New-style engines for scooters?

Instead of having poppet valves at the top of the head, the cylinder is encased by a rotating sleeve that has a port for the intake and exhaust. The jacket is gear-driven from the crank. This idea was tried in high performance aircraft engines many years ago, and the company says that development of new materials and manufacturing methods now makes it more reliable.

RCV is marketing to scooter makers in Asia, and is hopeful that PGO of Taiwan will be first to take up the design, which claims to be more efficient than a conventional engine. The company has also recently appointed a marketing agent in India. (See www.rcvengines.com)