Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 26

Thread: Harley engine on a sport plane

  1. #11
    FlyingRon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    NC26 (Catawba, NC)
    Posts
    2,627
    No bullying....Thought about why I hadn't heard of it being done (other than my personal ideas of V-twin reliability). I was liberal in my estimation of HP (high) and dry weight (low) and figured out a big part of the reason. It's more than twice as heavy as a ROTAX 582 before you even put the redrive on it.
    My comment was you have to find an airframe that can take that much weight and fly with that little HP.

  2. #12
    Look no further than Oshkosh Pioneer Field:

  3. #13
    Mike Switzer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    979
    And it has a drip pan under the engine.

    A while back I read about someone making a radial out of Harley parts. Personally, If I was going to use a bike engine I'd use a BMW, they are a whole lot smoother.

  4. #14
    Aaron Novak's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Oshkosh, Wi
    Posts
    361
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Switzer View Post
    And it has a drip pan under the engine.

    A while back I read about someone making a radial out of Harley parts. Personally, If I was going to use a bike engine I'd use a BMW, they are a whole lot smoother.
    You would think one could find a LOT better design cylinder to make a radial out of. At least BMW would have aviation heritage, the closest a harley ever came to being a decent flyer was being rolled out of the back of a military transport in WWII.

  5. #15
    gbrasch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    530
    May I suggest the 106 CI Victory engine? I am an old Harley rider who switched to Victory like many Victory riders. Do some research, the Victory engine is superior in many ways and I believe would be a safer engine for you. Just my 2 cents... Hope this helps.
    Glenn Brasch
    KRYN Tucson, Arizona
    2013 RV-9A
    Medevac helicopter pilot (Ret)
    EAA member since 1980
    Owner, "Airport Courtesy Cars" website.
    www.airportcourtesycars.com
    Volunteer Mentor www.SoAZTeenAviation.org

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    NW FL
    Posts
    405
    This gentleman from Germany seems to be having some success with a BMW 1200. I believe that he is now in the US. This is his web site:

    http://www.spang-air.de/e/html/bmw_-_engine.html

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Clarklake, MI
    Posts
    2,461
    At least one BD5 has flown with a BMW engine....check the SA archives.

  8. #18
    crusty old aviator's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    You can't get here from there
    Posts
    237
    So that's what happened to AirHog! Harley went corporate on them, like McDonalds does to any entity that calls itself McWhatever. It's not cheap, but the BMW would be a better choice, IMHO.

    The converted Model A engine in the front of the Pietenpol Air Camper put out 40 HP and weighed around 250 pounds, so don't let weight stop you, provided you're okay with doing the engineering calculations to confirm the existing structure can handle that much weight up front. You may have to move the wing forward or ballast the tail.

  9. #19
    Aaron Novak's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Oshkosh, Wi
    Posts
    361
    Quote Originally Posted by crusty old aviator View Post
    So that's what happened to AirHog! Harley went corporate on them, like McDonalds does to any entity that calls itself McWhatever. It's not cheap, but the BMW would be a better choice, IMHO.

    The converted Model A engine in the front of the Pietenpol Air Camper put out 40 HP and weighed around 250 pounds, so don't let weight stop you, provided you're okay with doing the engineering calculations to confirm the existing structure can handle that much weight up front. You may have to move the wing forward or ballast the tail.
    Id trust a correctly overhauled "A" engine over a Harley twin-cam any day...........

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles KWHP
    Posts
    96
    The way I see it, the vibration is the primary issue, regardless of whether the engine itself is good or bad. I have zero experience with Harley engines, so I have to stay out of that part of the discussion.

    A welded 4130 steel tube fuselage and properly dampened engine mount could probably handle the vibrations of a BALANCED and properly mounted Harley. A minimal, light gauge, pull-riveted, sheet metal fuselage like a Zenith probably would not be able to deal with that kind of vibration for very long. Rivet holes would start to loosen, new cracks would develop in the corners, any minor cracks would immediately get worse, the aluminum would start to harden and get brittle, etc.

    The "Mini-Me" version of the Harley V-twin, the Briggs & Stratton 22HP Vanguard, is now successfully flying on a few small single seat designs. I believe the vibration on those is manageable, have not heard of any fuselage structure problems yet. But these have a lot less rotating and vibrating mass.
    EZ Flap is the high performance upgrade for Cessna, Piper, Stinson, Maule and Beech manual flaps.
    More performance - more control - more visibility ! 100% Money Back Guarantee www.ezflaphandle.com

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •