Die Moto - 130mph on Bio-Diesel
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 08.10.07
Made from a BMW motorbike and a BMW car engine mashed together, the DIE Moto emits 78% percent less net CO2 than a standard diesel engine and can hit 130mph. Who said being green had to mean not having fun? It will run on standard diesel, biodiesel, or straight vegetable oil (SVO).
The makers, an industrial-arts group in California, called the Crucible, are hoping to get it up to 160mph at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats next month, which would put it up there with the Tesla Roadster in any list of desirable-but-green transport options. It would also get it in the record books for the fastest diesel motorbike, an amazing feat considering that this is still a street-legal bike.
The bike has been designed to break records, but the team also hope that it will highlight how viable alternative fuels are becoming, "Designed and fabricated by a team of environmentally conscious vehicle enthusiasts, engineers and artisans, the Die Moto is out to prove the viability of alternative fuel technology in performance vehicles. As fuel efficiency and low emissions become increasingly important, diesel technology has responded with improved mileage and easy adaptation to biodiesel and SVO."::Pop-Sci via ::Gizmodo
Cool I can't wait to see the touring version.
How does it achieve 78% fewer emissions? Is this just riding the coat tails of Bio-Diesel or is there some amazing tech behind this?
Green score: D-
If you call scratch-building a motorcycle, using some parts only available in Europe, learning how to decode and reprogram BMW engine computers, making it street-legal and breaking world records as a side project all while running a massively successful art studio with internationally acclaimed performances "riding the coat tails", then yes...Mike Sturtz is doing just that. I see it as someone more than doing their part. Who cares exactly how he gets it that efficient, or if it's even much more efficient than an off-the-shelf SVO conversion? He's raising global awareness at record speeds and reducing emissions. What are you doing to save the planet? Seriously, if you have questions, email him. He's an awesome guy (an old college friend) who will be more than willing to give you whatever info you might want. That seems a helluva lot more productive than sitting at your keyboard bashing the poor guy. If we're gonna change the way the world is functioning, we have to act positively. Give the guy a modicum of credit. A score of D-? Get real...if he is almost failing at being green, what's your score?
no bady vant tu bay it bi kooz itis slow twn bike