Neander Kraftrad 2021 — Specifications

Putting a diesel engine in a production motorcycle is an industrial gamble, almost a provocation. Neander hasn’t sought compromise with this Kraftrad, a proposition that questions as much as it fascinates. Beneath its muscular naked lines lies a turbocharged 1340 cm³ diesel twin, an architecture that speaks more to the register of torque than to stratospheric revs. At 2600 rpm, it delivers 214 Nm, a wave of traction unlike the thrills of a four-cylinder gasoline engine.

The engine block, with its 105 mm bore and 76 mm stroke, adopts a square architecture and houses four valves per cylinder. Turbocharging is provided by a turbocharger with an air-to-air intercooler, while Bosch’s common-rail injection manages the diesel fuel injection. Power reaches 112 horsepower at 4200 rpm, figures that won’t set a BMW S1000R’s meters spinning, but betray a different philosophy: here, we move with thick waves of torque, with a displayed frugality of 4.5 liters per 100 kilometers. The six-speed gearbox and final transmission by belt complete a resolutely unique mechanical assembly.

The tubular chassis uses the engine as a stressed member, a classic solution that contrasts with the exotic engine. The wheelbase of 1920 mm announces certain stability, while the 41 mm twin-tube inverted fork and adjustable WP shock absorbers promise to manage the 295 kilograms dry weight. Brembo six-piston brakes, dual front discs, are sized to control the mass. The tires, with a 260/40-18 at the rear, complete a stocky and grounded profile.

This Kraftrad will not seduce the track rider seeking pure sensations or the adventurer dreaming of trail bikes. Its top speed of 220 km/h and its 14-liter tank rather destine it to a demanding touring rider, an enthusiast of rare mechanical sensations and long range. It is a machine with character, for a rider who understands that emotion can also be born from a low-frequency hum and a reserve of torque available from low rpm. Neander has built a counter-current motorcycle, and that is precisely where its interest lies.