Straight-twin engine

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A Hispano Villiers two-stroke straight-twin engine in a Rovena motorcycle

A straight-twin engine, also known as straight-two, inline-twin, vertical-twin, or
parallel-twin is a two-cylinder piston engine which has its cylinders arranged side
by side and its pistons connected to a common crankshaft. Compared to V-twins and
flat-twins, straight-twins are more compact, simpler, and usually cheaper to make,
but may generate more vibration during operation.

Straight-twin engines have been primarily used in motorcycles, but are also used in
automobiles and in powersports applications. Automobiles with straight-twin engines
are usually very small and include city cars and kei cars. Recent examples of cars
with straight-twin engines include the Tata Nano and Fiat Group automobiles using
the TwinAir engine. Powersports applications include use in outboard motors,
personal water craft, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, and ultralight aircraft.

Different crankshaft angles are used in four-stroke straight-twins to achieve

different characteristics of firing intervals and engine balance, affecting
vibrations and power delivery. The traditional British parallel twin (1937 onwards)
had 360� crankshafts, while some larger Japanese twins of the 1960s adopted the
180� crankshaft. In the 1990s, new engines appeared with a 270� crankshaft.

Contents
1 Advantages and disadvantages
2 Construction
2.1 Bearing configuration
3 Motorcycle use
3.1 Terminology
3.2 History
3.3 Comparison of twins in motorcycle use
4 Crankshaft angle
4.1 360� and 180�
4.2 270�
4.3 Two-stroke engines
4.4 Engine in line with frame
5 Automobile use
6 Marine engine use
7 Aviation use
8 Other uses
9 See also
10 Notes
11 References
12 External links
Advantages and disadvantages
Straight-twins have the advantage of being more compact, relatively simple, and
cheaper to make in comparison to V- or flat-twins.[1] They may be prone to
vibration, either because of the irregular firing interval present in 180� crank
engines or the large uncountered reciprocating mass in 360� crank engines. Inline-
twins also suffer further from torsional torque reactions and vibration.[2]

Construction
Bearing configuration
Unlike V-twins, straight-twin engines do not use a common crank pin for both
connecting rods, each cylinder has its own crank pin. Most vintage British
straight-twin motorcycle engines,[3] such as Triumph, BSA, Norton and Royal
Enfield, had two main bearings, the exception being AJS/Matchless, which used a
third, center main bearing.

Honda straight-twin engines, which began appearing in the late 1950s,[4][5] had
four main bearings. Subsequent engines had four or occasionally three main
bearings,[6] ball bearings being better than shell bearings for this engine
configuration.[6]

Motorcycle use
See also: Motorcycle engine

Norton Commando Interstate, a motorcycle with a parallel-twin engine

Terminology
In motorcycles, as with cars and other vehicles, the terms "parallel-twin",
"vertical-twin" and "inline-twin" are used.[7] Particularly in the UK, the term
"parallel-twin" has been used to mean that the crankshaft is transverse across the
frame, while "inline-twin" meant that the cylinders are arranged front to rear, in
line with the direction of travel.[8] This special meaning for "inline" has been
used for motorcycles with a longitudinal crankshaft, such as the Sunbeam S7,[9] and
for tandem twins, with a transverse pair of crankshafts, but the cylinders arranged
longitudinally, one in front of the other.[10] The term "parallel twin" has also
been used to refer specifically to a four-stroke straight-two engine with 360�
crankshaft causing the pistons to travel parallel to each other.[11] Elsewhere,
"parallel-twin", "inline-twin" and the other variants have been used
interchangeably and treated as equivalent.[7][12]

History
The first production motorcycle using a straight-twin motor was the Hildebrand &
Wolfmuller of 1894, which was also the first motorcycle to be serially produced.
Its cylinders lay flat and forward-facing, its pistons connected directly to the
rear wheel with a locomotive-style connecting rod. Approximately 2000 were produced
through 1897.

