Diesel motorcycle

A diesel motorcycle is a motorcycle with a diesel engine. As of December 2006, several companies produce diesel motorcycles.

With a traditionally poor power-to-weight ratio, diesel engines are generally unsuited for use on a motorcycle which requires high power, low weight, and rapid acceleration. In the 1980s, NATO forces in Europe standardized all their vehicles to operate with diesel fuel. Some forces had fleets of motorcycles and trials were conducted with diesel engines on these. Air-cooled single-cylinder engines built by Lombardini of Italy were used and had some success; achieving similar performance to gas/petrol bikes and fuel economy up to 200 miles per gallon. This led to some countries re-fitting their bikes with diesel engines.

In 2005, the United States Marine Corps adopted the M1030M1, an off-road motorcycle based on the Kawasaki KLR650, and retrofitted it with an engine designed to run on diesel or JP8 jet fuel. Since other U.S. tactical vehicles like the HMMWV utility vehicle and M1 Abrams tank also use JP8, adopting a scout motorcycle which runs on the same fuel would ease logistics.

Further development by Cranfield University and California-based Hayes Diversified Technologies led to the production of the Kawasaki KLR650 based motorcycle for military use. The engine of this motorcycle is a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder four-stroke which displaces 584 cc and produces 21 kW (28 bhp) with a top speed of 85 mph (136 km/h). Hayes Diversified Technologies mooted, but has subsequently delayed the delivery of a civilian version for approximately USD$19,000.

In India, motorcycles built by Royal Enfield could be bought with 325 cc single-cylinder diesel engines because diesel fuel was much cheaper than petrol (gasoline) at the time, and of more reliable quality. These engines were noisy and unrefined and not very popular because of lower performance and higher weight penalties. The engines were originally designed for use in commercial applications such as electric generators and water pumps.

Conversions

Speed Triple diesel conversion

Home-made diesel motorcycle at traction engine rally at Astle Park, UK, 14 August 2010

A popular conversion choice is to put an industrial diesel engine (single or twin cylinder) in a modified frame of a Royal Enfield from India.

An alternative is to use industrial diesel engines or diesel engines from small cars. Frames are modified or completely self-built. Power range starts at 6 hp and goes up to 80 hp.

Production vehicles

Sommer Diesel 462

Sommer Motorradtechnik produces the Sommer Diesel 462. The engine is rated at 8 kW (11 PS). The bike reaches a top speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h), and achieves 95 miles per US gallon (40 km/l). It is powered by Bavarian HATZ Diesel. The Sommer-diesel motorcycle is assembled by hand in small batches in Eppstein. All components of the chassis, wheels and gears are supplied by Royal Enfield of India.

Track T-800CDI

Track T-800CDI

Track T-800CDI has an 800 cc three-cylinder CDI common rail turbo diesel engine developed by Mercedes especially for the motorcycle, and has a fuel consumption of only 2.4 L/100 km (120 mpg_-imp; 98 mpg_-US). It has a cardan shaft drive. The transmission is a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT ). The Track Diesel motorcycle produces 45 hp (34 kW) and 100 N·m (74 ft·lbf) torque in between 1,800 and 4,500 rpm, delivering a top speed of about 160 km/h (99 mph) and acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 6 seconds. The throttle is connected with an electronic throttle control. Dutch E.V.A. Products BV started to sell the diesel motorcycle in 2009, with sales outside the Netherlands expected to start in summer 2010.

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield in India was the only manufacturer that has built a diesel motorcycle in mass production. A 6.5 hp industrial diesel was installed in the frame of the British-based Royal Enfield. However, due to pollution laws, this bike is no longer produced. It was one of the most fuel efficient bikes in India returning over 200 mpg_-imp (1.4 L/100 km; 170 mpg_-US). Initially street mechanics were mounting this engine in used Bullets, like retro Royal Enfield Bikes, with the 350 cc retrofit engine developing 18 hp. On seeing the success of these bikes; Royal Enfield started manufacturing Bullets with the diesel engine and named it the Taurus. The Taurus was available with an Electric Starter.

Hayes Diversified Technologies M1030M1

M1030M1 - Diesel Military Motorcycle

After several years engine development at Cranfield University,^[1][2] the HDT M1030M1 has entered service. It is produced by Hayes Diversified Technologies (HDT),^[3] and it based around a modified Kawasaki KLR650. Top speed is approximately 90 mph (145 km/h) and fuel consumption is advertised to be 96 mpg_-US (2.5 L/100 km; 115 mpg_-imp) at 55 mph (89 km/h). M1030M1s have successfully taken part at the British National Rally and the Bonneville Speed Trials.

The U.S. Marine Corps bought 440 of the M1030M1 model, under the name M1030M1 JP8/Diesel. The M1030M1E AVTUR/Diesel Military motorcycle is sold to British and European NATO countries. A version made for the civilian market, the D650A1 "Bulldog" was originally slated for release in March 2006, but due to increased military demand for the M1030M1, production of the civilian Bulldog has been delayed indefinitely.

Recently in the Summer of 2010 at Eurosatory, a French defence contractor exhibition, HDT presented the HDT 1030M2 a major upgrade of their present HDT1030M1. The 1030M2 chief change is an upgraded 670cc engine which has a multifueled capability and produced 20% more power, and through a patented technology called MAC-C1 enables the engine to use not on only standard automobile gasoline and truck diesel fuel, but five major types of jet fuel types; and even the heavier vegetable oil based biodiesel. As of September 2010 no orders have been placed.^[4]

Latest news is that the company has stopped producing/developing this motorcycle.

Star Twin Thunder Star 1200 TDI

Thunderstar 1200 TDI at the Dieselmotorcycle Rally 2005 in Hamm, Germany

Star Twin Motors produced Thunder Star 1200 TDI, which used a modified 1.2-litre Volkswagen Lupo diesel engine in a new crankcase with 5-speed transmission. The engine was rated 70 PS and 160 Nm torque.

Neander

Prototype of the Neander

The Neander uses a parallel twin cylinder turbo diesel engine with two meshed counter-rotating crankshafts, which the manufacturer claims to remove engine vibrations.^[5] The 1430 cc engine produces almost 100 hp at 4200 rpm and over 200 Nm of torque at 2600 rpm. Neander Motors planned to produce 99 bikes for 2007.

Boccardo

The Boccardo use a Citroën AX 1360cc diesel engine. This motorbike was built in 2 or 3 pieces in 1989.^{[clarification needed]}

References

1. ^ Diesel Military Motorcycle, S. J. McGuigan, Cranfield University (DCMT), November 2001 at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ Royal Military Engineers Build Military Diesel Motorcycle For U.S. Marines, Maybe NATO, Diesel Fuel News, Nov 26, 2001, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYH/is_24_5/ai_80744229 
3. ^ M1030M1 JP8/Diesel Military Motorcycle, Hayes Diversified Technologies, http://www.dieselmotorcycles.com/PDF/M1030M1_JP8_Diesel_Military_US.pdf, retrieved 2009-02-28 
4. ^ Military Technology, September 2010, page 3 published Monch Publishing Group ISSN 0722-3226
5. ^ "main_en". Neander-motorcycles.com. http://www.neander-motorcycles.com/shortversion-neu/main_en.html. Retrieved 2010-09-26. 

External links

Media related to Diesel-powered motorcycles at Wikimedia Commons