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 Post subject: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 4, 2023, 10:05 am 
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Joined: June 26, 2021, 6:19 pm
Posts: 5
Hello all,
I'm new to this forum and I've just started a "book" chassis. I'm considering a motorcycle engine.
Has anyone built a Locost 7 with carb induction? I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible.
I read that Legends racecars (all 7000 of them) have carbs, so no sensors, ECU, or high-pressure fuel pump,
On the Legends FBook page, a set of 4 carbs sell for $100, which is Low Cost!


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 8, 2023, 10:54 pm 
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Joined: November 11, 2013, 4:47 am
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Location: No. Nevada
Engine oil system and clutch are your major issues, and sometimes direction of rotation.

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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 9, 2023, 6:52 pm 
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Joined: December 22, 2006, 2:05 pm
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Also consider bike alternators are usually very expensive with limited output.

Also, how it gets titled and where you live can make initial registering to drive on the road with a motorcycle engine impossible. It may be titled as whatever year you get it inspected. Know your rules first.

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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 10, 2023, 10:28 pm 
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Joined: March 1, 2011, 9:50 pm
Posts: 119
My first motor was carbed. That motor ended up with low compression and I installed an fi motor. I'm just finishing sorting out a 2010 r1 motor.

I would advise that the carb motors may be a touch simpler, but have considerably less output and don't cost that much less if at all.

R1 engines are rather simple to run in cars. No clutch or oiling problems. Clutches are cable operated and the r1 mk Indy's run on the track without baffles.

If you have questions, feel free to ask. Ive put 4 different bike engines into my frame at this point. I also have a good running 02 fi r1 engine hanging out here.


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 11, 2023, 2:15 pm 
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Joined: June 26, 2021, 6:19 pm
Posts: 5
Thanks for the input, I live in central Pennsylvania, I've seen several Locost 7s in the area, including a bike engine build,
so, I'm hoping PA is easier to register in than say, California.
About alternators, years ago I replaced a KZ1000 stator,
2 years after that, I replaced it again, so I'm familiar with the cost, and hassle.
I'd be interested in an R1 motor, dependent of course on price and location.
Thx!


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 11, 2023, 10:07 pm 
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Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
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Sbm1965 wrote:
Thanks for the input, I live in central Pennsylvania, I've seen several Locost 7s in the area, including a bike engine build,
so, I'm hoping PA is easier to register in than say, California.
...

Everyone slams CA about, well, everything, but registering a self-built car is actually easier than the majority of states, though I have no idea how it compares to Pennsylvania.

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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 25, 2023, 11:03 am 
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Joined: September 3, 2012, 10:48 pm
Posts: 336
Location: Hamden CT.
Sbm1965 wrote:
Hello all,
I'm new to this forum and I've just started a "book" chassis. I'm considering a motorcycle engine.
Has anyone built a Locost 7 with carb induction? I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible.
I read that Legends racecars (all 7000 of them) have carbs, so no sensors, ECU, or high-pressure fuel pump,
On the Legends FBook page, a set of 4 carbs sell for $100, which is Low Cost!



my wife and I own a race shop we tend to cater more to motorcycle powered cars.
we do work on a number of the dwarf and legend cars along with god knows how many road course racing cars.
we are also a Rush SR dealer offering rentals , sales , service parts , and track side support for rush cars.

depending on the oil sump / pan they do not have an oiling problem. some engines will be fine with the stock pans some not so good. how ever for a number of the popular bike engines places do make pans for use in cars.

fuel pumps : most your not needing a super high value or pressure pump to make the fuel injection systems work.
for the Suzuki engine that we tend to deal with most the fuel pressures are about 42 to 43 LBS pressure with a flow rate of 223 ML in 10 seconds.
so the fuel pumps are not any more money for a good one than what you would need for a carbed engine to run. I'm not talking about the cheap 35 dollar pumps you can get off amazon that are crap off shore junk. I'm talking about quality pumps with brand names.
if the engine your looking to use has all the goodies and is using a ECU they are pretty easy to wire up to work in a car.

clutches: for street use being the clutches don't have a flywheel you need to slip the clutch more to get the car rolling. so in some cases yes it will not last as long as it will on a bike. but !!!! clutches are about 300$ for most and unlike in most every car are very easy to change.
for track use like the cars we deal with most there are no big clutch problem as once the car is out on track running your not starting from a stand still.
if your going to go with a car that uses an ECU you then can add in auto blip for down gearing and flat shift for up gearing. so no clutching is ever needed once the car is rolling along.

electrical: most bike engines can handle the basic power needs your bike engine powered car uses. really the only time we have encountered the bike engine not having enough juice is for the people that want to start adding things like stereo systems other that that your car uses and needs the some things as a bike to be street legal.
the only real other add on is another head light and tail light.


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 26, 2023, 12:17 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 10:29 am
Posts: 599
962 Porsche - I'd like to hear your feedback on the best BEC donors and why. And on mid-engined applications, what are your thoughts on chain drive? Care and feeding of those are something holding me back from going BEC on my next build.


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 26, 2023, 5:25 am 
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Joined: September 3, 2012, 10:48 pm
Posts: 336
Location: Hamden CT.
I never claim to be some kind of BEC guru but I have learned a few things over the years building and repairing them.
I personally don't think there is a best engine to use. I think if you personally know a particular engine than that's the biggest plus.
I think if you stay with in the big 4 known makes that have been uses many times then you will have a big pool of knowledge to go to.
personally I ten to lean for the suzuki engines ( GSXR & GSXS ) I have used a few times the triumph rocket engines and the Goldwing engines on some builds that worked out great.

chain drive or a shaft drive? I personally have no problems with either that's more to what the application calls for.
people say chain drives don't last but like on a bike they take maintenance. you have to keep them adjusted , cleaned and lubed! you will hear some say you don't need to lube an o-ring chain but yes you do!!! the lube isn't for keeping the the rollers of the chain lubed they are sealed by an o-ring you lube then to keep the o-rings soft and in good condition. case and point one of our customers that race was one that never lubed his chain and was having to replace then often. we got taking about why his chains are not lasting thru the race season. I gave him a can of chain lube and told him to start lubing your chain after every two run session. wouldn't you know his chains now last a full season.
front engine cars with drive shafts they too do take some maintenance. you still have u-joints to deal with granted no adjustments and no lubing other than greasing the u-joints over the winter break.


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 26, 2023, 9:36 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 10:29 am
Posts: 599
Thank you. Any thoughts on the Aprilia v-4s? My impression is that the motors are stout, but the parts network is sketchy. And what makes a v configuration desirable in a bike just adds unnecessary complexity to a BEC.


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 Post subject: Re: Bike Engine Locost 7
PostPosted: May 30, 2023, 7:41 am 
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Joined: September 3, 2012, 10:48 pm
Posts: 336
Location: Hamden CT.
Aprillia's along with KTM's and Ducati's are some of my favorite bikes.
the down side to using them as the donor engines for a BEC is that there aren't many out there so your left with having to figure things out and seeing what works and doesn't.
even the simple things you may need for say if your going to need a driveshaft adapter to replace the countershaft sprocket. is there one already made for the engine like already available for the big 4 bike brands on the market now or will you have to design and build one?


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