The second production motorcycle to use a straight twin design, this time a
'parallel twin' with vertical cylinders akin to the later British type, was the
Werner of 1903. It used cast-iron cylinders with integral heads, and side valves,
with a capacity of 500cc.[13]

Edward Turner's Triumph Speed Twin popularised the straight-twin engine design
The most famous example of the straight-twin engine was produced by Triumph from
1937 onwards; the 5T Speed Twin. Experiments with this engine type began as
designer Edward Turner and his supervisor, Ariel chief engineer Val Page both saw
potential in the straight-twin as a motorcycle engine. From the experiments, it was
shown that a 360� crank angle was better suited to the use of a single carburettor
than a 180� crank angle.[14] After leaving Ariel for the Triumph Motor Company,
Page designed the Triumph 6/1 with a 650 cc 360� twin as a sidecar hauler. A 6/1
hitched to a Triumph sidecar won an International Six Days Trial silver medal and
the 1933 Maudes Trophy.[15] The decline in the sidecar market caused the 6/1 to be
discontinued in 1935.[15][16]

Yamaha with its popular Two-stroke twin RD350

Edward Turner's 1937 Triumph Speed Twin started a trend,[11][17] and up to the mid-
1970s four-stroke 360� parallel-twins were the most common type of British
motorcycles, being produced by Triumph, BSA, Norton, Ariel, Matchless and AJS.
Italian[18][19] and German[20] manufacturers have also made parallel-twins, as had
American manufacturer Indian, whose parallel-twins included the 1949 440 cc Indian
Scout[21] and the 1950 500 cc Indian Warrior.[22] BMW and Japanese manufacturers
still made them as of 2010,[23] particularly for middleweight bikes.
In four-stroke designs, the parallel twin is usually vertical or near vertical. One
exception is the only parallel-twin to win a 500cc Grand Prix World Championship,
the AJS E-90 Porcupine of 1949,[21] which had nearly horizontal cylinders.

Straight-twin engines are used in large scooters such as the Yamaha TMAX[24] and
Honda Silver Wing.[25] They are also used in motorcross sidecar racing.[26]

Comparison of twins in motorcycle use

Comparison of twins in motorcycle use
Characteristic Flat-twin (long.)[t_note 1] Flat-twin (trans.)[t_note 2]
Straight-twin (long.)[t_note 1][t_note 3] Straight-twin (trans.)[t_note 2]
[t_note 4] V-twin (long.)[t_note 1] V-twin (trans.)[t_note 2]
Example Typical BMW boxer Pre-war and inter-war Douglas Sunbeam S7 Typical
post-war big British bike, e.g. Triumph Bonneville, Norton Commando Moto Guzzi
V-twin (e.g. Moto Guzzi Le Mans), Honda CX series Typical V-twin cruiser (e.g.
Harley-Davidson, Honda Shadow) or sportbike (e.g. Ducati, Suzuki SV650)
Air cooling Ideal; cylinders sticking out into the airstream,[27][28] exhaust can
exit to well-cooled front of cylinder Rear cylinder out of airstream, not as
well cooled as front cylinder[28] Rear cylinder out of airstream, not as well
cooled as front cylinder Good; both cylinders upright in the airstream,
exhaust can exit to well-cooled front of cylinder Near ideal; cylinders
sticking out into the airstream, exhaust can exit to well-cooled front of
cylinder[29] Rear cylinder out of airstream, not as well cooled as front
cylinder[30]
Centre of gravity Constrained by need for cornering clearance for wide engine[31]
Can be as low as the frame allows[28] Can be as low as the frame allows
Can be as low as the frame allows Can be as low as the frame and the V
angle allow Can be as low as the frame allows
Wheelbase length Short engine gives short wheelbase Extremely wide engine gives
long wheelbase[28] Long engine gives long wheelbase Narrow engine gives
short wheelbase Short engine gives short wheelbase Wide engine gives long
wheelbase
Table notes
For the purposes of this table, long. means crankshaft in line with the frame
For the purposes of this table, trans. means crankshaft across the line of the
frame
This configuration has also been referred to as an "inline twin"; see Terminology
section for more details on the usage.
This configuration is one of several interpretations of the term "parallel twin";
see Terminology section for more details on the usage.
Although the rise in popularity of the large V-twin motorcycle has seen the across-
the-frame parallel-twin fall out of favour, the latter retains these advantages
over the former:[32] Compared to a conventional layout V-twin:

Siting of ancillaries (air-filter, carburettors, ignition, etc.) is simpler.

