Whatever Happened To Diesel Motorcycles?
Diesel engines have powered everything from passenger cars to tractor-trailers. They're known for their reliability, fuel efficiency, and long life. Several motorcycle manufacturers have used diesel engines to power their machines, but none were successful.
One recent effort was the Evaproducts Track T800CDI. The Dutch-built bike featured an 800cc 3-cylinder Smart car motor with 45 bhp and 78 lb-ft of torque. It was paired with a CVT transmission, providing the 800CDI with an eye-popping 140mpg fuel efficiency. The bike was only sold in Holland, and the company no longer exists.
Another is the Kawasaki KLR650, outfitted with a Hayes Diversified Technologies multi-fuel engine commissioned by several NATO countries for a military production run. Sean Kerr of Bikes and Beards bought one at govdeals.com a few months ago.
From the late 1980s until 2000, Royal Enfield produced the Taurus, their Bullet model with a 325cc diesel motor made by Italian manufacturer Greaves Lombardini. The engine produced just 6.5 horsepower and 11.06 lb-ft of torque, and the lack of power and new emissions laws combined to take the Taurus from the market at the end of the century.
The German manufacturer Sommer picked up the mantle from there, producing a series of hand-crafted diesel motorcycles based on the Royal Enfield chassis. Sommer is a one-person operation, the efforts of Jochen Sommer of Eppstein, Germany. Sommer's latest model, the 516, is listed as unavailable on the company's website, although a reason is not given.
There is one new entry into the diesel motorcycle market
Another German manufacturer that tried its hand at producing diesel motorcycles was Neander. Their model 1400 turbodiesel-powered bike produced 115 bhp and had a limited production run in 2007. Alan Cathcart of Motorcycle Cruiser took a test ride on the Neander 1400 and was suitably impressed by the 1400's smooth power delivery. However, he admitted it put out the substantial noise typical of most diesel engines. "By any standards," he wrote, "this bike is a surprise ... for the effective manner in which it applies the benefits of diesel development to a motorcycle."
However, Neander didn't see the commercial viability of producing diesel motorcycles and has since returned to its primary focus of making outboard motors for boats.
One company has seen the void and is promising to step in to fill it. Columbus, Ohio-based Axiom Diesel Cycles got its start in 2012 outside Atlanta. In a statement on the company website, company founder Matthew says, "I could not buy one so I build [sic] one."
Axiom accepts $25 deposits for commissions on two bikes, the Knight and the Paladin. Both models will run on multiple fuels; the Knight will be a touring model and sell for $29,500, and the Paladin will have a sticker price of $49,500.