Forum

[Bullet Train]

Has anyone got a view on these two items up on eBay?
The first one noted here is from a dealer in Northwich, has been for sale for some time. The other has just been listed. This second chap is raising money for a big worldwide biking trip.
I'm interested in going down the Diesel route myself, and I'm considering getting the whole lot, in kit form, from Henry at PP. I really need to have a test ride before making a decision though, as I'm a bit sceptical about the dangerous lack of oommph!

Item number: 261028968351

Item number: 271004378077

[grunda 12]

hi B.T the enfield in cheshire has a honda engine not a bad motor although i think the guy wants too much money,the other guy has toned this bike down its been on and off ebay a few times recently,the yanmar clone engine gives around 56/57mph with 17 tooth gear box sprocket thats a gps figure not the enfield speedo ,i fitted a suntom 406 yanmar clone last june and have done approximately 5000 miles,the only problem i,ve had are injector pump selonoid sticking in the closed position remedy fit pump without stop which i already had and flywheel main bearing failure ,which cost £15 to remedy i ride the bike flat out most of the timeand it returns 130mpg riding nice and steady around 45/50 mph 150mpg is possible,the H.P KIT is very good although costly,i bought my motor off ebay for £300 +£30 carriage used the std enfield petrol primary with a 20mmm steel spacer my project cost altogether around £450 there are some photo,s of my build on our face book site west riding reoc,there are plenty of sites for info on the internet check out dieselbike.net they are also on face book if you need any help or info give me a call or email me always happy to help paul. email [email protected] or 07852115536.

[rustygman]

Hi Bullet Train - i was following the blog of the guy selling the diesel. He was planning a big trip on it, did a few test rides and is now going to do it on a honda scooter. Speaks volumes really but check it out http://www.andrewcharnley.com/ - if he had planned his trip on a bog standard 350 he would have saved a lot of time and money.

[grunda 12]

hi rusty not sure what the comment of speaking volumes means ?i saw the charnley in its origional form advertised a month or so ago ,i think he did the conversion as a mickey take it had a futuristic dash and handlebars now i see the origional nacelle etc have been returned ,its now more sellable ,the point of a diesel conversion is not for speed but decent reliability and fuel economy and the ability to run it on almost anything from chip oil to white spirit etc ,its not to everyones liking but if like me and a few more excentrics life in the slow lane is as good as it gets,B.T IF YOU FIND A DIESEL TO TEST RIDE AVOID THE 6.5HP TAURUS GREAVES the genuine enfield diesel as i have riden one and they are no where near as good as the 10bhp yanmar l100 or 186 clone,i don,t know if youve seen last week s motorcycle news theres a diesel article in there and some of these oil burners are not all slow plodders but i like plodding and if i were to do a overland to anywhere ride it would be on my diesel bullet as theres no where as much to go wrong on the diesel engined variety ,remember if youve got fuel and compression a diesel will run ,no electronic ignitions ,spark plugs,carburettors, or any of the other bullet petrol engined problems just kick and ride,good luck to mr charnley on his honda,p.s i also ride the odd petrol bike and drive a diesel car HAPPY DAYS,remember the only people who can give a true reflection on a machine are those who own one

[rustygman]

Hey Grunda, I totally agree with the positive points about a diesel motorcycle and i cannot believe that a major manufacturer is not turning one out already, there must be a market for them - maybe not so much in sports bike britain but in other parts of the world for sure. My point about the blog was that the guy had so much trouble with injectors he kind of gave up on the project and retreated to the mechanical safety of a Honda scoot. The other guy I mentioned (sorry can't remember blog name) also had the same problems and ended up waiting for parts in nepal. If I were to buy a diesel car (and I have owned a couple) I would expect massive mileage and very few problems but though I am sure there are exceptions I am not convinced that is the case with the current diesel conversions available to us bikers. As an example I owned a ford transit camper that was up to 270,000 and ran like clockwork (the body was crap of course) - is there a diesel bike to compare, if so I'm interested?

[Bullet Train]

[grunda 12]

HI RUSTY, motorcycle news ran a report on diesels last week there are plenty of options there is the Track 800 a three cylinder diesel that has a cvt transmission looks like a bmw G.S they are manufactured in holland but retail at around £16000 not cheap!! or the sommer diesel which uses enfield forks but has a totally different frame not cheap though ,ive just been looking at a 1000cc twin diesel engine but its a bit exspensive at £1100 although it has 20bhp on tap at 3600 rpm that should be good for 75+mph at a good mpg its another plant engine so keeps my agricultural theme running ,the current yanmar clone is very good though and parts are very cheap injector pump £28 ,injector £19 its different but it wouldn,t do to all be the same all the best paul.

[another Allan]

There's also the Smart car-engined Triumph Tiger that a firm in Ireland (or maybe N.I.) is building. You can either have a new or used 800cc 3 cylinder turbo diesel engine, new 6-speed gearbox, fitted in the reconditioned cycle parts from an early Triump Tiger ('steamer')
Apparently it'll cruise at motorway speeds without a problem and does 80 to 100 mpg.
Diesel bikes interest me, too, but to use a non-turbo engine from a cement mixer or some such thing holds little attraction for me. Each to his own, I suppose.

[another Allan]

Have a look at suckindiesel.com

[Bullet Train]

Cheers chaps,

Some interesting comments and observations.
I must say, I'm developing an unhealthy interest in oil burning bikes and will definately investigate in getting my own Bullet converted at some point. I'd like to consider using Henry's kit of parts, but if I had the where -with-all, I'd do my own engine transplant and all the fabrication, ect. Inspiration for all this unhealthy interest comes from the chaps you've already mentioned at Dieselbike.net. Taking a look at some of the creations, pictured recently at the Big Knock Rally, shows some real tidy conversions are out there. I couldn't make the rally this year, where I'd like to have "blagged" a test ride on one of the Bullet conversions, but I went down to see the rideout last year. A sight, sound and smell to behold, I can tell you!
I also saw the chaps and some of there bikes on display at the (sadly, no longer) VJMCC show, at Uttoxeter Racecourse, a couple of years back.
Not seen the MCN article yet.
These are interesting people who have built some nice bikes, and, as mentioned here, there are some people doing some full-on conversions, but, at a price.
This is certainly one way forward in these days of of ever increasing fuel prices.
Also begs the question, why haven't any of the major bike producers designed and built a production Diesel bike yet?

Keep the faith.
BT