[pradipk]

It's true that Suraj was too noisy, but as a matter of fact, RE wasn't that bad. I can say silent compare to Suraj. In gujarat, it's very common to have diesel engine fixed on bullet.
By the way RE used to sell company fitted diesel bike called "Bullet Torus"

[rr_zen]

For Hero, I guess this will be a critical move as they are all set to part ways with Honda now.

[Abhi2902]

i feel, if either honda or enfield, manage to get an engine which is not noisy (at least less than a bull with goldies) and manage to reduce vibration to something already in present bullets, with a FE of about 50 - 70. should do the trick.
To me,
500CC diesel engine,
with 6 gears,
front and rear disc brakes,
weight less than 200Kg, and
and FE of 70,

Sound like every tourers dream

[thedreamcatcher]

Spitfire, thanks for the pics. I recollect seeing a bullet like this once, and was perplexed at that time as to the difference in the engine. Acutally never gave too much thought to it at that time.

Do you guys feel the market is ready for Diesel bikes. Obviously it will involve a higher price, and when current bikes based on ads i have seen, turn out aroun 70-110 KMPL, would not make sense for a user to pay the premium

I am trying very hard to recollect, but recently read somewhere, that a diesel version of some sports bike was being planned. anyone have an idea which one it could be

[prajwalkashyap]

The one diesel motorcycle I'd love to own is the Neander.

main_en

Prajwal

[changaez]

ohh. i would love to see the diesel bullet. I remember seeing one 2 years back, that gave about 85 kms per liter.. it would put all the other bikes to shame

In chennai and lots of places in Tamil Nadu every once in a while you can catch a glimpse of the old diesel versions..

[selfdrive]

If this is done, then definitely expect this to get the goat of the oil ministry. It wont be long before the subsidies on diesel are removed or restricted.

[gthang]

I hope no one from TBhp or anyone for that matter falls for this high mileage cheap to run options unless some serious engineering to counteract the vibration problems are taken care of.

Please try to talk to someone with long time experience with a diesel bike. The high compression ratio engines cause vibrations that not only make it uncomfortable to ride, but causes long term spinal damage.

Diesel engines have been around for a long time and there is a good reason why reputed manufacturers have not jumped on the diesel bandwagon. Please dont ignore this. A bad back can not be fixed easily.

And please, do not compare a highly engineered Neander to anything Hero or RE can dream of putting out.

[Mpower]

Has HH/RE heard the racket made by one of those Apes? Guess not!

Who is this Chennai based supplier of engines that both are talking to?

[dustom_99]

Originally Posted by gthang

I hope no one from TBhp or anyone for that matter falls for this high mileage cheap to run options unless some serious engineering to counteract the vibration problems are taken care of.

Please try to talk to someone with long time experience with a diesel bike. The high compression ratio engines cause vibrations that not only make it uncomfortable to ride, but causes long term spinal damage.

Diesel engines have been around for a long time and there is a good reason why reputed manufacturers have not jumped on the diesel bandwagon. Please dont ignore this. A bad back can not be fixed easily.

And please, do not compare a highly engineered Neander to anything Hero or RE can dream of putting out.

Originally Posted by gthang

I hope no one from TBhp or anyone for that matter falls for this high mileage cheap to run options unless some serious engineering to counteract the vibration problems are taken care of.

Please try to talk to someone with long time experience with a diesel bike. The high compression ratio engines cause vibrations that not only make it uncomfortable to ride, but causes long term spinal damage.

Diesel engines have been around for a long time and there is a good reason why reputed manufacturers have not jumped on the diesel bandwagon. Please dont ignore this. A bad back can not be fixed easily.

And please, do not compare a highly engineered Neander to anything Hero or RE can dream of putting out.

