No one can deny that bike engines have taken the industry by storm since the Formula 27 Blade caught peoples imagination back in late 1998. F27 weren’t the first to do it though, Pell Automotive launched their Genesis model in 1995 although this chain driven Kawasaki ZZR-1100 powered car didn’t catch on for whatever reason. Prior to all this there have been motorbike powered racing concerns such as Jedi doing it for years. Then there’s three wheelers, with Morgan and latterly Triking, BRA and JZR to name but three going the big twin route. We must not forget the very tasty Grinnall Scorpion which is powered courtesy of BMW bike engine, and has modern styling and superb performance.

Just recently the bike movement received a bit of a set back when the much lauded Strathcarron concern ceased trading. It seems that despite a gestation period longer than a dinosaur the Triumph bike engine they were using didn’t meet SVA regulations. Mind you in my view the thing just didn’t seem quick enough or as exciting as it should have been. Still it is a shame it went under though.

However, it’s the superbike 4-cylinder buzz bombs that have really caused a stir, with kitcar companies right up there at the forefront, so let’s round up for you exactly what’s out there:

So there you have it, eleven manufacturers offering superbike powered kits, with the majority being Lotus Seven inspired types. Which one you choose depends very much on what you want to spend, and the style of car you fancy. The most expensive in our list weighs in at a hefty £40,000 while the least expensive can be built for less than 6 grand. The choice as they say is all yours. Whichever, you choose you will have a little rocket that will be the closest thing to a Formula One car for the road, as you can get, and for ‘bang-for-the-buck’ they are almost unbeatable.

All the manufacturers listed will be happy to source your engine for you as there is a mystique among car buffs about motorcycle engines, and for some reason people do tend to be a little afraid of them, although it is true that certain speculators have pushed up the prices your manufacturer will have a very good source for supplies and in the main if you shop around bargains are still to be found.

If you want to go it alone and find an engine for yourself here are some bike engine specialists we know of who usually have a wide range of units available off the shelf ready to go at sensible prices.

Two-to-Four Engineering 01386 881 283
Ken Urwin Motorcycles 01405 740 248
Blackburn Automotive 01622 820 081

It doesn’t stop there though because some notable bike tuners are now offering ‘trick’ bits for enhancing your kitcar ranging from turbo kits to reverse gearboxes. Here’s some good ones.

Holeshot Racing 0113 257 6644
Mistral Engineering 01702 541 421
TTS Engineering 01327 858 212
Allen’s Performance R&D 01949 836 733

The most significant developments to have appeared on the bike-engine scene thus far are:

* The first bike powered kit – the Pell Genesis in 1995.
* The first aggressively marketed bike car – the F27 Blade, developed
   by Pat Jackson in 1998.
* The reverse gearbox.
* Chris Allanson of Z Cars and his liking for two engines – at once.

We hope you find the www.totalkitcar.com round-up of the bike engine scene interesting and informative and we ‘ve helped identify exactly what is  available. Next time we’ll have an overview of the Cobra replica marketplace.