Everyone seems to be talking about all of the new 2006 motorcycles coming out but here’s one that isn’t getting as much coverage and right now it probably should get a lot more. This is the D650A1 Bulldog diesel motorcycle. It isn’t quite the sportbike that the Thunder Star would be but then, the Thunder Star isn’t being produced yet.
The Bulldog is the product of Hayes Diversified Technologies, makers of diesel motorcycles for the military. This is their civilian version and it has a lot going for it. It’s a 611cc single cylinder diesel that gets 102mpg at 55mph for a range of 600 miles with its 6.1 gallon tank. Dry weight is 369 pounds and it will climb a 60% (32 degree) grade. Top speed is just over 90mph. Runs on diesel, biodiesel or aviation kerosene, too. Production is slated for March of 2006.
102mpg? 600 mile range? This looks like a sweet dual sport commuter. I like it.
electricmotorcycles.net says
Any prices?
kneeslider says
Didn’t see any pricing, I was a little curious about that myself. I’ll see what I can find out.
Shane says
Saw this motorcycle on the Discovery Channel (UK) on Monday night. The company in question originally were developing it for military use (they were trying to get the Marines interested), looks like a really nice bike. The mpg quoted here sounds a little more than they said on the show (Big Big Bikes…).
Really nice though, I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on one myself.
tedder says
Call it a Bulldog or whatever you want, but it is a diesel KLR.
XF22B says
After a call to HDT, the company modifying the bikes, I found out the price is not yet set but will go from $12,000 to $20,000. Quite a range I thought for a modded KLR 650. Damn, might need to wait on that purchase.
tedder says
HDT’s “limited edition” of 100 bikes will be $16k. They’ve said the production runs would be 20% above the price of a stock KLR.
dakotatycoon says
Ouch! The 2006 KLR650 KAW MSRP is $5,199.00 add 20% to that and your looking at $6,238.80 + a mark-up I’m sure. That means that the limited edition bikes are going to be marketed at a $9,761.20 mark-up over the D650A1 Bulldog?
I say again; OUCH!
16,000-6,238= 9,761.2 / 6,238.8 = 156% premeium for the ‘limited edtion’.
That’s a 200.08% mark-up from the standard gas KLR650. I know there is a “cool” factor…. but really, I can buy a heck of a lot of gasoline for $10,801.00!!
There comes a pricing point where you kill a new release. Does anybody really think they’ll be able to sell 100 650’s ? Even if they are ” special “? I would like to have one of the new bikes, sure. But not at that kind of price.
JT says
I think that the $16k range is off the scale, but it might sound “reasonable” to the manufacturer based on the time and materials required to create an engine from scratch.
I’d pay $10k for the bike, but not a lot more. One does not buy this for fuel economy, speed, or “cool factor”. One buys this bike because you’re (pick one or more): a survivalist nut, a single-fuel household, a biodiesel fanatic, a military contractor, a cross-Africa expedition, a rich person with more money than they know what to do with.
W Sanders says
Although it would be beyond cool to have a Bulldog, remember they are manufacturing an entriely new engine, for a very limited production run. You can’t just slap a new cylinder head on a gas engine and use it for diesel.
And yes, they will sell, no problem. There are lots of wacky people with money spending $20K, $30K on custom and collector bikes.
For maximum “cool” for your buck, check out your neighborhood custom shop and look for modified KLR650 or Honda XR650 “supermotards”. Stuck in traffic? Just leap from hood to hood!
Jimmy says
D650A1 Diesel I say yes,… I also received a response from HDT saying 20% more than new KLR which puts it about $6,240. I’ll do that but no more!! Any higher than than and I’ll just build my own; there is a lot of diesel engines out there that could be installed on just about any bike. Buy them cheap do it yourself. As for me I really like the KLR conversion.
dakotatycoon says
Fast forward 10 months. The price? $18,999.00. And now, “due to miltary contract requirements” They will not even build those this year. I’m REALLY curious as to how much OUR government is paying for these machines. I SEROIUSLY doubt that the price is 19 grand. Maybe I could get my hands on one of them? I’m starting to wonder if HDT will EVER produce a bike for the General Public. While I still feal that the cool factor comes into play. The limited edition just isn’t worth what they are asking.
PT says
I thought the emissions requirements for diesel automobiles in 2007 was extremely stringent. so stringent that they even dropping the diesel volkswagens in the US. Dont the same laws apply to motorcycles? I dont think we will ever see this in production for civilian use.
Truxton Case says
The styling is very cool, I am painting my KLR blue with a black frame, then haveing the tank custom air brushed.