That Liquid-Cooled Engine Could Get VVT
Not too long ago, we reported on the news that Indian Motorcycle had a new liquid-cooled engine in the works. That engine was suspected to be the same one that appeared under the Victory name a few years before. Indian was going to use the design. That brought up questions of what would happen to the current Thunder Stroke 111 air-cooled design. According to Motorcycle.com, the engine could get variable valve timing.
That’s one way to keep the air-cooled mill in some motorcycles. Variable valve timing (VVT) is one of the ways in which companies are managing to meet ever-tightening emissions restrictions. This technology isn’t some newfangled thing. It’s been used in cars for a while now, however, motorcycles haven’t really needed it until now.
According to Motorcycle.com, the engine in the patent application looks a lot like the Thunder Stroke 111 currently on the company’s bikes. It looks like it outside and in, except for some minor changes that show some VVT parts. The engine gets a new cam phaser system that applies to the intake valves. Which would be the VVT. It’s only on the intake like with some other engines out there.
This isn’t the most advanced VVT engine I’ve seen, but it seems to be one way Indian can keep the Thunder Stroke 111 around for a while. I’m all for that.
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