Hi fellow diesel heads.

[Strange-dreams]

I wanted to say hi to all you other members on here. My name is Rob and I live in Wrexham in North Wales (UK).
I've been biking for 35 years now In some ways I feel like a fraud on here as I am a real petrol head, but the truth is I just love infernal combustion engines, no matter what they run on.
I have a couple of interesting cars, and a few interesting bikes too.
I've been thinking about a diesel bike for quite some while now, since I first read about about the Royal Enfield diesel. For the life of me I can't understand why The big bike manufacturers can't produce an economical motorcycle as well as ones that do incredible speeds. I have long since been ranting if they can get so much power out of an engine why can't they sacrifice some of it for better fuel consumption. Better still why haven't they actually bothered to produce a diesel bike by now. (rant over)
I have just bought a Kubota 500cc twin engine from an Axiam microcar and plan to put it in a motorcycle rolling chassis. Originally I hoped to install it in a BMW R65/45 as it seemed perfect, the problem is the transmission and gearing. This seems to be a problem for a lot of diesel bike projects.
I am hoping to get some good advise from fellow members who have trod this path before me.
Cheers

[realnutter]

hi..Strange_Dreams...Rob...

I'm in Reading, and pursuing the same dream... I have an old 500cc Honda generator engine which is going into a BMW frame...

You're right, gearing is the big issue! Have you just got the engine out of the Aixam...or did it come with the CVT? If you've got the CVT, then I think you'd be mad not to use it....

I've got to make a transmission, as my engine came out of a generator..... there's loads of really good info here...i suggest you read everything before you start cutting metal!

Welcome to the madhouse!

Matt

[coachgeo]

.., the problem is the transmission and gearing. This seems to be a problem for a lot of diesel bike projects.
I am hoping to get some good advise from fellow members who have trod this path before me.
Cheers

Below video will show a north south orientation engine like your BMW. Diesel transplant using CVT to prop shaft of bike. Same configuration should work for you as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnrX5DSYhhw

[Stuart]

Welcome to the forum Rob. It's all about producing motorcycles that will be more usable in the real world. With the odd fun bike made along the way
We've been around for a while now and in that short time I'm sure we've helped to change attitudes towards the diesel (or multifuel) motorcycle.
The electronics is perhaps the greatest hurdle that faces us who seek to unleash the true potential here (although I'm sure others would disagree ).
Lets hope it's only a matter of time before someone makes a adaptable timing computer available for all to play with But, just when guys are making progress I hear that now individual injectors have to be programmed But that's Progress I guess

[Strange-dreams]

Many many thanks for the replies for my brief introduction.
To answer, the engine for my proposed bike is from an Axiam and is complete with CVT.
I don't want to use the CVT IF possible as I was hoping to mate the engine to a "proper" gear box as I didn't want it to look like a "Bitsa". I don't have an issue with Diesel engines connected to a pre unit gear box , but I would like my bike to look like it had always meant to be like it is, not a collection of bits, bolted together.
As I am collating information at this stage so I am free to choose what ever rolling chassis I think best.
Please keep your suggestions rolling is, after all, all information is GOOD information.
Many thanks once again.
Regards Robert

[coachgeo]

you'll have to have an adapter machined to mate your diesel to BMW trany. Its been done before. You'll have to stretch your frame to accomidate most likely.

With stretched frame your back to Bista.... so the choice is Bista frame or no frame stretching but Bista CVT.

Course you could Disquise CVT inside a former Tranny case off something and call it a secret weapon that keeps your engine at optimal engine RPM (which is what CVT does)