I was looking for input on using a harley motor for a BEC locost. you can get them in up to 100" versions they are all dry sumped efi or carbed.

since they have lots of torque I could have a very low geared car that would pull out of corners real well.

nick

Hmmm, I dont wanna wee on ya chips, but unless they rev to about 10-12k rpm and produce at least 120-130bhp then I wouldnt bother. I think they only rev to around 7-8k and probably dont have hugely high gearing (cos they dont go fast), so you are unlikely to be able to get suitable gearing with the available diffs unless you only ever want to do 70mph flat out.

Chris

[Edited on 5/8/03 by ChrisGamlin]

...but wouldn't it make a lovely noise!!



DJ

If you want to use an antiquated piece of junk, go ahead

100 cu.in is about 1.6 litres. You will find much better car or bike engines for probably much less money.

It's cast iron, so probably weighs as much as a car engine.

Make a nice noise, but wouldn't have the performance to match.

Also, it's missing 6 cylinders for a proper V

ATB

Simon

PS Just noticed you're from the US of A, so I've probably upset you now

[Edited on 5/8/03 by Simon]

As with the other post on here about the VMax, you also have to think about routing of the exhaust. Need two pipes out of the block and one is gonna have to come past the steering column and brake masters, which will make life fun!

well the aftemarket engines are alloy with steel liners. exhaust exits out the same side of the engine which would be the front side if I mount it sideways. my real concern is that they are not balanced and have alot of low end toraye and would wonder if the chassis would need some extra support?


nick

I remember reading an article some time ago, about someone who had bolted a Harvey Danielson motor into a car of some sort. No matter what was done with the engine mounts, it would continually crack the chassis in various places. The motors only fire about once every telegraph pole. It would be like hitting the chassis repeatedly with a lump hammer. The project was disgarded IIRC.
The problem as I see it, is that HD engines don't have a balance shaft?
I know from experience, you can't fit a dirtbike motor into a quad frame as it too, will vibrate the thing apart. Even Honda realised that. When the TRX 400EX (quad) was introduced, it was touted as having the 400cc engine from the XR400 bike. In actual fact, it shares little with the bike engine.
Two wheelers can tolerate a lot of vibration, as the contact points with the ground (tyres) have a pivot between them (the steering head).
Superbike motors are finely balanced to start with, so make good car engines.
Having said that, I removed the balance shaft from my ZZR1100, welded up the hole in the cases, and solid-mounted it in my car.
On those engines, the balance shaft is really only there to stop the bike's mirrors vibrating, and distorting the rider's view.

A trike...

Take a look at the following page for more info.

http://matt_birchard.tripod.com/cars/merlin.htm

[Edited on 8/9/03 by sgraber]

[Edited on 8/9/03 by sgraber]

[Edited on 8/9/03 by sgraber]

Here's a Harley powered BEC:
Rescued attachment Sportster_mower.jpg

What sort of grass are you going to cut with THAT?

Nick,

Just had a look at the Triumph M/c's website, and might have found the ideal bike engine fro you

From the new Rocket 3.

3 cyl in line (mounted longitudinally)
140cu in (2294cc)
147ft lb at 2500 rpm

ATB

Simon

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson
What sort of grass are you going to cut with THAT?

---

well...not even going to look into it...very hard to find triumph's in the US let alone a donor bike. like the idea of a harley motor being that the new ones are balanced, all alloy, have six speeds, belt drive. I was thinking of putting it in a MEC though...figured it is more efficent for a bec.

nick