Diesel Powered motorcycles

[Shadowpillar]

Anyone seen these yet? they're currently only manufacturing via military contracts, but I could see these as great for travel, or just raw uphill power, especially if they're 2-stroke diesel. combine that with biodiesel and hot damn, low-emissions, high powered fuel efficient bike. Luckily for me, they're based not too far from where I live, I want one. :(
I dont think I can post links yet, so look on google for "Diesel Motorcycles"

should be the first link.

Am I the only one who thinks these are intriguing? Hell, most road bikes these days use use compression comparable to diesel engines, my friend's dad's 2002 Harley with an S&S engine has 14:1 compression, 18:1 is the norm for diesel.

Also, I just found that Royal Enfield made similar bikes, except they never sold very well.

Also, the second link on google shows some interesting info on diesel motorcycles.

Anyone else seen anything more about diesel motorcycles?

 

[XRpredator]

Anyone else seen anything more about diesel motorcycles?

I heard they were underpowered pigs. Power to weight ratio in such a small engine will be the hardest thing to overcome. Unless they can build one with twin turbos, or a blower a la the screamin' Jimmies, they'll never go. Polaris tried a diesel quad a while back, and it fell on its face.

 

[mdkuder]

Around 100 mpg so it would be a good comuter even with diesel being on the pricey side.
http://www.dieselmotorcycles.com/

 

[Shadowpillar]

you could also buy biodiesel, or produce it yourself.

Maybe we should start promoting motorcycles and bicycles. would help on the price of gas per person, and only using cars when necessary. Works for many european countries. :P Heck, get some of those vehicles that carry 2-4 people and are electric, I forget the name of them but they're essentially a ritzier golf cart. But those would be great for in-town driving. Distance driving would be better for a normal sedan or truck.

 

[BadgerMan]

The website says 380 pounds and 0-60 in ten seconds for the dual sport military model. Heck, my F150 is quicker than that..........and not much heavier :laugh:

Oink!

 

[FruDaddy]

The reason the military wants the diesel motorcycles is simple, and one of their more intelligent decisions. They want to be able to use the same fuel in all of their vehicles. The down side is the fact that diesel engines do not rev quickly, nor do they rev high. They are designed for torque and could probably be geared for better acceleration, but it would take some tall gearing.

 

[Shadowpillar]

Plus, the engines will last a dog's age, these bikes wont perform (though with some adoption of the technology, military adoption is best for these kinds of advances) as well as a gas equivalent, but given some advances in the technology they may as well.
After all, the first gas motorcycle engines are nothing compared to what we have today.

 

[BadgerMan]

The reason the military wants the diesel motorcycles is simple, and one of their more intelligent decisions. They want to be able to use the same fuel in all of their vehicles. The down side is the fact that diesel engines do not rev quickly, nor do they rev high. They are designed for torque and could probably be geared for better acceleration, but it would take some tall gearing.

Itellyouwhat...........if somebody is shooting at me, I want the fastest bike I can swing my leg over! I don't care what's in the tank or what the maintenence intervals are, it just needs to be fast and light..........coward that I am..........I want Pred's five and a quarter!

;)

 

[FruDaddy]

Maybe so, but the ones making the decision will likely not be found in the line of fire, let alone throwing a leg over the bike. It is a logistical decision that allows the unit to have one fuel truck instead of two. That means that there are less large fuel tanks at the CP. Even a diesel powered slug is better than trying to outrun the artillery on foot.

 

[Shadowpillar]

also, diesel isnt nearly as volatile as gasoline. it combusts, but only if vaporized and exposed to temps above 1300 degrees. so if the fuel tank gets shot, less chance of it becoming a miniature bomb, I know that's prolly the least of your worries, but at least it minimizes your chances of death a little, and any decreased chances are good chances. also, a really fast bike wont save you if you are being shot at any more than one of these would, it's already hard to shoot a moving target, plus, I wouldnt be shocked if these engines were much like how tank and supply truck engines are like with TDI and whatnot, you can dump any oil into the engine that can combust at 1300 degrees or so. I know the tanks with the cummins diesel engines can. wouldnt be shocked if these did too. That way, it would be hard to get standed.

 

[mtk]

Itellyouwhat...........if somebody is shooting at me, I want the fastest bike I can swing my leg over! I don't care what's in the tank or what the maintenence intervals are, it just needs to be fast and light..........coward that I am..........I want Pred's five and a quarter!

;)

That's all fine and dandy, but if the supply trucks carrying fuel only have Diesel on them, your gasoline motorcycle is now the world's heaviest scooter, i.e. get used to pushing it.

This bike was built for special forces troops and fits with the DoD's single fuel initiative. The same tanker truck can fill an Apache attack helecopter, an M1A1 Abrams tank, a Hummer, and anything else in the fleet, which GREATLY simplifies logistics.

As we learned in WWII: tactics win battles; logistics win wars.

 

[BadgerMan]

Yeah, that's all fine and dandy too I suppose.

Here's the military scooter I would like to be riding:

 

[Shadowpillar]

hell, I wonder if that's street legal. hehheheheh.

 

[motometal]

Anyone seen these yet? they're currently only manufacturing via military contracts, but I could see these as great for travel, or just raw uphill power, especially if they're 2-stroke diesel. combine that with biodiesel and hot damn, low-emissions, high powered fuel efficient bike. Luckily for me, they're based not too far from where I live, I want one. :(
I dont think I can post links yet, so look on google for "Diesel Motorcycles"

should be the first link.

Am I the only one who thinks these are intriguing? Hell, most road bikes these days use use compression comparable to diesel engines, my friend's dad's 2002 Harley with an S&S engine has 14:1 compression, 18:1 is the norm for diesel.

Also, I just found that Royal Enfield made similar bikes, except they never sold very well.

Also, the second link on google shows some interesting info on diesel motorcycles.

Anyone else seen anything more about diesel motorcycles?

Regarding that Harley engine...keep in mind that since diesels operate on the principle of a "controlled knock", many of the engine components must be very heavy duty compared to equivalent gasoline powered engines. Have you ever seen a piston from a diesel? It's pretty thick. That's also why diesel engines themselves tend to be relatively heavy.

GM tried to "convert" their 350 small block to diesel back in the 80s...it didn't work out so well.