Going Green?

[1550vt]

Okay all you would-be (or actual) rocket scientist...lets get busy here and start a new discussion. We all realize the push is on for the elimination of gasoline or diesel as a propellant for our internal combustion engines. Actually...the real push is for the total elimination of the internal combustion engine in any form. It's only a matter of time. Our rides (except for a few nuts that have converted to electric scooters) are propelled by internal combustion. Now I realize that many of us Harley owners would rather refer to ours as "infernal" combustion engines, but that's not the point here.

Natural gas seems to be a front-runner fuel. It's rather easy to convert a normally aspirated engine to natural gas and I am sure it is also possible to convert our throttle-bodied EFI Harleys to natural gas. Instead of squirting gasoline vapor in the ports we should be able to simply inject natural gas....in the right amount and pressure.

The Germans ran alcohol back in WWII, so I suppose wood alcohol is a consideration. We have gotten to the point that we can make seals and o-rings to handle the corrosive effects of alcohol, because we already have ethanol out there.

I would say for the foreseeable future batteries are out, unless you want to leave your wife and all of her stuff at home and just haul your batteries around on these longer trips. I also think rubber bands are not an option and I doubt if sails are realistic.

Folks my age may not be around to have to consider this, but many of you may be.

As alternative fuels and methods of propulsion change, so is the production and dissemination of gasoline. It will only become more expensive and harder to find. May be 10-15-20 years....but it's coming.

Inventors and innovators come forward please.

 

[Nana]

I keep waiting for someone to figure out beer will work. But then, the beer drinkers would refuse to cooperate........ . I know--I am no help at all. Sorry, 1550VT!

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I've always considered the "Flintstone Powered Art of Propulsion" to be highly effective and the wave of the future. It will just will take a little longer to get there unless your ride is all down hill.

 

[1550vt]

Nana....you know good-n-well that would be a complete waste of good beer.

Wizard...if this was not so funny...I would not tell it on myself. You have read the thread I created concerning adjustable pushrods. Well...I don't think that I mentioned that I used the Fred Flintstone method of locomotion that last mile I had to make to get back home. Blame thing shut-down at the top of the interstate ramp, but I had to push it over the bridge across I-55....uphill. I was able to coast most of the rest of the way home. It would take three pages to actually detail everything that happened, but I will save that for my next book. I will tell you (having had experience at both) that a trike will push a lot easier that a heavy 2-wheeler. It will stand-up on it's own.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

thought you would like that post.

 

[skuuter]

Hmmmm, get rid of Internal Combustion Engines...........wasn't there a saying that said somethin' about prying things from my cold, dead fingers.....

 

[jim peacock]

Al lot of cars in the early twentieth century were electric.the problem was like today they were experience,also their limited range.The internal combustion engine is going to be around for a long time yet.The truth of the matter is the internal combustion engine uses less then thirty per cent of the oil. The other seventy per cent is used in manufacturing and producing electricity. I am a big believer in the use of ethanol and biodesel fuel and have been using ethanol since the late seventys when it be came available in this area. I use the ten per cent in my cars,pickups,lawn equipment and motorcycle. I do not believe in this ev85 fuel you lose to much fuel mileage wasting not only gas but ethanol to. We need to build gasoline engines that will run on thirty per cent ethanol and nothing else and we need to up the production of biodiesl fuel so diesels can use forty per cent biodesel fuel.

It is a proven fact that diesel engines get better fuel mileage on biodesel fuel also they aree cleaner running and last longer with out repairs. When it comes to ethanol I know some people say they lose fuel miliage,I have never seen that.I have a 98 dodge intrepid that has a hundred and ten thousand miles on it and it still gets 24 to 25 miles to the gallon around town and on the interstate it always gets over thirty miles to the gallon and I am no slow poke. I have a 96 gold wing 1500 which we bought new in 96 and it constantly got over forty miles to the gallon and that was two up and some times pulling a trailer. It is now a trike,just got back from a eight hundred mile trip a couple of weeks age interstate and side road riding averaged a little over thirty five miles to the gallon. So for me the higher use of ethanol and biodesel fuel will help reduce are dependence on oil.

Is it the total answer? No.

As for as electric cars we are a long long way from the mass use of electric cars. You may see a increase for small electric cars for short trips for round trips of forty miles,but not for long distance driving like on long trips,like we Americans like to take. Can you see a family going on a trip and having to stop every forty miles and wait eight hours for the battery to recharge.

 

[PhilGilbert]

I keep waiting for someone to figure out beer will work. But then, the beer drinkers would refuse to cooperate........ . I know--I am no help at all. Sorry, 1550VT!

That would be considered dual sport, Riding while sipping on a straw.

 

[1550vt]

Well Phil....I don't know how fast I can drink beer anymore. I tried to test that at a beer-garden in the army once and when I woke up...three MP's were standing over me asking what the he!! I was doing and where were the rest of my clothes. I told them to take me on to the stockade for a few days, let me come around and I would see if I could answer their questions.

I am sure the MPG would go down but I would think we would be allowed a few "sips" from the tank on-the-fly. We could find out who the biggest drunk was by how often we had to stop and beer-up our tanks.

So much for the fun here and I am enjoying all of it, but we have some pretty serious stuff to consider one day. I hope Jim is right, and I agree the gasoline engine will be around for a while. I figure I need around 20-years (shut-up Wizard) left in my riding career....that's all the time I need. God save the gas engine for that long....please.

 

[1550vt]

I hear you Dave and theoretically, we're making more every day down there in the sea-bed. But I think politics will be the ultimate decision maker and not our supply of hydrocarbons.

 

[John Luciano]

all of the assumptions are based on the fact that a better battery (cheaper , faster recharge ,longer lasting, smaller and lighter) is not possible. they have made huge advancements in battery tec. .. the lithium Ion battery is far Superior to the lead acid or even the Ni cad. I think the Diesel powered (using bio diesel ) Hybrid/ car motorcycle is the future. the Volt and the Ford Focus and the Toyota Pries prove it.