What motorcycle engine?

[culleni100]

I will have £25000 to spend on a 7 come the new year and ideally would like a bike powered derivative.

 

I know that the fireblade unit is the most commonly used, but my mate told me to look into getting a yamaha R1 engine, (he's got an R1 and likes it very much!)

 

Would it be worth the hastle of finding a dropped R1 or just going for the safe optiona with the honda? Evo magazine voted it track car of the year so I'm tempted to go for the Blade even though its 30-40 bhp down on the Yam.

 

any advice is welcome...

 

[dino ferrana]

What do you intend to use the car for? I beleive that Caterham reckon unless you are doing 80-90% track days then it is probably best to go for the K-Series options.

 

Remember also that the Caterham R300 won this years track car of the year (and many other journalists have loved it!) and that falls roughly into your budget.

 

The fireblade is a fantastically light and nimble package and amazing for track work apparently. On the road I would curse the lack of torque and the live axle. I would stick with the FIreblade engine as it is a devloped car already and can be bought from James whiting. I imagine an R1 engine may well fit but it will be a lot more hassle than a fireblade.

 

IMHO the R300 is a much more rounded package and reckoned by some to be the best all round Caterham ever!

 

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[sjwb]

Two points ☹️

1) WHICH not WHAT.

2) I don't know who told you that the blade was 30 - 40 bhp down, but without being specific he was talking 🙆🏻.

 

Steve B

[Paul Thompson]

I am getting really p*ssed off with the nonsense about bike engined cars on the road. Why is everybody an expert ?

They are so much easier to drive than the heavy Metro derived engines - you just have to remember that the clutch was designed to be used by a hand lever rather than some moronic size 12 Doc Marten. You only need to use it on downchanges anyway!

Get a Fireblade - you can save yourself 6k on your budget to pay for Trackdays and driving tuition . My car a JW Blade did over 1000 track miles last year and was quick enough to frighten me and a few others. You will not regret it 1

[Blatman]

I beleive that Caterham reckon unless you are doing 80-90% track days then it is probably best to go for the K-Series options

That'll have nothing to do with the fact that Caterham Cars Ltd don't actually make, or sell, bike engined cars, could it................

Dino must be on commission........... *tongue*

[Bananaman]

If you're looking for a well (probably the best) put together XTR then this will be the one:

Professionally built by 2747 Race Engineering

Suzuki Hayabusa Engine 1300cc tuned by Symtech Racing

Full set of new dry and wets on matching wheels

All loom and lights supplied to SVA if required

Radical reverse system,

Red & Black bodywork.

 

Raced twice at the end of 2002 - finishing 1st and 2nd in class

 

Stockmarket forces reluctant sale of this stunning car

 

£25,000

 

E-mail for pics.

Contact Neil Gregory

Tel. 0191 264 3793

Mobile. 07989 390 431

email. neil.gregory2747@virgin.net

 

 

West is best!!!!

[dino ferrana]

NO 😳 I wish 😬

 

I thought the the JW blade was officially supported?

 

It isn't just them that say that of course though. I have lost count of the number of times that they have done track tests in magazines with a car like the Megabusa and have not driven the car to the track but they have driven a car engined Caterham there.

 

You may get used to the clutch etc. on a blade engined car and find them easy to drive but easier than a K-Series car not a chance. You will have to plan everthing you do in a car with so little torque and you can be easily be caught out in the wrong part of the rev range when something unexpected happens on the road. In a conventional engine seven you would have little problem but with a bike engine you can end up bogged down.

 

I have no doubt in how fantastic a bike engine can be on the track. I would not want to own one for a lot of road work though.

 

Less Torque = Less Flexibility.

 

You can drive a bike engine car on the road but it will always be more difficult than a conventional engined car.

[mr_ed]

Absolute tat, have you ever driven a bike engined car?

You give the impression it's like driving a 1ltr Landrover.

 

 

[Julian Thompson]

Just to add some balance to the argument I've driven both quite a lot on the road.

 

Physics dictate that the lighter car with better weight distribution will be ultimately quicker given the same power and the same ability of driver. This translates into the fact that a BEC on the track is a thing of joy. I do confess to having more difficulty on down changes in a BEC but my pal Pat is blindingly quick in his, so perhaps I'll shut up.

 

However,

 

A K powered car is a remarkable compromise for road and track use and anyone interested in a BEC ought to try one first just as a yard stick to ensure they arn't kidding themselves. My K car has never been out pointed around a track by a BEC yet, either, overall. Yes, I might have been outbraked a few times, or out apexed, but once I unleash the beast they've all been reeled in like that bloke does on the fishing programme that I hate so much!!!!

 

And,

 

I'm sorry, but a BEC is not as nice and civalised on the road as a K powered car. Yes you can drive it - smoothly too, if you're good, but you just can't help the odd crappy shift creeping in, or a few shunts on the driveline nown again.

 

I feel guilty driving a BEC slowly, somehow. My K car lets me chill out; a real two character car!!

 

Try it - you might like it!

 

PS

 

Both are just bloody fantastic - so you really can't go wrong!

[edmandsd]

GSXR1000 for best power to weight

 

Home of BDR700

[cdg]

Don't mess about with sub-1litre engines. I'd stick in a Kawasaki ZX12R. Awesome.

[Peter Carmichael]

To do anything other than a tried and trusted implementation will bust your budget in no time. You won't get an R1 engine in a new Caterham chassis with proper solutions for important bits like dry sumps and reversing boxes for 25 grand.

[jerrypike]

agree with peter re budget and a ready engineered package

personally i had no problems with a BEC on road and find my blackbird the best all-round road bike i've owned: 28,000 miles and still makes 140 bhp @ back wheel- still think it's better than a fireblade for a BEC

jerry

[DaveK]

Having driven a hayabusa engined car in the club sprint with modest success

I found the BEC was very easy to drive either slowly or quickly.

 

Both James Whiting and Blackbird motorsport will i'm sure accomodate you with detail of there products so try before you buy as the world doesn't end with a

k-series ( or a vauxhall 16v ) as you may be pleasently suprised at how drivable they are .

 

Dave

[Morls]

While I'm putting a 'Blade engine in mine (not the one for sale), IMHO an R1 is a much nicer engine in the bike than he 919cc blade, the top-end definately isn't 30bhp apart but the midrange response on the R1 makes a blade feel like a 750.

 

The reason I've gone for the blade tho is packaging (it's a nice square shape compared to the canted forward R1) and proven reliability (whatever sump options seem to be used), in Locosts, Westys and Fisher Furys as well as the JW Caterham.

 

The costs discussed on here each time BECs are mentioned seems to vary hugely, for a car that's basically a classic, but with a £1500 engine / box / clutch / carbs / ecu combo (as with the 'Blade) to cost £25000 doesn't seem right.

 

James Whiting's website has most of the options costed and £20000 seems more like it.

 

For 25K you could be looking at a tuned 'Busa or ZX12 which could have almost double the power (for an extra 20Kg) over a blade, with 5oobhp/tonne potential.

 

But, to sum up...If i had £25000 and could afford a tuned dry sumped 'Busa (and for £12000 more than the price of a classic surely this is possible), then I'm sure this would be better than a 'blade.

 

 

 

Mark

 

☹️ My Caterham Silver Jubilee No. 7 is for sale ☹️

[catflap]

I have a megablde and drive it on the road most nights, if fine in town, infact the super light clutch and each gear hange make it easy whn moving, its just th epulling of yo uwill need to get used to, but it aint hard at all.

 

On track i wish i had more power, but dont we all