Patent ID: 8245674

Claim:
A power unit for a vehicle, comprising: an engine main body of an engine including: a valve system capable of changing operational modes of an engine valve between a valve opening and closing mode and a valve closing and stopping mode; a valve controlling apparatus which controls operations of said valve system; a crankcase of said engine main body which houses a transmission; and a starter motor capable of imparting a rotational power to a crankshaft which is rotatably supported by said crankcase, wherein said engine main body is mounted on a vehicle frame, wherein said valve controlling apparatus is attached to a top surface of said crankcase, wherein, when viewed from a side, said valve controlling apparatus is arranged in a space surrounded by said top surface of said crankcase, said vehicle frame and a cylinder block, said cylinder block constituting a part of said engine main body and being connected to an upper portion of said crankcase, and wherein said starter motor is attached to said engine main body such that said cylinder block is interposed between said starter motor and said valve controlling apparatus.