I have an '06 Road Star Warrior. It has the 102 cubic inch engine. It's a torque monster. Rev limiter kicks in somewhere around 5200. 3,000 rpm is 80 mph. Best low end power of just about anything you'll ever ride.

Holds five quarts of oil and has a separate little transfer case on the right side that holds .42 quart of gear oil and two double-row gears and a chain.

Why use push rods? Torque. This type of engine makes more of that down low torque. See if you can get a test ride and you'll see what I mean.

Yes, they are pushrod, air-cooled v-twin with belt drive and they've been making this engine since about 1999 (I think).

You will get some vibration, being a big twin and all. Depends on what you are used to.

I really like mine. epper1:

 

:lol: Air cooled engines They can keep um. I can't count
how many times Ive stop to help a fellow biker on the side of the road and ask him what up if can help and his responce was dang bike is overheating and had to shut her down. Can't go wrong with water cooled engines.

 

I have an '06 Road Star Warrior. It has the 102 cubic inch engine. It's a torque monster. Rev limiter kicks in somewhere around 5200. 3,000 rpm is 80 mph. Best low end power of just about anything you'll ever ride.

Holds five quarts of oil and has a separate little transfer case on the right side that holds .42 quart of gear oil and two double-row gears and a chain.

Why use push rods? Torque. This type of engine makes more of that down low torque. See if you can get a test ride and you'll see what I mean.

Yes, they are pushrod, air-cooled v-twin with belt drive and they've been making this engine since about 1999 (I think).


You will get some vibration, being a big twin and all. Depends on what you are used to.

I really like mine. epper1:

Can you explain how having a pushrod design creates more torque than an OHC design with all alse being equal?

 

I have a 2006 Yamaha Midnight Stratoliner....Same taste, different smell.
I Love the power of this bike, the low center of gravity, and the comfort in a long haul.
Very good bike if you're into cruising long distances while packing.

 

Can you explain how having a pushrod design creates more torque than an OHC design with all alse being equal?

They don't. All things being equal, an overhead cam engine will always out perform a pushrod engine. It's just that the pushrod engine typically makes the torque at lower RPMs.

 

Having the cams in the crankcase cuts down on weight up top, but thats the only advantage I can think of. Ohc engines have less parts involved to open the valves... doing away with the pushrods. I think ohc is better technology. An air cooled engine is alright if you dont do much city driving, or ride in hotter climates..there has always been a problem with the rear cyclinder getting hotter on a air cooled v-twin, being behind the front cylinder and not getting any direct air flow. Ride safe.

 

HD engines aircooled engines don't have any offset in the cylinders due to the single pin "knife & fork" crank. This contributes to the rear cylinder running hotter.

Valve size/number is one of the determining factors in torque. The VTX only uses 3 valves because it helps make more torque, having 1800cc's helps too :wink: , heavy flywheels & crank help the low end as well. Small valves are for torque, bigger valves for horsepower. Long stroke engines tend to make better low end torque.

Yamaha went with pushrods to keep the engine/center of balance lower. Honda has manual adjust valves for the same reason: to reduce overall engine height.

Of course there are other thiings as well but you get the idea.

 

All things being equal, an overhead cam engine will always out perform a pushrod engine. It's just that the pushrod engine typically makes the torque at lower RPMs.

'Typically' perhaps, but, for example, the 1978 Honda CX500 water-cooled, pushrod V-twin would happily spin up to it's redline of 10,000rpm.

I would bet that Yamaha's decision to utilize pushrods in their V-twins was more (Harley-influenced) marketing than practical engineering.

And the Yamaha Warrior may have decent torque figures, but it's engine only puts out horsepower numbers in the seventies. I'm not saying that the Warrior's motor (or any of the basic 'Road Star' engines) aren't fine mills, but If the Warrior seems 'quick', it's probably due to relatively lower overall weight than anything else.

 

OHC, single or twin, is to reduce the reciprocating mass of the valve train and therefore reduce the valve float at higher RPM. It has nothing to do with torque.

As stated above, torque is determined by stroke, the valve timing (cam profile) and the exhaust valve area. I wish our X's had self adjusting valves - like the Yammies and H-D's.

Why does Honda use an OHC design on a low revving cruiser? I don't know exactly - you will have to ask them. However, I assume it was chosen to lower the center of gravity of the engine - also why they "chose" to not have self adjusting valves - that and the cost of self adjusting valves!!!

You would think that Honda would have also used a dry sump design, like Yammie and H-D, if a lower CG was their goal.

Regards,
Joe T.

 

As far as an OHC design on "a low revving cruiser" I thought that it had more to do with piston speed. A big OHC V-Twin has a long stroke and a long cam chain which (I think) is a limiting factor for usable RPM in a general production engine. Oh sure, they could turn them faster, but there's a departure line on the big twins where the horsepower goes up and the reliability goes down.

 

roadliner

After I wrecked on my VTX 1800R custom, I went bike shopping. I ended up with the Roadliner S. It offered more chrome and accessories at a beter price. One thing I liked about it was the ride. It rode a good bit smoother than my VTX. I don't notice much difference with the torque or power between the two bikes. I also liked the look of the engine, the style, better than that of the VTX. Pehaps Yamaha went with push rods to lower the engine height just like Kawasaki did for the Vulcan 2000.

I do miss my VTX. It was a great bike. But for the longer hauls, I prefer the Roadliner. Oh, and about the air vs water cooled, I have never had a problem on any on my previous air cooled bikes. I have had a friend with the VTX 1800R have water pump problems. So which is better, probably depends which one breaks down on you. That would always make the other one better.

 

I just picked up an '06 Stratoliner Midnight. Very smooth bike. I like the leather bags (don't hold alot, but cool looking!) and the ez on/off key-locked windshield & sissy bar...