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Diesel conversion of an existing motorcycle USMC M1030M1 motorcycle and racer awaiting helicopter flight to Kuwait.
Diesel fuel motorcycle
is a motorcycle with a diesel engine.
Due to their traditionally poor power-to-weight ratio, most diesel engines are generally unsuitable for use in motorcycles, which typically require low weight, compact size, high revs and fast acceleration. In the 1980s, NATO forces in Europe standardized all of their vehicles to run on diesel fuel. Some forces had a fleet of motorcycles and tested diesel engines on them. Air-cooled single-cylinder engines built by the Italian Lombardini were used and had some success. [ citation needed
] This has led to some countries converting their bicycles to diesel engines.[
citation needed
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In 2005, the United States Marine Corps adopted the M1030M1 off-road motorcycle based on the Kawasaki KLR650 and modified it with an engine designed to run on diesel or JP8 jet fuel. Since other US tactical vehicles such as the HMMWV SUV and M1 Abrams tank also use JP8, using a scout motorcycle powered by the same fuel would simplify logistics.
Further development by Cranfield University and Californian company Hayes Diversified Technologies resulted in the production of a motorcycle based on the Kawasaki KLR650 for military use. The engine of this motorcycle is a single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, with a displacement of 584 cc.
In India, motorcycles built by Royal Enfield were available with 325cc single-cylinder diesel engines. See, because at that time diesel fuel was much cheaper than gasoline (gasoline) and was of more reliable quality. These engines were noisy, unrefined and not very popular due to their lower performance and higher weight. The motors were originally designed for use in commercial applications such as electric generators and water pumps.
Story
The first motorcycle appeared quite a long time ago. Mechanical geniuses were able to do a huge amount of work. As a result, a simple bicycle without suspension, equipped with an ordinary motor, became a miracle for many. Engineers, while solving the most complex problems, were able to raise the power level of these two-wheeled vehicles to almost unrealistic heights. They were able to put horsepower into every kilogram of weight of a two-wheeled car. Then, much later, motorcycles acquired smart suspension systems, ABS brakes, and various interesting electronics that controlled the throttle and intake tract.
All this work was done so that today you could brag to your friends, work colleagues, loved ones and relatives. You may ask what does a diesel motorcycle have to do with it? Although it has not become widespread, it is a fortress that has not yet been taken. Let's try to sort this topic out.
What's interesting about diesel?
We can start with definitions and names. A diesel engine is a mechanical device based on a classic piston internal combustion engine that runs on diesel fuel. The main difference between such a unit and a conventional gasoline unit is the method of preparing the air-fuel mixture, supplying the mixture to the cylinder and igniting it.
In a traditional gasoline internal combustion engine, fuel is combined with air before it enters the cylinder and is ignited by a spark plug. A diesel engine operates on a different principle. Here, air is first supplied, then the air is compressed under pressure. The air is then heated to temperatures at which the fuel can ignite on its own. Diesel is injected into the cylinders through nozzles under serious pressure. However, these are not all the differences. The main advantage is the increased efficiency of such motors.
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was the first and for a long time the only manufacturer that managed to launch mass production of diesel motorcycles for civilian use.
Without exaggeration, the English motorcycle manufacturer became a legend by the 70s of the last century (which, however, did not prevent the company from going bankrupt in 1971). However, although the company disappeared from the radar in the Old World, its division in India continued to operate, and as of 2022, the now completely Indian manufacturer opened a third plant, which increased production to 825,000 units. in year.
“Over the past six years, Royal Enfield sales have grown by 55 percent and continue to grow,” said a news story from bikepost.ru.
photo: financialexpress.com
In essence, the Taurus (which is the name given to the diesel version) was a Royal Enfield Bullet with a replacement petrol engine. These were models with an engine capacity of 325 cc. cm, and the engines were produced at * (Greaves Lombardini), respectively, in Italy.
*Not to be confused with Lamborghini
Surprisingly, before finally moving to the former English colony, diesel motorcycles were produced for Europe for twenty years, from the 1980s to the early 2000s, until stricter emissions laws forced out the company's products.
Motorcycles were definitely not for racers. Just think: the engine assembled by Lombardini produced a “crazy” 6.5 horses and 15 Nm of torque! It is not for nothing that farmers and residents of Indian villages liked cars. Unpretentious, economical and reliable - this is a treasure for those who don’t “show off” when they go out on the road.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Solara and motorcycle
The efficiency of such motors has become unprofitable. The power per unit volume turned out to be 1.5 times lower in contrast to gasoline units. And at small volumes it was almost zero. In addition, diesel does not welcome high speeds.
After all, this way the mixture does not completely burn out in the cylinder. The engineers thought of somehow developing and installing a diesel engine on a motorcycle, but a large volume was needed, and difficulties arose when trying to start the huge machine. However, this did not stop enthusiasts. Thanks to such people, unrealistic ideas become reality.
