Sportbikes will be available soon???

inibara · Post by **inibara** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:58 am

hello

newbie here...i am a diesel fan (two jetta tdi's) and a bio diesel maker...i also ride sportbikes (rc51, superhawk)...when will i be able to run my home brew in a nice sportbike...perhaps there is one now...i did a search for sportbikes but it came up empty...thanks...peace

jb

Post by **Stuart** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:18 pm

Hiya and welcome to the forum

The question you ask is in many ways the $64,000 one

A modern sports bike with a common rail injection system, despite being a bit heavier than it's petrol counterpart, would be a seriously quick machine. You only have see my page here http://www.dieselbike.net/commercialdevelopment.htm to see what's possible. BMW were rumoured to be looking into a machine but that would probably end up a tourer.
But these engines would be so flexible (with the ecu mapping) that the same lump could go in any kind of bike.
If there is even a sniff of something coming along we'll try and get news up first about it. But don't hold your breath

Not two hours ago I was chatting with my brother who was thinking of getting a new bike. He's right in saying the one thing that puts him off is the dreadful fuel economy of all petrol bikes. Mile for mile they can cost as much as a car to run

Post by **Byrdman** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:29 am

Stuart wrote:Mile for mile they can cost as much as a car to run

A sick truth..........My CBR1100XX gets worse gas mileage than my Toyota Camry!

Don't get me wrong, the power is incredible but I can't believe that the fual economy can't be better when a large percentage of the power isn't being used.

andrewaust · Post by **andrewaust** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:18 pm

Hi Guy's

Yeah wouldn't it be nice to see a reputable company like BMW, who know Diesels inside n out from the technology they have been able to put together through the years with there vehicles, to use this technology and put something together for a motorcycle. Surely with CNC technology etc it wouldn't be to much of an ask to run a line of production bikes in the various M/C ranges now currently available from BMW, and see how they go.

Common rail stuff, like Stuart has said, can be easily programmed to suit various needs.

MMM

Fuel economy of the petrol M/C = Yeah I can vouch for that too

The Virago 1100 I had guzzled 9 litres to the 100 K's = Crap I thought in discuss, my 2.5 tonne Diesel 4WD gets around on 12, sometimes getting in under 10 to the 100 - So off it went.

The XVS 650 (just sold) would get 5.5 - 6 to the 100 K's, and my little Kwaka KDX 200 around 5, then there's Chuggy

95 K's flat out, but hay 1.8 litres to the 100, who can argue

So now I've only got the KDX and Chuggy = Power Vs Economy

Oh yes, and the Kenworth “Diesel 4WD”

Cheers

Andrew

balboa_71 · Post by **balboa_71** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:06 pm

I agree with the fact that gas bikes are terrible when it comes to fuel mileage. Had a '95 Ural 650 Solo that would only get 35mpg, and my KLR 650 only gets 45/55 mpg, in town/hwy. One problem we all have here in N. Texas is ethanol, and reformulated gas that is really crappy. One the other hand, my '06 Jetta TDI gets 40 around town and I've squeezed 50+mpg out on the hwy. As far as performance, the Jetta will run 120/125 mph and still deliver great mileage. A TDI engine 1/2 half its size would power a motorcycle well faster than that and get better mileage. I think my Jetta is much heavier than the ones they were building a few years ago, thus, I can't get the 55/65mpg others have reported. The other thing is one can chip the ECU and double HP and torque, requiring drivetrain components from the Jetta V6 models.

Cris

oldbmw · Post by **oldbmw** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:30 pm

The enfield electra does about 80mpg..... of course with its super high tech electronics and carburettor you would expect that