[Ossian (OP)]

The new 888cc Tiger 900 is described as having a 'T' plane crank.
https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/motorcycles/adventure/tiger-900/reasons-to-ride
Can anybody explain this and tell us why it would be better than an even firing 120 deg triple ?

[Chris Canning]

Well Yamaha have been the first to seriously dip their toe in the water with their R1,instead of going the electrically software route for traction they have altered the firing order by changing the crank shaft the same as Yamaha and hence the firing order.

What you are seeing is Triumph starting to reap the benefits of contacts they have made with running engines in Moto2,but straight forward it might not be,if your not a follower of Moto GP Yamaha have struggle extracting topend power,something that has past all but unnoticed when Ducati went from their classic 1098/1198 long stroke cam belt motor to the Panigali big piston short stroke camchain it has been a bumpy ride in more ways the one.

But Triumphs 765 and the new 900 shows that they are really starting to make an effort and we now live in a world of short stroke/big bore and other variations.

[Ossian (OP)]

Hi Chris. The use of cross plane and flat plane cranks has a logic in engines with even numbers of cylinders. Usually to do with firing order or exhaust design requirements, but I don't understand the logic behind using a crank like this in a 3 cylinder engine. With a 'T' crank as Triumph calls it, you seem to have a 180 degree twin with an extra cylinder attached. Why ?
My only guess is that Triumph have considered and balanced each cylinder individually and then using this design created an engine such that firing is timed to give a 'Big Bang' effect for better traction ? This wouldn't be possible with a 120 degree design.

[Chris Canning]

What has passed a lot of folk by is Ducati’s transition from 1198 to Panigali in other words long stroke bottom end grunt with cam belt to big piston short stroke camchain it wasn’t/hasn’t been straight forward,I know guys who went that way and changed back.

When it comes to the Multistrada Ducati have bypassed the Pani motor and are going V4,my long winded reply is just another way of saying these things have to be tried will it work in the long run?? Who knows,but the one thing you can be sure of the game is moving on with other manufacturers and Triumph have to come up with solutions.