How do you confuse a frother?
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Endurance racer? Super cool.
I wouldn't think the motor COG is any higher than a traditional layout. The heads on a normal twin would sit much higher in the frame. Now the rotational inertia of the bike could certainly be higher and revving the engine must add a new dimension to stability.
But even though the heads are in the same place, the cases are sitting mch higher than those of a normal twin which meet down near the bottom of the frame...
Obviously, some German engineers like the design, so I'm not trying to be obstinate here.
German engineering is overrated unless you like having things done differently and more complicated for the sake of being different and more complicated. I predict that someday the word Rube Goldberg Device will be replaced with German Engineering.
I thought one of the main advantages of a boxer engine was a lower COG.
Vee Dubs set on the simple side of der German engineering. I'm thinking more of their machine tools which boggle the mind for no reason. They are just raised to like complicated shyte, just look at their insane language. Take this gem as an exaple, a word referring to a food law: Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz
Lower c of g is not necessarily better in terms of motorcycle design - too low and it makes the bike slower steering, too high and it feels too 'tippy'. Some racing bikes have had their engines moved higher in the frame to improve handling in the past.
A lot has to do with the tire geometry. A bike's pivot point when it comes to leaning is not at the contact patch but somewhere above it depending on the tires curvature. A lot of work goes into mass centralization to put the weight at that ideal point for quick turn in yet stable enough to hold a line. It is really a moot point when discussing a BMW as they do not design a bike for performance first like a pure sport bike is.
Agreed, though I imagine they try and do what they can with c of g as it's a fundamental aspect of design & handling - the point I was making is that you do not necessarily want the lowest possible c of g. The Yamaha FZR600 I was riding in '94 had a lower c of g than the Kawasaki ZX6R I ride these days, but didn't necessarily handle better, just differently.
Actually it was a completely loopy bike with the ability to move from sublime to lethal at a moments notice. I really liked that bike until it blew up.
My old VFR was a very stable bike, took some muscle to get it to lean quickly, but get on the gas hard on a bumpy road and it became a head shake rodeo ride.
"Vell Hans, I think it vill be a great idea if vee use vacuums to lock and unlock zeh doors!"
"VUNDERBAR, JENS!"
Fvckin' Germans.
I want that bike...
