, you apparently haven't been around long
enough
> or haven't paid attention:

I should rephrase. I'm not referring to historically going back
to the Wright brothers.
We can keep it to the recent modern era, say since 1983.

> >The Boxer sure is not cutting edge. They've massaged it about
as
> >much as is possible. In a very real sense,  BMW is prisoner of
> >legacy systems. It cannot start with a clean slate (for
example
> >like Honda can). It has legacy to protect.
>
> That's abject nonsense.  The first K-bike was clean slate.

Great. I was referring to the Boxer.

> Relative  to the airheads, the 257 oilheads were clean slate
other than the
> direction the cylinders point.

That's precisely the point. I'm referring to "the direction the
cylinders point".    :)

> >  > Why not? They killed the Airhead (finally).
>
> >Not really. It's still the boxer twin. Nothing's really
changed.
> >They've just been tweaking the same engine configuration.
>
> Never looked at the insides of those two generations, have ya?
> That's like saying the engine in your 929 is the same as the
1969
> CB750.

But that is exactly what I'm saying. The 929 is an evolution of
the in-line four. That configuration has allowed the progress
seen (substantial) over the last 35 years.

Now get this: The boxer configuration seems to be more limited in
potential for improvement in output. They've tweaked it about as
far as they can. At least that's my read on it.

But hey, I like the boxer!


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
CBR 929
http://pages.infinit.net/mcrides

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End of oilheads-digest V1 #67
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