While motorcycle manufacturers are working hard to ensure that their future models limit polluting emissions in order to comply with increasingly stringent anti-pollution standards, but also to reduce the consumption of their two-wheelers, the American company Axiom Diesel Cycles is developing a… diesel motorcycle!
After developing their first diesel motorcycle called “Success”, the American company based in Columbus, Axiom Diesel Cycles is at it again. Their goal is to provide a machine that will have an engine with the power and torque needed to grab the rider's attention. This one is a 1000 cc turbocharged inline three-cylinder engine.
This company was founded in 2012 in a garage near Atlanta. Matthew, the manager of Axiom Diesel Cycles, decided to build himself a diesel motorcycle: “I couldn't buy one, so I built one. » Quite a challenge, because he decided to build the motorcycle from scratch, rather than grafting a diesel engine to a donor motorcycle.
While gasoline engines rely on a spark plug for ignition of the mixture, diesel engines use compression ignition, which relies on the heat of compressed air for combustion. Certainly, diesel engines run at lower speeds than gasoline engines, which can improve their longevity. However, the benefits end there, and it's clear that diesel engines never really took off in the motorcycle world. Ultimately, while diesel engines offer plenty of torque and longevity, they're not exactly the best option, especially when it comes to on-board feel, including noise.
Additionally, diesel engines are too heavy. Motorcycle manufacturers are constantly innovating to make their machines lighter and more agile. Diesel engines are simply too heavy for this, as they must be designed to withstand significantly higher compression ratios, a critical factor in achieving compression ignition. Additionally, given the compression ignition setup of diesel engines, this creates more vibration and noise.
Matthew, the manager of Axiom Diesel Cycles, explains this unusual choice: “Diesel is an ideal platform for a cruiser, it offers good torque with less horsepower and this allows for better fuel economy. Most motorcycles seek to have the best speed and power on the market. Diesels are perfect for long journeys. Besides, in terms of power, we never had any problems accelerating to around 100-110 km/h.”
At present, it appears that three models are planned: the basic one called "Knight", the "Knight Errant" with an improved tank and saddlebags, and finally the luxury, high-end "Paladin" model. The Knight is announced at a price of $29.500, or nearly €25.000, and it should be available in 2022, for the moment only in the United States.
It will not be the first diesel motorcycle released, but so far these models remain extremely rare on the market.
