A Man Loved Construction Equipment So Much He Built A Giant Diesel Motorcycle That Was Terrible To Ride, But Got 94 MPG

Diesel power is a rarity in the motorcycle world. Most motorcyclists want bikes that are relatively lightweight, relatively powerful, and fun to ride. These are all characteristics that are hard to achieve with typically heavy, slow-revving diesel engines. But that hasn’t stopped several builders from planting smoky powerplants into motorcycle frames, anyway. I just found another diesel bike, and it’s full of surprises. This is the Ebster 720 Diesel, and it’s the flawed brainchild of a man who really loved construction cranes. It gets 94 MPG, but reportedly rides worse than you’d expect.

I wouldn’t fault you for thinking that a diesel engine is the exact opposite kind of power that you’d want in a motorcycle. Diesel engines tend to be heavy, bulky, and shaky. Common diesels are often slow to rev, have low redlines, and put out less power than a gasoline motorcycle engine of the same size. Motorcycle engines tend to be light, quick to respond, and often rev so high that you don’t hit redline until after 10,000 RPM. The engine that powers your Volkswagen TDI and the one that powers your Honda CBR1000RR serve different purposes.

Complicating things even more is who rides motorcycles. Americans often ride for pleasure with transportation as a secondary function. Gasoline motorcycle engines have proven themselves to be the fun choice for longer than a century. But what about the millions of people who ride as a form of primary transportation? There are gas engines out there that meet modern emissions standards and get fantastic fuel economy. Then there are today’s awesome electric motorcycles. Really, there’s little practical reason to go with a diesel bike when other technologies exist.

It’s not all that surprising, then, that diesel motorcycles are uncommon and are usually limited to custom builds. Aside from two specific instances, diesel bikes never really reach mass-production status, either. The motorcycles that do exist tend to have been built to fulfill a really specific purpose.

I’ve written about so many obscure diesels, like the Royal Enfield Diesel, the HDT M1030M1 multi-fuel combat bike, the Boccardo 1200 Aéro Diesel commuter bike, the Star Twin Thunder Star 1200 TDI sport bike, the Axiom Diesel Cycles cruiser, the Hero RNT 150 TDi, and the Track T-800CDI adventure bike. All of these motorcycles were built or proposed to prove a point of some kind, and all of them were dead ends.

The Ebster 720 Diesel wasn’t really built to prove a point, nor was it ever intended for production. Instead, it was the result of one man’s obsession with construction equipment. Yet, in some ways, it was somehow worse than the other diesel bikes I’ve written about.

From A Man Who Really Loves Cranes

I found the Ebster 720 Diesel while cruising through classified listings for Audi A2s in Germany. In between high-mile examples of Audi’s deeply underrated aluminum economy car was the Ebster 720, a diesel motorcycle I hadn’t heard of before. What’s going on here?

The September/October 2008 issue of Germany’s Custombike magazine tells the machine’s story.

According to the magazine, Eberhard Adam ran MKS Maschinen und Kran Service GmbH & Co. KG in Oberderdingen, Germany, a company that sells, rents, and repairs self-erecting construction cranes. Eberhard developed a real soft spot for heavy construction equipment, from the hum of their large diesel engines to their thick steel cables and their blocky aesthetic.

Check out one of the cranes that his company works on:

One day, Eberhard attended an industrial equipment trade fair when he walked by the Hatz Diesel booth. On display was a lineup of small diesel engines. These compact oil motors were intended for applications like generators, pumps, vibratory plates, rollers, and compressors. But as Eberhard looked at these engines, he realized that they could do way more than just power generators. These engines were small enough that they could power a motorcycle.

The Ebster

Eberhard would go with a 722cc Hatz 1D90 single-cylinder diesel engine. This little four-stroke engine is a pretty simple mill, featuring overhead valves, air-cooling, and direct injection. A notable feature of the Hatz 1D90 is its balance shafts, which reduce vibrations, making it a better fit for a vehicle.

In 2007, Eberhard joined forces with his friends, engineer Clemens Leonhardt and designer Michael Wizemann, to make the diesel bike a reality. The frame, swingarm, tank, fenders, and springer front end were all custom-fabricated by the men.

The rest of the bike’s parts were sourced elsewhere. The bike’s shock absorbers and four-speed transmission were sourced from a Harley-Davidson cruiser. The front four-piston brakes are from a Suzuki LS 650, while the rear brakes were sourced from a Honda CB750. The footrests are from a Harley-Davidson, and the speedometer is from Louis.

