Diesel engines
 

My missus asked me today if there were any bikes with diesel engines...I had to be honest and answered "don't know of one" and then I countered with "what would be the benefits?" She suggested cleaner, which I poo pooed, then she sai cheaper fuel as you'll get more mpg...


So orgers...is there a diesel engine bike? How come this area of the market appears to be untapped?

There's a Kawasaki diesel bike, though I don't know if it's in proper production or just special order- some militaries use them. And I remember seeing a project bike built around a small capacity diesel triple out of a Renault or somesuch.

http://dieselmotorcycles.com/

There are a couple.
The real advantage is for the military, where simplifying the supply chain is useful. For the civilian market where that isn't an issue, a smaller capacity, lighter bike would probably show just as good fuel economy and be alot cheaper.

Now you mention the military, I can see the logic in that - especially when it comes down to fuel supply & availability etc - the whole logistics thing is complicated enough...

Theres also a old enfield... you get about 200 miles per gallon... about 12 bhp and it tops out at 60 mph

Or a dutch experiment which has a 1.3 ltr lupo engine... produces aout 140 bhp and about the same torque... and still does 80 mpg. Its called the 'Startwin' I think, still looking for backers as far as I know.

http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/4273/

Oooh, and it's ugly!!

:shock: That is one strange creature!! Where was it made? Jupiter? :lol:

There is a diesel bike in the museum at Donington. dont remember a lot about it though.

I think the national bike museum have one too

Saw last year on discovery channel about the army moving towards diesel bikes but dont know how far on they are with it. tbh I hope they dont become reality on the roads - there are enough diesel spills without bikers contributing

i would have thought diesel bikes would be heavy and therefore they would have to work on the balance of the bike.