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Before you buy
Dnepr Basics
Sidecar Drive y/n
Possible Engines
What do you need
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Dnepr
tech -
possible engines with the Dnepr
The following
engines are built into Dnepr's : Dnepr, Reliant, Citroen 2CV (the duck),
VW Beetle (greetings to Australia) and BMW R65-R100 2Valve.
Reliant, 2CV and VW-Beetle are possible only for high experienced mechanics,
the usual conversion is that to a BMW 2Valve engine.
The kind of BMW engine you use depends on the needs of the driver and
the emission your state allows :
- BMW R45 : very
weak, no more to say..
- BMW R65 : base
is the R45 only with bigger bore, better stay with the Dnepr engine
- BMW R75 : perfect
but high emissions
- BMW R80(GS) : this
is the preferred one, built for unleaded fuel, a special 45hp version
is available (Swiss police) which complies with the most strict emission
laws if you use the the BMW airbox with the SLS-system
- BMW R90-100 : too
strong, they destroy the final drive and the gearbox within a few miles
The
Dnepr 650ccm engine
During
18.000km with the original engine, serviced every 5000km, there were no
repairs necessary, the original pistons are still working well.
Possible was this by a precise rebuilt at 0km where only the bearings
were replaced by German ones. All other parts are still of Russian gen.
but reworked to (nearly) western standard.
Special attention was paid at the crankwheel which was balanced.
Advantages
of the Dnepr engine:
- completely problem-free starting even at minus -20Celsius
- gasoline consumption acceptable
- with 1Person operation absolutely sufficient performance
- good at cross-country and on rough roads
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Disadvantages:
- overheating is a problem with this engine in summer
- highway operation problematic to impossible
- with full camping equipment too weak in the mountains
- peripheral device (generator, ignition) unreliably and maintenance-intensively
- after approximately 20.000km a complete rebuilt is necessary
go
top
BMW - engine
Although there
are a lot of disadvantages with the R80 engine, for long distance riders
the BMW is the best choice.
I personally
prefer after a 300-700km ride rather a good bottle wine then oily fingers,
also the landscape is usually more worth to see than the charging control
lamp.
Advantages:
- highway operation possible
- life span approx. 50.000 - 100.000km (depending upon driver and load)
- good torque even at low revs
- perfect control of the bike
- works with high performance oil
Disadvantages:
- high oil temperatures without oil cooler
- legendary bad starting characteristics in winter
- BMW-regulator is weak (replace with a custom one)
- gasoline consumption the same than the Dnepr
- small ground clearance (HPN
oil pan necessarily)
- the final drive conversion and the rear wheel hub having problems
with the torque
- well...
not the original engine
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