Hossack Front End-Cycle World Article

[1967 R50/2]

In the Cycle World Article on the K12S there was a quote that I found very interesting.

The author was having a discussion with the designers. When shown the Hossack front end, he applauded and said he always thought that the Telelever was a "Half-step" in this direction.

The designers replied that this was not so. In fact the telelever was absolutely needed for the GS because the Hossack (Duo-lever, What-ever) would not work well if more than 4in of travel were needed.

The upshot of this to me is that I do not think the Hossack will remain exclusive to the KS...or even to the K series. If only the GS needs the telelever why not put the otherwise superior Hossack front end on the upcoming boxers as well? Particularly a boxer S?

The Hossack is lighter and allows more effective braking (supposedly)...so it sounds like it would be perfect for a boxer S. LIGHTER being the key take away here. As the current S is framed, the Hossack could be attached to the frame much as in the KS, rather than like the telelever which attaches to the engine.

To those who say "But the new engine will likely have attachment points like the GS which won't be getting used." I say: So what. Lost weight is lost weight. BMW can make some sort of neat looking plug to stick in the telelever axle mounting holes.

[Anton]

I too am a big fan of the Hossack front end. Well, a big fan in theory, I have never ridden a bike so equiped. I would like to see it on the R1200S, if one were to appear. One reason I bought my S was the 'wacky' suspension. I like the fact BMW is trying new things and will support their efforts if possible.

I think that a different version of the Hossack (one with more than 4 in. of travel) would be well suited to the rest of BMW's lineup. The travel limitation is not inherent to the Hossack but to BMW's Doulever and its very short A-arms. I am sure there are good reasons to keep them short on the K-S, stiffness at 170 mph, packaging?

[roger albert]

It would seem the packaging issues would only be tighter on a bike smaller than the K12S (which would mean pretty much ANY bike with sporting pretension)

Time will tell if the short travel (such as cruisers are regularly lambasted for) will be worth the lightness and steering/braking/bump response.

Would love to see some compliance and contact-patch force diagrams comparing them.

[RonC]

The Hossack concept has been around for a while. If it offers substantial advantages, why has it not penetrated the market at all? Anyone know?

Also, after reading the article in Cycle World and looking at the K1200S front end, esp. the sissors approach to stearing, I wondered this: How can more parts be better than fewer parts? Can the relatively small parts/joints of the sissors gizmo be expected to retain their tollerances under heavy and/or prolonged use? We will see.

[hass]

Originally posted by RonC
The Hossack concept has been around for a while. If it offers substantial advantages, why has it not penetrated the market at all? Anyone know?

No idea, but why do you use VHS instead of betamax. Betamax was better but the world is still stuck with VHS video recorders!

My point being, just because manufacturers don't use a technology doesn't mean it isn't better. They have other considerations such as Production and retooling costs to consider for example.

[Moybin]

Corporate bean-counters hate change, because they have great difficulty quantifying the returns. (Mostly because they don't know anything about anything except bean-counting).

It's simpler and cheaper to make variations on a proven design than it is to blaze the trail. Remember, the Italians brought disk brakes to automobiles circa 1925 and look how long it took Detroit to put them on high-end rigs like the Corvette let along the family sedan.

The Western world hates change. I can't speak for Asia Major and Asia Minor because I haven't been there, but looking at their religions, they appear to hate change even more.

[RonC]

It could be the riders who display inertia rather than the manufacturers. Even so, with so many makers, so many makes, and so many years ... Also, competition bikes are usually a good test platform for new concepts. Has a Hossack ever been run in competition? Just wondering.

[HugoVW]

The Britten was also more or less a Hossack front end and that run pretty succesfully in races.
As long as teles are made by the thousends they will be more popular because in the end it's all about the money...

[EZ-RIDER]

Hey Gang;

What you all are failing to understand is that BMW waited till his Pat. Ran out That way they didn't have to pay Hossack any royalties.

[Trevor Rossack]

Check out www.hossack-design.co.uk for some more information. The Hossck has been raced and has won races and championships.

Cheers
TREVOR

[Trevor Rossack]