Diesel engines have been around for quite a while,but not the current breed. These days diesel is the new fuel,giving gas guzzlers run for its money in all parameters.
And talk to who? Long term experience with a diesel motorcycle?
There were no diesel motorcycles available till now ,if you think riding a oldschool frame with water pump/farm equipment engine gives you a diesel motorcycle experience ,you are quite far from reality.
And I think that spinal injury thing is a bit blown big.
Just because a lot manufacturers did not think about diesel motorcycles,it does not make it a bad idea. 10yrs ago some guys like you would have said same things to someone who wanted a diesel small car! And now we want a diesel nano.
FYI yamaha filed patent applications for 4barrel turbo diesel motorcycle in europe in 2009.
Suzuki also is testing r1000 frame with v-5 turbo diesel for racing,may be motogp or man of ilse

[gthang]

Originally Posted by dustom_99

you are quite far from reality.
10yrs ago some guys like you would have said same things to someone who wanted a diesel small car! And now we want a diesel nano.
FYI yamaha filed patent applications for 4barrel turbo diesel motorcycle in europe in 2009.
Suzuki also is testing r1000 frame with v-5 turbo diesel for racing,may be motogp or man of ilse

Dustom,

Please read the thread title, the players involved in this diesel motorcycle trial (Hero and RE)

Peace.

[Live To Jive]

Originally Posted by theMAG

If they do materialize, they wont be the first diesel bikes in this country; RE had a diesel Bullet in the past, which became recognized more for its infamy than its virtues of doing a BLR-Pune run on 1 tankful of diesel !

It would be interesting to see the refinement levels of these new engines, if/when they do materialize.

The one manufacturer I can think of around the Chennai area that does low-capacity diesels is Greaves, near Ranipet. The other possibility (remote) that comes to mind is Delphi, but I've not known them to produce low-capacity diesels, atleast until now.

Originally Posted by Gansan

Was there not one more manufacturer, with the brand name of Sooraj?
The Enfield diesel Bullets used the Greaves-Lombardini engine. They ran almost on just love and pure air, according to Dilip Bam!

Both the RE Diesel and Sooraj used the same Greaves Lumbardni Diesel engine. Besides that in UK there was a bullet with the Fuji Robin Engine.

[dustom_99]

I knew that this post is about hero and RE, but these are the guys that introduced we indians to motorcycle.
Both of them are well capable of dishing out big surprise.
I am not saying they will, what hits the market is what junta wants!
But seriously oil burners of today are not as bad as you potray them to be,back braking vibration from a multi cylinder diesel is surely of the menu these days

[greatmana2000]

What ever said and done , it simply is not possible to have a 400 cc single or 2 cylinder engine without any electronics involved . Without a modern crdi system or atleast a PD system of fuel injection the bike is going to be prone to vibrations . With all sorts of hitech electronics involved it is no rocket sience to develop a diesel motorcycle . Right now , the bike that comes to my mind is the HDT ( hayes ) which is a N.A type of engine . Even the HDT has some nice engineering put into it , although the bike still has kawasaki clutch , gears etc . So until the bike is released it is definitely not possible to comment on the diesel bike . All I can think is that the bike will definitely cost atleast 1.3-1.6lakhs min

[gthang]

Hero and RE have not introduced anything on their own yet. One is using 50's era British leftovers and the other, Japanese. Any technology of their own? Now left to their own devices, they will give something that "junta" wants, which is high mileage. Back breaking vibrations be damned. This is what I was warning about. I also gave a disclaimer, unless they have engineered something to counter the vibes. Please read my post again, slowly, if you have to.

I guess you have discovered some solution to the high compression ratio and heavy piston requirements for diesel engines. A CRD engine might seem smooth compared to older diesel engines, but low level vibration which can be damaging to spine because of placement in a motorcycle frame will still exist.

One of the key achievements of the Neander bike is the counter rotating crankshaft to negate the vibration at the piston level inherent to diesel engines. No one will be happier than me if an Indian company is able to introduce such high tech products in the market.

There is more to a motorcycle than strapping on a engine to a frame.