Crankshaft bearing assembly

A crankshaft bearing assembly for supporting a crankshaft for rotation about a crankshaft axis within an engine having a crankcase, the crankshaft bearing assembly including at least one crankshaft bearing divided into a first half and a second half, the first half being integral with the crankcase, and the second half being a bearing cap connectable to the crankcase;

• the crankcase being made of a first aluminum alloy having a first tensile strength and the bearing cap being made of a second aluminum alloy having a second tensile strength higher than the first tensile strength, the second tensile strength of the second aluminum alloy being at least 300 Mpa;
• wherein the crankcase includes lateral extensions disposed on each side of the bearing cap, the bearing cap being bolted to the lateral extensions of the crankcase.

A motorcycle having an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders, a crankshaft and a crankshaft bearing assembly for supporting the crankshaft within a power unit case having a crankcase and an integral transmission housing accommodating at least a transmission shaft;

• the crankshaft bearing assembly including at least one crankshaft bearing divided into a first half and a second half, the first half and the second half together defining a crankshaft bearing bore, the first half being integral with the crankcase, and the second half being a bearing cap connectable to the crankcase;
• the crankcase being made of a first aluminum alloy having a first tensile strength and the bearing cap being made of a second aluminum alloy having a second tensile strength higher than the first tensile strength, the second tensile strength of the second aluminum alloy being at least 300 MPa.

An All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) having an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders, a crankshaft and a crankshaft bearing assembly for supporting the crankshaft within a power unit case having a crankcase and an integral transmission housing accommodating at least a transmission shaft;

• the crankshaft bearing assembly including at least one crankshaft bearing divided into a first half and a second half, the first half and the second half together defining a crankshaft bearing bore, the first half being integral with the crankcase, and the second half being a bearing cap connectable to the crankcase;
• the crankcase being made of a first aluminum alloy having a first tensile strength and the bearing cap being made of a second aluminum alloy having a second tensile strength higher than the first tensile strength, the second tensile strength of the second aluminum alloy being at least 300 MPa.