A Green Machine - 120 MPG Bike

[PAULBACH]

Kawasaki is discussing releasing a modification to its KLR650. It will have a diesel engine and the thumper will deliver, according to rumor, 120 miles per gallon. Now that's a "green machine".

The bike is already in production and is currently being ridden by the Marine Corps.

[SIBUD]

Recent magazine article suggested the price may be north of $15 K

[PAULBACH]

OUCH! :blush
I thought only BMW had that kind of a pricing structure!

I missed the articles and got my info from a dealer. Any links to the articles?

[PAULBACH]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/08%20Daytona/080305Daytona164S.jpg
This MT500 (500 cc) by Harley went for $2600 with some interesting farkle. It also runs on diesel and I suspect similar mileage.

Where such a good price? At the Daytona Bike weekend at Stetson University.

[Mika]

Paul you are referring to the HDT – Hayes Diversified Technologies ( http://www.hdtusa.com/home.htm) bike.

Several years ago the Marines put out an RFP for a diesel bike. Motorcycles were seen as valuable again for recon and swift deployment in a variety of settings. I believe the intention was to deploy them in connection with tank units. The idea of a diesel was simplify logistics for fueling.

Several manufacturers responded including HDT. Their version was based on the KLR because of its history of dependability in the field and the ability to convert the engine to a diesel engine from gas. HDT has worked out a license agreement of some sort with Kawasaki for the project.

The fuel injected engine is claimed to put out 50 hp/liter in testing or approximately 25 hp for a 500cc bike or about 33 for a 650cc. It will rev to the 6000 rpm range in use. I believe they have experimented with engine sizes ranging from 500 to 750cc.

Fuel consumption has been reported in the 100mpg range. The civilian version yeilded 105 mpg at 45 mph for a range of a little over 600 miles.

They planned on bringing out a civilian version first in 07 then delayed to 08 and now up delayed indefinitely. The first civilian run was be less than 200 units with special American flag livery and resulted in a steep price tag for the bike. Series production bikes would come down in price; however, none the less it would still be an expensive bike when compared to its gas counterparts.

The last report I read stated that civilian production was halted indefinitely because the Marine orders were taking up all the production capacity of HDT.

[PAULBACH]

Good History. Did not have all the pieces in place.

The vendor I was talking to provides bits and pieces to Kawasaki. This version is about to go out the door and he claimed it was based on the KLR650 but would have a beefed up chassis and a 7.5 gallon tank. Your information is spot on.

I'll see the vendor again at Americade and see if there is any new intel.

Thanks again for the history and the link.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/08%20Daytona/080305Daytona164HD.jpg
The one at auction at Stetson during bike week had HD stamped on frame.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/08%20Daytona/Harleyauction.jpg

[PAULBACH]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/Finger%20Lakes%20Rally/CurtisMuseum025S_HD.jpg
I remembered I had this picture from the Finger Lakes rally. The 50cc is obviously a typo on the museum's part.

Rotax Engine!

The bike at Stetson must have come from the Bosnia production run.

[grossjohann]

I used to ride one of these...

http://www.ohgizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/green_machine.jpg

[EXR911]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/08%20Daytona/080305Daytona164S.jpg
This MT500 (500 cc) by Harley went for $2600 with some interesting farkle. It also runs on diesel and I suspect similar mileage.

Where such a good price? At the Daytona Bike weekend at Stetson University.

It is not a diesel engine in the SWM/Armstrong/Harley-Davidson Rotax-engined military bikes.

Good fuel mileage used to be quite commonly found on the motorcycles of yesteryear. The early Honda Cub 50 cc bikes were claimed to be able to get 200 mpg.

I can get 120 mpIg on my 1927 Levis 250cc 2-stroke if I take it easy. Routinely I get 92 mpIg on my 1967 500cc Triumph T100C. And even my '78 BMW R100/7 will return 62mpIg (on fuel with 10% ethanol) - if kept, more or less, to legal speeds.

PT9766
:bar :ca

[PAULBACH]

It is not a diesel engine in the SWM/Armstrong/Harley-Davidson Rotax-engined military bikes.

PT9766
:bar :ca

AHA! I believe you are right. But could the pictured bike run on military fuel which is similar to diesel?

[GeoffMiller]

I don't have a link handy, but stumbled upon an article regarding VW's experimental diesel car. Seats two, motorcyle style. Carbon fiber body. It was under 800lbs. 285mpg! And it could go 70 plus mph. GM needs to pull its' head out!

[PAULBACH]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/Smilies/smileyincedulous-1.gif
How do they do that!

