Diesel motorcycles

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

No, don’t rush down to your local Kymco dealer - they don’t have diesel bikes in stock, and probably never will. Indeed, they are hard to come by even in western countries. But they do exist. I WISH I could buy one, and I’d even be tempted to build one, though I’d never be able to legally register it here because you’re not allowed to swap out engines on cars or bikes in Taiwan. But I can dream.

Why diesel? It might be better to ask, why not? Diesel motorcycles have been built in the past, often for military use. Traditionally, the military doesn’t care about hot performance (diesel engines are not known for their rapid acceleration). The military likes the ability to use the same fuel on ALL their vehicles (tanks, trucks, cars and motorcycles). And diesel fuel doesn’t spoil like gasoline does - you can keep it around for a couple of years and it won’t turn into varnish. Plus gasoline trucks are explosive, not the sort of thing you want to have around in this era of roadside bombs (also known as IEDs).


Why the military doesn’t like to transport gasoline

Diesel, on the other hand, burns like vegetable oil.

But diesel has its downside. I’ve already mentioned poor performance, but also hard starting in cold weather (not a problem in Taiwan). Definitely doesn’t lend itself to scooters.

I did some googling, and found out that the bikes do exist. Difficult to buy, but not impossible.

I do not see a kick starter on these bikes, and wonder if such a thing is possible with a diesel. I would guess probably not, but I’ve seen that in the USA bikes are no longer sold with kick starters (maybe somebody got hurt and sued?).

Diesel bike forum
suckindiesel.com/thingy/index.php

Some interesting web sites to salivate over:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_motorcycle

dieselbike.net/

gizmag.com/go/4272/

peace65.freeserve.co.uk/Pict … nfield.htm

Taiwan’s experiments with building electric motorcycles didn’t get too far. We had those for a few years, but once the government cut off subsidies, the market collapsed (as far as I know - someone correct me if I’m wrong). Diesel, on the other hand, could possibly be financially viable if the bikes were exported too (the domestic market loves scooters, not motorcycles).

Am I crazy for wanting one? Is anyone else there a potential buyer/builder of diesel bikes? Any interest in a cooperative venture to build one at home?

2

Normaly aspirated diesels smoke and have poor performance.
Turbos need 3cylinders or more to work good.
They don’t make turbos that fitt anything producing less than 40hp as far as I know.
The selection of smal displasement compresors are limited and it ost more power to produce boost than with a turbo.
All over I think it’s a bad idea for a single cylinder 125.

3

The US leathernecks use KLR 650s rebuilt with a diesel thumper. Google “marine klr 650 diesel”. Also available for civilian purchase ~USD 12K IIRC.

4

The thought has occurred to me that a diesel hybrid might work better. That is to say, powered exclusively by an electric engine, very small battery, with a small diesel generator. I’m apparently not the first person to think of a hybrid motorcycle:

engadget.com/2005/10/12/the- … otorcycle/

wired.com/autopia/2008/09/honda-developin/

But maybe I am the first one to be pushing the idea of using a diesel rather than a gasoline engine to charge the battery. Now all I need is a cool US$1 million (or more) to develop a prototype.

cheers,
DB

5

Hard to believe the M1030 wouldn’t have a kickstart - it is a military vehicle after all.

6

It would have very high compression for a motorcycle engine, so it could be a bit difficult to kickstart. By your logic, tanks should have cranking handles.

7

It would have very high compression for a motorcycle engine, so it could be a bit difficult to kickstart. By your logic, tanks should have cranking handles.[/quote]

Why, of course they should. Or maybe they should carry around little kickstartable engines to start the big engines XD

8

It would have very high compression for a motorcycle engine, so it could be a bit difficult to kickstart. By your logic, tanks should have cranking handles.[/quote]

Why, of course they should. Or maybe they should carry around little kickstartable engines to start the big engines XD[/quote]

Some bulldozers do that. Called “pony engines” Never heard of it for tanks, but I’d guess recent ones wouldn’t unless it was a diesel manually started engine, since a petrol one would break the single non-explosive fuel rule.

Small diesel manually started engines do exist, but for the simpler ones you need “swinging room”. Tankies really don’t like getting out of their tanks. I’d guess pneumatic or “clockwork” manual starting might be the best bet for backup.

Edit: Or a Flight of The Pheonix stylee Koffman Starter. How could I have forgotten that?

Soviet tankies reminiscence about an auxiliary petrol engine on the Sherman, though a direct role in starting isn’t mentioned

http://www.iremember.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=19

“Still one great plus of the Sherman was in the charging of its batteries. On our T-34 it was necessary to run the engine, all 500 horsepower of it, in order to charge batteries. In the crew compartment of the Sherman was an auxiliary gasoline engine, small like a motorcycle’s one. Start it up and it charged the batteries. This was a big deal to us!”

http://engineeringtv.com/blogs/etv/archive/2008/07/08/tardec-auxiliary-power-unit-for-tank.aspx

A big deal rediscovered. Wankel rotary engine (modified to use diesel and military grade jet fuel) prototype 100 kg Auxiliary Power Unit designed to fit into the M1 Abrams.

Doesn’t say how they start it though, and there’s probably no direct role in starting the main engine (which is a gas-turbine)