BOTH Royal Enfield and Hero are rumoured to be developing diesel powered bikes for launch in 2013.
Targeting their home markets in India, both firms reckon that the addition range and frugality of diesel engines could appeal to thrifty riders, despite the fact their machines are unlikely to offer much in terms of performance.
The Hero machine – the first to be developed since the company's split with former partners Honda – is said to be a 400cc bike, promising something in the region of 20bhp. Less is known about the Enfield plan, but the firm has suggested it would like to make a multi-fuel adventure bike able to run on diesel, petrol or even kerosene.
Of course, Enfield has been there before, offering the Taurus diesel for several years until 2001. Managing 150mpg, they were certainly economical, but let's hope the firm's future diesels can muster more than the Taurus' 6.5bhp...
