A 130mph Biodiesel Motorcycle Hits the Streets

Extreme motorcycle modification is nothing new. So when Michael Sturtz decided to make an extreme motorcycle with a diesel motor, not much was said, until now.

Sturtz and his team from an industrial-arts group called the Crucible based out of Oakland, California started with an older model motorcycle. They found a diesel V6 from a BMW and began the painstaking process of merging the 2. After spending over a month rebuilding the frame, running hoses and cables and designing a biodiesel friendly fuel system, the computer locked up. A built in security system flagged the car as stolen and only after some "hacking" and a few calls to BMW could the problem be remedied.

The team is hoping to break into the 160mph range within the next few months. They aren't far off either as they have already reached 130mph. The speed comes from a chain gear system fitted onto the motor and the gearbox. The crank on the motor side has twice the number of teeth on the gear box side, giving a top engine speed of 8,200rpm.

The entire setup cost about $20,000 and took 6 months to build. The most interesting part? It's 100% street legal.

HatTip : Gizmodo