Hi everyone. Glad to meet you all. Basically i haven't started anything yet. All i know is that I want to make a R1 Locost. Of course, in the country i live, there is no such thing as an SVA so you don't really know what they're gonna ask for to give you number plates. Anyway, that's still something i'm looking into and is off topic.

My question is this:

I want to build a LEFT HAND drive R1 locost so should i use the standard book chassis or some other one (for instance one of the mcsorley's). i've read on here that the r1 fits into the book chassis just fine but i would like to make sure as regards problems with left hand drive and fitting the engine to the right to counter weight distribution.

someone here mentioned elsewhere that they mounted the engine on an angle etc. so i would like to straighten things out so i know what i will have to do.

cheers

daffy

i can tell you i have a lhd MKIndy in the states w a fireblade /cbr engine in it... if that s of any help

I don't think it is impossible but will be complicated by:

Engine site on LHD of engine bay so:

Steering column wanting to go through the engine ; needs some clever routing

Length of driver's footwell with pedal box will affect possible engine position

Driver and engine will be on the same side so the weight distribution will be biased to the left - need a big passenger to balance it all out!!! don't think you can shift the engine too much as this will give horrible prop angles.

So - not impossible but will require careful planning. Should be possible with a book chassis (although you're probably better off working with the "book" McSorely plans)

HTH

Stephen

[Edited on 10/11/05 by stevebubs]

Welcome, Daffy.

The LHD BECs I've seen before were MK Fireblades and they have the engine located on the left because of the location of the mainfold and prop in the engine. They had a clever steering column routing. Their weight is somewhat unbalanced.

You would have the same situation for a R1. If you want to put the engine on the right, you would need to find an engine with a different arrangement (mirrored) plus the prop needs to rotate in the right direction.

I have a Fireblade Locost in Spain and I chose RHD. This car is not wide (driver and passenger are not too far from each other) and it has a lot of visibility. Only it is quite long (often you need to put a lot of it on the road before you get to see what's there) and the harness doesn't allow for too much movement of the body (to look around). I have got used to RHD easily, much more than to other "characteristics" of the car indeed

Where are you from?

Cheers,

Alex

the R1 engine leans over to the left (as viewed from the back of the car. Although the cylinderhead goes right over to the left hand side of the engine bay, there's plenty of room underneath, except that's where the exhaust manifold is. Still there's room under that and if you can get a steering column in there then you'll be OK.

Due to the vertically stacked gearbox the R1 is significantly narrower than most other bike engines suitable for BECs, so you should be able squeeze a column down the side of it.
This is a pic of my R1 install into a book chassis, the prop is fairly central so Id think you could move it over a little more to give enough clearance down the chassis rail to get a column through.


Top hose plumbing

Chris

i think that westfields use a right hand drive rack and move the colum to the left?

quote:

---

Originally posted by KJK
i think that westfields use a right hand drive rack and move the colum to the left?

---

Ok, first of all thank you all very much for your answers! (Secondly alex, i live in greece)

I'm guessing it won't be too easy to find an engine going the 'wrong' way huh? I'd much rather prefer the R1 to the more torquey fj1300. although at this stage, nothing is out of the question yet.

If i can't find an engine with exit on the other side i'll just have to make do with an off balance car (i'm light myself weighing in at only 65kilos so i guess it won't be thaaaaat bad). right hand drive is pretty much out of the question. i once tried to speed shift gears in a right hand drive MX-5 and the results were hilarious! come to think of it, the locost will be sequential so the only problem would be handbrake turns and visibility. still i don't think i would be able to get used to it.

I guess i could always make the fuel tank more square (so that when fueled up, the fuel takes up more space on the right) rather than rectangular to counterbalance the left bias.

I'm still in the planning phase so i'm pretty much trying to sort out all my worries on paper first before i start anything so you'll have to excuse me if i'm a pain in the......bass.

of course there is always the problem of actually sourcing the bike parts. you may as well be being gold they're so expensive here.

>I'm guessing it won't be too easy to find an engine going the 'wrong' way huh? I'd much rather prefer the R1 to the more torquey fj1300. although at this stage, nothing is out of the question yet.

BMW should be right side and right rotation ...

Cheers

Honda Pan European will give you room both sides of the engine...

Its a V4... shaft drive...