Diesel Adventure bike breaks cover

[Neil W]

The brother in law has done a few tuning boxes for the three pot Smart diesels (the same as fitted to this) and they apparently respond very well to that and a performance filter with a good increase in power and torque.
Thing is he is now running a tuned Subaru Legacy Outback with the new tuned BOXER diesel and it is a hoot 170 bhp and 47 mpg plus.
If Scooby can do it why not BM, they could easily get 80 bhp out of a water cooled common rail turbo diesel boxer twin.
Lets get it in perspective it would have huge gobs of torque plus excellent economy so a range of 300 miles would be achieveable on a 5 gallon tank. How many of us actually use the top end of the performance on our GS's so 100 plus bhp figures are bettered in the real world by useable torque and real world performance up to 90 mph or so

 

[Packer]

OK, so it only does about 110mph flat out but when 100mph is enough to loose your license it's probably enough for most folk. It does 0 - 62mph in 3.75 seconds though so you'll be OK at the traffic light GP.

It will probably run flat out all day as well if you wish. But a range of 500 miles per tank at about 70mph is pretty bloody impressive. Or how about a range of 300 miles at 110mph?

This is a first stab at a proper production adventure diesel and you can expect them to get much better and cheaper in the near future.

Anyone reckon that fuel won't hit £10/gallon in the next 10 years?

 

[garfield]

I rather like that bike....

 

[boatman]

this is very intiresting diesel engines (n i have fitted a very large number in my time) tend to be very hardy beasts if they are not run too light (glazed bores n increased oil consumption) and if they are serviced at the correct interval (wi the right oil) if this wis on the market at the right price i would have a go!

 

[longdog]

Alan Cathcart did a test in Motorcycle Sport and Leisure a few months ago. He was VERY impressed, and if it's good enough for Sir Alan, it's good enough for me!

 

[Magwych]

Must admit I would be seriously tempted, if it came to the Non-Dutch market, at a sensible price.

 

[Packer]

Must admit I would be seriously tempted, if it came to the Non-Dutch market, at a sensible price.

+1 That ticks a lot of boxes.

It would be good to see it fitted with TKC's and tested off road to see if there were problems with the CVT.

 

[B Murr]

What a fantastic bike. A simple shaft drive configuration unlike the paralever type BMw ones. I had a similar shaft on my Kawa GT750 and GT550 and they never needed thinking about, no big rigmarole procedure greasing shaft splines or wondering where to get a replacement from when it fails. And hydraulic tappets, yeah I can dig that too as my old Audi A4 with over 225K on the clock has never needed a tappet adjusting with its hydraulic tappets whereas the old airhead needs it checking regularly. Only downside is the CVT, I do like going through the gears but then again it saves on wristmuscle when in traffic and I'd guess I'd eventually get used to it. The exhaust note on the video sounded very David Brown but I guess there will be a cure for that. Youd want to be carefull with the filling priocedure though, any spilt diesel will hang around your knees forever. Go for it Track people will grow to love it or else BMW will just buy you out

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Nato has a single fuel policy, and that fuel is diesel.
If they crack this, NATO will buy them by the thousand.
So expect to see large numbers available in a few years, second hand, with some really useful panniers and a variety of options including sidecars.

A diesel engined adventure bike is a great idea.
Diesel is available everywhere.
No HV, so with a snorkel on the air intake you do serious river crossings.
Simple engines. Rugged.
Loads of low down torque for getting through the sticky stuff.
A lot safer than petrol - Ever been pinned under a bike with petrol running down yer leg !

 

[Crapaud]

A diesel bike would have been useful to me last month when I came back across Sahara. Fuel stations were out of petrol but they all had diesel. Perfect for RTW bike. I would seriously consider one if price was right.

 

[SJPB1982]

No. This is wrong.

Does the diesel fall out of the tank when cornering like it does on a bus? You could create your own lowside at every roundabout.

It will sound like a canal boat and gas you when you start it in the morning.

Diesel convertible cars are wrong for the same reasons, you by a drop top because you are flash and not a penny pincher. Likewise with a bike, if you are buying bikes for good fuel economy you should hang up your leathers.

 

[Vern]

Well all you non believers ride about on your petrol bikes,and I guess the diesel bike will have to keep waiting for you all the time

If I can stay away from a petrol station more,then I'd be bloody tempted by it.

I don't think these diesel engined bikes are for the sunny summer brigade,but more for people who use their bikes every day and actually do some miles.

200mpg would be nice though.

