Is the Caterham FireBlade a ‘real’ Caterham?

Yes it is. It is fully endorsed by Caterham Cars Limited and is fitted with a Caterham chassis plate. In fact, the bulk of the car is supplied by Caterham.

How do I know if my secondhand FB engine has been abused when it was in the bike?

You don’t but it’s worth remembering that: (1) Honda engines are built to very fine tolerances so even if it was used hard from day one it wouldn’t matter; (2) It’s only pulling a 180kg bike plus rider (3) These bikes are way beyond the capabilities of most bike riders -even if it’s been taken on a track. On the road the FB can well exceed the maximum speed limit in 2nd gear, it would be incredibly hard to abuse the engine.

How much does the engine and gearbox weigh?

Engine = 66.50 kg Reverse = 6kg

Why didn’t you use the Hyabusa engine?

The Hyabusa engine is an expensive unit to buy. The final drive output shaft speed is also to slow and requires a step up gearbox between the engine and differential. This increases weight, cost, complication and transmission power losses. A competitor who uses this engine has had to widen the gear ratios between 5th and 6th in order to regain the top speed – so whilst the rest of the world fits close ratio gears, they fit wide ratio gears!

Does it really need the dry-sump?
Yes. Think about it - If you take a conventional car engine, tune it to give 150bhp/litre and put it in a track / race type car then you would, without question, dry sump it. This application is no different. To make matters worse, a bike engine does not normally experience any lateral G force but it does in a car.

How easy is it to get hold of a second-hand FireBlade engine?

There are many bike breaker companies out there and because of the type of bike the Honda FireBlade is, it does tend to get dropped fairly regularly. We may be able to supply an engine or at least give you a list of bike breakers.

Can I fit a different bike engine?
We will only supply the kit for fitment of a Honda Fireblade engine. The Fireblade is a very powerful, smooth, 4-cylinder engine, which has been officially sanctioned by Caterham. We do not recommend fitment of any other bike engine.

Which Fireblade engine do I need?

You need the engine out of a CBR900RR’W’ – these have carbs and were produced between 1998 and 1999. We use this engine with carbs because they are plentiful and easy to maintain – after all this is a budget car to some extent.

I’m thinking of converting my live axle Caterham to FireBlade power, how easy is this to do?

It’s actually a lot more involved than you might think. Here are 10 points to consider:
1. There are 16 differences from a standard late type live axle chassis.
2. The suspension type and geometry are different.
3. Spring and damper rates need changing.
4. The axle ratio will need to be changed.
5. Wiring loom and instrument compatibility.
6. Wheel sizes, tyre compounds and unsprung weight considerations.
7. Cooling system efficacy and weight issues (alloy radiator).
8. Original car weight - trim, seats, carpets, spare wheel, weather equipment etc.
9. Aerodynamics - windscreen, headlamp size, mirrors etc.
10. Resale value.
This is not a list of things to do only a guide to some of the problems you may encounter.