the smallest one (1B20) still weighs in at close to 50 pounds. But you can get one with an electric start! which means it probably has a charging system on it. $1800 for electric start, or $1400 with pull start. Cost prohibitive indeed.
Is there a 50cc diesel engine out there?
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the smallest one (1B20) still weighs in at close to 50 pounds. But you can get one with an electric start! which means it probably has a charging system on it. $1800 for electric start, or $1400 with pull start. Cost prohibitive indeed.
Hybridbiker
Member
The bio diesel option is cool, ive seen the cooking oil conversion kits for most diesel engines, you would need 2 fuel tanks though, since the oil has to be heated for the first few minutes of a cold start, and the engine uses regular diesel at that time, then switches to the cooking oil.
Yeah... but you don't need to do it like that for trans-esterified biodiesel. It is kind of a pain to cook up a batch which is why a lot of people just run straight vegetable oil. But if you're using an engine that gets 200mpg, a 50 gallon batch would last a loooong time.
I'm constantly thinking about this as an option, because I've got a popeye's fried chicken joint just down the street from me. I'm sure they actually pay somebody to haul off their waste oil. I bet they'd be happy to give it to me for free.
I'm constantly thinking about this as an option, because I've got a popeye's fried chicken joint just down the street from me. I'm sure they actually pay somebody to haul off their waste oil. I bet they'd be happy to give it to me for free.
sparky
Active Member
And diesels DO get better mpg, because diesel fuel has more BTUs per volume than gasoline. It's about 138,000 BTUs to 125,000 BTUs for straight gasoline, or closer to 120,000 or less BTUs for gasoline mixed with 10% ethanol (don't use this stuff in your small engines!!).
So, value-wise, you'll see that you're going to be breaking even. The price is more, because you get more... but no matter which one you choose, you're not going to be paying more for fuel, even tho it appears so.
The real benefits from diesel are the torque and being able to run engines offa bio-fuels. I'd gladly take both of those benefits if they were an option. Prices at the pump can't fool me!
I agree.
The benefits of running bio-fuel would do it for me. I think you could mix your own oil with the diesel to make it go further. If you could run a 50/50 mix of old oil and diesel then it would be about the same as paying 1/2 price for diesel.
Here are two things that I'd like to see.
1) A bike with a 50cc bio-diesel engine.
2) I bet with the right resouces a very light weight car could be made. Weld two bikes together so that they run parallel and are 4 feet apart. Hook up a light weight steering rack from a go cart to the bikes front wheels. Put a 125cc or so diesel engine behind the driver. Put a light weight battery at the front and run a generator (light weight less than a couple of pounds) off of one of the wheels (friction drive). Let the lights run off of the generator when the 'car' is moving and run off the car battery when stopped. I've wired an entire car up myself using the painless harness from summit racing and although it is a pain in the butt, it can be done. Without driver or fuel I bet the car could weigh around 700 pounds or less.
I'd also like to see states get rid of the 50cc limit. Would it not be nice to have an engine with a little more power given that someone could make a bike frame to withstand the pounding? Let the states have up to 150cc with no tax tags or registration. More people would opt for these 150cc machines and save money on fuel.
Our govt in their not so great wisdom painted us into a corner. There are a ton of regulations that a car has to meet before it can be sold. The result is that cars are heavy. That was fine when oil was cheap. 4,000 pound cars can use oil and gas like it is going out of style. Now however light weight is what is needed to increase the mpg.
The benefits of running bio-fuel would do it for me. I think you could mix your own oil with the diesel to make it go further. If you could run a 50/50 mix of old oil and diesel then it would be about the same as paying 1/2 price for diesel.
Here are two things that I'd like to see.
1) A bike with a 50cc bio-diesel engine.
2) I bet with the right resouces a very light weight car could be made. Weld two bikes together so that they run parallel and are 4 feet apart. Hook up a light weight steering rack from a go cart to the bikes front wheels. Put a 125cc or so diesel engine behind the driver. Put a light weight battery at the front and run a generator (light weight less than a couple of pounds) off of one of the wheels (friction drive). Let the lights run off of the generator when the 'car' is moving and run off the car battery when stopped. I've wired an entire car up myself using the painless harness from summit racing and although it is a pain in the butt, it can be done. Without driver or fuel I bet the car could weigh around 700 pounds or less.
I'd also like to see states get rid of the 50cc limit. Would it not be nice to have an engine with a little more power given that someone could make a bike frame to withstand the pounding? Let the states have up to 150cc with no tax tags or registration. More people would opt for these 150cc machines and save money on fuel.
Our govt in their not so great wisdom painted us into a corner. There are a ton of regulations that a car has to meet before it can be sold. The result is that cars are heavy. That was fine when oil was cheap. 4,000 pound cars can use oil and gas like it is going out of style. Now however light weight is what is needed to increase the mpg.
