However, there are still plenty of people out there who also recognize the benefits of biodiesel and they've begun their own projects. John Petsche simply began with a Kawasaki bike and with the additional help from some online user groups, he was able to modify it to run off a six horsepower industrial diesel engine.
And it's powered by vegetable oil. As such, he's broken the land speed record for 350cc alt-fuel motorcycles at 56.535mph. According to Petsche himself: "For the average person looking to build a homemade project, a biofuel-powered diesel motorcycle is the best bet. Heavy batteries and limited range are not an issue, donor parts are cheap and widely available, and there is a huge support network of people who have already completed projects of their own." Electric bikes have proven to be faster, however, with the e-bike record currently standing at 216mph.
But Petsche doesn't mind, simply because he had so much fun building his bike. And he's already working on another, which will have a CVT and a 10 horsepower engine. He now wants to go for the record speed in the 500cc alt-fuel class. This should put him in the 75 to 80mph range.