Sportbikes and road bikes
It is logical that in a sports bike frame, a diesel engine will also not be able to reveal the necessary potential, so there has not been a single recorded case in the world of installing a diesel engine in a sports motorcycle. Although... like none. Relatively speaking, there was one model that tried, its name was Star Twin Thunder Star 1 200 TDI:
photo: en.wikipedia.org
The wasp-like motorcycle received a 1.2-liter three-cylinder diesel engine from under the hood of a Volkswagen Lupo, producing 91 horsepower. Not enough for a sportbike.
That’s why it didn’t work with sportbikes either. It turns out that there is only one direction of motorcycle technology left where diesel engines can show themselves in all their glory - road motorcycles. And this is where the fun really begins.
Diesel motorcycle "Dnepr"
Today, such vehicles are nothing less than exotic. They are produced a little around the world, but are not produced on an industrial scale. But thanks to craftsmen and enthusiasts, interesting cars assembled entirely by hand still appear here and there.
For example, when many people see the unit shown below, the question arises about what happened to this motorcycle, what kind of heap of iron it is. What kind of miracle? But in fact, this is not a miracle, but a Dnepr diesel motorcycle.
A designer and lover of motorcycles from a small Ukrainian town in the Chernigov region managed to install a Czech single-cylinder diesel engine on the Dnepr. The engine was two-stroke, with a direct injection system. These motors are known for being often used in a variety of generators, tractors, and compressors.
In Ukraine, such an upgrade will cost equipment lovers 500 US dollars, and if the engine has undergone a factory overhaul, then the price will drop by a third.
Why are almost all motorcycles petrol?
Diesel motorcycles are rare birds on the highway and off-road prairies. They could practically be considered regulars of some special Red Data Book of technology, if there was such a thing. No, of course, attempts have been made to make diesel-powered two-wheeled vehicles, sometimes quite successful, sometimes even with a claim to some kind of mass production... But more often than not, diesel motorcycles are extravagant, unusual equipment, for example this six-year-old cafe racer from Hormel Foods and CS Engineering:
photo: uncrate.com (Hormel Bacon Bike)
By the way, the donor of this biodiesel-powered motorcycle, outstanding in all technical respects, was an equally unique diesel touring enduro, Track T800CDI, created by a Dutch company called Evaproduct. Initially a 799 cc three-cylinder engine producing 45 hp. With. with a torque of 100 Nm, according to rumors, it consumes only 1.6 liters per hundred.
In general, what is not a dream for lovers of unusual technology, in many ways? Perhaps the only thing better can be a motorcycle with a rotary engine...
It’s possible to make a diesel motorcycle with your own hands!
Installing such a motor into the design of a two-wheeled iron friend is not so easy. To connect the engine to the gearbox, the engineer had to cut the frame and then make it 38 mm longer. The flywheel, which was standard installed on the Czech unit, did not fit, so the creator of the design installed an MT flywheel, now it works in tandem with the original one. In order for the motor to work properly with the gearbox, it was necessary to sharpen the aluminum adapter. Now this adapter connects the motor and the box.
Design Features
The main gear remained the same as it was. However, the box required modifications. The designer replaced the fourth gear, or rather rearranged the gears in the box. As a result, after the alterations, the gear ratio became smaller, now it is 0.8. For what? The diesel engine develops only 2200 rpm.
With this gearbox the engine works great. This motorcycle pulls under any conditions, even loaded. The car travels on asphalt at speeds of up to 70 km/h. This is normal, because it was not created for racing.
MY MOTORCYCLE
When you see this MT, I think you can see from the outline, the photo is of course rather weak) the question immediately arises: what happened to the engine, what kind of piles are there?! This is a miracle of technology, the Dnepr motorcycle, the engine of which was changed to a diesel one.
The homemade motorcycle designer is Ivan Olifir from the Ukrainian city of Borzna (Chernigov region). The unit he installed on the MT: Czech single-cylinder 2-stroke valveless diesel engine with direct injection. Such engines (1D90T) are usually used in compressors, generators and mini-tractors. A new motor in Ukraine costs about $500, and a major overhaul at a repair plant will cost a third less. And in terms of economy in terms of price and consumption (although not always), everyone knows that diesel is better. To install the diesel engine and connect it to the gearbox, Olifir cut the frame and lengthened it by 38 mm. A serial flywheel from MT, working in tandem with the “original” clutch, was “planted” on the flywheel that was available on the diesel engine. To assemble the engine with the gearbox, it was necessary to machine a duralumin adapter. All instruments on the motorcycle are standard, only a cylinder head temperature indicator has been added and an electric starter button has appeared.
- A duralumin adapter connects the engine to the “original” gearbox.
- Additional 9-liter fuel tank on the sidecar.
