Why we need more bikes on the road

[James Deuce]

The filth content of what sits on the bike may be higher too, doesn't mean it's relevant. Burning less fuel (does too) means less emissions anyway, unless you specify individual types which bikes produce more of.

Oxides of nitrogen. I already said that.

What you're missing is that a smaller bike engine now produces more oxides of nitrogen in the order of multiples of 10 than a Chrysler 300's V8. The regulators in Europe haven't missed that.

[Bald Eagle]

You obviously haven't been to Auckland. Last time I went (just before Xmas) it took longer to get from Auckland airport to my hotel in Takapuna than it did to get from my house in ChCh to Auckland airport. ANd it cost more....

Used to fly home from Auck to the Naki and we would be home finished unpacking before the in laws got from the Airport to the norf shore.

[Scuba_Steve]

Oxides of nitrogen. I already said that.

What you're missing is that a smaller bike engine now produces more oxides of nitrogen in the order of multiples of 10 than a Chrysler 300's V8. The regulators in Europe haven't missed that.

I can't find any conclusive study on this sort of thing. I can find the EPA likes to compare a 2002 R6 which has been used regularly with a brand new straight off the production line 2008 Pirus & then call the R6 "dirty". But I can't find any 2010 bike vs 2010 car or 1988 bike vs 1988 car etc

[skinman]

I use a bike to get to work cause I can split mainly.
You guys have 2 many cylinders on your bikes.
I dont really give a rats about fuel but the wifeys echo does 13km/l & my bike 20km/l.

[MaxCannon]

I don't know how you guys are riding to get such bad economy figures.

At it's absolute best my 1998 Legacy GT Wagon will get 9L per 100Km
Consistent average over 6 years of ownership is 11L /100 - BUT I don't drive it in traffic unless I have to.
In heavy traffic it's 18L / 100
I'd say a vehicle of this size / economy is roughly average for NZ.
I could buy an econobox and sit in traffic for 60 minutes but then what happens when I want to move my band gear, take the dog someplace, pickup stuff from Mitre10 etc.
We have this at work with Smart cars. Good economy but useless at load carrying.
For most people you'd have to own a second car which most can't afford / justify.

The Bike on the other hand takes 1/3 the time to get to work and in the weekly commute averages 5.5L / 100km.
Worth noting - There are three traffic lights on the way to work and two on the way home (different on-ramps). If I stop it's never for long.

I also don't take up any parking spaces (they are like gold around my office) and the thing is Euro3 rated so cleaner that my old car.
At it's worst (trackdays) I get 10L / 100 and the best I've ever seen was 4.2L / 100.

[bogan]

Oxides of nitrogen. I already said that.

What you're missing is that a smaller bike engine now produces more oxides of nitrogen in the order of multiples of 10 than a Chrysler 300's V8. The regulators in Europe haven't missed that.

Straight from wikipedia (as common knowledge is likely good knowledge in this case)

United States Environmental Protection Agency 2007 certification result reports for all vehicles versus on highway motorcycles (which also includes scooters),[75] the average certified emissions level for 12,327 vehicles tested was 0.734. The average "Nox+Co End-Of-Useful-Life-Emissions" for 3,863 motorcycles tested was 0.8531, for a difference of about 16%, not the claimed 10X factor. Likewise, if one looks at how many of the 2007 motorcycles tested were also catalytic equipped, 54% of them, 2,092, were equipped with a catalytic converter.

Real world testing often gets different results to lab tests (do you have a reference for yours?), maybe cos the test took into account that not all cars have cats, and not all bikes don't. And as more bikes get cats, the emissions will be reduced. Far more room for improving the figures on bikes than there is on cars, and if enough people get into bikes, TPTB may ensure they are improved.

[baptist]

Re #6:

Whilst I would agree for the most part, this morning I followed a 1962 Jaguar XKE through town. That is quite a nice car (for a car).

E types are special though most modern cars are soulless.

Cars are a necessary evil...And don't modern 250cc's compare well to cars? Mine seems to get much better than my mums 1.3L car. I think she gets about 20km/l and I get about 25km/l, and if I ride the way she drives, would probably boost up to 30km/l.

Our family car is an MPV, with the kids and dog we need a vehicle like that, if I am going anywhere on my own though I use the Scorpio, it is certainly cheaper to run than our family car, and not just on Gas (just put on two new tyres... nearly fell over at the cost and the other two will need doing soon).

My bike is also a lot of fun, my journey to work or college is enjoyable because I ride, surely this needs to be taken into account as well. Air con and stereo or not I find driving boring and tedious.

The Ka is huge fun. Handles better than any Japanese econo-box and is reliable as an axe handle.

urgh

how many people and how much gear can your family car carry? a bit more than your bike i bet

True but I manage to get every thing I need into my Ventura bag, I think most people would for work at least, builders etc excluded.

Hey I had a shower ...last month

Wow belated Happy Birthday!

[superman]

My bike is also a lot of fun, my journey to work or college is enjoyable because I ride, surely this needs to be taken into account as well. Air con and stereo or not I find driving boring and tedious.

Exactly, motorcycles are reducing the number of suicides due to adding passion into peoples lives. Who knows what the 10/week statistics would be if some hadn't converted to the soothing art of riding with explosions covered in metal inbetween your legs.

[swbarnett]

As for less congestion... to a certain point maybe, but once you hit a certian point and number then it could become worse as there are are simply more vehicles etc...

Developing cities don't have congestion problems until the economy is healthy enough that people start buying cars instead of bikes. Then the grid-lock sets it.

[lone_slayer]

This all seems really easy my gsxr250 has just turned 20 and i get about twice the fuel effiecncy from that than my 10 year old car the bike is a lot more fun to ride accelerates quicker and will do less damage to the road. The car has its uses I take the car to work (with the wife) 2 people makes the car more economical than the bike. now how many times on the way to work do you see 1 person in a car? and iam sure what ever you say about pollution my 250cc engine is making alot less than my 2350cc engine. I use the bike whenever i can but the car will always be there.

[monkeymcbean]

I traded mine for a number of reasons, one plus was economy of fuel a 800cc engine 16 litre tank, open road you get approx 430km per tank.

The muffler was changed as the dam engine was so noisey I could hear every clunk and rattle, so I replaced the original with after market pipe to drown those noises out.

So Ive a economical bike but i enjoy riding it so much that I put massive kilometres on it...for no reason...other than to ride.
The new exhaust system probably emmits alot more toxic substances than the original.

I do have a higher risk of hurting myself when I go out riding than if im driving in my car even though I consider myself careful.