Manky Monkey Motors

I have a 1200CC engine from a 1983 yamaha venture (A big touring bike)..

Some stats..
Standing 1/4 mile: 12.69 sec. @ 103.92 mph
Engine rpm @ 60 mph, top gear 3313
Average fuel consumption rate: 42.6 mpg (18.1 km/L)
Engine Type Four-stroke, V-four; liquid-cooled with dual chain-driven overhead camshafts; four valves per cylinder
Bore and stroke 76.0 x 66.0mm (2.99 x 2.60 in)
Piston displacement: 1198cc (73.1 cu.in.)
HP: 90
And its shaft drive, so should be easier to hook right to an axle?

I've riden the bike, and its got lots of power and speed, just wondering how that will convert to the trike?
Bike weights alittle over 900lbs as it is right now..

Basicly want to build a manky frame and place this engine in it instead of the reliant engines you guys have over there, i would most likely use a ford axle?

Would it have enough power to move a trike like that around with some pep?
Would the motorcycle trans be good enough for this? It IS a big bike so its pretty tough?

As you can see i'm just starting to gather some parts up, to hopefull start in a couple months..

Well, its coming in at almost twice the Bhp of a Reliant, so no probs there! The transmission will more than handle the extra wheel, and it should make a very nice trike,you of course wont have the reverse facility that the Reliant has, and I would have thought that the Reliant axle, if you have to source an axle anyway, would be your best bet as regards final drive gear ratio, however I'm sure a "Mexico" or "Capri" axle would suffice, so onwards and upwards, y'all. Morrag

yeah, i was thinking of some kind of electric reverse device, I think i would HAVE to have reverse somehow..

Hmm, maybe a small car engine/trans would be easier... I'm in the U.S, so no 3 wheel reliants over here..hehe

We dont all run reliant engined trikes  ;D
My bitch is a KZ1100 shafty (canadian import ) so you should know something about them over there. Accelleration is superb up to about 80mph then dies slightly, i put this down to the fact she does run a reliant axle with 15 inch wheels. I`d thought about bigger wheels but whats the point really when our speed limit is 70mph and to be honest anything over 55-60 mph is uncomfortable from a riding piont of veiw anyway. As for reverse, i dont miss it on her, sure, sometimes you have to think about where your gonna park up without having to push her backward but i wouldnt rate a reverse gear as a must have.

My Joyce's trike built round an 1100 virago (yamaha v twin) Don't worry about reverse mate you'll get used to not having one quite quickly

Very nice!

I think i'm going to go ahead and use it.. And if lack of reverse really gets to me i'll sell it and make another one..lol

Second one would most likely be better anyway, cause i'll learn from some of my mistakes.

I am going to put it in a manky hardtail style frame though, as i really like the look of it.

There you go, imagine if the governments of the World decided their agendas as quickly and efficiently as that!!Yeah, right, Morrag

if you really need a reverse you could mount a starter motor to dif and drive off prop to dif flange done it for a disabled mate an a 1100 kwak trike there ok as long as engine is running and a bit slow but does work and cost is minimum compared to a quaife reverse unit or similiar

Shriva, forgot that you were on the far side of the pond, and therefore devoid of Plastic Pigs, so its back to Ford axles then,(they tell me Detroit and other such outlandish places are full of them, so that shouldn't be a problem!), motor wise, that Yamaha should be an ideal choice, just be careful where you park it, is all!! Morrag

Hi Shriva  ;) At least you'll always get plenty of opinions here  ;D
Can't wait to see a project take shape Stateside.
Ron, any chance of showing us some photos or a diagram of your reverse set-up? Might help out someone out there.

I'd like to see that Ron have been thinking about a reverse for a while now.