This simpler layout can potentially make maintenance access easier.
Provided a 270� crank is used, a four-stroke parallel twin can simulate the
slightly "lumpy" feel of a four-stroke V-twin.[33]
Crankshaft angle

Animation with different crankshaft angles

There are three main crankshaft configurations for this engine: 360�, 180�,[34] and
270�:[35][36] There are minor differences in the applications for four stroke and
for two stroke engines, largely pertaining to ignition intervals. For example, the
360 twin is the natural configuration for a two-cylinder four-stroke engine, since
four piston strokes add up to 720�. What follows below will mostly be concerned
with four-stroke engines.
In a 360� engine, both pistons rise and fall together. The dynamic imbalance is
identical to that of a single-cylinder engine of equivalent reciprocating mass.
Originally, only crank counter balances were used, but balance shafts and even a
separate weighted conrod have been used to balance the crank-speed free force -
again, much like singles. The cylinders fire evenly and sequentially, i.e. cylinder
2 fires 360 degrees after cylinder 1, and 360 degrees later cylinder 1 fires again
at 720 total degrees, the beginning of another four-stroke cycle. With twice the
number of ignition pulses per cycle it would feel much smoother than a single, even
if it shares the same imbalance.
In a 180� engine, one piston rises as the other falls. This balances the primary
free force, but instead produces a rocking couple which is normally canceled by a
balance shaft; it also shares the buzzy secondary imbalance of inline fours,
normally left unchecked due to lower total reciprocating mass. The 180 degree
separation means cylinder 2 fires 180 degrees after cylinder 1, and cylinder 1 does
not fire again for another 540 degrees - always adding up to the 720 degrees of
rotation for a four-stroke cycle. The irregular ignition pulses change the harmonic
contribution of the vibration due to combustion events that is transmitted into the
drivetrain, frame / chassis and any persons there attached. Most importantly, it
reintroduces the fundamental harmonic of a single cylinder, and other odd harmonics
with it, making for a more lumpy delivery.
In a 270� engine, one piston follows three quarters of a rotation behind the other.
This results in a cancellation of the secondary free force imbalance, but not the
rocking couple. The primary imbalance is a combination of free force and rocking
couple and is once again mitigated by use of a balance shaft. It yields firing
intervals identical to a 90� V-twin, namely: cylinder 2 fires 270 degrees (3/4 of a
rotation) after cylinder 1, and cylinder 1 fires again 450 degrees (one and a
quarter rotations) after cylinder two, again at a total 720 degrees and the
beginning of the next cycle. The harmonic contribution of these intervals are
different again, still irregular, but having a pulsing feel more like a V-Twin
rather than the 360's thrum or the 180's throb; the same is reflected in their
respective sounds.
360� and 180�
From the 1930s, following the work of Val Page, most British four-stroke parallel-
twin motorcycles used a crank angle of 360�,[37] which allowed the use of a single
carburettor (180� and 270� twins need twin carburettors because of uneven pulsing),
as did an early Meguro which was a copy of the 360� British BSA A7. However, in the
1960s, Japanese manufacturers favoured the 180� whose smoothness allowed higher rpm
and thus more power. For example, the 1966 Honda 450 cc dohc 180� "Black Bomber"
could challenge contemporary British 650 cc 360� parallel-twins.[38][39][40]

Many small motorcycles of less than 250 cc use a 360� crankshaft as the vibration
issue was less significant; examples include Honda's CB92, CB160, and CM185. Larger
twins over 500 cc, such as the Yamaha's XS650 and TX750, have used 360�
crankshafts, but such parallel twins tend to have balance shafts.[6] The Honda CB-
series in the 250 to 500 cc range used 180� crankshafts. Both the 1973 Yamaha TX500
and the 1977 Suzuki GS400 had a 180� crankshaft and a balance shaft, while the 1974
Kawasaki KZ400 used a 360� crankshaft and a balance shaft. The 1978 to 1984 Honda
CB 250 N and CB 400 N are 360� designs, too; later Honda straight twins from 1993
onward until today are, again, 180� designs, with the exception of the 270� design
of the new 700cc engine that powers the Honda NC700 series.

