zelot wrote: ↑29 Dec 2020, 11:55
Mudflap wrote: ↑23 Dec 2020, 15:43
I think the point is to decrease fuel consumption at part throttle rather than increase power.
How do motorcycles deal with cylinder deactivation? Are they completely undrivable or is it a viable option?
Cylinder de-activation is already common in Superbike racing. For example, the BMW SR1000RR Superbike cuts down to 2 cylinders when the bike is heavily leant over and on the smallest part of the tyre. Then uses the traction control electronics to determine when to bring the other cylinders in as the rider accelerates off the turn and gives the bike more gas. This is on the standard electronics that come with the road bike!
It was also used 45 years ago by Yamaha tuner Kel Carruthers on the factory 750/4 2T engine
when raced on the dirt by Kenny Roberts - an ignition kill switch button was added for the rider
to manually press, & selectively cut a cylinder - when the tyres of the day were found to be
severely traction-limited under the impulses of the ~130hp mill, really powering out of corners.