- Thermometer shows engine head temperature
The main gear remained the same - “eight”, with a gear ratio of 4.62. But the gearbox still had to be altered a little - install the fourth gear “in reverse” (with rearranged gears). As a result, the fourth gear ratio was reduced to approximately 0.8. Why was this necessary? And then, that the diesel engine is quite slow and develops only 2200 rpm. With such a transmission, the engine works quite normally - it can pull a motorcycle with almost a ton of cargo and at the same time normally drive along the asphalt at a speed of 65-70 km/h. Quite a normal speed, because it was not made for racing and to carry only the “ass”. Efficiency still worked out: all 2-stroke engines, including diesel ones, are characterized by increased fuel consumption. However, the MT-11 with a diesel engine has become more than twice as economical as the Dnieper engine - it consumes an average of 3.2-3.5 l/100 km. But you can see the size of the engine, so Ivan had to install a smaller tank, a 12-liter one from Kovrovets and an additional one for the sidecar. The fuel reserve in two tanks of the diesel Dnepr is enough for 600-700 km. Yes, pretty good! The acceleration dynamics are quite acceptable (of course, a little worse than that of the Dnepr with a standard engine): the modernized Dnepr accelerates not so quickly, but quite confidently, to a maximum speed of 90 km/h. Thanks to forced cooling, it never overheats, which is especially important off-road or when a loaded motorcycle has to move at low speed. And it is in these modes that motorcycles with sidecars work in the outback. The entire process for the master - from the idea to the first ride of a diesel motorcycle - took about four years. But if you calculate the “pure” time spent on reworking and creating the “Tayka” (that’s what the motorcycle was called), then it was something like three to four months, because I was fiddling around in my free time from work and other matters. It’s not enough to remake a motorcycle - it still needs to be registered with the traffic police. He contacted the Kiev Motorcycle Plant, and the chief designer gave permission for the conversion. And this is a “pass” to registration.
This is not the first homemade product of Ivan Olifir; he does this all the time. Well done master, such people need to be supported and helped to develop in our time.
Economical
In this regard, everything worked out. Two-stroke engines are characterized by increased consumption, but this diesel motorcycle has reduced its appetite by half. Now the standard consumption for it is 3.5 l/100 km.
Further, since the engine is quite large, it was necessary to install a smaller fuel tank. Another tank was also installed in the stroller. This fuel reserve is enough for the motorcycle to last 700 km. That's good enough.
As for the dynamic characteristics, everything here is also quite normal. Not quickly, but confidently the car can pick up speed up to 90 km/h. Since the cooling of the units is forced, it will never overheat. And this is especially true if the motorcycle is loaded with various luggage and tools, and even if you are going to ride off-road.
The remodeling process took 4 years. However, the pure time for the alteration itself is only 4 months. It was just done in my free time, after work.
So, we see that you can easily and easily, with small investments and modifications, make an economical diesel motorcycle “Dnepr”.
Those who love two-wheeled horses with powerful engines will be able to create them themselves. Many enthusiasts and simple hobbyists sometimes do such things in their garages that it simply amazes many. Today's bikers can give any engineer a run for their money. These people know the car down to every bolt. Some motorcycles are assembled entirely by hand. Moreover, custom motorcycles are the fruit of numerous alterations and transformations. A diesel motorcycle "Ural" can be made from a regular "Ural" by analogy with the "Dnepr". They are brothers and very similar. But for motorbike masters this will not be difficult, and it is also a very exciting activity. The Ural diesel motorcycle will be the pride of its creator!
To do the conversion, you just need to replace the fuel system, replace the carburetor with injectors, and connect the engine to the motorcycle gearbox. So, every amateur can easily assemble a homemade diesel motorcycle. Of course, provided you have a love for technology and direct hands.
For example, the same lover of two wheels from Ukraine was able to install a diesel engine in a Jawa motorcycle. Let this modification serve as a recommendation for action for those who want something like this for themselves.
Dutch motorcycle on diesel fuel
Beautiful and highly functional turbo-diesel motorcycles Track model “T800Cdi” stand out for their massive popularity on the roads of old Europe. They are not only produced in mass quantities for the Dutch domestic market, but are also actively exported to many other consumers from different parts of the world.
A diesel motorcycle of the above type has won the hearts of the people of Great Britain, and this already says a lot.
The design of the DT bike, its weight, mass and power guaranteed the above two-wheeled bike a high level of popularity among true connoisseurs of motorcycle equipment, in particular those who want the latter to be as economical as possible.
You don’t have to install diesel on Ural and Dnepr motorcycles if you can afford to buy a small Dutch iron horse. Track “T800Cdi” will certainly never disappoint you. It has a very powerful three-cylinder turbodiesel engine. The latest for this brand from the Netherlands was prepared by the world famous. The very use of three “pots” on the engine, and even running on diesel fuel, made this diesel motorcycle unique.
