Last Call: V4 Whom The Bell Tolls


Motus, the Alabama-based boutique motorcycle manufacturer, is broke and recently ceased production. The good news is that efforts are underway to keep the SBC-based V4 powerplant available as a crate motor for kit cars, engine swaps, and motorsports applications.
Conversation Starter: What vehicle is crying out for a Motus V4 the loudest? Talk amongst yourselves.
Last Call indicates the end of the Hooniverse broadcast day. It’s meant to be an open forum for anyone and anything. Thread jacking is not only accepted, it’s encouraged.

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25 responses to “Last Call: V4 Whom The Bell Tolls”

  1. oldcarjunkie Avatar
    oldcarjunkie

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/def9955709df3901bfccd6ec7ebf33983d13cda0fb73fcbb8aad308190afbcdd.jpg
    That would fit nicely in my ’84 Innocenti (classic Mini sized)

    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

      Oh my, would it.

    2. jim Avatar
      jim

      http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IyxxGFaQFoM/UKYeBBmm0aI/AAAAAAAADnw/UNDeq5nYpJM/s1600/Innocenti-Guzzi.jpeg
      Fun fact: Innocenti actually developed, and was close to launch, a Mini with a Guzzi V-Twin. The project was later abandoned.

      1. oldcarjunkie Avatar
        oldcarjunkie

        Interesting that it is air cooled. I didn’t know that.

    1. Fuhrman16 Avatar
      Fuhrman16

      This was the answer I was thinking of as well.

  2. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    The Sky already sort of looked like a pint-sized Corvette, why not give it a pint-sized Corvette engine?
    https://hips.hearstapps.com/amv-prod-cad-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/images/media/267361/2007-saturn-sky-red-line-photo-4945-s-original.jpg

    1. smalleyxb122 Avatar
      smalleyxb122

      Because a full-sized Corvette engine will fit?
      Although I would love to confuse people with custom badges that say “LS/2”.

      1. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        The V4 is something like 300 lb lighter than an LS though – 150 lb. That’s going to make a difference. Too bad they are so expensive.

  3. Tank Avatar
    Tank

    Thats a shame that I only heard of them now. The bikes don’t look half bad

    1. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      True, but they’re certainly not cheap!!

  4. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    Put one into each inline 4 car advertised on Craigslist as a V4.
    Two of them, in a V8-6-4 Cadillac. It would probably operate only as a V8-4, but middle children are fairly unimportant and high maintenance anyway.
    https://i2.wp.com/gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/marsha-marsha-marsha-gif-13.gif

  5. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    It’s like the anti-Hartley. Where the Hartley V8 is built by doubling a motorcycle engine for use in automotive applications, the Motus V4 is built by halving an automotive engine for use in motorcycle applications.
    Both are awesome.

  6. Alan Cesar Avatar
    Alan Cesar

    If there’s a Goldwing-style prop shaft output at the back of the trans, rather than a chain drive sprocket on the side, I’d love to put one in Project Justy. If this engine I rebuilt ever lets go again, it’ll need motorcycle power (and will be RWD).

    1. Manxman Avatar

      Would a 3 cylinder 2-stroke snowmobile engine work?

      1. Alan Cesar Avatar
        Alan Cesar

        The main advantage of sourcing the engine & drivetrain from a Goldwing or larger bike is that the transmission should be durable enough to haul around the weight of a car. I don’t think a snowmobile drive belt could handle pushing around 1800 lbs. worth of Justy reliably. A Goldwing engine is torquey and low-revving, practical for driving around town.
        Also: 2-stroke engines sound like ass, especially droning at constant revs because of a CVT.

      2. Alan Cesar Avatar
        Alan Cesar

        Clearly I’ve spent too much time thinking about this.

  7. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    A Subaru

  8. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    Put one of these on the front of the crank in the engine bay of any originally LS equipped vehicle.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3fee3ab19338f7ae0e21d83103530dc310117b942ee71b6a2824b10460ca2cb8.png

  9. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    It’s funny, when I first saw the picture I thought it was a a Honda ST1300 powertrain. so maybe a Morgan style 3 wheeler would be a good host for this