has anyone heard of harleys being converted to alternate fuel? or any bike for that matter. while we do enjoy high mileage from stock bikes in the 60mpg range, there are some cars that are getting close to those figures and after doing stage one on bikes there are cars that actually beat those figures. im just wondering what kind of mileage can a bike achieve if its engine is setup for fuel mileage. i would think the weight of a bike and the low rolling resistance with a deisel or or any other alternate fuel should easily double a cars fuel mileage. vw diesel is around 48mpg highway and is still pretty quick.

I'm trying to picture a diesel powered bike. I don't know much on the subject, but I would think it would be difficult to do because of the limited amount of space. No storage space for batteries, no tank space for propane. I would also thiink that a diesel engine would be quite a bit heavier than a gas engine. I'm sure someone with more knowledge on alt. fuels will speak up.

I'm making some guesses here, but here goes.

Probably the best alt. fuel for motorcycles will eventually be hydrogen in fuel cells. Although the other petroleum based fuels are cheaper and the technology is more mature, electric will eventually take over. (How do you get loud pipes from electric? MP3, WMA, etc... )

I predict... nothing. Just making semi-educated guesses.

And a deisel m/c engine would be much heavier than a gasoline one. Because deisel won't combust except under much higher compression pressures.

(Btw, don't, I repeat, don't put gas in deisel powered vehicles/equipment. Unless you want to see how far various parts of the engine will travel. :eek: :eek: :eek: )

Extra batteries? Propane tank? These are not needed for a diesel.

Check out this video. (http://www.janes.com:8080/ramgen/janescom/diesel_mc.smi) It seems the military have diesel bikes on trial and no wonder, 170MPG is pretty decent mileage.

Here's another link (http://www.americanprofile.com/issues/20010930/20010930ne_1354.asp)

Diesel is a superior engine design, and this is a good example.... http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/02/25/thunder-star-1200-diesel-by-star-twin/

You can't argue with 120 hp and 250 ft lbs of torque on a 450 pound bike!!! :tour

You guys say Goldwings are lame, but tell me this isnt sweet.... http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/08/24/goldwing-retriever/ haha ;)

the military has been using a diesel kawasaki KLR650 for years..

There's a guy in Pennsylvania with a diesel Fat Boy. I love diesels myself, currently own a Jetta TDI and have owned three diesel pickups over the years. I guess it's that torque thing that attracted me to Harleys. I wonder if Boss Hoss has ever built a 2-wheel bike with a Duramax, Powerstroke, or Cummins? I know they built a three wheeler with a Duramax but that's not the same.

Doug

yep, I'd bet that diesel will be the future of all motor vehicles before fossil fuels are outlawed, it's a question of whether the hippies get there first with the epa or if the big corporations get there first for the money. Hmmm, let's take a poll, who's gonna win? Hippies or Corporates? Diesels rock, I've played with an assortment of diesel engines and they are actually a simpler engine, just higher compression...

Extra batteries? Propane tank? These are not needed for a diesel.

Check out this video. (http://www.janes.com:8080/ramgen/janescom/diesel_mc.smi) It seems the military have diesel bikes on trial and no wonder, 170MPG is pretty decent mileage.

I wasn't refering to diesel with the batteries and propane. I was talking about the lack of space that bikes have for alt. fuel sources.

.......Royal Enfield make a diesel powered bike called the Taurus.........


......It pumps out a staggering 6.5 bhp at 3600 rpm......:D .........and gets around 70 km per litre...........

......Sorta takes the fun outa ridin methinks.........

porsche help harley with the revo, can you imagine vw helping develope a v-twin tdi? that might need some countershafts to offset vibrations.

I wasn't refering to diesel with the batteries and propane. I was talking about the lack of space that bikes have for alt. fuel sources.
Sorry, misunderstood.
But still, a gas tank is a gas tank. Not much other stuff to add to make a diesel.

