Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
13,060 posts, read 7,493,946 times
Reputation: 9787
Advertisements
"Loud pipes do save lives. Many times I've approached numb minded drivers in cages who suddenly pick their heads up and jerk their eyes into their mirror site line as I goose the throttle to warn them I'm there. The deep rumble of older HDs can be felt before it's heard by cagers. "
i was in Shanghai couple months ago. Most of the scooters are now electrified and I'd guess about half the bicycles are e-assisted Lime or Spin (seattle) shared bikes. The cars are either heavily muffled or e-assisted/full electric. The streets are extremely quiet but very full of traffic. At all crosswalks you have to be aware of main street traffic and even on the sidewalks and side streets you need to be on the lookout. The walking locals are oblivious having their eyes glued to the smartphones, but I the visitor, was always afraid in getting rubbed-out by a electric.
HD hopefully had a development team working on the ebike three years ago. It will very difficult to play catchup against China's big bike companies.
Last edited by leastprime; 05-31-2018 at 03:16 PM..
"Loud pipes do save lives. Many times I've approached numb minded drivers in cages who suddenly pick their heads up and jerk their eyes into their mirror site line as I goose the throttle to warn them I'm there. The deep rumble of older HDs can be felt before it's heard by cagers. "
i was in Shanghai couple months ago. Most of the scooters are now electrified and I'd guess about half the bicycles are e-assisted Lime or Spin (seattle) shared bikes. The cars are either heavily muffled or e-assisted/full electric. The streets are extremely quiet but very full of traffic. At all crosswalks you have to be aware of main street traffic and even on the sidewalks and side streets you need to be on the lookout. The walking locals are oblivious having their eyes glued to the smartphones, but I the visitor, was always afraid in getting rubbed-out by a electric.
HD hopefully had a development team working on the ebike three years ago. It will very difficult to play catchup against China's big bike companies.
Several yrs ago, when e-cars were first hitting the streets, their silence did lead to several incidents of pedestrians stepping off the curb and getting their clothes suddenly pressed. There was a short-lived legislative effort to require some sort of noise generator for the EVs.
AS far as trikes go-- I don't see the advantage over 2-wheelers, and there are a couple of huge disadvantages. The safety problem for bikes is that we make a small visual impact on other drivers and more importantly, they don't how to treat us-- are we equals on the road or just bicyclists to be ignored? I've had cagers smile at me and wave and then pull right out in front of me. They know I'm there but don't know what to do about me. Trikes have the same problem.
Secondly, trikes have handling problems: a turn taken too fast or a sudden evasive maneuver can lead to a roll much more easily than in a car.
Most of our country has too many inclement days to make two wheeling practical as the singular mode of transport for most people. Rain HURTS like needles and in the winter even generally clear streets can have an unseen patch of ice around that next bend.
Light weight, slow vehicles are the way to go to save gas. E = 1/2 mv^2 The number of wheels doesn't enter into that equation.
The loyal customers of HD are aging. Some aren't even riding anymore. They haven't been able to attract younger buyers. The Harley Davidson is dying. Again. Will probably ask for Gov't protection.
I would love to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle. But one with better, more modern technology. I don't even want an electric motorcycle. Too limited in distance. Just a modern internal combustion motorcycle. At a competitive price.
I know, it's not a motorcycle. It's not even a "trike". It's really a car with three wheels. You don't even need a motorcycle endorsement / license for this.
If they price it at $20k or less, I bet it would attract a lot of new customers. Specially, commuters. Fun, fuel efficient, relatively safer than a motorcycle, protection from the elements,..... etc. What's not to like? I would replace two of our cars with these Carver Ones. Maybe even three, if my wife likes it.
The loyal customers of HD are aging. Some aren't even riding anymore. They haven't been able to attract younger buyers. The Harley Davidson is dying. Again. .
HD riders tend to be older because the bikes are so expensive: Younger riders (besides imagining themselves as "racers") don't usually have the financial position affording them to sink $20K+ into a recreational vehicle. Even if they wanted to project the sedate image of a cruiser rather than a racer, they can buy a rice burning Harley-knock-off for $10K.
As far as "advanced technology" goes, who needs it? My 20y/o Evo engine with carb is bullet proof. The newer Twin Cam with computerized ignition & fuel injection costs twice as much to buy, repair & maintain and doesn't go any faster or get better mileage but is less reliable.
In Nature, a species that specializes too much is doomed to extinction. So it is in the business world. HD limited its audience to the well heeled crowd that wants to tour, ignoring the millions that want to race or commute on faster or smaller bikes.
Beemer & Honda certainly do make nice touring bikes, but if you haven't tried a Harley GeezerGlide, give yourself a treat and test one. Heavy and smooth, they are just as good as the other brands on a long tour PLUS you sit lower for better handling and also allowing you to stretch out and lean back for more comfort. As they say, compared to other bikes, you sit IN a Harley, not ON it.
To get back to the "green living" aspect, Americans would do well to consider 2-wheeling for the convenience & cost savings for those around town, solo sorties instead of firing up the family station wagon or 15mpg pick-up just to run 2 blocks to replenish the beer supply or get their hair done. As mentioned before, the 50cc "Mopeds" can be driven or pedaled, get close to 100mpg and are easy to park anywhere.
Using an oil additive like Z-Max can save you up to 20% in gas mileage. My Heritage used to get 40mpg. Then I added Z-Max and it now runs 10deg cooler and gets 50mpg.
To get back to the "green living" aspect, Americans would do well to consider 2-wheeling for the convenience & cost savings for those around town, solo sorties instead of firing up the family station wagon or 15mpg pick-up just to run 2 blocks to replenish the beer supply or get their hair done. As mentioned before, the 50cc "Mopeds" can be driven or pedaled, get close to 100mpg and are easy to park anywhere.
Electrical bicycles are going to take on that niche in force, as well.
Electric bicycle has a 250W motor. That means, roughly, that it takes about 3.6 minutes of sunlight on a 4kW solar array to give you about one hour of driving time. Not bad.
This bike is priced at $1500. If gas is $2.75/gal, and your car gets 20mpg, then the bike pays for itself by using it for ~1100 miles-- if you're using"free" solar power.
If you're charging it from grid power, then each hour of use (~20miles of driving) costs ~ one penny.
One question, tho: unless you're old or otherwise decrepit, why bother with the motor? Just pedal a bike.
You mean, as in being able to drive without deafening bystanders or cheese off the neighbors? Yeah, can't have that happening!
FYI, loud exhaust systems DO NOT "save lives". Popular myth. If anything they cost them especially riding through neighborhoods in areas with lots of gun permits.
Are you even a biker?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would replace two of our cars with these Carver Ones. Maybe even three, if my wife likes it.
