Return of the two-stroke?
Vins Motors to debut 100cc and 250cc V-twin stroker sports bikes
NOPE, we’d never heard of Vins Motors either but the firm is promising to launch a carbon-fibre-framed, V-twin two-stroke at the Milan show next week.
Yes, a two-stroke. Like some sort of unstoppable zombie technology, the two-stroke seems capable of rising from the grave time after time despite determined efforts to finish it off. Each time the stumbling corpse makes claims that it will be cleaner and fresher-smelling, but we’re still waiting for a successful long-term resurrection.
At the moment the only image of the Vins Powerlight is this computer-generated teaser but the firm claims that ‘modern technology’ is allowing it to solve the traditional two-stroke problem of exhaust emissions and that its bikes will be 40kg lighter than four-strokes with similar performance.
It might yet be vapourware, but it’s impossible not to feel a frisson of excitement at the prospect even when all common sense suggests the project will go the same way as every other two-stroke revival of the last decade or more.
The firm claims that its 100cc engine is a V-twin with two counter-rotating crankshafts and electronic direct fuel injection. It’s linked to a six-speed transmission and the airbox is integral with the carbon monocoque frame. It also claims to be making a 250cc motor, but it’s not clear if it’s simply a bigger version of the same twin or a completely different design.
Of course, there’s also wacky front suspension – in this case a set of double wishbones and a single shock, in what sounds like a Hossack set-up (rather like BMW’s DuoLever).
All this engineering sounds like it’s a recipe for the most expensive 100cc bike ever made. If it ever gets made.
