Where is Anthony Hoplkins when you need him? The actor, who played the eccentric but focused New Zealander, Burt Munro, in The World’s Fastest Indian, must have been away filming on location during early September. Otherwise, there would have been no stopping him from taking over the reins of at least one of Hayes Diversified Technologies’ B20-fueled diesel motorcycles at Bonneville Speedway’s 2007 International Speed Trials. Undeterred, company owner Fred Hayes and chief test rider Byron Schmidt accomplished the deed themselves, despite adverse weather and a limited amount of track time.
Climbing out of Munro’s 200 mph fully enclosed classic Indian Scout, it’s possible that Hopkins might have walked away less than impressed by the speed of HDT’s machines (103-mph standard model, 110 mph for the turbo). However, that’s pretty spunky for motorcycles that began life with only 30 hp and are not far removed from the off-road-capable two-wheeler produced for U.S. and European/NATO military forces. Only a bit of suspension lowering, streamlining of the bodywork and exhaust tweaking distinguishes HDT’s normally aspirated race bike from its production: M1030M1 Multi-Fuel Modified Military Motorcycle, on duty and serving around the world with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Unlike any other machine at Bonneville, HDT’s diesel bike is capable of fording a 24-in. stream, and climbing or descending a 60 percent grade while operating on any version of diesel, kerosene or jet fuel. The HDT diesel bikes operated on B20 biodiesel (20 percent soybean, vegetable oil and other agricultural components; 80 percent petroleum diesel).
HDT diesel bikes have been regular Bonneville contenders since 2004, albeit with little class competition. The unfaired regular and turbo models established records during that year’s meet. These records were broken in 2005, along with new marques for streamlined versions of the machines. The 2005 records for the unfaired models still stand. Hayes and the HDT team will be back for Bonneville’s next running, confident of attaining even higher speeds.
HDT is an unknown name to most motorcycle enthusiasts, but the company has supplied thousands of modified on/off-road-capable motorcycles to the U.S. and various foreign military since 1981. These machines were initially based on Kawasaki’s 250 cc, and later 650 cc gasoline-fueled dual-sport models. In 1984 NATO proposed a long-term goal of a single battlefield fuel—aviation kerosene—eliminating the logistical burden for supply and transport of multiple fuels for trucks, tanks, aircraft and other vehicles.
By the late ’90s U.S. forces had also become serious about the multiple-fuel issue and the U.S. Navy decreed that after 2005 they would supply or transport only diesel and jet fuel. Motorcycles had long proved their worth in the military but major motorcycle manufacturers indicated a lack of commercial interest for diesel motorcycles and an inability to meet the military performance requirements cost-effectively. Consequently, HDT and 39 other small companies competed to produce a working prototype. HDT succeeded in 2001, designing and building a diesel engine that exceeded all military requirements. The first nine diesel bikes were delivered the same year and then underwent lengthy field trials by the Marines. Production of the Marine Corps and European/NATO variants began in 2006.
HDT planned to launch a civilian commercial variant of the military dieselbike, named the D650A1 Bulldog, in 2006. However, additional demand from their primary military market has delayed its production, but testing and product development continue. Projected dry weight is less than 400 pounds. and the motorcycle is expected to have more than 600 miles of range on a tank of diesel, achieving in excess of 100 mpg. Watch for an upcoming ride report and fuel economy test of the HDT Bulldog.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
