Are the "Greenies" out to get us?

[MattB]

Reading over this European study, it seems that there's a goal out there to get rid of our evil motorcycles. Just when you thought riding was being "green". You environmental impact is equal (their words) to driving your car/truck, and our "externality" cost, due to loud pipes saving lives, is huge.

I say all this a bit tongue in cheek as part of their study assumes that most cars contain more than one passenger while motorcycles are all single passenger. Around much of North America, it is actually hard to find many single passenger cars on the streets.... primarily because folks are driving around in single passenger SUV's and trucks with pristine beds. If the government is gonna take away my motorcycle, I'm gonna go down swinging because their isn't much livin' to be done without my motorcicle.

https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...ially-speaking

[Capnrip]

Matt I was doing an unscientific survey here at the ferry once on how many people during commuter hours were driving solo. On a 70 car boat it was usually only 4 or 5 that had more than one person in them.

[cabnfvr]

Reading over this European study, it seems that there's a goal out there to get rid of our evil motorcycles....

From a cost perspective it's easy to find a more cost effective car. Motorcycles stopped being cheap transportation in the 80's.

I'm gonna go down swinging because their isn't much livin' to be be down without my motorcicle....

Go electric. Be the first one to develop an engine of choice sound system based on G forces and retire a millionaire in a few years.

[R111S]

Having lived in Germany for 19 months in 96' and '97 I can say Motor Vehicles are extremely regulated on all sides. It was even dictated what brand, model, and size of Tire I could mount to my '94 BMW R100GS/PD. I had a Metzeler Laser front and Metzeler ME 99 Rear Tires and the TUV said "nicht erlaubt" (not allowed).

The Bureaucrats there were the most overbearing bunch I ever had to live under. They've nothing better to do than make life miserable for everyone...misery loves company.

So glad I moved back to the USA. Long live the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!

[McFly]

Having lived in Germany for 19 months in 96' and '97 I can say Motor Vehicles are extremely regulated on all sides. It was even dictated what brand, model, and size of Tire I could mount to my '94 BMW R100GS/PD.

WTF?? Dang!

So glad I moved back to the USA. Long live the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!

You said it brother!

[hdf]

Having lived in Germany for 19 months in 96' and '97 I can say Motor Vehicles are extremely regulated on all sides. It was even dictated what brand, model, and size of Tire I could mount to my '94 BMW R100GS/PD. I had a Metzeler Laser front and Metzeler ME 99 Rear Tires and the TUV said "nicht erlaubt" (not allowed).

You do realize that it's this level of anal retentiveness that is one of the things that makes it possible for Germany to have freeways without a speed limit.

Not sure I would feel as comfortable with speed limit free travel in the US given the laxer nature of safety regulations for motor vehicles.

It's a trade off - put up with some really anal bureaucrats and have the freedom to drive as fast as you want. Or have laxer regulations, but a nanny state that tells you you can't drive that fast because you might hurt yourself and others.

No place is perfect. And no place is all that Free (though it would take lots of bravery to let every Tom, Dick n Harry in a ratted out pick-up truck drive at any speed they want). There's always a trade off.

[Karlb]

[hdf]

Well Karl, I understand they're optional in Texas.

[MattB]

it would take lots of bravery to let every Tom, Dick n Harry in a ratted out pick-up truck drive at any speed they want).

And here Hector hits on one of my many issues with speed limits in general. While on a performance motorcycle, designed and optimized for speed and handling, I'm subjected to the same speed limits as:

1) Harley's
2) 18 wheelers carrying an 80,000 payload
3) folks from non-inspection states that happen to believe that vehicle "maintenance" is simply figuring out why their vehicle quit running and nothing more

Then the driver disparity:

1) the 16 year old kid
2) the woman putting on makeup
3) the guy reading his email
4) the clueless bastage on the telephone, completely oblivious to EVERYTHING around him

Meanwhile, here's Matt (who's taken many advanced riding courses) on his performance machine, being written for riding 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. There MUST be a better way, sadly I'm fearful that those in power think that to be autonomous vehicles.

[Karlb]

[MattB]

Karl, I have one, and it's paid for itself several fold... but it is no replacement for an unlimited speed limit.

[MattB]

And it was actually a 63 in a 45... the V1 helped, but it was instant on or something. When he told me that he had me at 63 in a 45 I thought to myself, "that's not too bad" and felt a sense of relief. The story had a good ending too, I contested the citation and it was found that I was wrongly accused.

[aviator]

Matt was that in Colorado?

[MattB]

Matt was that in Colorado?

Very funny that you mention it Mani... Karma was obviously on my side, this event occurred in West Virginia ON MY WAY TO Colorado. Specifically, I was riding to Bill Morgan's place to meet him to trailer out to Colorado. A few days later, in Colorado, I pull over to take a picture and let you guys catch up, and YOU GUYS get busted while I'm taking my picture. What are the odds?

Now that I'm thinking about it, between this Colorado event, and the BRPR thing about 10 years ago, I'm probably owed a ticket or two.

[Pittsdriverwes]

MattB, I think it's worse when you're nabbed by a speed camera doing 12 over the limit on a deserted road. I get civilly disobedient on those and send them a letter back that basically says "No thanks, it wasn't me, and I'm all good here on protecting my rights." It's one thing to be cited by the po-po when I'm actually being a hooligan but getting one from a machine that has no idea how safe I'm being just hits me the wrong way. Yeah, I know that there's no points but it's the principle of the thing.

And then there's this:

[Pittsdriverwes]

Or this one that I got a warning for 30kph over the limit. It was in Deese Lake BC and I had to ask the nice lady officer what was that in real mph?

[aviator]

Wes, I think the nice lady needs a citation on how poorly she has maintained a govt. property - out tax dollars.
But what are they doing on such roads? Are they GS haters?