Suzuki is making power from poop, and it could fuel the bike of the future
Suzuki has not just been given the green light to turn cow dung into fuel - the United Nations and Japanese government are also on board.
Suzuki has long been known for its slightly left-field thinking, be it with bikes like the Hayabusa, the DR Big, or the rotary-powered RE5. But now, the Hamamatsu firm is taking innovation to a whole new level... and this time, it involves cow dung - lots of it.
The Japanese manufacturer has just had its “Biogas Project” officially adopted into the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s (UNIDO) Industrial Cooperation Programme. What does that mean? In short, Suzuki is getting official backing to turn poo into power. And not metaphorically, this is actual, steaming, straight-from-the-farmyard stuff.
Moo-ving toward a greener future with Suzuki
The scheme, catchily titled “Biogas project: Collaboration between Indian dairy sector and Japanese automobile sector to address social issues in India”, is set to begin full operations in 2025. Suzuki is working hand-in-hoof with India’s National Dairy Development Board and a local dairy industry association to build a biogas plant that turns bovine waste into clean-burning fuel.
Why India? Well, Suzuki’s got a big market there, and CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles account for about 20 per cent of India’s passenger car segment. That’s a massive opportunity for carbon-neutral alternatives. Cow dung also happens to be both plentiful and extremely renewable.
The idea is as simple as it is pungent: collect the dung, process it into biogas, and pipe that methane-rich goodness into vehicles and, theoretically, anywhere else it is needed as a fuel. As well as helping slash greenhouse gas emissions, Suzuki’s plan will also boost rural incomes (they’re buying the dung from farms), create new jobs, and make India a bit more energy self-sufficient.
What does this mean for bikes?
Now, while Suzuki hasn’t announced a GSX-R powered by farmyard fumes just yet, that may not be too far off. Suzuki raced in 2024 at Suzuka on a bike powered by 40 per cent biogas. This year’s entry is 100 per cent powered by biogas. If it gets the green light, its 2026 entry could be powered to the podium by farmyard farts.
Japan tech, Indian cows, global impact
With support from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), this whole cow-powered endeavour isn’t just some fringe eco-project; it’s a proper, government-backed initiative with UN recognition. Suzuki is even looking at building more biogas plants using Japanese tech to scale things up. Because once you’ve got the cow dung flowing, why stop at one plant?
It’s all part of Suzuki’s wider goal to help India grow economically while moving toward carbon neutrality. And while we might still be a few years away from a methane-fueled GSX-8P (P for poop?), this could be a key piece of the low-emissions transport puzzle in emerging markets.
So there you have it. Suzuki’s next big thing isn’t a turbocharged superbike or a new adventure tourer, it’s cow dung. And if they play their cards right, the motorcycles of tomorrow might just leave a greener footprint... while smelling suspiciously like a milking shed.
Udderly brilliant, Suzuki, bravo.
You may also like to read our 2025 Suzuki GSX-8T and GSX-8TT review.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
