From skateboard garage to biodiesel motorcycle
Jennison is originally from the United Kingdom and experimented with electric skateboards as a teenager. He is now studying engineering at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. As part of a study project, he decided to build a rolling example of the use of biodiesel in cold climates. He chose a 1999 Harley frame for a good reason: it is the last model year in which the engine and transmission are still separate. This made it easier to integrate the new drive.
A Kubota tractor engine in a Harley-Davidson
Instead of the original V-twin engine, a three-cylinder diesel engine now sits in the frame – presumably a Kubota D1703 with a displacement of 1,647 cm³. The maximum power output is around 25.7 kW (35 hp). This means that the motorcycle is not a powerhouse, but it is certainly suitable for road use. The powerful torque of the diesel engine provides decent propulsion, even though exact figures have not yet been published. The engine comes directly from the manufacturer Kubota, which supported the project to demonstrate the usability of biodiesel.
Since the engine was originally designed for conventional diesel, Jennison had to make extensive modifications to enable it to run on recycled vegetable oil – i.e., used frying fat. In addition to fuel preparation, the focus was also on the mechanical integration of the large-volume unit, which only fit into the Harley frame with considerable effort.
Technology meets idealism: Why biodiesel?
Jennison has two main goals with his project. On the one hand, he wants to draw attention to the ethical and ecological problems of battery production – in particular, cobalt mining in the Congo, where, according to him, several workers die every week. On the other hand, he sees major weaknesses in the everyday usability of electric vehicles in cold regions such as Canada. Here, it has been shown that electric snow removal vehicles, for example, do not function reliably enough in emergencies.
Jennison and his team therefore developed a biodiesel-based technology that is specially optimized for low temperatures. This will be used in the future in his university’s fleet of 400 vehicles. The target CO₂ reduction: up to 74 percent.
Public relations on two wheels
The motorcycle serves as a rolling demonstration object and is being used on the current tour to show the concept in practice. Jennison visits schools, Harley-Davidson and Kubota dealers and explains the technical background on site. The project is also supported by a GoFundMe campaign to cover the costs of accommodation, equipment, and insurance.
Communication via social media has been sparse so far—in keeping with the style of many engineers who prefer tinkering to posting. Nevertheless, a few videos document the challenges and progress the team has made over the past two years. Health and safety regulations have apparently fallen by the wayside on occasion.
A Harley – or not?
Whether Jennison’s vehicle can still be called a Harley-Davidson is a matter of opinion. From a distance, it visually resembles the original. But given the lack of a V-twin and the clunky diesel engine, some people mockingly refer to it as a “Kubo-Davidson” or “Harl-bota.” For Jennison, that’s irrelevant. What matters to him is that his machine is a working example of the future of alternative drive systems – and as practical and tangible as possible.
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