Is there any sign of them coming over here yet,I sense a test ride coming on

 

[MarkShelley]

I had a letter of mine posted in MCN a few weeks ago in response to an article they had done about alternatives to petrol bikes. They dismissed diesel saying that bikes were already economical enough.
Give me a bike that will comfortably cruise at 80mph all day, do 80mpg minimum, has a range of 350miles minimum and I will buy one.
Top speed is irrelevant for people who use a bike as a form of transport rather than a weekend pose.

 

[Micky]

Photo's here of prototype being tested by Buckles of this parish. Urinal outfit fitted with 3 cylinder diesel turbo car engine

Teething troubles include having his leg set on fire, and cornering (not) at 80+mph

It is understood that BMW 'are interested' ... man and machine destined for winter rallies where monsters of the ilk of Dragons and Elephants reside before Berlin decide

 

[Steady Eddie]

Diesel

Well all you non believers ride about on your petrol bikes,and I guess the diesel bike will have to keep waiting for you all the time

If I can stay away from a petrol station more,then I'd be bloody tempted by it.

I don't think these diesel engined bikes are for the sunny summer brigade,but more for people who use their bikes every day and actually do some miles.

200mpg would be nice though.

Is there any sign of them coming over here yet,I sense a test ride coming on

Agreed .
It's not all about speed for most of us , it's about riding - as long as the thing is entertaining enough , it will do .
One caveat though ............... it must have a standard seat that is more comfortable than the beemer .........

Steve

 

[john_aero]

well there is alreadya production diesel bike.

the klr650 has been produced byt an external vendor to run on multi fuels.

this includes petrol, avgas, avtus and diesel.

so this is not new concept, downside is primarily military buy them as they bloody dear.

i like idea of multi fuel as be handy is stuck in some back arse counry can use any fuel

in saying that petrol is the most widely available fuel any way.

http://www.hdtusa.com/models.htm

Bolox just saw someone else has posted this linka lready

 

[nud1e]

she ain't heavy, she's

I like that Dutch bike - the Trackdiesel. Same dry weight as the R1200GS and a low seat option of 790mm - nice. The low level exhaust isn't good and the engine ground clearance looks low for offroading. A couple of changes would sort it out.
In Ireland, the Yamaha Super Tenere is about €17,500, so a Trackdiesel is in the same ball park.
An improved version would be a distinct possibility for my retirement present to myself.

 

[Devon]

Whilst the dutch bike looks a good efort, it's still a 'bitsa' made by a small outfit without the R&D of the big boys.
I will wait for BMW or Honda to introduce a Diesel all rounder.

 

[buckles]

Thanks Micky, can't give to much away as it may scupper talks with BMW etc, all the major bike manufacturers have been round to my house for tea, all i can say at this moment in time is that its shit loads of fun, 100+ MPG will run on bio oil and cherry an i get laughed at. It pulls like a train which is wot you'd expect from a 1000cc turbo diesel, the whole outfit weighs around 380 KGs but as yet it won't corner so its back to work with the angle grinder, oh an it smokes a bit on cold start ups cos i only wired one circuit into the glow plugs. I just luv the sound o that turbo. have a listen on here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6JqdHrmzgw
That track bike is great tho, saw it at the dieselbike rally last year, sounds great to. Who would not want a bike that is more economical, after all the stuff is only ever going to get more expensive.

 

[Myke Rocks]

CVT?

Hello FP. I am in no way connected with Track, that inspite of the recent and uncharacteristic flurry of posts.

Engine is indeed a Merc. unit, with hydraulic tappets. So no fun to had there, anymore.

The CVT? Dunno who supplies that. Van Doorne (now part of Bosch) is in Tilburg, NL - but that's only an assumption.
Service life of belt? Don't know, sorry. But I wouldn't expect it to be whole-life, so a service item. Cost? Ditto.
There must be folk on here with actual technical experience of modern, post-rubber band CVTs that can take a view.(?)

The bloke started off in business prepping 'bikes for long trips, inc making Vern type boxes / racks. It would be odd to my mind if he therefore directed
his customers to others makers, but stranger things have happened.

I know these engines & gearboxes pretty well.
The talk of a CVT is utter bollocks. ( I know it is in the manufacturer's blurb.)
However, the gearbox on the motorcycle is the same one as fitted to the car.
A Six Speed auto changing gearbox.
That is, the electronics engage the clutch and change gear for you.
I have covered 165 thousand in one so I know them pretty well.
Engine & gearbox are unbreakable, though jerky till you get used to them.
Power will not frighten anyone, but probably adequate in a bike.
Myke