[Porky]

They are only a few seconds slower than the world superbikes around that track, which is amazing!

I almost had to change my underwear after that 'tank slapper!!!!'

Sam

 

[hogcowboy]

For both HDs to crater, is that a design problem in those engines? I mean even considering they are heavily modified.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

For both HDs to crater, is that a design problem in those engines? I mean even considering they are heavily modified.

I think when they are exploring the extreme ends of performance, some bits may crater.
This happened often with the old British twins. The 33 seemed a tad quicker than the two Vance and Hynes bikes.
In the first race both factory bikes quit. I suspect they may have made changes ?? to the engine they swapped in, for race 2.

Note that the Moto3 Moto2 and MotoGP bikes rarely have engine failures. First race, Portugal 26 March.

 

[hogcowboy]

I think when they are exploring the extreme ends of performance, some bits may crater.

That's what I'm getting at. Some bikes have a much higher redline than HD to begin with. Tweaking them to go above that has got to show where basic design flaws are I'd think. So design or tweaking flaw? Or operator might be another potential.

 

[DannoXYZ]

Note that the Moto3 Moto2 and MotoGP bikes rarely have engine failures. First race, Portugal 26 March.

Yeah, for amount of abuse they take, are surprisingly durable. Moto2 & Moto3 uses spec crate engines. They're barely tweaked beyond stock specs so not really pushing it. Factory CBR600RR 120bhp 15.5K-rpm engine going to 16K-rpm with cams for 140bhp is barely taxed.

Take a push-rod engine with all that extra weight in push-rods, rocker arms and heavy big valves going back and forth... Trying to shove all that mass back & forth even faster than already-at-limit factory redline is just asking for disastre...