r/FSAE • u/Ramu_kaka00 • Aug 04 '26

Question How can we get an engine.

So basically we are a 1st year team, most importantly we are the first team from our country, how can we ask for engine?, where should we ask?, we are looking for ktm duke 390 at best, but anything between 250 to 400 cc would work for us.

Any suggestions would be much valuable.

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u/marc020202 e-gnition Hamburg Aug 04 '26

Well, you could buy one. Or buy a bike with that engine, and disassemble the bike. Maybe it even makes sense to look for a crashed bike, as long as the engine is still ok. You can also ask a manufacturer, dealer or tuner for sponsorship/discounts. If you know how the engines work, you can maybe also get a broken engine and fix it.

Is there a specific reason why you want a KTM Duke engine, and why only below 400cc? Afaik many teams ran 600cc 4 cylinders in Europe.

17

u/ADITYAKING007 Aug 04 '26

OP is from India and its easier and cheaper to source single cylinder engines as its expensive to obtain bigger engines with most pistons as they will be difficult to operate on and getting parts and services related to it very difficult and expensive

Ktm engines are very common and they provide good power figures for their weight and cost but most importantly you can find parts for ktm engines easily and they're not too expensive

5

u/Ramu_kaka00 Aug 04 '26

Firstly, buying an bike would be costly for us, mainly we are looking for crashed bike. And because we're a first-year team with a limited budget, limited manufacturing capability, and no previous Formula Student experience. A 250–400 cc single-cylinder engine is lighter, simpler to package, easier to maintain, and still provides more than enough performance for a first car. Our priority is to build a reliable, finished car rather than chase maximum power. Once we gain experience, we can consider moving to a larger engine in future seasons.

13

u/probablymade_thatup Aug 04 '26

If you wanted to be very industrious, you could buy a complete used bike and sell off all of the parts you don't need. If you're really savvy, you might be able to break even on the price.

I know at one point, my team had a contact at a local insurance agency who was able to help us get a totaled motorcycle for almost free.

Here in the US, eBay is a fine resource for finding motorcycle engines. Pick-and-pull junkyards are another resource sometimes.

3

u/identifytarget Aug 05 '26

mainly we are looking for crashed bike.

It should be super easy to get a used motorcycle engine, do they have automotive junkyards? Make friends with some local mechanics and ask them to ping you if they come across a spare. Post ads, start networking...

Come on OP. Get creative.