Is There an Air Powered Motorcycle In Your Future?

Researchers at the National Center University in Taiwan have come up with a motorcycle that runs on compressed air instead of gas to run the motor. With nothing but air coming out of the exhaust pipe and huge energy savings potential, the idea may have some traction.

Problem is the prototype motorcycle can only hold about 2 1/2 gallons of compressed air which limits the range before refueling to about 3/4 of a mile.

However, in the future the tank size will increase and they expect to come up with ways to improve the range up to 20 miles. Compressed air refueling could be implemented at current gas stations.

It's high time for the world to give up on costly and polluting fossil fuels but it's not going to happen overnight. I'm looking forward to following the progress of the development and implementation of the compressed air motorcycle in Taiwan.



Cars may be the more viable vehicle for compressed air technology. Their larger size enables them to carry larger air tanks. In fact a company called Zero Pollution Motors is well along in development of a hybrid air/gas powered car. It runs on air only when going under 35 miles per hour. At higher speeds the motor burns fuel to expand the air and recharge the tank.

The "ZPM" car is expected to hit the U.S. markets in about a year and a half and the company is already taking reservations for delivery. The company plans on selling the modernistic looking car directly to the consumer, skipping the middleman, so there won't be a dealer network. This is one way ZPM plans on keeping the cost of the car affordable and appealing to the masses. It's expected to sell for around $18,000.

Man what a great idea! The compressed air vehicle idea sounds much simpler and less costly than other new technologies I've heard of. I'm looking forward to being the first (grey haired) kid on the block with an air powered motorcycle! I've got to get me one of those bad boys! I might even start up a gang called the "Airheads"

So, what do you think?

Article: "The Air Powered Motorcycle By Jem Stansfield"
Article: "Motorcycles Designed to Run On Air": Discovery News

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Reminder -Wednesday July 16 is Ride To Work Day!

From ridetowork.org:
Riding to work is fun.
Riding to work reduces traffic & parking congestion.
Riding to work uses less fuel than an automobile.
Riding to work leaves me alert & energized.
Riding to work results in less pollution than commuting in a larger vehicle.
Riding to work is less destructive to road surfaces, bridges etc.
Riding to work gets me to work faster (and back home)faster.
Riding to work demonstrates motorcycling as a social good.
www.ridetowork.org

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Sportster Motorcycle Mileage Update

In one of my previous post on how to calculate miles per gallon I figured the mileage on my Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200C at a disappointing 35mpg.

"Fuzzy Math" or "weak calculator batteries" my wife says.

I don't think so. Using the techniques described in another post of mine on how to save gas, my next tank delivered a satisfying 42.46 mpg.

The tank was used for the same exact commute to and from work. I didn't have to ride like a 93 year old grandma either.

Mainly I accelerated slower from stops and avoided as many of them as possible by slowing down when a red light loomed ahead. It's all in the timing!

7.46 more miles per gallon isn't anything to sneeze at. That's a net savings of about 193.96 gallons per year on my commute alone.

At the current cost for a gallon of regular which is $4.17, that works out to an annual commute savings of $808.81!

And as we know the cost per gallon is only going to go up, so the actual savings will be even more.

Oh, and thanks to Steve's suggestion over at Motorcycle Philosophy, I tried switching over from using Premium to regular with no ill effects. Another ton 0' savings there!

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How To Calculate Your Motorcycle MPG

-(Kano goes Gonzo on this one!)

My Sportster doesn't have a gas gauge so every time I fill up I reset the trip odometer and I know that my 4.5 gal. tank is running on fumes by the time I hit the 140 mile mark.

One time I forgot to reset though and that was the beginning of an adventure I'll soon not forget involving 3 overly-aggressive members of the Chamber of Commerce in an SUV, an empty tank o' gas and a full case of Michelob Light...Let's just say that those guys were all business, they got away with my wallet and left me their calling card which was a cut above my left eye and some cracked ribs...but that's a story for another day...

So anyway, to get back to the subject at hand here which is calculating gas mileage...

To tell the truth I didn't pay much attention to how many miles I was getting to a gallon until recently. I just figured I'm doing better than a car and that's good enough for me. But inspired by the hypermiler car techno geeks, I've been easing up on the throttle a bit lately.

