StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 Hi, Me and my partner are looking at buying a Westie Megabusa, this is what we have been after for a long time and finally we think we have found the one we want and are going to look and hopefully buy tomorrow. Ive heard great things about the Westie Megabusa and also lots of people saying how reliable they have been despite the bad press they sometimes get. What are peoples opinions and experience in general around the Megabusa? This is the spec of the one we are looking at? This car is a SEIW (wide bodied) and started life as a Megablade with an 893cc Honda Fireblde engine, it was subsequently rebuilt from the ground up by an experienced Westfield builder & racer in spring 2017. It was subsequently fitted with a fully rebuilt Suzuki Hayabusa supplied by Extreme Engines, the engine was dyno'd at Northampton Motorsport and produces 208bhp & 118lbs/ft torque, maps available. The 6 speed sequential box is amazing to use and contributes to a sub 4 second 0-60 time. The diff is fitted with sprint ratios (Landrover Freelander 3.62) so top speed is probz around 130mph. The car weighs around 510kgs so it has over 400bhp per ton. Brand new Avon ZZS tyres were fitted less than 100 miles ago. The car has Wilwood 4 pot brakes on the front and is fitted with DS2500 pads. Suspension is Nitron adjustables. The wheels are Image rims which are very light, the tyres were recently replaced and have done around 175 miles. The tyres are Avon ZZS in 215/50/13 on the front and generous 245/45/13 on the rears. There is also a large, and very rare rear diffuser which I believe is by Carbon Mods. Seats are full carbon Tilletts (B6) and are very comfortable, they are fitted with 5 point Sabelt harnesses. Mileage currently just over 3000. What do you guys think to the spec and what is it potentially going to be like to live with?? Many thanks Mark Quote
TAFKARM Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 What do you want to use it for Mark? And be honest with yourself! Itll make a great track weapon but a pretty awful European tourer! Quote
Terry Everall Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 yep, we need to know what use it will have. On the road its ok but high revs in gears do not make it a nice drive on long straight roads Quote
Kingster Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 6 hours ago, Meatibald Archpants said: but a pretty awful European tourer! Not necessarily that bad! We have had two Busa engined cars on euro tours and in multiple Scottish highland tours - they managed just fine. Personally I went for a car engine as best of both worlds - but have been surprised at how well the BECs have coped on our many 1-2k mile tours. 1 1 Quote
StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 25, 2019 Author Posted August 25, 2019 Hi, thanks for your replies. We want it for weekend blasts on the road and the odd track day and hill climb event. We both have other fast cars so the need for a tourer is not essential we also quite like the rawness and aggression of the bike engines. What are they like for reliability? Im yet to see the exact paperwork but I understand this particular Westfield was built and engine supplied by Extreme Engines, who i understand are very good at the bike engine business? Thanks Quote
Terry Everall Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 Karl at Extreme is a very good bike engine builder. It should be reasonably reliable depending on how hard you drive it. Is it dry sumped? If yes, which system has it got fitted? Quote
Kingster Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 6 hours ago, Meatibald Archpants said: What do you want to use it for Mark? And be honest with yourself! Itll make a great track weapon but a pretty awful European tourer! And... ask @tex as he has one and is in the middle of a 2 day trip from Stockton to the highlands and back. Must be 6-800 miles in just two days. So can a Busa tour? Ask @tex when he gets back tonight! Quote
TAFKARM Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 I didn’t say it couldn’t, I said it be pretty awful! i could drive mine to the Nurburgring, but I’d rather not! Quote
StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 25, 2019 Author Posted August 25, 2019 3 hours ago, Terry Everall - WSCC Competition Secretary said: Karl at Extreme is a very good bike engine builder. It should be reasonably reliable depending on how hard you drive it. Is it dry sumped? If yes, which system has it got fitted? Im not sure on the specifics yet i just know the engine was supplied and fiited by Extreme Engines. What questions or things do i need to ask about when i go and see the car tomorrow? Thanks Mark Quote
XTR2Turbo Posted August 25, 2019 Posted August 25, 2019 No mention of reverse box. Bike engine cars can be a bit marmite they were all the rave 15 years ago but the factory don't sell many now which is a shame. If 208bhp it is not standard. Either bored out or stroker crank. Tuned bike engines Often have higher compression ratios that make them hard to start when hot so maybe check that. I also assume it has an aftermarket Ecu so that could raise other question around spec and also the quality of engine loom As mentioned a good dry dump is critical on a busa and oil capacity needs to be atleast 6 litres and an oil cooler the engines do have low oil pressure but check when warm that not below 10 psi at idle and thstbit picks up instantly when revved. The workshop manual does give figures at different temperatures and rpm Quote
StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 26, 2019 Author Posted August 26, 2019 8 hours ago, XTR2Turbo said: No mention of reverse box. Bike engine cars can be a bit marmite they were all the rave 15 years ago but the factory don't sell many now which is a shame. If 208bhp it is not standard. Either bored out or stroker crank. Tuned bike engines Often have higher compression ratios that make them hard to start when hot so maybe check that. I also assume it has an aftermarket Ecu so that could raise other question around spec and also the quality of engine loom As mentioned a good dry dump is critical on a busa and oil capacity needs to be atleast 6 litres and an oil cooler the engines do have low oil pressure but check when warm that not below 10 psi at idle and thstbit picks up instantly when revved. The workshop manual does give figures at different temperatures and rpm Hi, Thanks for your reply, just on our way to look at it now. If it doesn't have a dry sump or aftermarket ecu does that matter? Cheers! Quote
StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 26, 2019 Author Posted August 26, 2019 Also...whats a good or bad quality loom to have? Thanks Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted August 26, 2019 Posted August 26, 2019 3 minutes ago, StumpandDumpRacing said: Also...whats a good or bad quality loom to have? Thanks Thats a tricky one to answer, as with kit like this there often aren't the aftermarket range of off-the-shelf options where you can say brand a is better than b, etc. You've just got to examine it, if you're not sure what you're looking at, then photos, lots of photos, paste them up and someone will be able to take a look and at least give you an idea. Neat loom construction, with proper cable support, sheathing, booted connectors etc are all good identifiers of a well made, quality loom, but there's so much more to it than that, and is often hard to explain, sorry. When viewing and evaluating Westfields, one of the best pieces of advice I've ever seen, is to look at as many as you can; it doesn't matter if they're for sale or not, or even the right engine! The more you see - and speak to the owners, to get the background info, the more you'll get a feel for what's good and what's Ok, and what's not so good. Generally speaking, assuming everything is actually done correctly, the more OCD someone has been during a cars construction, the better! 1 Quote
XTR2Turbo Posted August 26, 2019 Posted August 26, 2019 Yes dry dump is essential IMHO. Some sprint single seaters manage with a baffled dump and swinging arm but the engine is installed closer to the bike orientation Quote
StumpandDumpRacing Posted August 26, 2019 Author Posted August 26, 2019 Well we bought it! Done about 200 miles in it today and love it love love it! Taken to it like a duck to water and oh heck its fast! It has a dry sump, stand alone engine management system and a million other things, its like a piece of artwork! The guy is as OCD as me when it comes to the finer details. Just need to sort the seats out now as me and the Mrs have been using cushions all day lol Going to fit some runners/rails and spacers tomorrow. Ive tried to put pics up but it wont let me keeps saying theyre too big, how do i reduce them in size?? Thanks for your replies 2 Quote
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