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Production diesel bikes are available to those who wish to buy them, if you can afford them that is. They wipe the floor with petrol bikes as far as economy goes and they aint that slow either. |
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Yamaha Japan Well it had to happen, Yamaha has patented this bike, it has an inter cooler and turbo, and is an inline four cylinder. Just how long it will be until it gets off the drawing board and on the road is anyone's guess. I did think it would have been BMW that got there first.
Metalback This is a V4 concept bike designed by Jordan Meadows. It is doubtful if this will ever get to be a road bike.
http://www.dieselmotorcycle.co.uk/ 17'500 euros As far as performance and economy is concerned this bike is the dogs gonads, 120mph, 110mpg @ 70mph. Whoo, I want one, but I wouldn't keep it in it's plastic fairing state, it would have to be customised to suit my needs. Ooh suits you sir, suits you.... But oh no, the makers do not recommend using bio diesel with their bikes, but instead favour a new flavour diesel fuel that is hitting the forecourts round about now. Doh, and I was looking for a bike I could run on urine and last nights beer dreggs.....oh well.
Neander Motors Germany 95,000 Euro This is the latest offering from Neander they say they have changed the arse end, but it looks like they have changed everything. People are asking what is the point of those forks, and does the tank really need a magazine rack, and the search light, spot a few Zeppelins with that eh! The Neander is a 112 horse power twin crank 1340cc. Has a top speed of 140mph and 0 to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, and does 62.77mpg (4.5l per 100km). So it looks like Neander have totally missed the point of a diesel engined bike, which is economy. Lets face it, it's economy is no match with just about any other diesel bike out there. Twin crank means low vibrations, but I'm guessing it's also made it a wee bit heavy, and with those forks it looks like it has got heavier with the re design.
Below is Neanders prototype bike, in my opinion a much nicer looking bike
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www.orangecountychoppers.com/
Ok, yes I know this isn't a production bike but if OCC had an order for a load of them I'm sure they would be built.
I have to say that I'm not in love with this bike, in fact I'm undecided weather I even like it. It's an odd thing that all choppers these days seem to have the ever increasing massive rear wheel, I can't wait to see the bike that has the wheel of an earth-moving truck, you know the type you could drive a car through, but I digress.
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The fuel tank
has the radiator built in to the front of it which is a
good idea, much like the Neander. No one wants an ugly rad
at the front of a chop, however it has made the tank look
a bit weird, certainly not the traditional chop look.
The exhaust faces forwards and out, genius... I wonder why no one else has done that, could it be that the rider would stink like skunk stools and have to wear breathing apparatus to keep from passing out? The engine's a water cooled Briggs and Stratton Dihatsu in line three cylinder job, which is probably 1000cc and rumoured to have a turbo, not that we would know that or any other important details as nothing has been said. Even about top speed or economy. But that dosn't matter as you can bet your ball sack this bike will not be gracing those lovely long American interstates, but be an object to be gorked at by visitors to the office foyer where this will be on display. |
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