Intake stroke: The piston moves down in the cylinder, creating a vacuum that draws a mixture of air and fuel into the cylinder through the intake valve.
Compression stroke: The piston moves up in the cylinder, compressing the air-fuel mixture. This compression increases the temperature and pressure of the mixture, making it more combustible.
Power stroke: The spark plug ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture, creating a controlled explosion that drives the piston down in the cylinder. This downward force on the piston generates power.
Exhaust stroke: The piston moves up in the cylinder, pushing the burnt exhaust gases out of the cylinder through the exhaust valve.
These four strokes repeat continuously as long as the engine is running. The camshaft and crankshaft, driven by the engine's timing chain or belt, control the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves and the movement of the piston.
In a motorcycle engine, the combustion chamber is usually located at the top of the cylinder, and the piston moves up and down within the cylinder. The cylinder is often inclined forward to improve the engine's center of gravity and reduce its overall height.
Motorcycle engines come in various configurations, including single-cylinder, twin-cylinder, three-cylinder, and four-cylinder engines. Different engine configurations offer different power characteristics, fuel efficiency, and smoothness of operation.
Modern motorcycle engines are equipped with various technologies to improve their performance, such as fuel injection, electronic ignition, and variable valve timing. These technologies help to optimize fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve engine performance and response.
