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many bikes get mpg of mid 30s into low 60s. that energy efficiency could be rewarded in the same way hybrid cars got tax credits and access to hov lanes.
Well, in CA we do get use of the HOV lane. No tax credits though. And many ICE cars get >40mpg and carry up to 5 passengers, without any compensation.
it takes approx 6 motorcycles to fill a parking spot that would hold one car. there should be easy access to cheap/free parking in/near urban environments that welcome motorized two wheelers whether a scooter or a harley.
I'm still on the fence about that one. In bad weather when no bikes are likely to be on the road, what then?
cheaper ez pass tolls.
Ok, I'm with you on that one. My little grey cells are fuzzy, but I *think* bikes used to pay lower tolls in CA, but no mas. Now if EZ Pass fees were offset by lower tolls, that would be great!
under 25 mph lane splitting/filtering which could really reduce congestion.
Ah, legal in CA. There is no specified speed limit, but the specter of Speed Too Fast for Conditions looms overhelmet.
an effort by the insurance companies to reduce insurance costs-everything named "ninja" has a near 25% premium.
True, Driving record should be pretty much the sole arbiter of costs. But in any given collision, a bike will almost always incur more damage than a four-wheeled vehicle.
lastly, again and again law enforcement sees motorcycles as a negative, as the "biker" iconic imagery from the 50s to the present is constantly reinforced. but that is an american prejudice.
I'm sure there's that tendency some times, in some places, but frankly, I've never actually seen or experienced anything close.
let the last subway car be for bikes, and i'm sure more folks would ride their bike to their mass transit.
Our BART system does that. I don't know about AmTrack. I've seen bike carriers on some of your AC Transit buses. When I rode a bicycle years back, there were no carrier, but I was allowed to carry my bike onboard if the bus capacity was light, the line was light. This happened most often at night.
I obviously take some things for granted out this way. Thanks rob!
Speedy, I did not know that
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Speedy wrote:
From the wiki page:
[quote=Speedy]
IIRC, Harley-Davidson is only around because of a government intervention.
"In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm domestic producers. After an investigation by the US International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes with engine capacities greater than 700 cc. Harley-Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers.[62] However, the company did offer to drop the request for the tariff in exchange for loan guarantees from the Japanese.[63]"
Thanks Speedy, I was going to post that info too, I'm amazed that people have forgotten about that period.
Buell chose to pursue the "super premium" market with its latest models, a not-unreasonable course given the brutal production costs a low-volume manufacturer faces. But it was going up against marques like BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta et al which have more cachet and snob appeal for the wealthy riders who would purchase a $20K bike.
