Reports suggest that Honda is all set to jump on the bandwagon of two-wheeler manufacturers who are planning to introduce forced induction for their engines. If the rumours are true, then Honda will be the third Japanese manufacturer in recent times to experiment with turbocharging/supercharging on their motorcycles. While Kawasaki and Suzuki have already made their intentions public, Honda still is tight-lipped about their plans.
Reports suggest that Honda is working on at least two engine designs with supercharging- a parallel-twin and an inline-four. The former is based on the V4 engine used in the VFR1200F with a supercharger taking the place of the rear cylinder bank and the intercooler mounted above it, while the latter will have a small supercharger mounted in front of the crankshaft. The inline-four will have a layout used on Honda’s NSF250R Moto3 racer.
Earlier this year, Suzuki unveiled the Recursion concept motorcycle powered by a turbocharged 588cc parallel-twin engine while Kawasaki showcased their supercharged four-cylinder engine at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, last year.
It is a well-known fact that turbocharging and supercharging helps in better combustion of fuel which is directly related to the engine’s emissions. While forced induction in two-wheelers is not a new concept, manufacturers are being forced to revive the technology owing to the stringent exhaust emissions regulations for motorcycles, which is expected to come into force in the EU around 2017.
