klr diesel.

[theaetetus]

when is it going to be available to the public?

[jagger_snitt]

Personally I'm not positive but I read about in in I believe" Diesel Power".

[KLXFOOL]

Yeah i am not really sure when they are going to open it to the public. They are alredy using in the army i think. but on the other hand they nay not even produce them because kawasaki is coming out with a V-twin 650 (MAYBE) so you just kinda have to wait it out. good luck.

[Mork]

Diesel powered KLRs are currently in service with the Marines. I have been following the project for about a year. The engine is made by HDT in California. www.m1030.com

The Marines like them so much that they have put in unexpected orders. The civilian version was saposeta be available in March of this year, but the extended production run for the Marines has put that on hold. This bike is reputed to get 102 miles per gallon at 55 mph !!!

[OldXL]

That's a great bike for the military or someone who has diesel but no gas. Other than the fuel mileage what advantage would something like that have for the average motorcycle rider? I imagine it would cost 2 or 3 times as much as the regular bike???

[paco291]

I wonder what it would sound like....

Diesel technology is catching on in the aviation world. They're not too bad for long hauls. The Diamond Twin Star made it from Portugal to Nova Scotia on a single tank of gas.

Those engines will run on anything... robust for sure.

[Farmr123]

IF they can get the weight down, the diesel has the advantage of TORQUE (but are not high-revving) and they can run off of #1 diesel #2 diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, or a mix of filtered cooking oil mixed with #1 diesel or kerosene with no modifications. If mechanically injected, the most you have to do to switch around would be to adjust idle speed.

[gleaves]

Diesel powered KLRs are currently in service with the Marines. I have been following the project for about a year. The engine is made by HDT in California. www.m1030.com

The Marines like them so much that they have put in unexpected orders. The civilian version was saposeta be available in March of this year, but the extended production run for the Marines has put that on hold. This bike is reputed to get 102 miles per gallon at 55 mph !!!

That's because it reduces battlefield logistics and supply problems when the Marines have to carry a different type of fuel for each piece of machinery. With diesel bikes, the Marines can fuel their trucks, humvees, and motorcycles all from the same tanker!

[pjriss]

Diesel powered KLRs are currently in service with the Marines. I have been following the project for about a year. The engine is made by HDT in California. www.m1030.com

The Marines like them so much that they have put in unexpected orders. The civilian version was saposeta be available in March of this year, but the extended production run for the Marines has put that on hold. This bike is reputed to get 102 miles per gallon at 55 mph !!!

They've been saying they're going to release a general public version for years, don't hold your breath. Their most common excuse for not having one is that they need some EPA certification for on road use and it's going to cost them big $$$ to get it. So they ask for "investors" to help them along. That may or may not be true but I think they could release one with a disclaimer saying it's for off road use only. Any time you push them they always fall back on the old "investor" thing which sounds a lot like a scam to me. Personally I think the USMC paid for all the development and owns the rights.

[pjriss]

That's because it reduces battlefield logistics and supply problems when the Marines have to carry a different type of fuel for each piece of machinery. With diesel bikes, the Marines can fuel their trucks, humvees, and motorcycles all from the same tanker!

Not to mention the hazard of having a gasoline bomb between your legs on the battlefield.

[BAJAHUSKYS]

I know IMS Products had one for months. I saw it up there several times. They were developing fuel tanks for it. The bike is all OD green, doesn't really stand out except where it says to run diesel and not gas on it. I'd buy one just for dual sport rides and Baja. Especially if it came with FI. Steny

[theaetetus]

how is a 100+ mpg an EPA issue?

[Hardway97]

I would buy one, 100mpg I need one ASAP ?

[pjriss]

how is a 100+ mpg an EPA issue?

Exactly. It's not an EPA issue at all, it's just the BS excuse they're using to try to pick your pocket since they're probably not allowed to sell to the general public. What a pisser ?

[theaetetus]

right. but what would be the benefit of not allowing to sell to the general public?

They could pick your pocket by charging more for a fuel efficient vehicle.

must be a conspiracy!

[pjriss]

right. but what would be the benefit of not allowing to sell to the general public?

They could pick your pocket by charging more for a fuel efficient vehicle.

must be a conspiracy!

Nothing as exciting as a good conspiracy. My suspicion is that the USMC paid for all the development and owns the rights if not all the tooling as well. They probably have to account to the USMC for every one they produce and the USMC isn't in the retail motorcycle business.

[XDragRacer]

Emissions issues may exist for civilian use.

Diesel automobiles and trucks enjoy some slack in highway emissions tests (don't think they're required in my state for licensing Diesel cars and trucks); don't know if emissions regulations exist anywhere for Diesel motorcycles.

Military production naturally would enjoy priority; maybe some will emerge for the commercial market in time.

[Beezerboy]

Several long threads on the KLR board a while back- including inquest & response by the company doing the modification. Seems like I remember the down side being that it was going to be $20,000...... Yes, in American money.

[KLR_rider]

One of the main cost points is the DOT certification process, not that it's hard, it just costs to get the approval. The bike may not be affected by emissions due to being a bike capable of running on ultra low sulphur diesel. And if you would buy it if it was fuel injected, ALL diesels are fuel injected, they have to be in order to get the fuel metering right.

Now to trash the world of those waiting for the surplus hummers from iraq to start showing up for sale .... not gonna happen, they are not DOT certified for highway use, they must be scrapped and either crushed or cut into 4 sections prior to disposal. {DRMO disposal manual} now you can buy the cut up ones and put one together, but good luck getting a vin plate for a hummer.

[DualsportWA]

Hmmm.... I love dirtbikes and read Diesel Power magazine... good to hear there are other likeminded TT'ers ?

Here are two reasons to consider a diesel bike:

1. Fuel injected == you don't have to jet or rejet it EVER

2. If properly designed, you should get A LOT more miles out of the engine than a gasoline engine

But the cost of the bike could be prohibitive as others have mentioned... Too bad!