Honda-SOHC

Other Stuff => Misc / Open => Topic started by: Athame57 on April 07, 2024, 12:23:27 PM

Title: Ram Air
Post by: Athame57 on April 07, 2024, 12:23:27 PM
For a few months I rode a GT380, the only air cooled two stroke I ever had. Anyone got an opinion if it made any difference or was it just a gimmick?  :-\
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: Johnwebley on April 07, 2024, 12:28:47 PM
Ram air was mainly a gimmick,

But it could help cool the head,
But unlike 4 strokes, it has no valves, guides etc,that need cooling,

Check out air cooled multi row aircraft radial engines with ducting





Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 07, 2024, 12:49:30 PM
Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: Rozabikes Tim on April 07, 2024, 02:00:34 PM
Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?


I think that was ram air as in forced induction of air into airbox / carbs via large diameter pipework from the front of the fairing. Also see the early ZXR750 Kwaks with what looked like vacuum cleaner hoses behind the fairing running into the tank area. Ram air on the GT Suzukis was a cowling round the top of the head, forcing air into the area for cooling.  And yes a gimmick then and now.
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: Athame57 on April 07, 2024, 02:50:29 PM
Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?
Just took a look at one on the web. Those two round intakes with tubes...... I remember one at Boxhill ( Biker haunt ) someone asked the owner 'now what does this do apart from making the fairing hard to take off'?  ;D
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: Bryanj on April 07, 2024, 03:07:44 PM
The Ram Air did serve a purpose in keeping the plugs cooler, and being a pain for mechanics, but then the 380 and 550 were incredibly reliable, in all the time working on then only ever fitted one crank and that was rumbly mains through standing for yeard
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: andy120t on April 07, 2024, 03:52:23 PM
My early zx6r has that. The air makes an incredible noise as it comes in...a bit like a tupperware box full of gravel being shaken. I'm sure it does more than just make a nice noise though?!
Title: Re: Ram Air
Post by: Arch stanton on April 07, 2024, 04:53:55 PM
The Ram air cowling made the 380/550 a pig to ride in the rain.
As the sparks would rather dance over the cowl rather than go fown the plug. A gimmick but looked pretty trick.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal