By Tony Borroz
January 21, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – With the exception of a few very cool electrics here and there, motorcycles still run pretty much on dino-juice. Does it have to be that way? This cool concept suggests it doesn’t.
Say hello to Metalback, a motorcycle that runs on biodiesel. We happened upon this cool idea while checking in with Bike EXIF, or favorite purveyors of two-wheeled moto-porn, while sipping our morning coffee. After cleaning the java off the keyboard, you could easily color us enthused.
The Metalback was designed by a fellow by the name of Jordan Meadows. It looks like a modern interpretation of something Giacomo Agostini would have ridden a few decades ago. Meadows definitely has skills — he used the be the design manager at Mazda’s North American Design Center. Before that, he worked for the likes of Volkswagen, Chrysler, Jeep and Ford.
That V4 engine fueled by biodiesel is surrounded by a skin of recycled aluminum. The bodywork is treated with a unique finish that allows it to build up a protective patina over time to shield it from the elements. Not only does this look tremendous, but it does away with the use of environmentally harmful paint. Talk about aging gracefully.
Meadows says running a biodiesel V4 “increases the range and MPG well above conventional gasoline bikes while running on a fuel which is more environmentally friendly.” A diesel bike isn’t as outlandish as it might sound. The U.S. Army and Marines have been using converted Kawasaki KLR motorcycles for awhile now. Metalback just wraps the idea in sexier bodywork.
