14000 RPM Overhead Cam In Operation Video

Hi All ,
I came across a mind blowing video of a BMW S1000RR engine with a cutaway valve cover . The camera is looking at the outboard valves and you see the ends of the cams and the springs. They take the engine from idle to 14200 RPM. I have NO idea how mere metal can hold together under these conditions and I shudder to think what the poor Norton engine goes through to attain half this speed. The video is on Youtube and if you put in the search box " Overhead Cam at 14K RPM" you should find it easily.
Love,
Kara

Wow!! Impressive.

And to think, the cams are half speed vs. the crank.

Impressive indeed - not trying to one up here but this subject leads me to what I consider the most amazing motorcycle ever ( IMHO) -
Honda’s RC 166 . A 250 cc inline six - dohc four valves per cylinder-
60+ horsepower and turned 18k rpm - 150 mph.
The most amazing thing is it was designed and built in the mid 1960’s without the benefit of computer assisted design & machining. That’s right folks - drafting tables , slide rules ( any of you youngsters know what they are ?) and hand wheels on the lathe and mill ...
Both the camshafts and crankshaft were barrel tapered outboard of the midship bearings to minimize whip . IIRC the 14inch long crank was built up of some 13 PRESS FITTED components all machined by one man - a brilliant craftsman and I regret I can’t recall his name . The assembly fixture for the crank weighed more than the entire motorcycle. In its second season in the very capable hands of a certain Mr. Hailwood it won all or nearly all of every Grand Prix that season and gave Mike one of his many , many TT titles.
It is pretty easy on the eyes as well.
There are several videos available on YouTube showing it running- it will make your ears bleed - and even a tear down by Honda mechanics on a Japanese TV program .

Yamaha got into a bit of hot water in 2006 when they marketed a 17,500 RPM capable R6, that didn't make the mark. IIRC they offered to take the bikes back for a full refund from those RPM junkies that raised a stink. Keep in mind that this was a production bike not a "skunk works" race machine.


That's a 360 degree crank rotation every 29 milliseconds which begins to mimic the clock speeds of early PCs. Also consider the G loads which must be over 2000.

None the less a Norton at 7000 RPM seems more impressive to me considering the design and materials.

Best.

Nice demonstration of the valves rotating in an engine. If they didn't valves/seats wouldn't seal for very long.

Richard Tool said:

even a tear down by Honda mechanics on a Japanese TV program

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This is well worth watching...

No need to imagine what it looks like Kara, Jim Comstock showed us.

Just don‘t blame me if it gives you sleepless nights or prevents you from happily revving out your Norton again...

I didn’t realize how close the valves come to each other while operating - looks like a little float could lead to collision.

Richard Tool said:

I didn’t realize how close the valves come to each other while operating - looks like a little float could lead to collision.

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It does! Believe me.
Jaydee