Die Bike Runs on Biodiesel, Capable of 130 mph (Video)

This is Die Bike, a biodiesel motorcycle that has been built from a car engine and a bike body by an Oakland collective called The Crucible. A recent test-drive got the eco-bike up to 130 mph, but its creators are hoping that, with a bit of modification, their baby will hit 160 mph on the Bonneville Flats next month and break some records in the process.

Creator Michael Sturtz started off with a BMW motorbike and a Beemer high-performance car engine only available in Europe (which shut down for four days after its computer thought it had been stolen, so Sturtz had to beg BMW for the security codes.) Its retro look comes from having engine and chassis wrapped in 3/4 aluminum fairing.

Die Bike cost $20,000 and took six months to build. As well as running on biodiesel, it can take both diesel and straight vegetable oil (SVO). Sturtz, who is Founder and Executive Director of The Crucible, is hoping that his creation will break the existing diesel motorcycle world record, as well as establishing new land speed classes for both bio-diesel and straight veggie oil. [Popular Science via CNN]