raymond1 262 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 I have had a lifelong ambition to build a motorcycle chopper and now I have retired and started to look at acquiring parts to make the beast I have noticed that most large motor bike engines are water cooled and shaft driven , not what I had in mind for a chopper does any of you readers know of any large Japanese engines that are still air cooled and chain driven ? I have looked at Harley Davidsons and think they are over priced and heard stories of Harley's not being as reliable as jap engines anyone know of any U.K based forums that could help out or know of any crashed jap bikes ? thanks for reading Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smithie 2,443 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 maybe buy an older engine and refurb, im sure with a chopper its about power and torque in the right place rather than a flat out top end. and i agree water cooled wont be good as it wont have the looks... maybe the engine out one of these http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://carsfolia.com/icim/suzuki-intruder/suzuki-intruder-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://carsfolia.com/gallery/suzuki-intruder.html&h=1536&w=2048&sz=1335&tbnid=XACKY55huJvxmM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsuzuki%2Bintruder%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=suzuki+intruder&usg=__CnS16xR2YxX1ZqY7pbDeeXGrjo8=&docid=UCsvgsroaaTd5M&sa=X&ei=jh0dUtXsE4Kj0QWB1YGgAg&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAA&dur=141 im sure you could get one from a crash damaged fare cheep Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shootinforfood 18 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 (edited) you could try oil cooled instead, there are some rather interesting ways of hiding the oil cooler if you wanted it to be a clean looking engine Edited August 27, 2013 by shootinforfood Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smithie 2,443 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 think intruder might be a shaft... sorry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tilfertilfer 706 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 try use a kawasaki j 400 sound nice go well and look fine in the right build Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shootinforfood 18 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 I like chops with jap inline 4's like the gsf 1200, or zrx 1200 enignes. some with the likes of gsxr and cbr engines look good but have to do a bit more to make them special Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rake aboot 4,936 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 800 Vulcan or the big virago Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raymond1 262 Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 maybe buy an older engine and refurb, im sure with a chopper its about power and torque in the right place rather than a flat out top end. and i agree water cooled wont be good as it wont have the looks... maybe the engine out one of these http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://carsfolia.com/icim/suzuki-intruder/suzuki-intruder-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://carsfolia.com/gallery/suzuki-intruder.html&h=1536&w=2048&sz=1335&tbnid=XACKY55huJvxmM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsuzuki%2Bintruder%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=suzuki+intruder&usg=__CnS16xR2YxX1ZqY7pbDeeXGrjo8=&docid=UCsvgsroaaTd5M&sa=X&ei=jh0dUtXsE4Kj0QWB1YGgAg&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAA&dur=141 im sure you could get one from a crash damaged fare cheep that has got the looks and even if it is shaft driven I would be having a new hardtail frame so something like that has good posiblities Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raymond1 262 Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 is there any specialist who sell engines from crashed bikes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shootinforfood 18 Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 not that I know of, except scrap yards and insurance auctions, but you would probably get whole bike from auction and have to strip it yourself. keep an eye on ebay, always a few engines rattling around on there. I recently bought a drz400 engine for a go kart project quite cheap. plan on turbo'ing it before it goes in the frame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raymond1 262 Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 hmmmmmm , flea bay o.k Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 800 Vulcan or the big virago I thought the Vulcans were water cooled. If you're going to chop something IMO it has to be a Harley engine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greg64 2,859 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 i think british chops are much nicer,put a decent trident engine in it,or a bonny and you cant beat the sound and look much nicer than a jap engine ,and i think they hold there money more,if you do it post some pics of your build Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Westy76 546 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 I've got a suzukisv1000 not keen on the look of the bike but love the v twin engine!!!! I always fancied a bobber myself Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smithie 2,443 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Rs motorcycles on todmerdon sell crash damaged but unsure if they split them Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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