Taking the roar out of the crowd: Hybrid Motorcycles

[mkelley]

Only slightly off-topic.

"Taking the roar out of the crowd: Hybrid Motorcycles"
March 8, 2007 Machine Design Magazine

http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/vie...MDSite&catId=0

[SleekStreak]

fugly

[fretbuzz]

+1^^^. That's uglier than rain on a Saturday.

[BigJohn]

Definatley NOT cruser material. I like the concept. But the look is just wrong.

[CTRider]

Why is it that when designers try to incorporate new technology, they have to base all their designs on Robocop and TRON?

Seriously, just make a bike that looks normal. Then, when people say, "nice bike", you can say, "Thanks - it's a hybrid".

[fretbuzz]

Why does my co-worker get a tax break for driving a fuel efficient hybrid and I don't get a tax break for riding a motorcycle that gets more mpg?

Sorry if this is a hijack, jack.

[vulcan 1600]

If they would make one that looks better, I would be interested. As high as gas prices are gonna get they will sell. Might even settle for one that is a little bit ugly if it gets 75 mpg or better. It would be nice to only have to fill up every 400 miles or more.

[CTRider]

Why does my co-worker get a tax break for driving a fuel efficient hybrid and I don't get a tax break for riding a motorcycle that gets more mpg?

Sorry if this is a hijack, jack.

That's complicated. First, the hybrid cars are so much more expensive, the tax break doesn't even bring them down to the price of a regular car. Second, cars, though they use more fuel, tend to burn cleaner than bikes. So, while they consume more fuel, they don't pollute as much per gallon. For example, though my F150 only gets 19MPG, the hydrocarbons it emits is about the same level as a Honda Civic. It simply burns the fuel more efficiently.

However, as more bikes go to fuel injection and smaller engines become more efficient, you'll see less of a difference in emissions.

Personally, I'd like to see a bike that runs on Bio-Diesel. A greater number of bikes seem to be sold in the Midwest and Western states where Bio-Diesel has really become accessable. It only makes sense to look into that - especially if they could had hybrid technology to the mix. You'd still get a nice thump to the engine, but it could shut down when sitting in traffic.

[fretbuzz]

Shouldn't it equal out since less fuel is burned?

I'm all for keeping the pollution low, but I think God is smart enough to build a planet that will not peter out before we are done with it.

[sheulett]

Why does my co-worker get a tax break for driving a fuel efficient hybrid and I don't get a tax break for riding a motorcycle that gets more mpg?

Sorry if this is a hijack, jack.

One of the reasons for the tax break is to encourage the development of new technology. Hybrids require a lot of R&D, so the challenge is to make them economically viable to the company producing them and to the consumer. Once they are established, they will be economically viable (profitable, really, to those companies that have gotten on board early) on their own and the tax breaks will go away. Conventional motorcycle technology is not new. There's no incentive for the government to encourage motorcycle manufacturers to build bikes.

I actually considered getting a hybrid before I decided to go with a motorcycle. The bike offers certain advantages that the Prius doesn't. When it comes time to replace the cage, though, I will definitely get a hybrid.

I agree that those pics of the hybrid motorcycles are not to my taste, but I suspect that other companies will pick up on this and offer a range of hybrid motorcycles. I'll definitely be interested in getting one as a commuter vehicle. I'll probably also keep a standard gas powered bike as well.

Good stuff.

Cheers!
Steve

[ervins]

Not to be un-PC but I have 40 more years according to life expectancy...I'm living it up. Not to say I don't do my part but I am not riding that nor will I ever be caught in anything that looks like a Prius.

[sheulett]

Shouldn't it equal out since less fuel is burned?

I'm all for keeping the pollution low, but I think God is smart enough to build a planet that will not peter out before we are done with it.

Maybe God is smart enough to build humans that can figure out how to take care of his planet.

As far as emissions are concerned, combustion of gasoline produces a number of by-products. Some are considered pollution (carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, to name a couple), and some are considered harmless (water vapor). A low emissions vehicle burns the gas in a way that produces relatively less of the pollutants.

Cheers!
Steve

[fretbuzz]

Not to be un-PC but I have 40 more years according to life expectancy...I'm living it up. Not to say I don't do my part but I am not riding that nor will I ever be caught in anything that looks like a Prius.

I can't fault you for that.

[sheulett]

Not to be un-PC but I have 40 more years according to life expectancy...I'm living it up. Not to say I don't do my part but I am not riding that nor will I ever be caught in anything that looks like a Prius.

The tragedy of the commons.

Steve

[fretbuzz]

"Maybe God is smart enough to build humans that can figure out how to take care of his planet."

Of course. God is perfect.

He also gave us the volition to make choices -good or bad, right or wrong.

[bikeaholic]

rather have george jetson's car...............................

[fretbuzz]

rather have george jetson's car...............................

Now you're talkin'.

[metalesp]

Why is it that when designers try to incorporate new technology, they have to base all their designs on Robocop and TRON?

Seriously, just make a bike that looks normal. Then, when people say, "nice bike", you can say, "Thanks - it's a hybrid".

+1 to that...
They are kinda weird looking....

[darkwolf29a]

The looks aren't all that, but if it's a hybrid...I'll look at it.

Honestly, I just bought a truck last year, and it may be the last gasoline only powered vehicle I ever buy.

I like the environment, but I'm not wacko-environmentalist...I'm just a plain whacko, as most people here can attest. LOL

I would, seriously, look at a hybrid bike...But...that whole robocop look has to go...it's so...so...90s. LOL Can't we move along to something more modern or maybe more George Jetson-ish? I guess...I just don't understand what the future has to do with that ugly look?? And they all seem to be that way, which just makes me want to leave a better looking corpse. LOL

[CTRider]

Shouldn't it equal out since less fuel is burned?

Actually, no. Most vehicles only burn roughly 30% of the fuel they consume. They're all very inefficient. That means there's a lot of stuff flying out the tailpipe.

Here's an example. Take two factories: one old and one new.

The old factory is on its last legs and isn't being as much as it used to. It's not burning as much as it did years ago. However, it doesn't have moderns scrubbers and pollution recollection technology to clean up what goes up the smoke stack.

Take the new factory that is running at twice the capacity. It has modern furnaces and all kinds of scrubbers and recycler technology top clean up the smoke coming out of the stacks.

Despite the greater amount of burning going on, the new factory produces less bad stuff than the old factory. The new factory uses more fuels, but burns them more cleanly.

It's the same with vehicles. Many of the samller, more fuel efficient vehicles actually put out quite a bit of pollutents, despite the lower fuel consumption. The technology to be more efficient and cleaner is expensive and small, fuel efficient cars are cheap. However, a large pickup goes for nearly $30K, so that technology can be slipped in there. In addition, those vehicles have honkin' huge air systems and other elements that aid in burning fuel more cleanly.