I used the trip odometer method on my last tank of gas and figured I'm getting about 35.15 MPG in a combination of highway and city riding for my commute to work.

So what kind of gas mileage is your motorcycle really getting? Here's two ways to easily calculate how much of that liquid gold your burning:

Calculating MPG
Odometer Method

MPG can be calculated in four easy steps:
Step 1. Filling the gas tank completely and writing down the odometer reading (mileage). Example: The last time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 2,645.1 miles.

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Step 2. When it's time to refuel, filling the tank completely and writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank and the new odometer reading. Once two odometer readings are taken, MPG can be calculated. Example: The next time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 2,785.3. It took 3.3 gallons to fill the tank.

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Step 3. Calculating the distance driven by subtracting the previous odometer reading from the new one. Example: The distance driven would be 2,785.3 minus 2,645.1, or 140.2 miles.

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Step 4. Dividing the number of miles rode by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the MPG for that riding period. Example: 140.2 miles divided by 3.3 gallons equals 42.48 miles per gallon.

The MPG for that riding period would be 42.48


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Alternate Method

If you use your motorcycle trip odometer, MPG can be calculated by:
Step 1. Filling the bike's gas tank completely and re-setting the trip odometer.

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Step 2. When it's time to re-fuel

Filling the tank completely
Writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank
Writing down the mileage on the trip odometer
Re-setting the trip odometer
Example: It took 3.3 gallons to completely fill the tank, and the trip odometer reads 140.2 miles.

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Step 3. Dividing the number of miles ridden by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the bikes MPG for that driving period. Example: 140.2 miles divided by 3.3 gallons equals 42.48 miles per gallon.

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I used to feel kind of smug about the whole thing, me riding a motorcycle and getting great gas mileage while the cagers are paying a much higher cost for getting from point A to point B. Not anymore, a lot of those guys are getting as good or better fuel economy than I am. -Well, I'm having a lot more fun than they are!

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The Unknown Hero of Tiananmen Square

Once in awhile a photograph captures an event or an emotion that immediately gets seared into the minds of those who view it. The man shown in these famous photos is defiantly blocking the way of a column of tanks heading for Tiananmen Square during the Chinese uprising of 1989.

This post is dedicated in honor and remembrance of that heroic man and his courageous act that changed everything on June 4, back in 1989.

History does not record his name or what happened to him. Some say he melted back into his ordinary life following the incident. Others say he was arrested and executed.

Some details are clear though and it’s in those details that make the story even more interesting.

This man was not a student leader of the uprising. This was not a planned or choreographed protest. The shopping bags in his hands and the style of his clothing indicate that he was just an ordinary man on his way from the market heading for work or home.

When he saw the tanks entering his city and on their way to repress and possibly harm his fellow citizens he was outraged enough to risk his own life by stepping in front of a tank.

A seemingly ordinary man doing an extraordinary thing.

It was a simple yet heroic act, yet it had the power to change the world forever. That image was broadcast worldwide repeatedly and he became an inspiration for many.

This was a late 20Th century David vs. Goliath story.

Now these days the battle lies between us ordinary people against the giant oil companies. They have us by the throat and we are struggling to free ourselves or die.

Society's addiction to oil has reached it's terminal stage. Just like heroin addicts know, the high doesn't last forever. The gas high is gone and the gas drug is starving our children, destroying our economy, funding terrorism, and killing our planet. Oil has become a disease.

In our lifetimes we may not get the opportunity to do such an extraordinary thing as the "Tank Man" did in China. But even so we still can stand up to Goliath. We can symbolically stand in front of our own gas guzzling vehicles and say "no more, not in my town!"

We can choose to ride our motorcycles, scooters or bicycles, we can use public transportation, car pool, or walk instead of driving a car. Every gallon saved brings us one gallon closer to slaying the gas giant.

Enough people making more responsible choices can make a collective difference. We can set the example, be the inspiration for others, and together we can change the world. Society needs to get serious about alternatives to oil for fuel.

As the unknown hero of Tiananmen square taught us, it takes just one person to have the courage to stand up, soon others will join us.

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H.O.G. Goes Wild!

I received my copy of Hog Tales in the mail the other day. It’s the periodic publication of the “Harley Owners Group”.

