| Wondering what engine to fit for the next project??
Hi
Track 1038 rs and road 996 Corse projects should complete this year and I am contemplating a tasty part bin, which is probably good enough to put another bike together. Brain is starting to click into the next project....
The bike will be based on a 998 (or 996) frame. The theme will be lightweightness wherever possible. The inspiration will be Supermono, NCR Millona, Pierobon F042, RAD02 Montjuich, etc. The look probably "Supernaked", ie a mix of Superbike, Naked bike and much Cafe racer look. The bike will most likely be exclusively for track as my Chassis does not have a V5 and I don't want to be bothered with Insurance costs, etc.
The chassis will be a 998 or 996, front end superbike wide track, swingarm standard 996 or modified S4R, custom body work and subframe.
The big question though is what engine???
I have some compatiblity and overall character questions to run past all of you handy with spanners. I want something totally opposite to the 998 (now 1038) powerhouse. I want something very light and very nimble which I can truly ride to the limit without the fear of being highsided into outter space.
To achieve the look I was obviously thinking about a DesmoDue engine.
- 1000DS would be my first choice (probably coming from a Multi). That said I have never ridden the 1000DS engine and not sure that this would be suited for a track use. Not sure either how this would fit into a 998 frame. Does anybody know??
I would think that I should be OK on the swingarm, but I am mainly worries about the throttle bodies conflicting with the frame cross-member. Has anybody tried??
- ST3 engine - I have been told that this would be my best bet as they could even be very easily tuned. Here again not sure about the cross member vs throttle bodies. Does anybody know easy ways to source those engines short of finding a crashed ST3
- ST2 engine - RAD02 make use of those. They have equal or more power than the 1000DS and are easy to find cheaply. Apparently they fit easily in a 749/999 frame but it looks like a faff getting them in a 996. You'll have to run a Radiator but it is not that bad on a Cafe Racer. You need to redo all the cross member stuff on a 996 frame from what I understand however which is a pain.
I still have an engine mounting bolt from my ST2 as well and it looks like it is not the same width as the 996. So not sure how that would fit. Does anybody know?
- Then I am thinking that if I don't want to bother too much I may as well go for a 748 / 749 engine. That would be a straight fit. That would achieve a soft / revvy character for the track though the low end would be low. Might be fun though.
- Then again if going on a Desmoquattro, I am thinking that I may as well run a 998s/999s engine so I can swap parts with the 1038... It sorts of defeats the initial purpose of having a bike with softy power and minimalist look. But the RAD02 One looks so good and if I don't tune this it is only 130bhp or so...
Decisions, decisions
What do you guys think??
Philippe  | 
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