Harley-Davidson Working On New V-Twin Engine With VVT

Harley-Davidson may be getting ready for its future models with new technology. And this time, it's for a new v-twin engine which will use variable valve timing (VVT), as well as a modular engine balancer. Latest patent images show how that the new v-twin engine will be different from existing Harley-Davidson engines, and how the VVT system works in tandem with the modular balancer. The new v-twin will likely offer higher revs and more refinement, along with more performance and better emissions, to meet the latest regulations. While Harley-Davidson may have been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons, the latest news is evidence enough that there's more than a new engine brewing for the future.

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An exploded view shows the engine balance module as well as the variable valve timing system

The new engine still uses overhead valves, but with pushrods running on opposite sides of each cylinder. The drawings also show air-cooling fins, with uneven contours curving in and out at different spots around the cylinder. The engine also has an oil cooler at the front, something which indicates that Harley-Davidson will stick to an air/oil-cooled format for the new v-twin, compared to the DOHC, liquid-cooled engines which are expected to debut on new models, including the Harley-Davidson Pan America and the Streetfighter. The new v-twin with the overhead valve system is expected to claim higher engine speeds than the current Milwaukee-Eight.

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Diagrams filed with the patent show the engine balance module where the crankshaft is connected to a gear (No. 154 in the figure above), which rotates a cam gear (No. 158). The cam gear is connected to a second, smaller toothed gear (No. 170) which rotates a chain (No. 178). The chain in turn spins a balancer sprocket which rotates a balance weight (No. 86) around the crankshaft in the opposite direction of the crank's rotation. The VVT unit (No 98) adjusts the timing of the cams, affecting when the intake and exhaust valves open and close, in relation to the crankshaft. The idea is not just to optimise power and torque delivery, but also to reduce emissions, to meet the latest and possibly, future regulations. So far, there's no word on when the new v-twin engine will be launched in production form, or what models it will power.