The Editor announced the inaugural H.O.G. "Million Mile Monday" coming up on June 30th.

I understand that The Motor Company and any manufacturing company for that matter benefit by maximum use of their product. The more use, the more sales, bottom line.

So It’s understandable that promoting a Million Mile Monday makes good business sense. The idea being that members will hit the road on that day, log on to the official website and record their miles. The goal being one million miles in one day.

However, if I take my business hat off and put on the hat of humanity, this Million Mile Monday looks like insanity.

The days of thoughtless gas guzzling are over, forever. Clinging to the image of leather jacketed rebels without a cause is not helpful to anyone. This is no time for nostalgia en mass. We motorcyclists should not thumb our noses at the world and ride on, business as usual.

The world is in the midst of a food crisis. Children in Haiti are eating mud cakes flavored with butter. Not so much because of a lack of food but because of the affordability of food. Most of the food shortage for the disadvantaged millions of the world can be traced to fuel and the corporate greed that goes along with it.

Gas companies are making record profits, oil is selling for record prices, food crops have been diverted to growing corn to make ethanol. Why? The simple answer is demand.

Don’t get me wrong, I'm all for riding motorcycles. For transportation in lieu of a car or truck and for the occasional recreational ride.

But thoughtless riding just to please The Motor Company and to help H.O.G. log a million miles in one day, now that’s just plain wrong.

I wonder what the reaction would be if Chevrolet or Toyota promoted an event to have it’s owners log a million miles in one day. Has H.O.G. gone morally bankrupt? I hope not, maybe their timing is just bad.

Will I be helping H.O.G. ride their million miles in one day, increasing the demand for fuel and helping gas companies make record profits while they keep raising prices? Will my carbon emmisions be going out my exhaust pipe adding to global warming? Will I help fund middle eastern terrorists and contribute to starving children on that day, just for the heck of it?

No thank you.

I think on June 30th I’ll forgo my usual motorcycle commute to work and ride public transportation, walk or ride my bicycle.

If a million miles in one day were logged that way, imagine the positive difference that would make.

Or how about this alternative: Have H.O.G. members log their miles for one day using their "Hogs" instead of cars and trucks for commuting, errands and recreational rides.

They could promote the project as a way to show how much fuel can be saved by using motorcycles instead of cars by calculating the miles rode, the average vehicle gas mileage compared to the average HD gas mileage and show the difference.

Advertising, product promotion and planning events need not be oblivious to what's going on in the world around us. Being a little more thoughtful and responsible about how the otherwise excellent Harley Owners Group handles itself would go a long way.

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

The last time I posted was back in December of 2007. I hit the publish button, turned-off the computer and haven't turned it on since, until today.

I don't have a really good explanation for my extended absence from the blogosphere but do offer my apologies to all my readers and those concerned about my well-being.

Tons of email awaits my attention. I will wade through them all and promise to answer each one as time allows.

I'm doing fine, still riding and I hope this post finds each one of you well and still riding.

I have only taken one pleasure ride lately, the rest of my rides have been the 5 mile commute each way to work. The price of gas and my commitment to environmental responsibility have limited my riding to almost exclusive utilitarian purposes. After all I've got to practice what I preach.

I've added another bike to my commuting arsenal, a bicycle that is. I acquired a Diamondback Transporter that I will be riding to work at least once a week. This news won't hurt the gas barons any but I will get some much needed exercise, spare the planet some carbon emissions and as an added bonus save some bucks too!

Spring is arriving late here in the valleys of western Oregon. This whole weekend has been snowing and hailing. There have been only a couple of fairly warm sunny days so far this Spring and that was last weekend. Snow accumulation can still be seen in the foothills of the Cascades east of me and Mt. Hood off in the northeastern distance.

Went on a ride with the Wyld Hogs last weekend in some of those hills I mentioned, it was fantastic to get out into the wind again, that is, in daylight and more than just a teasing 5 miles. Mike was there with his sporty and adventurous looking Buell Odyssey, Dale on his trusty Vulcan, Dave on his shiny new Suzuki C50, Bruce on his nicely rigged out Yamaha and I on the Sportster.

We must have been a sight us old farts. 5 different personalities reflected by 5 different bikes, the love of motorcycles and motorcycling being the connective link between us. It was a great ride.

