Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125720
- ... Indoor Bash Real Sm'ash By Bull Spinser Throughout most of the motorcycle world you can find indoor short track events to soothe the savage motorcycle racer, especiaUy during the winter months. A special form of the sport involves the little dealer down the street. His track is the back room and it is easily prepared after the mechanic cleans up his mess. By picking out a supporting post of the roof officials can stand and direct any crossflow traffic. Generally, the dealer is the official and you have to see him to enter the race. A charge of a \ sixer or so is levied and any two wheeler with an engine is OK. Technical inspection is very thorough and exhasuting, if you can wake up the inspector. Practice is long enough for each entran t to faU down at least once and have a break for a chilly. Qualifying is nonexistant but mandatory. Heat 'races are limited to three riders and the winner transfers while 2nd and 3rd place go to a semi (truck parked outside). The rest load up and go play on the freeway. Heats are limited to 20 events so as not overload the semi. Nobody transfers from the semi anyway. Usually by the main event the dealer is so wasted that even he doesn't care who makes the main and neither do the riders so. the late comers ride it. The decision of the officials of the April Fool Association (A.F.A.) is final and anything he says, goes, even if you can't understand the blithering idiot. OOPS TOO FARI ~ w Z W ...J U )- U HOT DOG HOTSHOE You ever wonder about how Lotta M';stard prepares for the huge crowds attending Escort Parks weekly motorcycle races? We sure have so we contacted Lotta during one of the recent racing dates to find out about the preparation. She refused the interview. Oem it. Incredible 3-Stroker byFarggo By Carl Shipman When the Wankel engine was first announced, I was very skeptical, not being able to understand the idea of a rotating combustion space. Today, I believe it, because it exists, but I still don't fully understand the mechanical principle. I feel the same way about the Farggo engine and, if I hadn't seen it and talked to the inventor, I probably wouldn't believe it either. While visiting in Ottawa, I heard rumors of a new motorcycle engine being developed using a three-stroke engineering principle. Through an acquaintance at the Ministry of Science, I learned that this work is being done by Professor Fritz Farggo, a former associate of Dr. Kakaphonee, the pioneer of tuned exhaust systems for two-strokes. Professor Farggo's work is being supported by the Canadian Industrial Development Fund. By telephone, Professor"Farggo very kindly consented to an interview, and by this stroke of luck, I was able to obtain the first public disclosure on this revolu tionary engine. The Professor proved to be a man of impressive dignity, about 5'4", with a neat grey beard. He wore a white shop coat with an assortment of slide rules in the top pocket and the side pockets bulging with precision measuring instrumen ts. I carry a portable tape-recorder, and the following is my record of the interview. ~ , "Professor Farggo, I have never heard of the three.stroke principle." "Naturally. " "Could you 'please tell me the advantages?" "Of course. The Farggo engine combines the advantages of the two-stroke and the four-stroke, with minimal VIbration, excellent low speed torque, and very high specific power output. We are pleased to announce the opening of our new western warehouse located in Santa Ana. With the opening of this new facility, Penton West, Inc., an upgrading of the organization has now taken place. The new western headquarters under the direction of Ted Penton can now better serve all our western dealers. Large supplies of new machines, parts and other related services are now in stock. We invite our dealers to stop by our new offices. - . April Fool -- We're still here! PIDtaD lISt, Inc. 2150 So. Santa Fe St. Santa Ana, Cal if. ,. Visit the Penton display at the Cycle World Show - April 15·-18 we'll be in booth 78. (714) 546-5602 "The basis lies in gas dynamics. In my youth, I worked with Dr. Kakaphonee during his experiments with tuned ex trac,tor systems which I believe you Americans caU expansion chambers. u In the center of the shop, on a stand, was a very complex.looking engine. Wrapped around the little engine was a nest of tubing which, to me, resembled a collection of trombones, tied in a square knot. The Professor would not permit photos, so, I can only describe it that way. . "Professor, I notice that the pipes connect into the cylinder both at the top and the bottom." "Indeed. Now we are coming to the principle. By my computer-designed pipes, I am able to create a combustion chamber wherever I choose - one at the top of the cylinder and one at the bottom." The computer, by the door, blinked in solemn confirmation. "Professor, do you mean that this engine fires with the piston at the top and also at the bottom?" "Exactly. This is made possible by the piston inverter which always places the crown of the piston in the proper, direction. Here, I will show you." When the· large blueprint was unfolded, I saw a cavity in the side of the cylinder wall, halfway between top and bottom. The cavity was closed by a sliding gate. Using his developmental equations and some kinematic drawings, the Professor explained that the gate is opened and closed by a desmodromic mechanism similar to that used by Ducati and Mercedes Benz. When I finally began to understand it, the operation seemed quite simple. As the piston passes by the cavity, the gate opens and two mechanical fingers reach out to tip the top of the piston into the cavity. Continued travel of the connecting rod rotates the skirt of the piston up to the top, and the piston head then comes out of the cavity and follows. Then, the gate closes. There was a groove in the side of the piston to allow the connecting rod to point in either direction. Through openings that looked exactly like five porting to me, this slot is closed "ff by pressure pulses when necessary. I asked, "When; in the three-stroke cycle, does piston inversion occur?" liOn stroke number two, of course." "Of coune." It struck me immediately that this invention will solve the old two-stroke problem of crankcase compression. By inverting the piston on the down stroke, crankcase compression will be increased without resorting to stuffing, small clearances, and the other tricks in the tuner's book. "When do you expect to have this engine in production?" "Very soon. I have only the ignition details to finish and the problem is in the computer at this time." Reaching for another blueprint, the Professor said, ''The ignition spark is timed by these sensors along the tuned pipe system. You see, one is in the induction tract, and .... " Suddenly, the computer started c1ackiJlg out a printed sheet and Professor Farggo ended the interview rather abruptly, explaining that he wished to get on with the ignition problem. He kindly invited me back another time and I expect to return. On the )Yay out, I was able to glance at the computer printout. When I was outside, I wrote it down in my notebook, exactly as printed. Like the Wankel engine, I am not able to explain these ignition details. However, for the benefit of those with a better engineering knowledge than I, here are my notes: Sparkplug type: Y Project tip Heat Range: Bosch 145 or equiv. Number of Sparkplugs: 1.5 ...