What they need to do is stop restricting the sale of new diesel passenger vehicles. It's easier for me to buy a Hummer than it is a brand new compact diesel car in California. How does that make sense? I know our diesel is dirtier than most countries and that's the main reason the restrictions are in place, but come on... The smart car in europe runs on a tiny diesel engine, and gets much better mileage than it's american counterpart does. But they can't sell the thing here... It's the same story with the Mini.
But I have to disagree on the 50cc limit. With more displacement comes more speed. If you're going to be zipping around at high speed, you really need to know what you're doing. Getting the motorcycle class license really helps, especially in states that allow people to take classes in lieu of road tests. We all may be fairly responsible people on this board... but a lot of new riders aren't. A 23 year old kid was killed in my neighborhood last weekend because he was being an idiot on his new crotch-rocket and lost control. No helmet to boot. Licensing won't prevent that kind of thing, but it will at least give new riders the opportunity to be informed before making a bad decision.
But I have to disagree on the 50cc limit. With more displacement comes more speed. If you're going to be zipping around at high speed, you really need to know what you're doing. Getting the motorcycle class license really helps, especially in states that allow people to take classes in lieu of road tests. We all may be fairly responsible people on this board... but a lot of new riders aren't. A 23 year old kid was killed in my neighborhood last weekend because he was being an idiot on his new crotch-rocket and lost control. No helmet to boot. Licensing won't prevent that kind of thing, but it will at least give new riders the opportunity to be informed before making a bad decision.
KiDD
Member
There has been a rash of used cooking oil/grease theft where I live.
Actually I think increasing to 150cc without tax tags or registration might save lives.
When a kid turns 16 he has a few choices. Car, bike, scooter/motor poweredbike.
With gas prices going up and up I think the car buying will go down and more guys will be buying bikes.......many 600cc rockets. What teen wants to drive a 50cc bike to school? Up the cc to 150 and the same guy/girl might buy one because now they can keep up with traffic and be cool at the same time.
Make them get a license and wear a helmet but ease up on other things.
It doesn't matter if it's a 150cc motorcycle or a ten speed with a 150cc engine.....let them drive it without having to pay for tax, tags, registration, or insurance. Make insurance optional for those who want it.
Actually I think helmet should be optional. I think it is stupid to travel with out a helmet (see organ giver) but it should be the person's choice.
When a kid turns 16 he has a few choices. Car, bike, scooter/motor poweredbike.
With gas prices going up and up I think the car buying will go down and more guys will be buying bikes.......many 600cc rockets. What teen wants to drive a 50cc bike to school? Up the cc to 150 and the same guy/girl might buy one because now they can keep up with traffic and be cool at the same time.
Make them get a license and wear a helmet but ease up on other things.
It doesn't matter if it's a 150cc motorcycle or a ten speed with a 150cc engine.....let them drive it without having to pay for tax, tags, registration, or insurance. Make insurance optional for those who want it.
Actually I think helmet should be optional. I think it is stupid to travel with out a helmet (see organ giver) but it should be the person's choice.
sparky
Active Member
As much as I hate regulation. I think a 50cc limit is a good STARTING point. In lots of states, like mine.... my motored bike is technically considered a motorcycle due to vague laws. If we can get it to that point, federally, where I can ride my 33cc BMX around the country without hassle from cops... then I'd be able to die happy.
The limit right now seems more to do with speed than engine displacement. A 50cc engine could be made to do more than 50mph with NO transmission. Add something like a NuVinci hub to a 33cc engine, and you'd be able to hit 35mph pretty easily.
Personally, I feel like the limit on motored bikes should be more toward the speed limit of, say 30mph... not their engine's displacement. Right now it's 20mph, and we all know that no 50cc MB has a top speed of 20mph or less, unless it's got 3inch wheels.
I've been pondering the existence of registering a vehicle, getting a tag, etc., and the only valid reasons I can come up for requiring this is: safety, safety, safety. It's so that you can be tracked down if you have injured/killed somebody or have committed another wrongful action, like theft/vandalism.
But this stuff isn't easy to do on motored bikes, which is why a 50cc limit is a better starting point than calling it a motorcycle.
The limit right now seems more to do with speed than engine displacement. A 50cc engine could be made to do more than 50mph with NO transmission. Add something like a NuVinci hub to a 33cc engine, and you'd be able to hit 35mph pretty easily.
Personally, I feel like the limit on motored bikes should be more toward the speed limit of, say 30mph... not their engine's displacement. Right now it's 20mph, and we all know that no 50cc MB has a top speed of 20mph or less, unless it's got 3inch wheels.
I've been pondering the existence of registering a vehicle, getting a tag, etc., and the only valid reasons I can come up for requiring this is: safety, safety, safety. It's so that you can be tracked down if you have injured/killed somebody or have committed another wrongful action, like theft/vandalism.
But this stuff isn't easy to do on motored bikes, which is why a 50cc limit is a better starting point than calling it a motorcycle.
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