The above power unit has quite high power. Having a working engine volume of 799 cm3, the bike is capable of outperforming gasoline motorcycles many times over. Not to mention the smooth operation and efficiency.
Diesel "Java"
Although the diesel engine for the Dnepr motorcycle was economical, the enthusiast and designer knew very well that there was no limit to perfection. He decided to install a more serious, four-stroke engine in the Java frame. For these purposes, the domestic cylinder diesel engine with direct injection SN-6D was used. Profitability is justified by a significant loss of power. Torque is approximately 2 times lower. However, it is produced at speeds that are much lower than the original ones. Here, a diesel motorcycle will give odds to a standard gasoline Java.
The SN-6D engine has a longitudinal crankshaft, so to make it work with a motorcycle gearbox, a lot of work had to be done.
The rear of the bike was redesigned again. The car acquired a new gearbox, cardan transmission, pendulum, and a different rear wheel. All this was filmed from the MT-10. The flywheel is installed on the conical journal of the crankshaft through an adapter. The gearbox was attached to the crankcase through an aluminum gasket. So, the motor became a little longer and no longer fit into the frame, so it was decided to lengthen it. Then, the power unit was secured in an extended frame with four silent blocks.
To secure the pendulum, new supports were welded. However, I had to cut out the middle part to make it narrower. To make full use of power and traction, the final drive has been changed.
Since this is a diesel engine, the design did not include a battery. The car can sit for even three years and then start up easily. There is also no ignition or anti-theft alarm. Thanks to a powerful generator, the light works better.
So, with a strong desire and a certain amount of time, installing a diesel engine on a motorcycle is a completely solvable task.
Fuel consumption was 2.45 liters per 100 km
Like many military vehicles, the engine of this motorcycle could run on several types of fuel, even digesting kerosene and regular diesel fuel. The motorcycle even performed real service. It was used by the Marine Corps and NATO. Perhaps, if you’re lucky, somewhere in warehouses or already in private garages you can even find another copy of this unique equipment, the life of which was short-lived even in the richest army in the world (this probably says something). Namely that:
- A diesel motorcycle engine can be extremely unreliable;
- The motorcycle may be using too much diesel, oil or other auxiliary fluids;
- It weighs too much, which complicates handling and accelerates the failure of suspension and drive elements.
What about civilian diesel motorcycles?
Yes, there are such options. As we have already said, this is first and foremost a “Dutch” - the EVA Track T-800CDI (they even wrote about it). With an engine capacity of 800 cm³ and a weight of over 200 kilograms (225 kg to be precise):
photo:
By the way, the engine here is installed by Daimler-Benz (weight 45 kg, excluding the weight of the gearbox) and borrowed from the Smart ForTwo minicar. Instead of the usual manual gearbox, the motorcycle was equipped with an “automatic”, or rather a CVT transmission.
photo: pinterest.ru
Those who were lucky enough to ride a diesel motorcycle most often noted one of the most important features (besides locomotive traction) - the peculiar diesel sound and noticeable vibration at idle.
To quote a review by Motorcycle News writer Chris Newbigging:
«Unusual
Starting up the Track T800CDI is a strange experience - it rumbles to life like a tractor emitting a rumbling vibration, and the foul-smelling exhaust fumes escaping from the small forward-facing muffler in front of the right-hand running board will be familiar to anyone who's ever trailed behind an old school by bus. But as soon as you turn the throttle, it turns on the drive and sends you forward.
Rude
It doesn't get any better as you pick up speed - the vibration dies down a bit, but it's enough to remain intrusive, and the presence of a CVT means the engine always runs at the same rpm, creating a monotonous tractor noise that even on the short MCN test ride became tiresome .
Even with an open mind, there's no escaping the fact that it simply isn't fast or refined enough to match petrol rivals for driving enjoyment."
Perhaps this is one of the potential reasons why such diesel motorcycles have not reached the general public.
Initially it was assumed that the enduro from Holland was supposed to become a competitor to the KTM 990 Adventure and similar motorcycles:
photo: asphaltandrubber.com
And, perhaps, a diesel motorcycle would have found its fans, okay, with this shaking - you can get used to it, if not for one important nuance - low power.
For a car, especially an SUV, this point is not critical, especially since it is offset by increased torque with the maximum available low speeds, but a motorcycle with exclusively rear-wheel drive will not need the additional torque just right. All the same, in a number of situations you will need to turn the engine, trying to develop maximum power, but in the end it will not be possible to obtain sufficient power due to its banal absence. The maximum power of a diesel engine on a motorcycle, as we see, is at least two times lower than that of a similar gasoline unit from the same KTM.
Add to this the considerable time required to rev up the engine, and we get an extremely disastrous result off-road.
