Me and a bud are building a mud buggy and he can get good deals at a local cycle salvage yard. So were decided on a bike motor instead of my busted old bug motor. Bike Engines are new to me so what Im tryin to find out is what brand or bike would provide the best drivetrain as far as aftermartket parts and part availability.

A V-4. Like from an old Honda Magna. I think they had some in the 1200cc range. Good mix of high RPMs and torque.

GSXR1000

well i dunno anything specific, but make sure you get a shaft drive motor over a chain drive. like what BMW uses. :smokin:

depending on how light your buggy is and how much you can spend, the KTM 520 RFS engines are the best dirt bike engines ever put into production.

-Steve

its a small 2 seater around 500cc will do

the KTM will cost you some $$$$ but it's AWESOME!!!! If i didn't spend so much friggin money on trucks i'd have a 520EXC by now.

-Steve

go big or go home! 1500cc goldwing engin. the trans will have reverse too.:D

Originally posted by Randy
go big or go home! 1500cc goldwing engin. the trans will have reverse too.:D

I would normally agree but there is a tight budget. Were gonna go get some prices this weekend. Belive me It will have the biggest displacement we can afford.

My Dad has a Kawi 1100 in his single seat sand rail....Fast motor and it's not to heavy...Putting out close to 160 hp with some oiling and jetting mods and it revs like crazy

Honda V65 Magna.....1100 cc's, shaft drive, was the fastest until Yamaha released the V-Max, hmmmmmm go with the V-max

Yea, go with the V-Max!:skull:

On the CART circuit most of the guys are running the Yamaha FJ1100/1200 or the Suzuki GSXR 1100. I have an 85 FJ 1100 with the 1200 tranny in it and a few extra mods.:D The Honda Goldwing motors are pretty good too. The 1500 does have reverse which could be kewl. Hell, my buddies dad chops them in half to make a two cyl. and turns them into some really bada$$ :eek:ultralight engines:eek:!!

Originally posted by offroadr35
depending on how light your buggy is and how much you can spend, the KTM 520 RFS engines are the best dirt bike engines ever put into production.

-Steve

Is that a Rotax engine?

"like what BMW uses."

Get the beamer engine. R60 or R75 would be good and tough. They also made a 900cc one that flew. These are 70's bikes so they should be in your budget. The engines are good and don't break, its just the rest of the bike that is expensive to replace/fix.

And they are shaft drive

Ron

R75/6 beamer

:eek:KTM is using the Rotax engines:question: I'd definitely leave it alone!!!
That was the whole motivation for my buddies dad making the goldwing/ultralight engines. Rotax parts are way spendy and always take forever to get. Now that maybe a different story when it comes to the KTM versions, but if you have ever tried to get the U/L parts you know what I mean, UGH!!!:mad3: All of Leonard's engines have the original VIN number etched on the modified block so you can ALWAYS get parts at your local Honda m/c dealer/parts store and not have to put anything in hock.:laughing: Honda stuff lasts and lasts and NEVER gave me any problems and I have owned quite a few. Not too mention, I'm not squimish or anywhere near gentle on my toys.:D

Originally posted by tigger4x
:eek:KTM is using the Rotax engines:question: I'd definitely leave it alone!!!

Relax, I'm probably confused. :D

I will have to agree with the idea of a BMW. They made what they call air heads, air cooled 2 cylinder engines till the I think 1995. I collect old BMW bikes and these engines are great. Low maintenance and very very tuff. I have over 100,000 miles on of my bikes and there has been no major work done to the engine and it still runs great. Allot of ultra light people use them because there are so light (almost all aluminum) and very reliable.

Phootey!

Get the 1300cc motor from Suzuki Hayabusa. :flipoff2:

Originally posted by 96C4and91K5
A V-4. Like from an old Honda Magna. I think they had some in the 1200cc range. Good mix of high RPMs and torque.

Exactly what I was gonna say - I had the V45 (750CC) and it would idle down below 1 grand in 6th gear & then pull all the way up to 9,000. Get the V65 version & it'll be better still. These were shaft-drive engines, so that might help. But, if you need chain-drive, get one from the Intercepter bikes instead of the Magnas.

TEX

What about a BIG A$$ 1300cc Suzuki Samurai motor!!!! :eek: VVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOMMMMMMM she just screams horse power :p

Originally posted by nightcrawler
Phootey!