Rounding out the build is a 17-inch motorcycle wheel up front shod in a 150/80 tire. The rear 15-inch wheel is said to have come from an old Ferrari and was then modified to fit the bike. That one is wearing a 230/60 tire from Avon. The motorcycle rides on a 70.8-inch wheelbase and weighs 650 pounds dry, which is less than I would have expected.

Honestly, what’s pretty amazing about this build is that it looks almost exactly like what a custom shop here in America would make. It’s long, low, and bombastic. Eberhard even gave it a cool name, the “Ebster 720.”

So, how does it ride? A Custombike editor took the Ebster 720 out for a spin, where it quickly proved to be a mixed bag.

The rider noted that starting the Ebster was painless, as the diesel fired into life without any need for preheating. The appeal of the Hatz diesel was immediately apparent, as the engine sat there clattering away, much like a piece of construction equipment. But the charm of the diesel also came with quirks.

The 1D90 engine was unmodified, which meant only 16 HP and 30 lb-ft of torque to move more than 700 pounds. The magazine said that you had no choice but to max out the throttle grip immediately upon taking off. The naturally aspirated Hatz also didn’t like being revved, so the editor quickly moved through the gears with the taps fully open the whole time. Custombike noted that speed wasn’t the name of the game here, but maintaining momentum. Keeping the engine working hard was the only way to keep up with traffic. Top speed was a leisurely 66 mph, and the motorcycle took a long time to get there.

Handling was another adventure. The old-school springer fork up front made the motorcycle very quick to turn and a little twitchy. The magazine noted that even going in a straight line required constant steering corrections. The tires didn’t make the situation any better. Custombike said that the Avon tire on the rear was of an older design that was notorious for stability issues on any pavement that wasn’t perfect. Also, maneuverability wasn’t the bike’s forte, either, and it had an especially wide turning radius.

The magazine conceded that the fun part of this motorcycle was not riding it, as would be the case of any typical bike. Instead, it was getting to listen to and feel the diesel engine at work. That part was novel, even if the engine itself didn’t pump out much power. There was more good news, too. Eberhard said that the engine would be able to go 250,000 miles without issue. As a bonus, the bike also scored 94 mpg and didn’t have complex emissions equipment. In other words, it’s a frugal custom bike that was darn near bulletproof.

The editor also said that riding the Ebster in the German countryside was rather serene. If anything, the magazine’s editor said, the Ebster’s slow nature was a great thing. Instead of keeping your head down in your fast-paced job, just cancel those meetings, ride the Ebster to a coffee shop, and then ride the Ebster through the countryside to a lunch stop. Embrace the slow life and take in all of the surroundings that everyone else misses in going fast all the time.

Custombike‘s conclusions were entertaining. On one hand, the magazine said, the motorcycle was a legitimate custom build with a great wow factor. It was also very comfortable, even for tall riders. The magazine also liked the prospect of over 200,000 problem-free miles. On the other hand, the magazine thought the engine’s performance was “deplorable,” the handling “stubborn,” and that the bike was so slow that you’d never get a speeding ticket ever again.

Ultimately, the Ebster was just a one-off build made by a man who really loves construction equipment. This article that you’re reading right now is, to my knowledge, the first time it has ever been featured on this side of the Atlantic.

Impractical, But Still Neat

It’s also yet another example of the challenges faced by some of these diesel builds. These guys strapped a 722cc diesel to a motorcycle and achieved performance barely better than a 125cc Honda Grom. This is a bike that looks like a custom Harley, but goes like a 150cc scooter. But to be fair to Eberhard and crew, it’s clear that the goal here wasn’t to make a practical motorcycle.

Eberhard sold the Ebster at some point in the past. Today, it’s currently for sale by its current owner in Bretten, Germany, for $27,046 (€23,000). The Ebster is a road-legal motorcycle and is currently registered, which is neat. Importation into America, if someone is crazy enough to try that, might be possible. Sure, the motorcycle was built in 2007 and therefore isn’t anywhere near 25 years old, but it’s also a one-off. You might be able to convince the U.S. government to let it in, but that process usually isn’t quick. As it is, you’ll likely have to petition the feds to allow for its importation.

So, seeing the Ebster in America would be unrealistic for most of us. But I don’t really care. It’s such a cool and weird motorcycle that I had to show it off. I love it when someone looks at an engine that would be considered unsuitable for a bike, and then goes through the work to actually make a running motorcycle out of it. Creativity like this helps to keep the world exciting, and I hope it never goes away.

Topshot graphic image: kleinanzeigen.de Listing