For the small town onlookers in Macleay, Stayton, Lyons or Silverton, we wouldn't have been the only oddball group riding through. In fact the roads were virtually teaming with bikes everywhere. Mostly geezers like us.

I don't think of myself as a geezer but younger folks do. When I'm riding I'm young again. And free.

Somewhere I read recently that most motorcycle riders these days are in their 40s and 50s.

I remember when I was younger seeing the roads full of Winnebago's and campers mostly piloted by older folks. I don't see much of that anymore but I do see lots and lots of bikes. Maybe gas prices have drove my generation away from guzzlers and towards bikes. Or maybe we are a little more eco-friendly, or maybe because we grew up in the 60s and 70s influenced by watching "Easy Rider" and the TV show "Then Came Bronson", but we let life get in the way, that is, until now.

Best Economy Motorcycles for the Commute

I've come up with a list of some of the best economical and practical motorcycles for the commute to work or school. The criteria for making the list; they must be model year 2008, cost less than $9,000.00 new, be over 150cc, and get 40mpg or better. This post covers motorcycles only, but if you're interested in scooters as well, see my Scooter Quick Reference Guide.

This list includes Make, Model, Type, Engine Displacement, and MSRP.

BMW- F650 GS/Enduro/652cc/$7,100.00

Harley-Davidson- Sportster XL883/Cruiser/883cc/$6,695.00

Honda- Rebel/Cruiser/234cc/$3,199.00
- Nighthawk/Standard/234cc/$3,699.00
- Shadow VLX/Cruiser/583cc/$5,499.00
-Shadow Spirit 750/Cruiser/745cc/$6,449.00
-Shadow Aero/Cruiser/745cc/$6,799.00

Kawasaki-Ninja 250/Sport/249cc/$3,499.00
-KLX 250S/Dual Sport/249cc/$4,899.00
-Vulcan 500 LTD/Cruiser/498cc/$5,049.00
-Ninja 500/Sport/498cc/$5,099.00
-KLR650/Dual Sport/651cc/$5,349.00
-Ninja 650/Sport/649cc/$6,499.00
-Versys/Sport/649cc/$6,899.00
-ZZR600/Sport/599cc/$7,299.00
-Vulcan 900 Classic/Cruiser/903cc/7,399.00

Moto Guzzi- Nevada 750/Cruiser/744cc/$8,990.00

Suzuki- GZ250/Standard/249cc/$3,249.00
- DR200SE/Dual Sport/199cc/$3,949.00
- Boulevard S40/Cruiser/655cc/$4,399.00
- DR650SE/Dual Sport/644cc/$5,099.00
- GS500F/Sport/487cc/$5,199.00
- DR-Z400/Dual Sport/399cc/$5,599.00
- Boulevard S50/Cruiser/819cc/$6,499.00
- SV650 ABS/Standard/645cc/$6,599.00
- SV650S/Sport/645cc/$6,899.00
- V-Strom 650/Dual Sport/644cc/$6,699.00
- Boulevard C50T/Touring/819cc/$7,999.00

Triumph- Bonneville/Cruiser/865cc/$7,299.00
- America/Cruiser/865cc/$7,999.00
- Scrambler/Cruiser/865cc/$7,999.00
- Thruxton/Cruiser/865cc/$7,999.00
- Bonneville T100/Cruiser/865cc/$8,299.00
- Speedmaster/Cruiser/865cc/$8,299.00

Yamaha- VStar 250/Cruiser/249cc/$3,599.00
- TW200/Dual Sport/196cc/$3,799.00
- XT250/Dual Sport/249cc/$4,399.00
- VStar Custom/Cruiser/649cc/$6,099.00
- VStar Classic/Cruiser/649cc/$6,299.00
- FZ6/Sport/600cc/$6,999.00
- VStar Silverado/Cruiser/649cc/$7,299.00
- YZF-R65/Sport/600cc/$8,299.00
- VStar 1100 Custom/Cruiser/1063cc/$8,699.00
- VStar 1100 Classic/Cruiser/1063cc/$8,999.00

So there you have it, the best, most economical new motorcycles on the market. Everything from 196cc up to 1063cc and costing from as little as $3,199.00 MSRP. Most of these bikes are well under $9,000.

