[storm]

Yes they are!

This was the topic of a recent Mythbusters show. They compared emissions from a modern car to a late model motorcycle.

The results

Motorcycles in general put out much less C02 than cars mainly due to the engine size difference. All other pollutants were 800 to 8000 times greater.
And this was done with a four stroke 250cc bike. (with Catalytic converter)
In general a small motorcycle like this will kill the earth about 550 times faster than cars.

Why is this? Auto technology has been forced to improve and refine their engines while motorcycles in general have been able to exist with older technology. Plus motorcycles are not very aerodynamic and waste much more fuel in comparison to cars.

Now in reality none of this matters as GCC is well on it's way and all this does is speed up the end by a day or two.
But it was surprising to see how bad motorcycle compare.

 

[jjolly]

pffffffffffffffttttttttttttt

More fodder for the greenies. I think I will go burn an old opcorn:tire and ponder this sad information..

 

[KB1957]

Yes they are!

This was the topic of a recent Mythbusters show. They compared emissions from a modern car to a late model motorcycle.

The results

Motorcycles in general put out much less C02 than cars mainly due to the engine size difference. All other pollutants were 800 to 8000 times greater.
And this was done with a four stroke 250cc bike. (with Catalytic converter)
In general a small motorcycle like this will kill the earth about 550 times faster than cars.

Why is this? Auto technology has been forced to improve and refine their engines while motorcycles in general have been able to exist with older technology. Plus motorcycles are not very aerodynamic and waste much more fuel in comparison to cars.

Now in reality none of this matters as GCC is well on it's way and all this does is speed up the end by a day or two.
But it was surprising to see how bad motorcycle compare.

What 250 cc four stroke?? It will make a difference. Carb vs FI? with and without O2 sensors (and controls)? A catalytic converter alone with not be comparing apples to apples - IMO.

 

[oldguy]

Here in Phoenix we have to get our vehicles emission tested. At least as far as the 1800 is concerned it hardly registers. It is a very clean running bike.

 

[bluestreek-02]

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[Keyboard]

I must be missing something. They compared one bike (a 250cc at that) to a car and declared that motorcycles (in general) are not as clean as cars (in general). Sounds like junk science!

 

[sasqach]

More fodder for the greenies. I think I will go burn an old opcorn:tire and ponder this sad information..

:agree::agree:and:wrong:

 

[WingWing]

You'll never convince me.

The voices have told me my purpose for being here is to help rid the planet of icky fossil remains..mother earth does not like it and wants it all removed.

.. I'm doing my best to help.

Dennis

 

[MarkEkberg]

Of course they pollute more, they have have little to no emission equipment.

A lawn mower or a chain saw pollutes more than a car from the 70's 80's 90's or the naughty's

The thing I was unimpressed with, which I emailed them about is that they never referenced the fact that there was no and no emission equipment required on any of those engines.

 

[techdude2000]

I must be missing something. They compared one bike (a 250cc at that) to a car and declared that motorcycles (in general) are not as clean as cars (in general). Sounds like junk science!

Exactly, the 1800 was meeting the 2008 CARB requirements in 2001, I doubt many 2001 cars were.

 

[KB1957]

Yes they are!

This was the topic of a recent Mythbusters show. They compared emissions from a modern car to a late model motorcycle.

The results

Motorcycles in general put out much less C02 than cars mainly due to the engine size difference. All other pollutants were 800 to 8000 times greater.
And this was done with a four stroke 250cc bike. (with Catalytic converter)
In general a small motorcycle like this will kill the earth about 550 times faster than cars.

Why is this? Auto technology has been forced to improve and refine their engines while motorcycles in general have been able to exist with older technology. Plus motorcycles are not very aerodynamic and waste much more fuel in comparison to cars.

Now in reality none of this matters as GCC is well on it's way and all this does is speed up the end by a day or two.
But it was surprising to see how bad motorcycle compare.

From LA Times:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/09/mythbusters-motorcycle-emissions.html

Selecting three motorcycles and three cars that represented popular models from the '80s, '90s and '00s, they put the six vehicles through a 30-minute, 20-mile course. Seventy-five percent was freeway driving; the other 25 percent was in the city. Savage drove the three cars. Hyneman trailed him at speed on each of the three bikes. None of the vehicles' makes and models were disclosed. Why???

