G'day James. I am actively investigating installing a BMW engine in my KR in place of the Jabiru 2200 I was considering and the Revmaster 2100 I have now.
The BMW Boxer Engine, basically the R1100S, R1200 & R1250 are available with custom gearboxes from Take-Off in Germany, designed to replace the standard motorcycle gearbox and provide a variety of reduction ratios and the choice of high or low thrust lines. They also come complete with prop flanges and a centrifugal clutch that cuts in around 2700 RPM and makes starting simpler. Claimed fuel burn ranges from 7 (Optimistic I think, from a builder's site) to 11 to 14LPH, this being for the R1100 engine, and installed weight is 155lbs, again for the R1100, although the R1200 is about 8lbs lighter, and models from 12/2002 have duel ignition so it compares favourable with the Jab, and more power, fuel injection, full electronic ignition and monitoring and the ability to run on standard unleaded fuel. A company in the UK sells brand-new engines from $6,500EUR-$10,940AUD-$8,330 and the gearbox from $1430EUR - $2,400AUD - $3,150USD. If you want to go direct through the manufacturer in Germany, you can save around $300EUR on the engine or around 50-100 on the gearbox. If you want to source an engine yourself, you can do so, as the gearbox is essentially universal with only minor bolt pattern variations. You may be able to save a significant sum of money doing this if you buy a good running bike as you can sell the bike gearbox, frame, wheels etc.... The BMW engine is flying in 64 aircraft throughout Europe and a B2X cherry builder has given a good insight into installing one. His site is listed below, with a couple of others I have come across. http://www.microlightsport.co.uk/Catalogue/bmwengine.htm The British company marketing the BMW engine and gearbox. http://www.takeoff-ul.de/ (Site is in GERMAN - go to freetranslation.com to manually translate it.) The manufacturer of the gearbox assembly http://www.spang-air.de/willkommen/BMW_Engine/hauptteil_bmw_engine.html The Cherry Builder At this stage, I am going to put a new prop on my Revmaster and fly the remaining 300 hours off it till its TBO then pull it in favour of a new donk, at this stage, very possibly a BMW... If anyone has any other Q's I may be able to help, I sent an email to the British company the other day with some questions of my own... Cheers, Rob. Robin Wills Second Person, Pacific National KR-2 19-4594, Ser# N111 krvia...@bigpond.com