There's something for everyone here; Cruisers, Sportbikes, Standards, Dual Sports and some in-betweens. Surprises appear on the list as well. Harley-Davidson's Sportster 883 for instance, "American Iron" for under $7,000.00. Even BMW, Triumph and Moto Guzzi's made the list. It's not just Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha that have the bargain bikes anymore.

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Scooter Quick Reference Guide for 2007/2008

The price of oil is breaking new records and has reached over $92.00 a barrel as of this writing. Along with the price of oil, the price of gas is sure to skyrocket. The days of cheap fuel are gone forever. And for eco-conscious folks to consider, one gallon of gas burned releases an astounding five pounds of carbon into the atmosphere!

This brings me to the topic of scooters. Scooters are an economical alternative mode of transportation, sure to save gas. And they aren't just for college kids to drive around campus anymore. Now days there are a large and diverse range of scooters available for every purpose and every lifestyle. Fun for everyone!

Some of the scooters are as big as a motorcycle, like the Suzuki Burgman Executive at 638cc. Others are as small as 49cc which are made by all the manufacturers represented here except Suzuki. Gas mileages on scooters often can double that of a motorcycle. The classic looking Yamaha Vino 125 can get up to 90 mpg. That's a huge savings at the pump and a lot less carbon in the atmosphere.

I've compiled a list of the more common 2007/2008 model scooters with their MSRP and links to the websites for those interested in exploring the scooter possibilities even further:

Make/ Model/ cc/ MSRP/ Links to Official Sites

Aprilia

SR 50 R Factory/ 49/ $2,999.00/Aprilia
Scarabeo 100 4T/ 96/ $2,699.00
Mojito 150/ 150/ $3,499.00
Scarabeo 200/ 200/ $3,599.00
Sportcity 250/ 244/ $4,599.00
Scarabeo 500 ie/ 460/ $6,299.00

Honda

Metropolitan/ 49/ $1,899.00/ Honda
Ruckus/ 49/ $2,049.00
Elite 80/ 80/ $2,399.00
Helix/ 244/ $5,349.00
Reflex/ 249/ $5,549.00
Silver Wing/ 582/ $8,099.00

Kymco

5-49cc models from $1,599.00 to $2,499.00/ KYMCO
2-125CC MODELS AT $1,999.00 and $2,999.00
2-150cc models at $3,199.00 and $3,499.00
People S 200/ 163/ $3,299.00
4-250cc models from $3,999.00 to $4,899.00
Xciting 500/ 500/ $5,999.00

Suzuki

Burgman 400/ 400/ $5,949.00/ Suzuki
Burgman 650/ 638/ $7,899.00
Burgman 650 Executive/ 639/ $8,999.00

Vespa

LX/ 50/ $3,699.00/ Vespa
PX 150/ 150/ $4,699.00
LX/ 150/ $4,799.00
LXV/ 250/ $5,699.00
Granturismo 200/ 200/ $5,799.00
GTS 250/ 250/ $6,499.00
GTV/ 250/ $7,299.00

Yamaha

Vino Classic/ 49/ $1,949.00/ Yamaha
C3/ 49/ $1,999.00
Zuma/ 49/ $2,099.00
Vino 125/ 124/ $2,649.00
Morphous/ 250/ $5,299.00
Majesty/ 395/ $5,899.00

So there you have it, the most popular scooters around, from 49cc up to 638cc and from $1,899.00 to $8,999.00. That makes the average bran spankin new scooter only $5,449.00, a bargain as compared to a car or most motorcycles. Imagine what you could do with all the savings! Maybe there's a scooter in your future?
©2007 N.(Kano)Miles, Kano's Coffee House

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Scooter Blogs of Note: Scooter in the Sticks, Little Billy's Scooter Tales

Scooter Bible: From Cushman to Vespa,the Ultimate History and Buyer's Guide

Motorcycle Apparel & Gear at BikeBandit.com!

Air Pollution - Car vs. Motorcycle vs. Scooter

One gallon of gas burned puts 5lbs of carbon into the earth's atmosphere. I'm going to do some quick math here. My Harley gets about 40mpg. A scooter, say a Yamaha Vino 125 at least doubles that at about 80+mpg.

