13-08-13, 07:55 PM
Yup worth asking about it.
I think what is really needed is somebody knowledgeable in engine design, ie an engineer who works in engine design.
One thing about race engines is that they tend to get attention. I don't think they do 6000 miles between services . Plus at the end of the day their total mileage is low, but wear and tear is high.
But not being knowledgeable about race engines, well I don't know how much attention they need say during say one race season.
Personally I'm just not going to worry about it, there's thousands upon thousands of this type of engine out there, 99.9% of them running auto tensioners. Only heard of a handful, if that, of bent valves.
Here's another thought. To prove that manual tensioners are better (as we lack the informed opinion of a respected engine designer), we'd have to get a thousand or so folks to convert their bikes to a manual tensioner and perhaps collate the data over say 5 years.
Or look at it another way. The history cam chain and belt tensioners suggest that chain and belt drives involve some sort of small compromise in keep the tension in check.
Or how about persuading Mr Yamaha to re-introduce the Gen1 Fazer but with gear driven cams? A la VFR750 - and didn't they sound just great!
Anyway I'm more worried, or paranoid about a puncture come blow out wiping me out, than I am about cam tensioners wrecking ma valves - and by a country mile. (fingers crossed touch wood)
I think what is really needed is somebody knowledgeable in engine design, ie an engineer who works in engine design.
One thing about race engines is that they tend to get attention. I don't think they do 6000 miles between services . Plus at the end of the day their total mileage is low, but wear and tear is high.
But not being knowledgeable about race engines, well I don't know how much attention they need say during say one race season.
Personally I'm just not going to worry about it, there's thousands upon thousands of this type of engine out there, 99.9% of them running auto tensioners. Only heard of a handful, if that, of bent valves.
Here's another thought. To prove that manual tensioners are better (as we lack the informed opinion of a respected engine designer), we'd have to get a thousand or so folks to convert their bikes to a manual tensioner and perhaps collate the data over say 5 years.
Or look at it another way. The history cam chain and belt tensioners suggest that chain and belt drives involve some sort of small compromise in keep the tension in check.
Or how about persuading Mr Yamaha to re-introduce the Gen1 Fazer but with gear driven cams? A la VFR750 - and didn't they sound just great!
Anyway I'm more worried, or paranoid about a puncture come blow out wiping me out, than I am about cam tensioners wrecking ma valves - and by a country mile. (fingers crossed touch wood)