It’s about to get a lot easier to drop a lightweight Hayabusa motorcycle lump into your new track day project.
US engineering firm Hartley has announced a billet aluminium crankcase conversion kit designed to be mated to an automotive-type gearbox. Hartley says this is an advantage over the motorcycle gearboxes used in many ’Busa engine transplants, which are generally chain driven and don’t have a dedicated reverse gear.
The idea is simply to mate all Suzuki’s upper engine parts to the new crankcase and, fully built, your Hartley H2 BUSA engine will weigh in at less than 64kgs. As the 1340cc in-line four can produce anything from 175 to 250bhp in normally aspirated tune, the giant-killing opportunities are obvious. Or you could bolt on a turbo kit and for an instant 100bhp power boost…
The crankcase kit will come with a 4-stage dry sump system so the crank sits just 116mm from the bottom of the engine. With a 140mm clutch, 215mm flywheel and a compact bellhousing Hartley says this means the drivetrain in a ‘7’ type car can be lowered by several inches.
Engine kits will be available in the early part of next year when prices will be announced. Hartley says the kit has been designed to be ‘affordable’.