I know where there's a 1015 engine on an Ami Super chassis complete with a 2CV bodyshell with various new panels for sale for very little money, if anyone's interested. The current owner was talking about phoning the scrapman last time I emailed her ... if anyone's interested in it, PM me and I'll pass your email on.

I agree with ya Russell, They certainly are Old Skool...
Certainly ease of build is the main plus compared to some of the ones I've seen on da Net...
The Bike engine sounds like a good way to go!!

Trouble is with bike engines, you get half the milage from it before having to replace it, it's not so much as pulling the weight, it's the aerodynamic drag that it can't cope with. I've spoken to caterham builders that have tried and tested it.

what sort of bike engines have they tried? There are different 'types' of bike engines, just like cars. I don't know about the newer ones like Joolz's, but older aircooled BMW boxers are pretty difficult to wear out, and fairly easy to work on when you do manage it!

My bike engine went after 17,000 km!!

Am I right in thinking you had a 125 of some description, James?

Well he builds them for customers and a lot of them want r1 engines etc

Mopeds don't count james, Caterhams and the like tend to use the big sports bike engines, 4 cylinders, 1000+cc, 12,000rpm redline, and more than 150hp. Sports bikes aren't designed to do big millages, they're too damn uncomfortable, plus the fact that with 150hp in a 200kg bike it never spends much time at full throttle. To be honest with that much power you can 'make good progress' on less that half throttle. Obviously when you put the same engine in a car it has to work a lot harder, and so wears out a lot quicker. Bike engines in car are very entertaining, but by most car standards they're virtually race engines. Imagine how long a 1liter car engine would last if you could tune it for 150hp.

I'm hoping the BMW is different, it's certainly far less frantic, and is generally considered a bit of an old man's bike. It's also over 1liter but 'only' makes 85hp with a far better spread of torque, much better suited to car use.

Oh yeah, and how come that sidewinder RT found is still available? Someone here should have snapped it up by now, come on guys pull your fingers out!

It was a 50cc sport. Un comfortable but fast! Took it off roaring and snapped the apedo cable in 3 once!!!
Off topic, it amazes me how much care I take with my car, I couldntgive a monkeys about my bike, rodeit through sea, cleaned twice in ownership, ragged it to hell, once I even ran it on half diesel half petrol (a friend had filled there boat up with petrol instead of diesel so I had a mix of red diesel and petrol running it, very smokey and horrendous starting problems, not helped by having an autochoke of an100cc carb!!!!
I would never go back to biking u less it was 250 upwards!!! Sliding round corners on ice wasn't all that fun
I retire back to my English class. Teachers out the room!

Well put Joolz,
If i wasn't up to my nuts in tuned Visa goodness I would be chasing a Moto Guzzi v10 Centauro.

OHC although not as well matched as the BMW R1150 as it has +10 Hp at 95bhp but -10 torques @ 65ft / lbs

Harley