How can I get the drive from a blade engine too My type 9 gearbox ? Is there an adaptor plate on the market or do I make somthing up ? Also what clutch do I need ?

Your blade engine already has a built in gearbox and clutch

Type 9 gearbox?????????

Some basic education required I think

http://attitude-roadsters.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/index.htm

you need one of these and a longer prop !

Lots of people seem to make them.

It has a gearbox built in!!! no other gearbox required, just a prop adapter and a modified prop

Rich.

But is'nt the Fireblade gearbox operated via a foot pedal/lever ? I was told people use a car gearbox to avoid this problem ?

Completely wrong I'm afraid mate, you just use a series of rods or a cable to connect the gear lever to the gear selector shaft on the bike gearbox.

Rich.

Have a look at our website. Build diary or rebuild diary - Blade engine in first, ZX12R in second. Might give you some idea of how it all works.

The principles are much the same for most bike engine installations.

Just think though, 30 forward gears and 6 reverse .

Probably a dumb question (from a bike engine know- nothing, BTW) but is there not a case for using a stripped out car gearbox in the driveline.
Was thinking in terms of something a bit more compact than a T9, with only 4th, 5th and reverse gears left in the box. This would give you a higher set of forward ratios for cruise, plus the all important reverse gear (well 5 or 6 actually!). Or have I overlooked something obvious?

Weight?

Pat...

and complexity

Right, I think I'm getting the idea now, I keep the bike gearbox and use that ? What about the clutch, surely the bike clutch wont withstand driving two wheels instead of one, also how do I make it go backwards ?

Would it be a good idea to use part of the bike frame to fix the engine into the car, I see some of you use what you call "cradles" would the bike frame act as one ?

You upgrade the clutch by fitting heavy duty clutch springs.
Barnett are highly recommended (its their MT99 springs you need.) Can be obtained from PDQ (sorry, don't have their tel no. to hand - do a search on google.)
Another recommendation is to remove the ant-rattle spring from the clutch assy and replace with another friction plate.
I can recommend Andy Bates of AB performance (tel. 01284 703101) for all things to do with blade engines.

As regards a cradle, it depends on what you're building, really.
The likes of MK, Stuart Taylor, MNR to name a few, do a bespoke cradle for their particular cars - though the Stuart Taylor one can be used in a locost.
I had to make my own from scratch.

For a reverse, you've got 3 choices:-
1) Get out and push (most popular and cheapest option! )
2) fit an electric reverse using a starter motor. (2nd cheapest option.)
3) Fit a seperate reverse box in the transmission line. (Most expensive option)

HTH,

Andy.

Bertie, have a look at the some of the links here, especially the Member Links and Information Sites, they should give you a good overall idea of how the BEC principle works.

Particular ones Id have a look at are

http://striker.r-one.co.uk/
and
http://biketransplant.tripod.com/

Chris