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The engine in Kawasaki’s Ninja 1100SX (p40) weight in a motorcycle is a complex task, but one
raises an interesting question. On the surface, its thing is non-negotiable in automotive engineering: no
evolution from the 1000SX seems less than vehicle can be sold unless it meets the prevailing
impressive. A 3mm increase in stroke and a 5.4% emissions regulations. These are the numbers that
boost in capacity result in a 6bhp loss, which cannot be ignored.
doesn’t seem to add up, even though the new The Ninja 1100SX is 6bhp down compared to last
model produces more torque—always a good year’s 1000, and Jamie explains why…When new
thing for everyday riding. This could be seen as a emissions legislation is introduced, manufacturers
case of “more is less,” something marketers are must allocate engineering resources to meet these
reluctant to emphasize. standards—whether they like it or not. If other aspects
of the bike need to be compromised to achieve
Yet, the Ninja 1100SX’s exceptional ride quality compliance, so be it.
reveals an important lesson about product
development: it’s not always about the numbers. With Euro5+ regulations arriving, some bikes have
However, there is one critical exception, which been launched with lower specific outputs (bhp/cc)
likely explains Kawasaki’s decision to make these than their predecessors. This is true for the Kawasaki,
changes. which now has a larger engine but less power, and the
Balancing attributes like power, torque, and Suzuki GSX-R1000R, which lost 7bhp compared to its
2017 version (down from 199bhp to 192bhp). This can
be seen as a pragmatic way of meeting emissions
standards. Given the need to meet clean emissions
targets and often limited budgets for development,
manufacturers are doing as little as possible to
comply. (This isn’t meant to provoke; Kawasaki and
Suzuki are the smallest of the major Japanese brands,
and the market is tough. They have to make money
too.)The GSX-R, for example, keeps much of the
same engine as before, now reworked to comply with
Euro5+ and losing 3.5% of its peak power. When
major changes to the engine aren’t feasible,
manufacturers look at other ways to meet regulations.
For instance, valve timing can be adjusted fairly easily,
and the engine management system can be
recalibrated.
To comply with tougher emissions regulations, more
computing power is often required—Euro5+ mandates
enhanced on-board diagnostics.
Adjusting valve timing usually means reducing
overlap—the period when both intake and exhaust
