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What inline 4 riders know that twin or thumper riders would never know ....

ScottRNelson said:
I prefer the booming sound of v-twins and singles over the whiny noise that most inline-fours put out. And they don't drone on the freeways like so many fours seem to do.

I like being in the good part of the powerband while I'm still at legal speeds, where it's useful, rather than having first gear hit at 40-50 and second and third gears hit the powerband beyond all legal speeds in this state.

I like narrow bikes, even if the most recent four cylinder bikes seem to still put the footpegs close together and move the fat part up in front.

And I think I remember the RZ-350 twin having a "tearing up exhaust note". But that one doesn't fit into either side, so forget that I mentioned it.


For general riding on the street, I've never felt the desire for an I-4.
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Sounds like you are comparing big bore twins middleweight I4's
Ride a ZX10R or a Hayabusa or a FJR1300 and see they have no lack of torque, in any gear at any rpm.

Banjoboy said:
I'll take the low maintenance, incredibly reliable, oh soooo powe4rful Yamaha I4 over sum weak sauce, goofy twin w/ " soul"(?) any day of the week. Besides, the "personality's" in the rider anywayz. :devil
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+1
The whole concept of motorcycle "personality/soul" completely eludes me.
Every time I rode a bike that supposedly "had soul" I thought it was crap.
I don't like excessive vibration, I don't like high maintenance and I actually like to go fast, so the quieter the better.
 
Corb said:
Sounds like you are comparing big bore twins middleweight I4's
Ride a ZX10R or a Hayabusa or a FJR1300 and see they have no lack of torque, in any gear at any rpm.
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True Dat...And...I'm confident I'm confirming that on the steepest/tightest switchbacks a public road has..:thumbup
 
My Tuono is far easier to ride on the street than any inline 600 and most literbikes. One gear in town.
 
louemc said:
There is more to it, than number of cylinders.

Where the bike is being used (that includes dirt as well as pavement) is a huge item.

How experienced the rider is, is huge, as well.

And..is that engine designed (tuned) to scream or plug along?
(which will also be reflected in the chassis).

The progression came naturally, for me..First Triumphs Were lowest powered 650 twin Triumph made, and a 200 single (cub) trail bike, with lights.
Then 500 twin, I put knobs on, for dirt...Bonnie for pavement.

Then a Honda XR500 (four stroke), Kawasaki KX500 (two stroke), KTM 495 (two stroke).

Guzzi 850 Lamans, Honda 900, Suzuki 1100 GSXR, 1000 TLR, 05 ZX-10.

Every bike on that lower line....had dirt handle bars..to serve my purpose.
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........ and a Scott's damper, surely ?? :p

(not that I should talk - both my current rides have one)
 
Own a thumper, an L-twin, an I4 and an electric (approximately a rotary V12). Except for the electric, my favorite motor was actually the only config I don't own: a triple.

I do much prefer the power delivery and feel of the I4 to the twin. But my twin wins for bike width, aesthetics, and happens to be in a better chassis for racking up street miles.
 
O.T. said:
Vtwin riders will never know what it's like to do the 1/4 mile in 8 seconds.
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Neither will I4 riders. :laughing

Each engine configuration has its own charm.

I've owned singles, twins, a triple and an I4.

Liked them all.
 
Beauregard said:
Link that Mr. Kahn or they'll give you some time off. And while we're on the subject of rules, her twins aren't obeying the law of gravity...
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Lets test the waters with this one just for fun. Besides I don't know how to link it.

And with regards to gravity, I have spent some time trying to figure out just where the physics do work in this situation. Gravity vs Braking vs Youth? In any event I think we can say it's all good.
 
Meh. Singles, V-Twins, I-4s -- all fun. Some are just more fun than others in different venues. I will say the Monster kind of does it all fairly well while not being the best, though it is the best for in-town surface street riding.

I have not yet been assimilated into the world of Triples, but who knows someday.
 
Abyss said:
They also don't know the gutlessness of stoplight-to-stoplight riding.
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I'm assuming your reefing to the gutlessness of the I-4 600 in city traffic.

The problem there, is the owner bought it, as a street bike, And the engine was born to be used on a closed course race track.
 
louemc said:
I'm assuming your reefing to the gutlessness of the I-4 600 in city traffic.

The problem there, is the owner bought it, as a street bike, And the engine was born to be used on a closed course race track.
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I am (as I'm apparently late to the party). Lots of clutch slipping on my 600. Gotta pop the clutch if you wanna whoolie :(
 
2 stroke single, check
2 stroke twin, check
2 stroke triple, check
4 stroke single, check
4 stroke twin, v-twin, boxer twin, check, check and check
4 stroke triple, nope
4 stroke four, check

Guess what, they are all good.
 
I4. OMG. LOVE IT. Nothing sounds sweeter to me than the sound of an I4 wound out... last race weekend, I was getting a massage at Trackside Massage, right at the end of the front straight. It was pure heaven hearing the screaming I4's hauling ass down the track... except for the occasional irritating sound of a twin ruining the beautiful I4 music... :x

And I race a twin. Would rather have one of the 600 triples... maybe next year! :teeth
 
Abyss said:
They also don't know the gutlessness of stoplight-to-stoplight riding.
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If you buy the wrong I4 maybe. My 05 R6 suffered no shortage of low/mid range torque. After 06 that all changed, but that was Yamaha's decision.
 
No I4's in the 8's? There are stock bikes in the high 8's with the right rider. Plenty of street bikes in the 7's. Prostreet is knocking on the door of 6's.

And yes the Prostreet would be the turbo busas. :)
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
I4. OMG. LOVE IT. Nothing sounds sweeter to me than the sound of an I4 wound out... last race weekend, I was getting a massage at Trackside Massage, right at the end of the front straight. It was pure heaven hearing the screaming I4's hauling ass down the track... except for the occasional irritating sound of a twin ruining the beautiful I4 music... :x

And I race a twin. Would rather have one of the 600 triples... maybe next year! :teeth
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You race a Parallel twin. Which is closer to an I4 than a real twin.
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
I4. OMG. LOVE IT. Nothing sounds sweeter to me than the sound of an I4 wound out... last race weekend, I was getting a massage at Trackside Massage, right at the end of the front straight. It was pure heaven hearing the screaming I4's hauling ass down the track... except for the occasional irritating sound of a twin ruining the beautiful I4 music... :x
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Topped-out inline 4's sound sweet...at the track. On the street with :squid's revving out their crap-tastic TBR-equipped R6's, not so much. :thumbdown

V-twins with a booming (but not too loud) exhaust note give me a woody. :p
 
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