Honda Working on New V4 Engine Platform: V4 Range Incoming

• Patent filings reveal internal systems for the V4 engine
• The brand is working on a new cooling and lubrication system
• New engine likely to be used in a resurrected VFR 1200 in the near future

Honda has been working on a new V4 engine platform, as revealed by recent patent filings. The filings are not directly related to the new engine platform, but the components that have been patented are clearly designed for a V4 engine.

The first patent shows a new lubrication system, designed to reduce internal friction between the oil pumps. The other patent shows a completely reworked cooling system for the V4 motor. The new system focuses on cooling the rear cylinders, which tend to heat up more on V4 bikes due to restricted airflow. 

There’s also a parallel-twin engine patent, highlighting a new way of bolting on the cylinder head onto the crankcase. The same could likely be used on the upcoming V4 engine. 

Judging by the first two patents, it looks like Honda has abandoned the shaft-drive and opted for a chain-drive transmission instead. Shaft-drive transmission has lower maintenance, but the loss of power is higher compared to a chain-drive transmission. 

This shift could mean that the Japanese manufacturer might be planning on developing a range of bikes in different genres, and not just a sports tourer like it had done with the VFR 1200 before.

Honda has not revealed any launch timelines or other details. So it seems like we are a few years away from seeing the engine in a production avatar, let alone new V4 bikes.