Get the 1300cc motor from Suzuki Hayabusa. :flipoff2:

HAYABUSA HAI!!!! I'd love to play with one of those, just add on a turbo kit for more fun :D

Go with a Honda, they can make plenty of power, durable and most of all parts are cheaper than the rest.:) :D

Originally posted by emsoffroad
GSXR1000


Hell Yes...that motor is bad fawkin ass. I had a friend stuff one of those into a quad. Talk about SCARY!!!!!!!! :D

Gixxer motor defianatly since you want aftermarket support that is about as good a builder you can get, many vendors, been around a long time, (there are lots of variations thou, been around since 86, there have been air cooled, oil cooled and watercooled models, also carberated and newer ones are fuel injected)

Originally posted by Mr. Infinity
Go with a Honda, they can make plenty of power, durable and most of all parts are cheaper than the rest.:) :D

I have an RC-51 and a Triumph speed triple. Sorry but the GSXR has the after market on bike parts. Also you can always get gixxer parts for all most half then Honda. I would stay away from the Honda v-4. The cams like to eat into the head. (I may build one of these, since I have a VFR 1000 motor that runs great) But if I had to buy something I would go biggest bang for the buck. 70hp honda v-4, vs. 150+ hp gixxer.

Originally posted by emsoffroad


I have an RC-51 and a Triumph speed triple. Sorry but the GSXR has the after market on bike parts. Also you can always get gixxer parts for all most half then Honda. I would stay away from the Honda v-4. The cams like to eat into the head. (I may build one of these, since I have a VFR 1000 motor that runs great) But if I had to buy something I would go biggest bang for the buck. 70hp honda v-4, vs. 150+ hp gixxer.

RC51 and a trumpy, damn your my hero.......

as it seems the big issue is price go down to the dealer and ask em whats the cheapest big bike motor, odds are its whatever they have a lot of at the moment. also I would suggest trying for a complete or mostly complete bike, you will want the wiring harness and carbs ect for the bike in question and its probably easier than lots of trips back to the salvage yard for bits.
yamaha xs1100 would be my choice in cheap shaft drive setups, almost 100hp and the torque to go with it.
any new liter class bike if cost isn't an issue

Originally posted by FLEXYSAMMY
What about a BIG A$$ 1300cc Suzuki Samurai motor!!!! :eek: VVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOMMMMMMM she just screams horse power :p BWWWAAAHAAHAHAHAAAHHHAAA ! ! !

Originally posted by TEX
quote:
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Originally posted by 96C4and91K5
A V-4. Like from an old Honda Magna. I think they had some in the 1200cc range. Good mix of high RPMs and torque.
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Exactly what I was gonna say - I had the V45 (750CC) and it would idle down below 1 grand in 6th gear & then pull all the way up to 9,000. Get the V65 version & it'll be better still. These were shaft-drive engines, so that might help. But, if you need chain-drive, get one from the Intercepter bikes instead of the Magnas.
As much as the Honda V4 is a nice engine it has NEXT TO "0" when it comes to aftermarket support. Dale Walker's Hole Shot is about the only "real shop" that does any kind of good work on the V4 and he ain't cheap.

Like I said in my previous post, if you are gonna go Honda, go with the Goldwing engines. :beer:

I think I'm gonna build a big fourwheeler after I get my jeep done. I am looking at Honda 1.6 and 1.8 liters out of Civics and stuff, or a DSM 2.0 motor. The Honda 1.6's can be gotten really cheap since everyone swaps bigger stuff in, and they're durable as hell. I was gonna use the front transaxle, turn it sideways to give it 4wheel drive. I want it to do wheelies :P

CJ

KTM engines are all built by KTM last I checked.

Are you looking for something ready to go out of the salvage yard or are you going to have it modified?

My buddy and I did a golf cart dragster for $hit$ and giggles using a Ninja 600. We found it at an impound yard. It was a stolen recovery that was the frame, engine, wiring harness, and carbs. Best part of it was we got it for only $700! Then we sold the frame for $450 ... :D

If you're still thinking single cylinder may I suggest the venerable Yamaha SR/TT/XT 500 engine. Not a hell of a lot of power but tons of stuff is available cheap, very lightweight, did I mention cheap? Durable too, I ran one 100 rpm short of redline for 800 miles once.
Or just screw it and go V-max. Heavy, shaft drive, torque out the wazoo.
If by chance you run a Honda inline-4 then make sure it sits flat in the frame. They don't call the number 3 rod bearing the "wheelie bearing" for nothing.:nuke:

you don't want shaft drive if you cna help it..can you say POWER ROB!!

everytime your drivetrain has to take a 90 it loses 20% efficentcy

better off desighning somthing that will go chain to a t case of somthing
..

this project sounds cool let us know how it goes..