I commute to work on my Harley around a total of 10 miles per day. That means my motorcycle is spewing into the atmosphere about 5lbs of carbon in one of my 4 day work weeks. (I actually work 5 days a week but hey, I'm trying to keep the math simple here!)

Suppose I commute to work 36 weeks per year. That means my bike is putting 180lbs of carbon into the air in a year, as compared to half that, 90lbs if I were riding the scooter.

Quick Carbon Comparison - My Commute - Car vs. Motorcycle vs. Scooter

Car at 20mpg = 360lbs of carbon into the atmosphere per year @ 72 gallons.
Motorcycle at 40mpg = 180lbs of carbon into the atmosphere per year @ 36 gallons.
Scooter at 80mpg = 90lbs of carbon into the atmosphere per year @ 18 gallons.

Car vs. Scooter = My car would burn 54 more gallons and add 270lbs more carbon into the atmosphere than a scooter would in one year of my commute. Project those figures ten years out, the car would burn 540 more gallons of gas and put 2,700lbs more carbon into the atmosphere than the scooter would.

As you can see, seemingly small differences really make a big difference. In a way, high gas prices may be a blessing in disguise. If a lot of folks drove even a little less because of the cost of gas or switched to a vehicle that is more efficient, it would keep countless tons of carbon out of the earth's atmosphere.
N.(Kano)Miles, Motorcycle and Scooter talk at Kano's Coffee House

Coming soon to Motorcycle and Scooter Talk at Kano's Coffee House, a scooter quick reference guide listing 43 of the most popular models by 6 different makers along with MSRPs. Subscribe now and get it delivered right to your email box FREE!

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Check-out these excellent bike news and info sites, Bikes in the Fast Lane and Biker News Online.

Scooter Bible: From Cushman to Vespa,the Ultimate History and Buyer's Guide

Motorcycle Consumer News

What the Motorcycle Makers Don't Want You to Know

Today is Blog Action Day. A day that is organized in an effort by participating Bloggers to focus attention on the environment, climate change, and sustainability.

So in honor of Blog Action Day, my contribution is a bit of a follow-up on one of my previous posts "Who Else Wonders How Big of a Motorcycle is Big Enough?" I try to make a case for better fuel economy and engine pollution control on motorcycles. I'm now going to throw some surprises at you.

It turns out a lot of vehicles are more efficient and environmentally friendly than many motorcycles.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not in any way shape or form anti-motorcycle and pro-car. I'm not advocating for people to park their bikes and drive a car. It's just the opposite. I am a conservationist however and am naturally interested in fuel economy and engine pollution control. Most politicians are ignoring global warming or giving it lip service, but I can't and won't. See the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winning Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth for a good wake-up call everybody.

Only recently did I discover there's trouble in paradise. I've always assumed perhaps naively that anything on two wheels has to be "greener" than anything on 4 wheels. Wrong answer, I was told with a comment on one of my previous posts, "Motorcycles, Allergies, and Global Warming", A college professor and Blog commenter flunked me on my facts. He said "actually, though less exhaust comes out of your motorcycle, more pollutants come out of the tail pipe of the cleanest fossil fuel motorcycle than out of the dirtiest car". I apparently was wrong that motorcycles are more environmentally friendly than cars.

So after calming down, I got to checking around to find out just what the hell the professor's been smoking. I found a number of articles and studies (see links below)backing up what he was saying. I felt the fool for awhile, but wait just a minute; it's not all that clear-cut.

There are a bunch of variables that go into it all. Some things are left out of some of the equations such as; a bike often spends less time in congested traffic than a car and what about the far less raw material and energy it takes to manufacture a motorcycle?

Anyway, just the fact that there is a debate between motorcycles vs cars on the subject of air pollution and fuel efficiency tells me something. In my own simple way of looking at things, I think motorcycles should do better than cars, way better. What do you think?

Want to see more Blog Action Day participants from around the web?

Ask Umbro on pollution comparison.

Reuters UK, brief article on government test.

Article on Paris study.

Science Daily article.

Motorcyclists - How You Can Adopt an Acre of Rainforest for Fifty Bucks!

