Opinions of the Mazda MX-5 Miata seem to fall into one of two groups: you either appreciate the roadster for what it is, or you think it’s pathetic, slow, and small. A bit harsh, but is there really anyone in the “meh” category? Where do the fanboys and racers fit in? Group 1, obviously. They just don’t believe in limits.
Take YouTuber ReedMakeCar, for example. He swapped his Miata’s engine out with one from a 2008 Honda CBR1000RR. Yeah, the motorcycle.
Reviews of the superbike from when it was new claim power output to be 175 to 180 horsepower. Reed also mentions 180 hp. This is from a 1.0-liter four-cylinder that revs to 13,000 rpm, which is nearly twice as high as the car’s original redline.
For reference, an NB Miata with the 1.8-liter has a redline of 7,000 rpm, and power output is rated at 140 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 mph takes almost 8 seconds. That feels faster with the top down, of course.
After the Honda Miata was assembled, he put it on the dyno. The results were 160 hp at 11,500 rpm with 80 lb-ft of peak torque at 9,200 rpm. Not too shabby, though because the stripped-out MX-5 still weighs more than the 439-pound bike, the visceral experience is the biggest improvement for now.
Reed uses earplugs for this POV video, but he might want something more substantial than foam for repeated driving. Nevertheless, his three-minute jaunt is one for the ears. For once, my dinky laptop speakers are a blessing, sparing me from momentary hearing loss.
The MX-5 can apparently reach 60 mph in first gear, which is pretty sweet. How long that takes is likely buried in a comments section somewhere. Whatever the time is now, it’ll soon be irrelevant because Reed is nowhere near done with this engine-swap project.
“It definitely feels faster than you think, being a small engine moving a pretty big car,” he explains. “That being said, the next time this car is on this dyno, it will have a turbocharger.”
Bless your heart.