LocostUSA.com

I'm thinking about putting a bike engine in my Mini and I've been looking at a bunch of different options

I've narrowed it down to one of these
96 Honda 900 RR
98 Kawasaki ZX9 R

I can pick up either one pretty dang cheap

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

You can get get bigger bike engines and I would look longer till you find one. At least 1200 or 1400... I think there are ZX1400, that should work. It will have a heavier transmission and enough torque to help get the car rolling.

_________________
Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

The goal is to make everything fit into a stock looking mini and the space available is pretty darn small

Also, either engine offers WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY more power and torque than a 50 year old BMC A series

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

So just don't beat on the engine. That would be nice. If the 900 makes the power you want at 7000 RPM and the bigger engine does it at 3500, which is going to be more pleasant to drive?

_________________
Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Maybe get 2 900CC engines, one in the front and one in the back, then you can have a really cool 4WD mini.

My vote would be the Honda, because Honda motor are typically very reliable.

_________________
2015 & 2016 EMod Florida State Autocross Champion
2013 & 2014 DSP Florida State Autocross Champion

Scrap Metal Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14558

Out of curiosity, what do you expect the car to weigh, road ready?

_________________
Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

Ok, so I'm biased.
The R1 always appears to be a popular choice. Maybe that's because there is lots of them around. I'm also a big Honda fan, and the best bike I've ever owned was a Suzuki DR 350. 25,000 km on gnarly trails and logging roads, by myself, and never a hiccup. Never owned anything from Kawasaki. So, to make a long story short, pick whatever you fancy, you'll love it either way.

_________________
Martin


My build log:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14520&start=0
My build video:
https://vimeo.com/143524140 password "matovid"

About 1350-1400 lbs

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

why would you think the mini would scale out that heavy ?
stock they scale out at 1280 or so . I built two MINI'S one front engine and one mid with rear drive .
using a tube chassis and fiberglass panels .
the front engine build was on a stock body when finished it scaled out at just over 1200 lbs with a busa motor .
your right about having very little room but the busa motor was not really any bigger then the 900cc Suzuki motors.
the hood clearance was a problem along with the angle to the differential as it sits almost right under the motor .
are you thinking of chain drive ?

The ZG1400 gears fit in a ZX14 case. .. I like that idea, a 3.30 first gear with second a little steeper than the ZX first gear (2.412 vs 2.625) and sixth one tooth deeper than the ZX (1.074 vs 1.036). Or you can keep the ZX sixth gear, they swap back and forth.

ZG1400 1st 3.333 (50/15) 2nd 2.415 (41/17) 3rd 1.900 (38/20) 4th 1.545 (34/22) 5th 1.292 (31/24) 6th 1.074 (29/27)
ZX1400 1st 2.625 (42/16) 2nd 1.947 (37/19) 3rd 1.545 (34/22) 4th 1.333 (32/24) 5th 1.154 (30/26) 6th 1.036 (29/28)

A fairly stable 200 hp. .....

_________________
"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Im guessing what it weighs. The Chilton manual specs it at 1407

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

they state the curb weight from some thing like 1300 to 1500 LBS the two we scaled as a base starting weight to see the weight difference after we were finished with the builds they both where about 1300 LBS .
when it comes to putting the power to the ground the tire sizes just suck !
with the busa motor all the tires do is spin .
the 900cc motor may not be a bad idea to a point but finding a motor that puts out some thing in the 200 PH and some were around 100 torques stock would make the fast and also more drivable . the busa motor is a little to much . if we ever do another I would tend to push the customer to some thing in the 1000cc range . most of the older 1000's are in the 175hp and the 100 torque range personally the target range that would be good for the car .

Went today and took THE UGLIEST 900 Ninja on the planet for a test ride. Sweet Baby Jesus I had forgotten how scary a crotch rocket can be.


Owner dropped it and the owner's wife said time to sell.

Plastics are messed up some, so some bodywork if I wanted to sell it. The handlebars aren't bent One scuff on the left lower cover.
Nothing broken that I could find other than the plastics.

Comes with new in box HID kit, extra handlebars, extra set of controls. Clean SC title.

A little haggling and here's either my donor for the Mini or a fix and flip project.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

OK somebody has an ADD problem. Stay focused! BTW, I'm jealous!

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Yeah, ADD I gots it. I am focused. This is for the Mini... unless it's actually too nice to part out.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216