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using motorcycle engines

G

goatwings

Well-known member
Has anyone ever used a Kawasaki motor on a small airboat? They make a 440-c that has 55hp. I know you can buy a reduction unit for this motor. I was wondering what size prop also if this can be used.
 
Never saw a kawasaki but saw one somewhere that had twin harley davidson engines on it just can't remeber where it was must be an attack of oldtimers disease or was that alzheimers.. cant remember these days.
 
I was thinking the same thing I just sold my 2004 yamaha r-1 it put out 180 hp stock with a turbo charger the bikes put out 220 hp the entire bike wieghed 380 lbs so I am guessing the engine alone weighed around 200 lbs thats around a hp per lb including a six speed gearbox even the batterys are small and light , they are water cooled and very reliable parts are redelly available. with this kind of power and the kids that buy them they are wrecked often and the engines are still good in most cases and could be puchased for under 2 grand
 
how would you choose proper gear reduction when the 5 or 6 speed trainy is built into the engine cases ??

11,000 rpm's but which gear ??

no doubt much more efficient than a 80 inch evo -50 or 60 hp-
but you have a output shaft on the evo

i wonder how the evo would do on a mosquito ( small ) type hull ???

but then cost would be a factor...
 
give us a call at redriver airboats,,we can answer your questions and be glade to help..there are alot of factors to consider regarding those type engines..

bobby
redriverairboats.com
 
we built 3 air boats using motor cycle engines 750 hondas liquide cooled shaft drives called v45s putting out 85 horse and used fourthgear for our reduction drive was going to build one out of a v65 which put 110 horse but never got it done weused the boats mostly to run ice up here in canada last year i decided to by an alumitec 16ft boat and i put a 350 on it with a reduction gear instead it runs great and takes the abuse we give it . later COPPERHEAD
 
T-REX":2gruk1en said:
how would you choose proper gear reduction when the 5 or 6 speed trainy is built into the engine cases ??

11,000 rpm's but which gear ??
Click to expand...

Easy....use em all! :wink:
 
I would replace the counter shaft sprocket with a belt drive like on a harley and select the proper gear and a pulley size that worked best with HP tourqe curve of the engine and the prop which on my bike was from 9k RPM to 12K RPM with a redline of 13.5k RPM the bike was built to run continuess in the 9 -12 range 1st gear would take the bike with stock gearing to 105 MPH with this engine it would go from 0 to a 100 mph and back to 0 in under ten seconds the bike had a top end of 195 mph with stock gearing so I would think that with the gear box in the proper gear and the proper pulley set up you could get the right prop speed that would make a hot little hull scoot :shock:
 
when we put the motorcycles on our airboat we used a 1 1/4 shaft drilled out to match size of output shaft of motorcycle with the prop hub mounted on end of this, cut the shaft of the motorcycle off and press fitted it into the 1 1/4 shaft and used pillar block bearings straight off the motorcycle we took frnt and back wheels off and used the frame to mount the motor cycle in the boat on top of a frame to set the heigth of prop ,when we finished we had the motor mounted facing straight forward ,we used the clutch and the throttle assembly so we could start the motor with the clutch in, then let the clutch out slowely in the gear we wanted so we used motor cycle for the reduction gear itself . COPPERHEAD
 
Hey crock when are you going on your cruise. I really appreciate you taking some pic’s for me how did they come out. Sniper went to take a holeshot picture of me on N2O but FWC started ticketing the racers so I loaded up my boat. Poor sniper he drove all they way from Tampa and didn't see a single pass. I tried getting my entry money back because I never got to run and they just kept shorting the track. I will send you a PM with my phone number.

Thanks
David
 
Hey Waterthunder

The photo that I took of your boat looks great I will post it tonight when I get home from work and I felt the drive was still wort it because I got to meet you and crock1 and get a few photo's of some of the boats that were there.I will also be sending you a print I made of your boat I think you will be pleased on how it came out.
 
THANK YOU SO MUCH SNIPPER. Crock is another great stand up guy I meet so many great people airboating. Let’s privately set up a time and place for a day of nice ridding. I’m sure Crock would be up to that also. I live right on the St.Johns and we could leave from my house.
 
Sounds good to me next time I am comming to Florida I will let you know and I will be giving you a call to get your address so I can send you this Photo to hang on the wall.
 
My watercraft tech and I were discussing on building a small boat and using a yamaha gp1200 3 cylinder 2 stroke jetski motor. This motor weighs 75 lbs. and in stock form puts out 155 hp and with triple expansion chambers on it it will pull over 190 hp. Run a reduction unit off the output shaft to let the motor spin around 7500 wide open, I think this would be a bad ass powerplant for a light boat. Also Seedoo has a 3 cylinder 4 stroke ski motor that is supercharged and intercooled making 215 hp stock and is designed with a closed loop cooling system, but weighs around 160lbs.

Larry
 
thunder it was a pleasure to meet you and your wife you have by far the baddest airboat around to bad the Fl Wildlife Castopo would not let you run it at a sanctioned race without getting a ticket!!! I got what I think are some good pictures I have the cd in my truck just need to get down that way!! I would rather u post the ones u want posted got some of your boat and alot of others as well as the guys getting arrested and the wrecked boat Im ready to ride about anytime let me know. nice to meet you as well sniper!! I could imagine that boat lettin loose with that N2O they would still be written tickets !! do they have a law about blowin half the water outta the lake :D
 
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