A 180� crankshaft engine suffers fewer pumping losses than a 360� twin, as
displacement in the crankcase stays roughly constant. However, a 180� engine
requires a separate ignition system, points or otherwise, for each cylinder. The
360� twins can have a single ignition system for both cylinders, with a wasted
spark on each cylinder's exhaust stroke. The BMW F800 parallel twin motorcycle is a
360� design. Inherent vibration in the BMW F800 means its engine is limited to
9,000 rpm. BMW reduced the vibration using a third "vestigial" connecting rod to
act as a counterbalance.[41]
270�
A modern development of the straight-two engine, pioneered by the Yamaha TRX850, is
the 270� crank,[35][42] which imitates the sound and feel of a 90� V-twin,[36] but
requires a balance shaft to reduce vibration. Effectively, the 270� crank is a
compromise which allows a more regular firing pattern than a 180� crank and less
vibration than a 360� crank. As with a 90� V-twin, the pistons in a 270� inline
twin engine are never both stationary at the same time, thereby reducing the net
momentum exchange between the crank and pistons during a full rotation. The
oscillating momentum manifests itself as an oscillating crank rotation speed,
which, when paired with a driven-wheel rotating at the more steady road speed, will
introduce an oscillating torque in the drivetrain and at the tyre contact patch.
The use of a flywheel on the crankshaft makes the oscillating momentum non
detectable when driving, but it still creates an oscillating force within the
drivetrain which must be accounted for during design, e.g. in respect of longevity
or its effect on the driven tyre(s).

Phil Irving undertook to minimise this oscillating torque and, for one particular
connecting rod to stroke ratio, arrived at an optimal separation of 76� (294�),
instead of the 90� (270�) described above.[43][44] The optimum for two pistons was
thought to be found when one piston is travelling fastest at the same time the
other has stopped, but this discounts the other half of the cycle where the
pistons' roles are reversed, but not exactly mirrored - meaning they don't cancel a
second time. The minimisation of speed deviation over a complete rotation is
actually achieved with something much closer to (but still not normally exactly)
the 90� separation, confirmation of which would have required a lot of hand
calculation and / or graphing in Irving's day. This minimisation of so-called
inertial torque was also one of the goals Yamaha achieved with its "cross-plane" R1
engine. Note that in neither case was the oscillation completely eliminated, only
reduced significantly.

The first production parallel-twin motorcycles with a 270� engine were the 1996
Yamaha TRX850 and the Yamaha TDM, both now discontinued. Modern examples of 270�
motorcycles in production in 2018 include the Donnington Norton Commando, Triumph
Thunderbird, Honda Africa Twin, Honda NC700 series, Triumph Thruxton 1200, and
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. KTM's 790 Duke has a similar crankshaft, varyingly
quoted as 285 or 435 degrees (the two firing intervals), mimicking their 75 degree
V-Twins in sound and feel.

A feature of the 270� parallel twin is that it provides most of the feel of the
popular V-twin layout, along with further advantages:

it is simpler and cheaper both to produce and to maintain;

it needs only a single cylinder block and head;
air filtration, fuel induction, exhaust and cooling are simpler;
the engine is lighter and has better potential for an optimum CG position;
battery location is easier;
rear suspension design is simpler; and
it allows a shorter wheelbase for sharper handling.
Two-stroke engines
In two-stroke engines, the crank angle is generally 180�, which gives two power
strokes in each revolution. This configuration vibrates at twice the frequency but
half the amplitude of a single-cylinder engine of the same capacity.[45]