[GeoffMiller]

I was doing some searching regarding biodiesel. Neat stuff! Followed another link where some guy took an old 5 cylinder Mercedes diesel and was getting over 85 mpg with it. I'd have to dig but as I recall somebody over in Europe came up with a super efficient 3 cylinder diesel a number of years back. Amazing what a commited guy can do in his garage. Heck, in 82 I had a VW Rabbit diesel that would do an honest 55 to 60 mpg and it was way low tech.

[wsteinborn]

.. military fuel which is similar to diesel?

Nope. The military uses mogas (unleaded regular), diesel, avaiation gas/kerosene etc.

There is no such think as "mulutary fuel".

[Kutcher]

Hey Paul,
See here (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93674&highlight=diesel)


Any diesel would have to return great MPG. Seeing that its now inching ever closer to $5/ gallon...:jawdrop

[BubbaZanetti]

32 HP, not bad, i was expecting about 7 or so.

[PAULBACH]

Kutcher,

Thank you for the link.

Now that is a thread with legs. It started in September of 2003, is now at 55 pages. That beats any of our, "Why did they choose Capistrano as a rally site?" threads.

I guess Harley stopped after Bosnia.

Maybe I will start a rumor about the new improved LT having a diesel engine. :laugh

[EXR911]

AHA! I believe you are right. But could the pictured bike run on military fuel which is similar to diesel?

No.

A 350 cc version of this bike is still used by the British army. It also uses gasoline.

In the 1950s Norton had a consultant firm build a diesel Norton single, based on their current road bike (500cc ohv single cylinder) The carburetor and magneto were ditched and fuel injection system substituted which along with a higher compression ratio made the bike workable. But it was kick-start, of course, and cold starting was one of the difficulties they had to get over. The British army wanted it because they were looking to go all-diesel - which never happened. they still use gas-powered bikes.

PT9766

[mrich12000]

I don't have a link handy, but stumbled upon an article regarding VW's experimental diesel car. Seats two, motorcyle style. Carbon fiber body. It was under 800lbs. 285mpg! And it could go 70 plus mph. GM needs to pull its' head out!:clap :clap :clap


<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-Z8BKF5ehKQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-Z8BKF5ehKQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Gm Needs Kids like this to design there new cars :bow :bow :bow

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eNKK4IBDgE8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eNKK4IBDgE8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[The_Veg]

I was doing some searching regarding biodiesel. Neat stuff!

It'll be even better if they'd make it out of non-food crops. But then the corn lobby will probably have the oil-execs kneecapped if that happens.

[hlothery]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/08%20Daytona/080305Daytona164S.jpg
This MT500 (500 cc) by Harley went for $2600 with some interesting farkle. It also runs on diesel and I suspect similar mileage.

Where such a good price? At the Daytona Bike weekend at Stetson University.

I'm more interested in the farkles! Does it come with a minigun?

[mrich12000]

Nice bike wished they had some here in Canada

[Wkoppa]

Back in the 1980's we owned a VW Rabit Deisel. It was my understanding that the Germans had taken a gas engine, modified or changed the head and fuel injection and converted it to deisel. Couldn't make them fast enough.

I have always wondered why they couldn't take an oilhead, something like an 850R, with the cylinders hanging out like they do, and use that for a basis for a deisel conversion. Maybe we could find someone with a donor bike? If the Germans couldn't do it maybe we could find someone that could.

That person's name would most likely be Paul.

Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
850R

[SIBUD]

Back in the 1980's we owned a VW Rabit Deisel. It was my understanding that the Germans had taken a gas engine, modified or changed the head and fuel injection and converted it to deisel. Couldn't make them fast enough.

I have always wondered why they couldn't take an oilhead, something like an 850R, with the cylinders hanging out like they do, and use that for a basis for a deisel conversion. Maybe we could find someone with a donor bike? If the Germans couldn't do it maybe we could find someone that could.

That person's name would most likely be Paul.

Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
850R

Rabit Diesels are commanding a premium in price now that a lot of folks are using french fry oil in them.

[PAULBACH]

Rabit Diesels are commanding a premium in price now that a lot of folks are using french fry oil in them.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/Smilies/but_but_but.gif

Would you really want to find a hare in your French fry oil?

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/Smilies/doh.gif

[DSBMW1]

The real milage is an average of 75mpg in real world use.

[rayadams]

Back in the 1980's we owned a VW Rabit Deisel. It was my understanding that the Germans had taken a gas engine, modified or changed the head and fuel injection and converted it to deisel.

Actually, It was the other way around. The Rabbit engine was designed first as a deisel then converted to gas for the North American market. Looking at the crankshaft journals and rods, its apparent. Very Robust design.