Van plus R1 engine equals embarrassed sports car drivers

Builder Tony Lynch has slapped an R1 engine in a Suzuki Supercarry van and created a vehicle that will accelerate to 60mph in under 7 seconds.

The weedy 1000cc 38bhp engine that used to power the Suzuki Supercarry was first sold to pay for a transplant using a Suzuki Bandit 600 engine.

But Lynch managed to blow that up, partly thanks to oil-starving wheelies which briefly turned the van into a two-wheeler away from the lights. Then he bought a motor from a crashed R1 for just £350.

“It’s great fun,” he said. “It makes boy racers do a double take.”

Lynch machined a prop-shaft which mates with a redesigned sprocket and drives to the rear wheels through a Reliant Robin rear axle.

The bike sequential six-speed gearbox has been retained. Lynch just made up some linkages so it could be operated using the original gearstick, and repeated this for the clutch. Reverse gear is taken care of by a starter motor mounted directly onto the rear axle and powered directly off the battery, a similar system to the one used on Honda GoldWings.

Even though the van looks standard it sounds anything but. Lynch has retained the bike’s exhaust system complete with Exup valve and race can to give it a sound like a racer.

The van, which is geared for a flat-out 125mph, weighs just 600kg (1320lb) – just over the weight of three R1s.

Lynch has seen 110mph on the speedo but admits it ” wanders a bit ” at that speed.

The stock van costs £260 a year to insure TPFT. With the R1 engine, it’s £511 third party only.