An exception is the Yankee, which had a 360� crankshaft. The Yankee's

configuration, which had separate combustion chambers for the two cylinders, should
not be confused with that of a split-single. Another example with a 360� crankshaft
is the military edition of the Jawa 350.
Engine in line with frame

Sunbeam S8
The inline-twin engine design has been used often during the history of
motorcycling for both two-stroke and four-stroke engines. Examples include the
Dresch 500 cc Monobloc and the Sunbeam S7 and S8.[46][47]

Although mounting the engine in line with the frame allows for a motorcycle as
narrow as a single-cylinder engine,[31] they also create a longer engine. A
significant disadvantage for air-cooled engines is that the rear cylinder runs
hotter than the front cylinder.[2][48] For motorcycle racing purposes, they
minimise the front area of the engine and chassis, allowing for a more aerodynamic
and narrower front profile equivalent to a single cylinder vehicle.

Automobile use

Longitudinal straight-twin engine at the rear of a Fiat 500

Gottlieb Daimler introduced his Phoenix inline-twin engine in 1895; these engines
were used in Panhard motor cars that year.[49] Another early automotive inline-twin
was used in the 1898 Decauville Voiturelle which used a pair of cylinders taken
from a de Dion model mounted fore and aft and positioned below the seat.[50]

In 1955, engineer Aurelio Lampredi designed an experimental straight-twin-cylinder

Formula One engine on the theory that it would provide high levels of torque for
tight race circuits. The result was the 2.5-liter Type 116 prototype. Upon testing,
it vibrated so much that it broke the test bench. The engine was never used in a
racing car.[51]

Straight-twin engines have been used in very small cars, e.g. microcars, kei cars,
and city cars such as the Fiat 500 and 126,[52][53] NSU Prinz,[54] VAZ Oka,[55]
Dacia Lastun,[56] Daihatsu Cuore,[57] and Mitsubishi Minica. From 1967 to 1972,
Honda produced the N360 and its successors N400 and N600 with straight-two engines
in 360 cc, 400 cc, and 600 cc sizes. The Z600 was produced from 1970 to 1972. From
1958 to 1971, Subaru produced the 360 with a rear-mounted, rear-drive 358 cc air-
cooled engine.

Straight-twin petrol engines currently used in production cars include the 623 cc
engine used in the Tata Nano,[58] and the Fiat TwinAir engine - normally aspirated
974 cc and turbocharged 875 cc - in the Fiat 500,[59] the Fiat Panda, the Fiat
Punto, the Lancia Ypsilon, and the Alfa Romeo MiTo.

Straight-twin diesel engines currently used in production cars include the

turbocharged 1,201 cc engine, having common rail injection, used in the Piaggio
Porter.[60] Another straight-twin diesel engine has been under development for the
Tata Nano,[61] and according to media reports it could be launched at the beginning
of 2014.[62] Its specifications have not been disclosed, although unofficial
reports claim it will have a displacement of 624 cc.[63]

Marine engine use

Easthope marine engine

Inline twins are common in marine use both inboard and outboard, such as the Suzuki
15 models,[64] and as jet pump motors.[65]

From the 1950s, manufacturers of outboard motors had settled on the use of the
basic inline engine design, cylinders stacked on top of each other with the
crankshaft driving the propellor shaft. An experimental engine used two inline
engine blocks joined in order to make a square-four engine.[66]
In the early 20th century, gaff-rigged fishing boats such as Morecambe Bay
Prawners[note 1] and Lancashire Nobbys would sometimes retrofit an inboard engine,
such as the Lister or the Kelvin E2 inline-twin.[note 2] (It was often found easier
to arrange the propeller shaft asymmetrically to exit the hull abeam the
centreline, even though this gave a steerage imbalance).[citation needed]

Although modern narrowboats on the English canal system now tend to have 4-cylinder
marinized automotive engines, traditionalists prefer to install the older 2-
cylinder "thumper" diesels such as the air-cooled Lister Petter (which also had a
3-cylinder version).[citation needed]