Just imagine a pristine tropical rainforest alive with towering trees, macaws, jaguars, pumas and monkeys. And then comes the chainsaws, bulldozers, and fire; wiping out a vital part of the eco-system important to the health of the entire earth. What if you could do something about it, would you? Even if just the tiniest fraction of the multitude of us motorcyclists took action, imagine how many acres combined could be saved!

You can be part of the action...for just a $50.00 donation, you get the satisfaction of knowing you are making a difference. By adopting an acre of tropical rainforest on the remote Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica you would be doing the entire world a favor. What a noble thing to do!

With your donation you also get a personalized certificate, a car (bike) magnet, a one year subscription to Nature Conservancy Magazine and a full-color fact sheet. A donation could also be made in someone else's name and would make a great one-of-a-kind gift.

Send to all your biker friends this post from "Motorcycle and Scooter Talk at Kano's eCoffee House". Then take your next ride with your head held up high and a happy grin on your face, because you've done great things this day.

To adopt an acre of tropical rainforest or for more information click here or call 1-800-84-ADOPT.


Exit the fast lane and read about the simple pleasures of the slow ride. Riding can have a mellow and contemplative side to it as described in the award winning blog "Scooter in the Sticks".

Who Else Wonders How Big Of A Motorcycle Is Big Enough?

*Yamaha Stratoliner = 1854cc
*Triumph Rocket III = 2294cc
*Honda VTX 1800 = 1795cc
*Honda Goldwing = 1832cc
*Suzuki M109 = 1783cc
*Harley-Davidson (Big Twins) = 1584cc
*Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 = 2053cc

How big is big is big enough? In these times of high fuel prices, a dwindling and fragile oil supply and concerns over global warming, does it make sense that the motorcycle industry just keeps upping the ante? Shouldn't motorcycles get significantly better gas mileage than cars do? Many motorcycles don't.

Obviously the demand is there or they wouldn't be making bike engines bigger which means burning more gas. I would advocate for the demand to change. I would rather see manufacturers start thinking about fuel economy and pollution control rather than sheer power, speed and bragging rights.

I have a 1200cc Harley and not too long ago it would have been considered a monster, now its mid size. True, fuel injection has improved gas mileage on motorcycles but not near enough.

Scooters are thankfully making a modest comeback but even they don't get the gas mileage I would expect from the smaller engine size.

If I ever decide to replace my Sportster I'm likely to downsize rather than go bigger unless improvements are made by the manufacturers. I'm 50 and maybe it's my age showing, I don't know, but I have moved past the desire to have a cruiser that has an over sized engine and am not inspired to be riding a race engineered sport bike. Lots of us baby boomers out there, I predict, may start seeing things the same way. And as more commuters come into the picture, the demand for what we want out of our bikes will change. There is a lot of purchasing power considering the sheer number of us, and money talks.

I'll be looking for practical rather than bling. And I will be looking for performance up to a point. I don't need to go 200mph. Instead I want good fuel economy, adequate power and excellent reliability. Especially since I'm a commuter and not just a weekend warrior.

OK, I know some of you that have read this far are thinking I should just go out and get a Honda Rebel 250cc or the like. I am a cruiser enthusiast because I like the looks, the riding position, the rumble and implied power of the V-Twin engine. I want that, but I also want the improvements I mentioned. Don't think for one second the manufacturers can't do that. Of course they can.

Let your favorite motorcycle or scooter maker know what you expect out of the bike you will be purchasing in the future. The companies will listen if the demand is strong enough.

Will there be a solar and hydrogen powered chopper in your garage anytime soon? Probably not, but we should expect much greater efficiency in our bikes. Who knows what bikers will have in the more distant future to impress the ladies with. I'm sure there will always be a place for shock and awe vehicles. Human nature being what it is and all.
Motorcycle and Scooter Talk at Kano's eCoffee House

The Future of Motorcycles?

A motorcycle that's fast, silent and green.

Motorcyclists, You Can Help Save The Rain Forests One Cup At A Time!

On your next coffee stop you might think twice about what you order and the same for when you buy coffee for home. Every action we take has a positive or negative impact on people and the environment. In the case of coffee, the impact on what we buy is huge. The Rain Forests are being cut and burned at an alarming rate. And the Rain Forests are important to our survival...

