The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Motorcycle crate engines

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We need motorcycle crate engines. For quite a while now, if you got the urge to rebuild a car, all you had to do is pick up a catalog from any one of a lot of companies, choose the engine you want, displacement, horsepower, mild or wild and with the stroke of a check have a completely rebuilt, modified and guaranteed engine sitting in your driveway a few days later. Even the manufacturers themselves will sell you one, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler and all of the import guys, too. Why not motorcycles?

If you have an old Harley or you’re building a chopper, you probably can do that. S&S, who I mentioned the other day, can sell you something that should bolt right in and Harley has their engine program where they rebuild your engine or sell you a whole new one. I like that. But who else does it? If you have a Honda, Kawasaki or Ducati or whatever, you’re out of luck.

The problem is probably because Harley has long production runs before changing engine configurations and most other manufacturers change almost every year. What rebuilder could keep up? If you’re racing, race shops will sell you an engine but if you’re rebuilding your own bike for street use, you’ve got a problem. Some bikes do make good candidates for crate engine possibilities, how about the Vmax? That thing hasn’t changed since 1985 and the engine is a beast. Frame technology has come so far, if someone built a current technology frame that would accept the Vmax engine, guys would line up for it. I’ve owned two Vmax’s and I would have jumped at the chance to put something like that together. Chain drive, blower, current rear tire and wheel, … oh baby. There’s a French company that does Vmax mods but over here we’re stuck.

I bet there are a lot more engines that would lend themselves to this, again, something that hasn’t changed too much over the years so there would be enough of them around to rebuild. Then you get a frame builder to come up with something sporty instead of the chopper frames you can buy all over. Hmm…, imagine the possibilities. Like I said, car guys can build a complete 32 Ford from parts in a catalog with modern running gear and a killer engine. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could build bikes that way?

Comments

  1. looking into the possibility of building a streetbike frame to accept a ‘crate motor’. I’ve been tossing the idea of a ducatti/buell/streetfighterish looking frame that I can put a modifiable and easy to come by motor in, but i’m not sure what motor to look at. VMAX is a good idea… help, comments, ideas, etc would be highly appreciated, i really need to talk to some people about this – noeatnosleep@yahoo.com

  3. It took me most of my life but I finally figured out WHY people like Harley Davidson. You can get parts from many manufacturers.SERIOUS PARTS going back to 1936 if you want them.
    The Japanese have a business model like the USA car manufacturers. Make a model and then discontinue it the following year.

  4. There are a lot of suppliers of crate style motors for custom motorcycles, like Ultima, S&S, Revtech and others, but all of them are for twin-cam or evo style engines. I would seriously like to see someone come up with an affordable and quality crate engine in the sportster or Buell configuration, with the transmission allready in. I think that would lend itself to some great custom sportbikes or some lightweight and good handling choppers and pro-streets.

  6. I personally would like to see a Yamaha XS 650 crate motor. These engines are a perfect bobber project motor, oil all contained in the crank case, and provide decent reliable power. Also, they would be cheap, unlike the S&S crate engines!

  7. About the only motorcycle “crate motor” I have come across has been a company on the west coast that supplies Crate ZX14 motors. I will have to dig around for the name.

  10. I need a rebuilt or crate motor for a 91 kawi 750 ninja anyone? any idea i want to ride again!!!

  11. I’m building a 1991 gsxr750 and looking for a new engine, i have the original but its got some rusty parts internal and external, does anyone know where i could find one?

  13. I am looking for a motor to mate to my Honda Shadow VT 600. Its a ’97 and I wanna keep it for a while. I dont mind the wrench turning. Anybody know of a motor and tranny i could use? I want something a smidge bigger, and a trans with at least 5 gears. I know there is such thing as a VT 800. that would be perfect, BUT, any similar would be great. thanx all!!

  14. I have a beautiful jet black Suzuki Boulevard C50 805cc with many added on accessories, but with a blown engine. It will be great if I can find a create engine for it. Why have someone not come up with the idea for create engines or re-manufacture engines from wreck bikes with perfectly good engines. Hard to find.

  15. looking for someone that does honda 90cc engine rebuild & some performance work. Would like to find brand new But ha that would be the day. Have a nice day.