For years I ve riden just about everthing I could get my hands on. From 2 cycles to flat oposed 6 cyclenders. For quite some time I ve owned V-2s Have all ways been impressed with there off the line grunt. But for some reason thay lacked true top end push. I ve owned a few inline 4 cycneders But the usal Crotch Rockets confegertaions If You ever meet me you know I am a bit short on the leg end. Pluss my belly gets in the way of a nice tight tuck. A fews years ago I bought a KZ 550 on a whim. Loved the up right riding style right away. I bought her used for 400.00 bucks she had a few miles on her. 24,000 miles I did the usal walk thur tune up. Replaced the oil in the shaft drive. I was to say the least inpressed plenty of grunt off the line but the top end was nearly endless. The power band was quite driffant that the V-2 affares. Power comes on strong from 5 grand to 9 grand.
As expected I was quickly looking for Inline 4s in the older bikes. A man can never own too many bikes. I soon aquired a old KZ 1000P I bit of a handfull if your not used to her. Droped the fairing and the raido box.  A yammie Maxam. That had been treated like a redheaded step child. Left in the rain to die the long an horable death of neglet. Scored her fo 150.00 cash. A lot of power in a small package. Then my son in law bought his Yammie 750cc XJ Maxum A real sleeper bike. Looks like its standing still at speed but drop 2 gears and hang the **** on. Up to 130 in seconds. The wildest in line so far has shown that the inlines are probley the most over looked line of bikes out there in the stander configeration A 1977 Honda CB 750 A If you know the CB 750 line Yes shes the AUTO BIKE. 2600 ong miles. Heavey as hell not really that quick but fun as hell to ride. Its the wifes ride once I get all the little bugs worked out of her.
Now I cant say I never compleatly given up on the V-2 becuse I ve kept the old Hyosung. and have no real intenctions of selling my FAT GIRL!   And I did sell the KZ 1000 P Mainly becuse I was really working on getting myself killed on that bike. Too fast for me! So how many of you floks have riden some of the old 4 cyclenders lines?
Heres a pic of the Krazy KZ 550 inline 4 cyc.

Looking @ it from an engineering standpoint 'V'-Twin in a chain/belt drive, air cooled machine is not a good arrangement. The aft cylinder operates at a distinctly higher temperature than the forward one. - Been working pretty well for 100+ years but it is less than ideal. - Does not apply to shaft drive "Moto Guzi" type machines with both cylinders in the air flow.
For air cooled, chain/belt drive machines cylinders abreast & more or less equally exposed to the air stream appeals to engineers. -
BUT
In the real world both arrangements have sometimes worked well & sometimes have had problems - Probably not much of it related to the arrangement of the cylinders.
Besides air cooled machines exist only by the grace of God & the tolerance of the EPA - They will be gone soon enough

Some day will have to tell you about my 'Penny Saver', Kawa 400, 3 cylinder, 2 storke & FAST

Strange, with the exception of one bike, all of mine have been v-2's. And only one HD in the mix. The exception? A 1979 Suzuki GS550E. She was light and fat. I was 19. Need I say more? Sold her before I could get into any real trouble.

Me too, I like the 80s Yamahas

 . . .....Heres a "Flat Six" for ya..





..........92 HP at the rear wheel. ....Stock.. .. 

All the bikes I've owned are inline 4s. The Suzuki GS 750, Kawasaki Z1R 1000, Suzuki GS 1100, and after some time off, my current Yamaha FZ6 which is a 600.
I've ridden on twins, and a friend let me take his HD Heritage Classic for a spin.
It's all in what you like and what you dream of. I love the inline 4s, but love the low end grunt on the big twins.
I just read an article in Cycle World, and Motorcyclist mags, Kawasaki now makes a ZX14R inline 4 that ran a 9.31 quarter mile @ 151 mph. I wonder where it will all stop. The all out sport bikes are pure track bikes, but hard to ride very far on one.
Now I'm leaning toward a Yamaha FJR sport touring rig, yup, an inline 4 1300.
I've read where the Ducati 1198's are strong down low, and strong on the upper end also. Motorcyclist Mag calls Ducs the new bad boy bikes with attitude. They are powerful twins.
Whatever you love and ride, I'll like it too.
There is too much animosity between cruisers and sport bike riders it seems.

Still have my 78 KZ650, son has a KZ550. both have lots of guts. Darn near bullet-proof and run forever. Just put competition carb jets in the 650. Gotta get a new speedo cable. The old one wouldn't take the abuse, I guess. Top end kit about three years ago. Not my daily ride, but I take the old girl out for a spin once or twice a week. Yeah - the KZ1000s ought to have been named Krazy 1000s. Fast and nasty. Had a couple, loved 'em.

Suzuki has a GSX 1250fa which put the bottom cowling on to make it a full faired version of the 1250 Bandit. I hear they are strong low and exceptionally strong mid range power bikes. Me thinks you can put on a Yoshimura header and include a K&N air filter with a power commander to let the top end breath a bit more, and that pup will be a crazy, similar to the late 70s and early 80s, bikes Kawasaki and Suzuki put out back then. You can even buy hard bags and a touring top trunk for it. It's supposed to have an all day comfy seat and excellent seating position for touring.

Love the old Hyosung Its the usal set with forward pegs the Kaw KZ on the other hand was a bit tall and center peged. I ve removed the rear shocks and used a set of solid pipes. Lowering the bikes rear height and allowing her to use her own weight to help the rear tire dig in. Never cared for the short rear fender so replaced it with a fiberglass longer rear fender uses a cat eye tail light. This small change has really changed the bikes feel. Its more locked to the ground feels much safer when passing larger rigs. a pluss size rear tire at 28 psi sofens the light bounce from bad road. But dont hit a pot hole it a real ass bouncer.

Lots of great bikes out there, you find the one you like and it excites your throttle hand, I say go with that! I can't understand WHY the import market went after the V-Twin design... their designs really don't fair much better than Harley's design, I think they should have just stayed with the inline design and continued to develop the V-4 designs, some great stuff from those lines!

I never understood it eather. The inline 4s seam simpler to keep up in the higher Rs. I admit I love he long lines of the super crusers. But the rush of the inlines is aditive to say the least. Plans in the works on conveting a inline bike to the low rider look.