A while back I was running low on coffee in the house. I thought, hey I'm an affiliate for Island Joe's Gourmet Coffee in Key West Florida, and I have links for them on my blogs. Why not give them a try? I ordered the Organic Fair Trade Shade Grown Breakfast Blend. Within a few days I was brewing up a pot of some of the most aromatic and best tasting coffee I have ever had.

If you love coffee as much as I do then you deserve the best. It's definitely worth the extra cost to have good coffee delivered right to your front door. The flavor of freshly roasted and ground organic coffee just doesn't compare to the so-called coffee that comes in a can.

Why buy organic coffee, shade grown coffee, and fair trade coffee? And what the heck does all that mean you might ask. Well I don't want to lose readers by going too long on a post, so here's the short of it:

Organic = No fertilizers, pesticides or other toxic chemicals and that means better quality, healthier and less impact on the environment.
Shade Grown = No chopping or burning down the Rain Forest to plant bigger crops of coffee. Coffee plants are grown where they grow naturally, under the canopy of trees.
Fair Trade = The coffee farmers are paid a fair amount for their crops. Something that most of the coffee bean brokers don't do. Poverty, exploitation and misery are reduced.

So there you have it Motorcyclists. Buy the best, do the right thing, buy organic shade grown fair trade coffee. It's an honorable thing you can do for the less fortunate, for the Rain Forests and ultimately for yourself. You can make a difference one cup at a time!

Re-Creation on a Sportster

I don't ride as much as I used to. My riding these days has been mostly limited to a short commute to and from work. Once a week maybe I get out for a bit of a longer more recreational ride. It just doesn't seem like enough.

The word recreational says it all. Re-creation, to re-create. After going for a ride on my Sportster I feel renewed, born again into my real self, young. When I haven't ridden in awhile I slowly but surely feel worn down, rusty, old.

The price of gas and my growing concern about global warming have put something of a damper on what used to be frequent and joyful rides.

How to reconcile my need for the road along with being less of an impact on the environment and my wallet is the question. Doing what I'm doing now is the answer.

I ride and re-create, and when I'm not riding, I'm reading about riding. When I'm not doing that I blog, about motorcycles of course!

10 Good Reasons For Owning a Scooter

Once again scooters in the U.S. are on the rise. As the price of gas goes ever higher people start feeling the pinch and turn towards more economical modes of transportation. Many other countries especially in Europe and Asia have far greater scooter riders than does the U.S. but I predict we will some day catch up to the global trend. For as long as we need internal combustion engines, scooters are a practical and greener choice.

10 good reasons for owning a scooter:
1. Scooters are relatively inexpensive to purchase.
2. They are cheap to maintain.
3. Use less gas than a car or many motorcycles.
4. Emissions are low.
5. They don't take much raw materials to produce.
6. Have decent storage space, depending on the model.
7. Are light, maneuverable and easy to park.
8. Newer models are very reliable.
9. They're great for short trips, errands, and commuting.
10. Scooters are a lot of fun!

Motorcycles, Allergies and Global Warming

Just in case anybody out there needs another reason to park the cage and ride instead, listen to this. Motorcycles and scooters are far more environmentally friendly than their 4 wheel cousins. They use far less raw materials to produce, use up about half the fuel, and add less pollution to the air from exhaust. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have gone up significantly. Too much carbon dioxide has become an ever growing problem. What's any of this got to do with allergies?

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study soon to be published, allergies are on the rise because of an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This pollution encourages plant growth, which means more grass, ragweed and tree pollen. In fact, ragweed alone makes nearly twice as much pollen today at it did 100 years ago. That production is predicted to double again in this century, due to predicted increases in carbon dioxide levels.

If you have noticed more people are suffering from allergies than ever before, now you know why. Every time you jump in the saddle instead of climbing into the cage, you have become a part of the solution to the problem and you are setting a good example for others to follow. Now if we could just get about a billion other people to start riding! Maybe us motorcyclists can make a difference, by doing all we can to promote riding over driving. For every bike on the road that's one less car or truck, and that's a good thing.

Work To Ride - Ride To Work

Remember to ride your motorcycle or scooter to work on July 18. Ride to work day is a good way to show America there is a fun and more environmentally friendly way to get around. Who knows, your presence on the road along with lots of others that day may just plant a seed. Maybe your neigbor or co-worker will decide to park the SUV and get a bike.