Go Back   EcoModder Forum > Off-Topic > The Lounge
Register Now
 Register Now
 


Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 03-28-2013, 12:43 AM   #1 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
Would a motorcycle with side-car qualify as an environmentally-friendly vehicle?

Considering it would increase the cargo capacity of a motorcycle while still retaining a lower fuel consumption than a compact car, could it qualify as an "eco-friendly" vehicle?







Since they also require less raw materials to be made of, and subsequently a smaller amount of them is required to make replacement parts, it also seems like an environmental advantage. EFI is getting widespread even in small motorcycles, and Honda even makes some flexfuel ones able to run on ethanol. Also, the side-car can be eventually considered a good platform for experiences with alternative fuels such as CNG, or even some sort of hybrid conversion.

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 03-28-2013, 05:37 PM   #2 (permalink)
The PRC.
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Elsewhere.
Posts: 5,304
Thanks: 285
Thanked 536 Times in 384 Posts
They would probably qualify, but I can't see them being used much in colder countries.
__________________
[I]So long and thanks for all the fish.[/I]
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2013, 07:23 PM   #3 (permalink)
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,422
Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts
Only if it's a 1959 BMW with R69 sidecar.


  Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2013, 11:47 PM   #4 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
larrybuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: sw Washington (state), a little north of Vancouver
Posts: 1,142
Thanks: 295
Thanked 111 Times in 82 Posts
In Portland OR., they would embrace them for the limited room they would take to park!
__________________
06 Chev MonteC JG#24tribute car 30mpg 00 Honda Insight 63MPG 98 Buick Park Ave3.8 33MPG 89 Toyota Corolla wag 53MPG so far 81 VW Rabbit diesel pu 50MPG+ 80 Mercedes 240D stick 30-ish 90 vette 6-speed,29ish 07 Honda ST1300 55MPG 83 Honda 650 GL 64MPG 19 Suzuki dr200 88MPG23 HondaGrom?+Tow K10D Sub 26mpg NEVER,NEVER GIVE UP!
PUMP THOSE TIRES UP!
DRIVE IN YOUR SOCKS FOR SENSITIVITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SLOW DOWN AND SMOOTH UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![SIGPIC]
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-29-2013, 01:26 AM   #5 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
Altough I'm not a fan of sidecars, I like that old BMW


Quote:
Originally Posted by Arragonis View Post
They would probably qualify, but I can't see them being used much in colder countries.
Nothing that a good jacket, gloves and boots couldn't deal with
Or the folks who enjoy streamlined and fully-enclosed motorcycles could do one of their workarounds, which would eventually enhance the thermal comfort in cold weather
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-29-2013, 09:02 AM   #6 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
Thanks: 867
Thanked 433 Times in 353 Posts
In good weather a trailer would be more streamlined but in the winter the big risk of ridding a motorcycle is slipping on the ice and a side car would help fur sure in keeping you upright in the winter.

A side car is going to reduce your mileage tho, so to be able to give a good answer we need to know by how much!
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2013, 02:14 AM   #7 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryland View Post
In good weather a trailer would be more streamlined but in the winter the big risk of ridding a motorcycle is slipping on the ice and a side car would help fur sure in keeping you upright in the winter.
I'm not so favorable to trailers for motorcycles, I've already seen a few ones and strongly disliked them. Synchronizing the brakes in a trailer, when they're available, is a hard point...


Quote:
A side car is going to reduce your mileage tho, so to be able to give a good answer we need to know by how much!
A carburettor-fed 4-stroke air-cooled 125cc motorcycle, such as a Honda CG 125, with Brazilian gasoline which varies from 20 to 25% ethanol, usually falls from 80 to 58 MPG. But it's definitely not so torquey, so it feels the heavier weight much harder than a 250cc motorcycle.
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2013, 09:59 AM   #8 (permalink)
Diesel FTW
 
PAFirefighter11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Flourtown, PA | Bethany, DE
Posts: 91

Golf TDI - '03 Volskwagen Golf TDI GL
90 day: 44.63 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3
Thanked 12 Times in 8 Posts
I would think it's somewhat eco friendly, but what are the emissions going to be? Even if it gets 45 MPG it could be polluting horribly. I've seen this before.
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2013, 06:18 PM   #9 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11 View Post
I would think it's somewhat eco friendly, but what are the emissions going to be? Even if it gets 45 MPG it could be polluting horribly. I've seen this before.
Regarding emissions, nowadays that EFI and catalytic converters are getting more widespread even in cheap motorcycles, this issue is easier to overcome, and the amount of pollution proportionally to the fuel consumption is comparable to a regular car
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2013, 08:37 PM   #10 (permalink)
5 Gears of Fury
 
War_Wagon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Vancouver B.C., Canada
Posts: 1,230

Spunky - '90 Honda Civic CX
90 day: 35.56 mpg (US)
Thanks: 175
Thanked 176 Times in 137 Posts
A vehicle that can move 2 people, that has a small displacement engine. Hmmm. Smart car, first gen Insight, CRX HF...and a motorbike with a sidecar. Ya, I would think it would qualify, especially if you live in a climate where it is useable all year.

__________________
"Don't look for one place to lose 100 pounds, look for 1600 places to lose an ounce." - Tony DeFeo
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com