US 6,637,398 B2 · Engine for motorcycles

Abstract

In an engine for a motor vehicle, an upward offset of a transmission input shaft is sufficiently increased without being obstructed by a cylinder block. This shortens the overall length of the engine in the longitudinal direction of the motorcycle. The engine for a motor vehicle has a cylinder block extending upwardly and forwardly of the motor vehicle from an upper portion of the front end of a crankcase. A transmission input shaft is offset upwardly with respect to a plane, which includes the axes of a crankshaft and a transmission output shaft. The cylinder block is disposed to have an axis passing forwardly of the axis of the crankshaft. With this construction, it is possible to sufficiently increase an upward offset of the transmission input shaft without being obstructed by the cylinder block.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An engine for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a crankcase;
a cylinder block, said cylinder block being positionable to extend upwardly and forwardly of the motor vehicle from an upper portion of a front end of said crankcase;
and
a cylinder head, said cylinder head being joined to an upper end of said cylinder block, wherein
said crankcase houses and supports a crankshaft, a transmission input shaft, and a transmission output shaft arrangeable to have respective axes thereof oriented transversely of the motor vehicle;
said transmission input shaft is offset upwardly with respect to a plane including the axes of said crankshaft and said transmission output shaft, and
said cylinder block is disposed to have an axis thereof passing forwardly of the axis of said crankshaft.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Engine for motorcycles

Life of this patent

Engine for motorcycles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20