No one could have predicted the resurgence of forced induction in the motorcycle industry until Kawasaki introduced the Ninja H2. Other manufacturers remained silent, allowing the H2R to dominate as the most extreme production motorcycle. However, in the past year, the landscape has changed with Honda's electric blower in the V3R and Yamaha's E-Turbo patent.
Now, KTM has entered the fray with a new patent that fits in between the aforementioned designs and could lead the forced induction movement forward.
The KTM patent reveals an electronically assisted mechanical supercharger that sits between the H2 and the all-electric V3R. The supercharger is mechanically driven by the bike's crankshaft, but there is an electrically-operated clutch that can disengage the supercharger from the crankshaft, allowing an electric motor to power it. The electric motor kicks in to provide instant power from the supercharger when the engine's RPM is too low to do so naturally.
The decoupler adjusts based on what will optimize engine performance. Additionally, there is a third position that allows the supercharger to be powered by both the electric motor and the crankshaft when it offers the best performance. The electric motor can also act as a generator for the battery when not powering the supercharger, giving it an advantage over Honda's electric blower.
While Honda's V3R electric compressor provides instant torque, it requires more battery power and larger, heavier batteries. KTM's supercharger design, being only partially electrically assisted and capable of generating power for its battery, can operate with a smaller battery, reducing overall weight.
The main competitor to KTM's technology is Yamaha's E-Turbo, which uses an electric motor to pre-spin the turbo, eliminating lag before the exhaust pressure takes over. This technology is already in use in high-end cars like Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
The patent shows the supercharger on a single-cylinder enduro bike, but KTM's design can be easily adapted to any of their engines. Its lightweight nature is particularly suited for KTM's smaller engines, helping them produce more power while emitting fewer emissions, addressing the growing concern of EU emission standards.
Riders can expect the benefits of a supercharger, such as a more efficient, powerful engine with lower emissions compared to non-supercharged engines of similar performance. The electric motor provides instant low-end response, giving it an edge over engine-driven superchargers. It remains to be seen which design will prevail as they potentially make their way into production models.