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best engine for a trike ?
Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 06:10 PM

ok , i want the best engine for front engine rear drive shaft/chain

air/water not bothered , BMW keeps sticking in my head

just want something to search .

im after easy to build that will get me to work cheaply but provide some thrills.

Confused but excited. - 23/12/11 at 06:19 PM

V4 Bike engine. Google 'Bardsey Bullet'.

scootz - 23/12/11 at 06:24 PM

What kind of trike? Traditional layout, or 'reverse'? What weight are you aiming for?

Do you have a 'style' in mind?

Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 06:45 PM

reverse trike , bit like a morgan but i want it to be aerodynamically efficient so it may be a bit narrow.

100 mph top speed would be fine / 50 mpg is a goal .

spiderman - 23/12/11 at 06:47 PM

Pedals! I had them on my trike before I learned how to ride a proper bike.

Only joking guys. How about something shaft drive? It seems logical to me if you are building a conventional trike/reverse trike.

[Edited on 23/12/11 by spiderman]

Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 06:53 PM

i did specify shaft/chain drive !!!

i was thinking something like a sidecar , but completely faired in , but that would mean doing my bike licence unless somebody else knows different

r1_pete - 23/12/11 at 06:59 PM

Moto Guzzi V Twin, the idea of a guzzi morgan look alike is etched on the back of my brain, guess it won't go away till I try it...

Even thinking of ways to incoperate a car gearbox for a reverse...

[Edited on 23/12/11 by r1_pete]

steve m - 23/12/11 at 07:06 PM

"i did specify shaft/chain drive !!! "

err what else is left? as i dont think warp drive is quite working yet

leeswesty - 23/12/11 at 07:08 PM

Why not do a bike conversion i was a trike builder for 5 years at the trike shop in Cardiff and used to do all the shows and see a lot of crap but if car engine one is what you want then good luck seen a Subaru engine trike was nice.

scootz - 23/12/11 at 07:12 PM

If I was building a front engined trike, then I'd make it front wheel drive. Air cooled V-twin hanging out the front... coupled straight onto an LSD.

(Ps - I know it's not what you want ).

smart51 - 23/12/11 at 07:14 PM

The best place to fit an engine is just infront of the front axle. Ideally it would have a very low centre of gravity, so a boxer engine is best. Porsche, Subary, VW beetle or 2CV spring to mind. Erm, or a scooter engine. A Vee engine would be the next best. Plenty of V twins on bikes, or a V4 from a Pan European.

Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 08:06 PM

so the BMW boxer isnt a good engine ?

i thought of something like the oekmobil , but with two wheels on the front , but that design would lend itslef better to a rear engine trike , and would be far simpler to build .

its also more difficult to fit two people in .

scootz - 23/12/11 at 08:10 PM

BMW Boxer is a very good engine... particularly if you're definitely going front-engine and rear wheel drive (pic attached of mine showing the gearbox and prop).




Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 08:29 PM

i must have asked this before , what bmw bikes have the boxer ?

scootz - 23/12/11 at 08:39 PM

All the 'R' bikes.

smart51 - 23/12/11 at 09:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Volvorsportso the BMW boxer isnt a good engine ?


Must I really quote every boxer engine in existence? I believe Paxton bus engines are boxers. Fancy one of them? Plenty of low down grunt.

Volvorsport - 23/12/11 at 10:16 PM

ooof

volvo B10M - thats mid engined ......

ive thought about a beetle too , just do a remake of the original porsche record car , job done .......

graememk - 23/12/11 at 10:57 PM

i'm using a k100 rs for my trike