h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Richard,

It looks like I'm the first one to find your site! I'm still happy to help out with the "360" build project in January/February, along with Mike. I'll be starting the build of my Easy Raider, ER0004, in a week or so.

The BMW engine will be on the ER stand at the International Airsports Show at Telford if you're there.

Good luck with the project. Let me know if you need more help.

Jeremy

Jeremy

Thanks for posting. I flew the Popham based, recently modified, Thruster Sprint yesterday, with its new Jabiru engine - and was intrigued at how much better a four stroke engine feels.

I'm just as intrigued to see how you BMW engine turns out, which I suspect will be great option for the ER.

Good luck with your build, and ANY help you can Mike can give with mine will be hugely appreciated.

R

Dear Richard,

What a seriously interesting project! If you want any help - and I have to qualify that as 'unskilled' - please let me know. Even if it's just making the tea! I can bring my own spanners (not required for tea-making) and 30 years experience of working on cars.

Best of luck with the project.

Peter

What a great little machine!
Best of luck with the whole project.
Look forward to hearing about its progress
John

Jeremy,

good luck with your build. I too would be interested to hear about the BMW R100 - and if you are willing to give a cost breakdown that would be wonderful. When you see the 360hr build, can you comment on differences between it and your own, in terms of manpower, skills and specialist tooling.

Are you starting from a new engine or from a scrapped bike, what work is needed to convert to Easy Raider use? I've read websites with different conversion tachniques, one involves turning the heads round with new cams and the second doesn't but does fit a reduction gearbox.

regards,
Ken

Ken,

I've built my engine from a pile of good secondhand parts, but replaced all of the bearings, the pistons, barrels, valves, seats and guides and just about any other part that could wear. It's essentially a brand new engine. I have swapped the heads around and fitted a mirror cam, this gives better cooling by allowing the exhausts to point forwards, just as they do on the bike.

I have also fitted an adapter plate and a Rotax C type reduction gearbox. This gives a maximum propeller rpm of 2500, which should be ideal for the Easy Raider. The engine is now built and fitted with all of the conversion parts. I'm working on the new engine mount for the Easy Raider at the moment, I should have it finished shortly after Christmas. I can give you a complete cost breakdown, there are several possible options.

I'm happy to discuss this in more detail with you, but bearing in mind the dire warning above about posting contact details here, if you put a message on the PFA discussion board (on the PFA website), in the engineering section, I'll contact you from there.

Jeremy

Hello Jeremy

Its great to see you on the h2g2 site. We should have our own 360 site up early in January, well in time for the build. Everything in the section will be transferred across.

I was talking to Mike, when he and I flew - last week, and he was saying that you might have some answers to decreasing the drag on the Easy Raider - he says you designed new aerofoil section struts for the Minimax which adds to safety and saves a lot on fuel.

Have you given this any more thought to this for the Easy Raider? Should I be thinking of doing that for the 360 Easy Raider?

And if so when, during the build, or later as an add on?

Best

Richard

Hi Richard,

I might have the strut fairings done in time for your build, but it might be better to plan on fitting them later. The new struts I fitted to the MiniMAX reduced fuel consumption by a couple of litres per hour in the cruise. At a guess (I haven't got around to doing the sums yet) I would estimate that the fuel saving on the Easy Raider would be about the same, or perhaps a little more.

Look forward to seeing the new 360 site when it's up and running.

Jeremy

Thanks Jeremy.