Bacon-Fueled Motorcycle Completes Trip From Minnesota to California

Evans Brasfield
by Evans Brasfield

Bacon lovers have always wondered what to do with the leftover grease from preparing their favorite food. Those of us who grew up in the South may remember the container of bacon grease that was kept on the stove for frying until it was replaced by vastly inferior oils made out of olives or canolas (whatever they are). Well, the bacon lovers at Hormel Foods has found a way to combine our favorite food with our favorite activity by creating a bacon-powered motorcycle.

We have to wonder if that's a pigskin seat.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. A bacon grease powered motorcycle.

The bacon bike is the brainchild of famed advertising agency, BBDO’s Minneapolis office, designed to draw attention to Hormel’sBlack Label Bacon line. So, they decided that they would build a bacon fueled motorcycle and ride it from Minneapolis to San Diego, CA to attend the San Diego Bacon Week, taking place between August 24–30, 2014. Bacon fans can see bands, enjoy bacon infused foods from local eateries, attend the International Bacon Film Fest, and wind it all up on International Bacon Dayat the Hormel Black Label Bacon Fest. Mmm, that’s a lot of bacon.

Now, back to the bike: To get a real-world workable motorcycle that would run on a mixture of bacon grease, paraffin hydroxide, and methanol, a Track T–800CDI Diesel Motorcycle ( English Translation). Anyone who knows just a little bit about biofuels knows that you need a diesel engine to utilize it. What may surprise you is the estimated 100 mpg delivered by the 800 cc Triple in addition to a claimed 6 second 0–60 dash.

One of only 20 T–800CDIs built, the bacon bike was completely reworked to give it the kind of attitude you’d expect from a bike tasked to tour the USA promoting the best food on the planet. Even people who aren’t motorcycle fans will be aware of the bike’s presence thanks to the hint of bacon scent it leaves in its wake as it travels.

The bacon bike arrived in San Diego two days ago, and now, if you want to see/smell it, we figure you better plan on attending the SD Bacon Fest. After that, who knows where the bacon powered motorcycle will go to spread the joy.

Everything is better with bacon - even motorcycles.
Evans Brasfield
Evans Brasfield

Like most of the best happenings in his life, Evans stumbled into his motojournalism career. While on his way to a planned life in academia, he applied for a job at a motorcycle magazine, thinking he’d get the opportunity to write some freelance articles. Instead, he was offered a full-time job in which he discovered he could actually get paid to ride other people’s motorcycles – and he’s never looked back. Over the 25 years he’s been in the motorcycle industry, Evans has written two books, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects and How to Modify Your Metric Cruiser, and has ridden just about every production motorcycle manufactured. Evans has a deep love of motorcycles and believes they are a force for good in the world.

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