ChangFa Chinese Diesel engine..
http://utterpower.com/changfa.htm



http://offroadpakistan.com/bitsnpieces/tech/diesel_motorcyc.html

I found this thread, in wondering if anyone had ever converted a sportster to diesel. One link led to anther and the guy that built the now famous Perkins three cylinder one, is whooping up other versions. He's calling his shop "Vicious Cycle"

A quote from another site:
Harold says,"I built a diesel Harley Fat Boy in 2000 and have had many inquiries since so I started my own company to produce diesel scooters in 2004. I have developed a new "square tube" frame. There are pictures on the website. I want to create an awareness for the diesel motorcycle enthusiast. I am using 3 engine packages: 2 cylinder V-Twin 750 cc, 2 cylinder in line 500 cc and a 3 cylinder 700 cc in line.

"Power output begins at 80bhp and 165 foot pounds of torque, BUT, a bit of remapping of the engine controls increases this to 120bhp and 250 foot pounds at 5500rpm!"

i could go for something like that

I've been waiting for this for a long time, and trying to figure out if it is possible and when someone would do it..I love diesel motors..some already kno that I'm a diesel mechanic and also learning abunch ab out alternative fuels and the diesel emmission we're switching over too, the new cummings you can run in a small conference room full of people and stick your face over the muffler and breathe it in(really !!!!in clean) H-D wouldnt have much too worry about with emmision(except for after i get it!!!!) I'm just saying that i would def. be a instant buyer and a believer!!!

I came close to pumping diesel in my bike once. The nozzle just fit, but I couldn't get it to pump 'cause I didn't press the right button. (Thankfully) I'd think about buying one if it were out there or having mine converted if there was a proven conversion kit. (Not about to try this myself thou...)

Not to be the old poopie here, But I like the vroom/chug,chug sound my bike makes verses the clank/clank sound diesels have !! I have 2 Cummins diesels and I do not want my bike sounding like that .

I own a Harley Davidson motorcycle, not a tractor:frownthre
:tour

Wow, an old thread I started. Just started and reading and thinking thats the dumbest thing ever...at least on a harley. too much added crap. im happy with my fuel mileage.

Not to be the old poopie here, But I like the vroom/chug,chug sound my bike makes verses the clank/clank sound diesels have !! I have 2 Cummins diesels and I do not want my bike sounding like that .

I own a Harley Davidson motorcycle, not a tractor:frownthre
:tour

Why not have both?

http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/759/HarleyDeervedson.jpg

P.S. ~ Old fart! ;)

WOW thats definately a first for me to see....never would've thought i could see something like this...and I grew in the sticks in the middle of all the cornfields in Iowa...

Here's a fairly decent alternative fuel bike!

B20 Bomber Diesel Chopper
To promote the BioWillie B20 Brand Bio Diesel in Southern California, Earth Biofuels inc, have had their parent company, B20 Customs, LLC construct this wonderful 1450cc V twin chopper. Named after the fuel it uses, it is hoped the B20 Bomber will persuade American bikers to consider using alternatively fueled bikes in an effort to reduce the country's dependency on foreign oil. Apparently the fuel station selling the 20% Bio & 80% Petroleum based fuel is located just north of downtown San Diego along Interstate 15.

Willie Nelson, a member of the Earth Biofuels Board of Directors, was in attendance to officially mark the event.

The Company's website is www.earthbiofuels.net.

http://www.peace65.freeserve.co.uk/Pictures/b20bomber3.jpg

The B20 Bomber hopes to persuade Americans to try out alternative and renewable fuels. Two more bikes are promised.

This website shows where diesel scoots have been around for over 100 years! Where are all these beasts?

http://www.dieselbike.net/

WOW!!! I'm stunned at all the info! Maybe I'll end up joining the foray of clatter happy bikes.

Mudd

i want one real bad!! how sweet would it be to have that B20 chopper, and see what peoples responses to that are!!!!

Here's a pic of a Royal Enfield diesel I took in South India.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~xt600e/images/image005.jpg

!!!! it, i want either this
http://thekneeslider.com/images/radialbike.jpg

or this

http://www.bikernewsonline.com/uploaded_images/jet-powered-scooter-762634.jpg

http://www.gizmowatch.com/images/jet_powered_scooter.jpg