Internal combustion engine

In an internal combustion engine which includes at least one cylinder, each cylinder defining a separate cylinder axis which extends in a common center plane;

• a crankshaft which defines a crankshaft axis that extends in said common center plane;
• a cylinder head;
• at least one pair of intake and exhaust ports which communicate with each cylinder, each intake port and each exhaust port of a pair of intake and exhaust ports being positioned opposite one another relative to said center plane;
• a movable valve associated with each intake port and each exhaust port;
• a common crankshaft that is located on one side of said center plane and extends in parallel therewith, said camshaft including at least one cam;
• a separate one-armed lever which is operated by a cam of said camshaft to move one of the valves associated with each pair of intake and exhaust ports;
• and a separate rocker lever which is operated by a cam of said camshaft to move a second of the valves associated with each pair of intake and exhaust ports,
• the improvement wherein said camshaft is positioned above said cylinder head and includes a pair of cams associated with each cylinder, a first cam of each pair of cams contacting and operating an associated one-armed lever and a second cam of each pair of cams contacting and operating an associated rocker lever, each said second cam being axially displaced from each said first cam along said camshaft, wherein each said rocker lever is mounted on an axle which is positioned above said cylinder head the same distance that said camshaft is positioned above said cylinder head, and wherein each said rocker lever has a portion which extends in parallel with said camshaft.