While many modern motorcycles are now fuel-injected and equipped with catalytic converters and charcoal canisters to control emissions, they still pale in comparison to the emissions controls of cars. That point was made in a followup emissions test performed on the "MythBusters" season opener when Hyneman constructed an aerodynamic shell for a "late-model," 250-cc, single-cylinder motorcycle equipped with fuel injection and a catalytic converter.
Without the aerodynamic shell that transformed it into the so-called "bubble bike," the motorcycle achieved 56.1 miles per gallon, but it ranked second-highest for carbon monoxide emissions and third-highest for hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen of all the vehicles tested during the show. The aerodynamic shell increased the bike's fuel economy to 70.9 miles per gallon, but its carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen emissions remained stubbornly high.

Still no mention of the use of O2 sensors and control to maintain the appropriiate air to fuel ration (14:1).

Time for mythbuster to state the basis for their experiment.

 

[KB1957]

You'll never convince me.

The voices have told me my purpose for being here is to help rid the planet of icky fossil remains..mother earth does not like it and wants it all removed.

.. I'm doing my best to help.

Dennis

:joke:

 

[storm]

What 250 cc four stroke?? It will make a difference. Carb vs FI? with and without O2 sensors (and controls)? A catalytic converter alone with not be comparing apples to apples - IMO.

They picked the most modern 250 with all emission controls. Cat's and FI, LQ the works. No they did not just pick any motorcycle and the picked this one specifically due to the fact it would have produced the most likely best and cleanest results.

Had they picked an air cooled bike - HD, Yamaha etc the results would have been much much worse.

If you watched the episode it was done fairly and they even tried to streamline the bike in an effort to improve the results. In the end with streamlining they got the mileage to go from 59mpg to over 70mpg however the pollution results where just not that much better.

Again not that it matters, I just found it to be unexpected.

 

[KB1957]

They picked the most modern 250 with all emission controls. Cat's and FI, LQ the works. No they did not just pick any motorcycle and the picked this one specifically due to the fact it would have produced the most likely best and cleanest results.

Had they picked an air cooled bike - HD, Yamaha etc the results would have been much much worse.

If you watched the episode it was done fairly and they even tried to streamline the bike in an effort to improve the results. In the end with streamlining they got the mileage to go from 59mpg to over 70mpg however the pollution results where just not that much better.

Again not that it matters, I just found it to be unexpected.

According to the LA time, the 250 was not part of the comparison (three bikes and thre cars). They did not mention that these bikes had any pollution control devices.

Ok: what make and model250 was the bike?? I would like to find out what kind of pollution control equipment is eally on that bike!! You watched the show so you should know.

 

[storm]

When they did the test the first thing they did was go into detail as to why the choose the bike they did. They mentioned FI, LQ and converter as part of the pollution equipment also stating it was state of the art for "current motorcycle" standards.

All brandnames were ripped off the bike so evidently they did not receive bribes from the manufacture.

Best guess would be BMW or Kawasaki from what I could see. Actually I was somewhat disappointed they did not pick a common cruiser. Now that would have been something. :shock:

 

[Rustydust]

What 250 cc four stroke?? It will make a difference. Carb vs FI? with and without O2 sensors (and controls)? A catalytic converter alone with not be comparing apples to apples - IMO.

I saw the show. It was a Yamaha WR250. I think they said it was Jamie's personal bike. It looked factory stock BTW.

 

[storm]

I saw the show. It was a Yamaha WR250. I think they said it was Jamie's personal bike. It looked factory stock BTW.

There you go - Jamie is killing the planet all by himself :joke:

He is not much of a rider, he killed the bike everything he tried to take off

 

[Rapidray]

They should try the new CBR250 Honda. A nice single cylinder and I bet it's as clean as any new bike can be.

 

[KB1957]

I saw the show. It was a Yamaha WR250. I think they said it was Jamie's personal bike. It looked factory stock BTW.

I watched the Cars vs Bikes aftershows [website] (did not get to see the show -but I will). They mentioned the three bike that were tested did not have the same pollution control devices as that was tested 250 (I will check to see what this model has given it looks like an on / off road type of bike). Hmmm... just how much pollution controls devices can they put on that small bike??

Also, they quickly showed the charts (summary) and their data indicates there has been almost no improvements since the 80's for the cars. Do you guys really believe that?

Also, they showed one bike that was smoking? It reasonable to ask what was the condition of the bikes and cars!!

They should have taken three new cars and three new street bikes with California emmisions control equipment (comparing apples to apples) and perform the tests.

The aftershow videos suggests, to me, that the selection of the cars / bikes and their condition is at a minimum questionable.

IMO

 

[techdude2000]

How many 250cc bikes are out there? There's more than 250,000,000 autos on the road. According to articles I've read, motorcycles only contribute 1% of the airborne pollutants and the 1800 isn't even a factor. Now, bikes with illegal straight pipes are going to put out some ugly numbers.