motorbikes?

Question

why dont motorcycle manufactures make diesel bikes it would make sense as cars run on diesel so why cant bikes it would keep mr livingsone happy

Answer 1

Mainly, it's for several reasons -

1) For their power to weight ratio, bikes are far more fuel efficient than cars already.
2) Diesel engines are heavier than petrol engines, therefore not really suited to fit into motorcycles.
3) Riding a bike is all about fun. Diesel engines are not fun.
4) Bikes cause far less congestion than cars, anyway.
5) Bikes take up less parking space than cars, anyway.
6) Bikes cause less wear and tear to the road surface than cars.

Royal Enfield made a diesel bike for about 18 months. Nobody bought it and it went out of production.
Kawasaki are making a diesel bike for the US Army, which may become a production machine. So far, no-one has shown any interest in buying one...

The best diesel bike available is from Neander -

Answer 2

Motorcycle manufacturers do make diesel bikes. There is a company in USA that makes them for the miltary. Enfield made one andin the past there has been a few manufactured. But the problem in the past is the slow exceleration rate- non turbo.

There are sites on the web where people will take motorcycles and put a car diesel engine in or similar.

The other problem is the wieght and mass of a diesel engine. Although there are some car companies that claim to make small light diesel engines.

I dont think there is much call for mass production into the public sector of diesel bikes. Unless the bikes was quick,light and looked as stunning as any other superbike!.

Answer 3

There are a few, but Diesel engines need to be more strongly built than petrol ones, due to the compression required, and that makes them heavier, which reduces the performance advantage motorcycles have over 98% of cars. Nobody wants to buy a slow bike, so there aren't currently a lot of Diesel-engined bikes. I have no doubt that there is research in progress which will result in lighter, more powerful small Diesel engines which will prove suitable for use in motorbikes, and there will be more available as time goes on. Oh, and anyone who wants to keep Ken Livingstone happy deserves a bullet, as does he.

Answer 4

The MTT Y2K runs on diesel..not very efficient though.

When the best bike ever (The Honda Cub 90) can do over 100 miles on a gallon of petrol, you have to wonder why diesel would be needed.

In time, I feel, as diesel technology improves you will start to see new models, that compare favourably with conventional motorcycles.

Answer 5

I think you will find that KTM manufacture diesel bikes developed for the military

You might be lucky to obtain one from a surplus store but as yet I do not think diesel has been made availablle to the general public

Answer 6

the pro's: no spark plugs to change and no plug wires to short out. would be able to squeeze at least 90 miles or more out of a gallon with the bike's low weight, the fuel is plentiful and isnt quite as flammable or explosive as gasoline.

con's: tho the engine would have extremely high torque, by design, the engine would only deliver the huge torque at a much lower rpm range than gas powered bikes. this makes the bike suck at higher rpm ranges that rider's typically ride at on the interstates for starters. top speed for a diesel bike would be 'rediculosly' low....only 80 or 85 mph.....and just how many rider's on a twisty road typically goes the speed limit....or for that matter...drive the road with some sense of sanity.

Answer 7

With the small engine size and outstanding fuel economy surely there's no need for a diesel bike?

Answer 8

There was a bike company that tooled around with one many years ago. It was lethargic and not really that efficient in comparison to what they can do with a low compression bike. The heads on a small motor like that are hard to keep gaskets on due to the 22-1 compression ratio.

However, make one yourself if you have tooling at your disposal. Cost will kill you though.

Answer 9

With regards to the above answer

A Can-Am Bombardier is a Rotax single cylinder 250cc 2-Stroke petrol engine. NOT Diesel

Not sure about other Army bikes though.

Answer 10

Diesels are primarily used in vehicles where toughness and high torque are needed. Bike engines need neither of these, really.