Interesting Engine?!

[BigSkyBrad]

Being a biker as well, I've known about the Motus motorcycle for a few years. It's an low-volume production American sport-tourer with a 1600cc V4 of their own design, and I've just discovered that the V4 is now available as a crate engine putting out a standard 150hp. It's a push-rod, hydraulic roller lifters, injected engine that is essentially a scaled down modern V8 cut in half. In the bike, it has a separate gearbox, like a Harley/old brit bike, and the bellhousing between the engine and gearbox is a 12-bolt arrangement so that an adapter plate can be used to mate other types of gearboxes for use in car, plane and marine applications!

http://www.motusmotorcycles.com/american-v4

[Stu Faulkner]

I think I might have room for one of those in front of my existing engine.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

19 minutes ago, Stuart Faulkner - Shows & Events Coordinator said:

I think I might have room for one of those in front of my existing engine.

Use it as a starter motor!

[John K]

We all know somebody will bolt 2 of them together in line and we will be back where we started, with a V8..!

Or if its a typical Westie builder for whom instructions are there as guidance rather than to be followed, side by side for a W8, which is then too wide so they'll fit it transversely with an external belt drive to one of the rear wheels...

[Jenko]

I like the idea of that in a lightweight kit car......nice and symmetrical for my OCD..

 

[SootySport]

Fitting it close up to the bulkhead would make it a well balanced car.    If you look at the spec of the MSTR bike,  power is 180hp, even better.

[BigSkyBrad]

A couple of years ago I saw a yellow 7-esque BEC (Westfield/locost/can't remember) on Ebay powered by a Honda ST1100 V4 (which is already set for shaft-drive, and is a heavy bike).

Not the gruntiest engine by a long mile, which made me think the Motus engine would be way better. However, the $10k crate price is a bit of a non-starter.

@SootySport Yeah, the MV4R sport engine is 180hp - that's a lot from a factory 1600 pushrod, and a healthy 126 ft-lb over a very broad range to boot. In fact, per litre, it's only a gnat's whisker off a factory F20c engine. At any rate, it makes my 1800 Zetec seem rather Flintstone!