scobydog Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 In the pub the other night and the chat turned on to m/biking, the topic of diesel m/bikes came up and to a man they said no to owning one if they became widely available on the market. Anyway looked on the web and saw some piccies of various ones from a few years ago to very modern ones, saw a nice Sommer diesel bike constructed with various Enfield parts, so would the bikers on here consider one or is it a no from yourselves as well. S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 (edited) As I understand it, from the road-tests published over the years, the diesel bikes have generally been lashed up from diesel stationary engines and (usually) Enfield Indian running gear. So what you get is a heavy, gutless bike with poor brakes that might possibly do 200mpg. Pretty soul-destroying really. My ideal bike is nimble, fast and stops well (and I can live with 50mpg) Edited December 7, 2016 by amateur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 (edited) Don't the army run oil burning bikes and quads? Armstrong bikes MT500 and Harley MT350 Edited December 7, 2016 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 Don't the army run oil burning bikes and quads? Armstrong bikes MT500 and Harley MT350 I thought that these both had 4-stroke Rotax petrol engines. I believe that the US army was looking at single-fuel diesel vehicles, but whether or not any of these had been civilianised, I do not know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scobydog Posted December 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 One of the new ones had an engine from a diesel Smart car to run it, whereas one of the others was a monster of a bike and cost @ £130,000 to buy, maybe using the little smart engines is the way forward. S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 I thought that these both had 4-stroke Rotax petrol engines. I believe that the US army was looking at single-fuel diesel vehicles, but whether or not any of these had been civilianised, I do not know Your right I was sure they had diesel bikes though http://klmotorsport.com/topic/11-mt-350500-parts-history-and-information.aspx (A whole 30bhp! Wow) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 cant see a problem if its a modern twin cam engine with turbo,after all theres deisel outboards and deisel aero engines,cant see a problem but im a deisel fan havent had a petrol engine car for over 30 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 Seems they may have some http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_m1030_m1d.php The M1030, M1030B1 and M1030M1 motorcycles are the COTS (Commercial Off the Shelf) Kawasaki KLR 650 modified for military use by Hayes Diversified Technologies. The M1030 and M1030B1 have been procured by the US Army, USMC, and the USAF. The M1030M1 is a program of the USMC. Since 2006, Hayes also produces the M1030M1E specifically designed for the UK and EU NATO countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 I could be tempted by the right bit of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Its a bit of funny time to be thinking about diesel bikes at a time when it looks like they will be fazing diesel cars and trucks out some large towns are going to be banning diesels by 2020 as the air is getting to polluted it was a big mistake when the governments encouraged people to go diesel a good petrol is much cleaner than a diesel can ever be I am saying this as someone who has a diesel truck and love it but I think it is time that we went back to petrol again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Why would any manufacturer spend millions developing something for a very niche market (military excepted, who do have very special requirements)? I cannot see any circumstance where I would buy a diesel bike (though I like my diesel car) and double overhead cams and turbos would only add weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 (edited) Just remembered there is one production (loosely) diesel fuelled bike! http://marineturbine.com/motorcycles/ Edited December 8, 2016 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Thinking more about it, my last bike would do 60mpg when i rode it short on cash nut would also shift reasonably enough when feeling rucher (you could beat it down to around 28mpg). A deisel would have to be very cheap to run indeed to make it worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Just remembered there is one production (loosely) diesel fuelled bike! http://marineturbine.com/motorcycles/ You mean jet-engine! Certainly not a compression ignition engine. I wonder if brown safety trousers are part of the package Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 You mean jet-engine! Certainly not a compression ignition engine. I wonder if brown safety trousers are part of the package Gas turbine, and it runs on derv.......and it's a bike..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuffy Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 I'd try one , just out of curiosity . Mind , I am currently to be seen wobbling round on me harley . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil w Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 cant see a problem if its a modern twin cam engine with turbo,after all theres deisel outboards and deisel aero engines,cant see a problem but im a deisel fan haven had a petrol engine car for over 30 years. You have got you're. E and you're I, mixed up diesel fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 You have got you're. E and you're I, mixed up diesel fan. Pot kettle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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