Gas powered engine horsepower equivalent to electrical motor horsepower?

[aaronbr28040]

Talking about gas powered motors...I guess you will probably use a small Briggs and Stratton Engine. The horsepower ratings that you see are for the engine at 3600 RPM's. These motors will run, if in good shape with enough oil, at 3600 RPM constantly. By replacing the rod, using a shorter piston, twisting the cam, and using a 3HP flywheel and a few other assorted things you can get a 5HP Briggs motor to turn 9200 RPM running methyl alcohol racing fuel. These motors are what are run on the racing gokarts.
Anyways....thats for 4 cycle motors. You might consider using a 2 cycle weedeater motor. They can turn a lot of RPM's and I have seen small kids gokarts, minibikes etc powered by them. They are also really hard to blow as long as you keep oil in the gas. The connecting rod rides on the small crankshaft in these motors on bearings.
If you use a gas powered motor you will also need a centrifugal clutch of some type since you cant just turn it on and off like an elecdtrical motor.
-Aaron