Motorcyle powered buggy engine options

Hello I am new to the forum ( I have been lurking for years though.) I have been messing around with cars for about 15 years, mostly nissan and datsuns. My new project is going to be a 4 seat buggy. Something fun for me and my kids. I'm estimating the weight will be somewhere around 1800 lb. So my question, I am looking for a motorcycle that is liquid cooled has a right side pulley/sprocket/shaft make +100 hp and close to 100 ft lb. Also budget is a concern, drivetrain should be around $2k or less. After a little research I am considering a triumph thunderbird 1700 engine which makes 98hp/115tq Thanks guys I look forward to hearing suggestions advice or questions

1800 lbs is a lot for a bike transmission. That is also a lot for not having reverse. What keeps a small car engine out of the running? 100 hp isn't all that hard.

Is this about track performance or street cruise?

Look at goldwing engines as a possibility, the torque and lower rpm would make it pretty driveable without being as high strung as other options. I think most gw engines were 80-90hp

Its just a fun buggy for playing around in dirt or dunes thats the plan anyways. I am open to using a small car engine I just wanted a compact unit that could be removed easily, as I tend to break things. I also like the idea of it being lightweight as I also tend to have to push my cars. 

So any ideas for engine under 300lbs,                4 cylinders or less and be purchased for $2000 or less. I guess the motorcyle engine came about because I wanted something unique. If I wanted a powerfull small engine I could just do a honda b or k.

I would suggest your favorite flavor of snowmobile engine. Like the Yamaha RX1/Apex engine. Unlike motorcycle engines, snowmobile engines are made to run horizontally and survive side G's. A lot of them also come with a reverse. While the CVT might not be as sexy, they really keep the powerband in the right spot.

Ecotec 2.4, or Honda is going to be way better and you can actually get a transmissions to survive. Making power is easy. Getting it to the ground and having it survive at 1800lb's is going to be the hard part. 

Reverse is a absolute requireiment in a buggy. 

So is the consensus that a bike clutch /transmission won't handle the weight?

Currently building a single seat buggy with a CBR1100xx motor, perfect motor for my 300kg 660lb buggy but I have to agree I don't think a bike motor would work for you with that weight.

easiest way would be to take an entire front wheel drive engine / gearbox/ subframe /suspension etc and put it in the rear of whatever you're building. Without knowing what you have in mind it's hard to say

If you're building a 4-seater it's probably because you plan on using all 4.  Which means up to an add'l 350-600+lbs of the 1800 of the buggy. 

Well thank you for the all the input. My friend has a 1.8t vw jetta that seems pretty peppy and that's in 3000lb car. 1.8t  perhaps?

Also a little more info. Plan is tube chassis and front/rear crossmembers from a corvair rear engine layout 4 seats 

I don't think a Hayabusa would move all that, but it's your gig.

In reply to 914Driver :

I've seen bike engined swaps in similarly weighted vehicles, like the miatabusa build. I believe miatas weigh  around 2400 lb. Stock 

Remember guys that you can gear down a ton from the bike setup. Which both increases the torque the engine can apply to the ground, and also decreases the torque the ground can apply to the engine.

100hp in a 1800 lb car will be quick, especially if it's geared for 75mph tops 

$2000 should get you just about any bike engine you want however, as long as you go used. Which brands do you like? I also think the snowmobile setup is a good idea.

If you're not rough on it a Hayabusa engine will do it. If you get rough the dogs on the gears will start to round off and eventually stop engaging - no fun. You can get them repaired or replaced. 

Here's what the dogs look like when fresh and undercut. Once they're engaged they will want to engage HARDER with acceleration thanks to the undercut. It's the inbetween times where you can damage them.



I don't know why a 180hp engine wouldn't move 1800lbs.. Maybe if you run a 3.31 rear ratio I guess.

This buggy Hillclimbs with us and races elsewhere - Busa powered. She's not built lightly either. 

 

There is a car called a Campania v13 that uses a harley vrod engine that seems pretty torquey. I did see a couple of these engines on ebay for not much money.

In reply to TunnelArmr :

As an ex-employee of Campagna that's built a few V13's, be careful with the early ones. Lots of problems while we were figuring out the quality control.