Anyone who works for a motorcycle or moped dealer will tell you sales would increase if motorcycle license requirements were less stringent.  Potential customers are turned off by the idea of spending precious hours of their time to obtain the endorsement or license required to legally ride a bike.

Raising state cc license exemptions from 50 cc to 250 cc would greatly increase the pool of motorcycles and scooters immediately available to the public, and would create demand for models not currently exported to the States.  Bikes and scooters that are light and fitted with a low seat height are relatively easy to ride, and every dealer we spoke with would provide free or low-cost day classes to get customers comfortable with their new rides.  For those that may be intimidated by cruising around on two wheels,  Piaggio’s MP3 line of scooters comes equipped with two front wheels for additional stability.

Ninja 250R - Image courtesy of Kawasaki

Modern scooters and motorcycles with displacements of 250 cc can achieve 60-80 mpg, and depending on geography, are a good fit for many urban commuters.  And because small cycles and scooters require so little gas, their widespread use could markedly reduce America’s thirst for imported oil.

Feature image courtesy of Piaggio USA

America’s move from trucks and SUV’s to cars has begun, but there are several reasons why the transition to quality smaller cars will be slow. The decline of the Dollar vs. the Euro and other foreign currencies has made exporting to the US less profitable and less attractive for foreign manufacturers. Rather than benefiting from new technologies, the American consumer is stuck with chassis and powertrains that have been available for years or even decades. To make matters worse, the US consumer has resisted the move to downsize by preferring cars with better visibility, automatic transmissions, more power, and copious cup holders.

Toyota IQ - Image courtesy of Toyota UK

Let’s take a look at Toyota’s successful RAV4. The US version comes equipped with a 3.5 liter V6 or 2.5 liter 4 cylinder gas engine with automatic transmission. In the UK, engine options are 2 liter gas with standard or automatic transmission and 2.2 liter diesel with standard transmission. After converting to US gallons, The UK RAVs combined fuel economies are 25.5mpg for the 2 liter gas engine and 32.5mpg for the diesel option, exceeding anything available in the States. Unfortunately, until the dollar recovers, Toyota has little incentive to make the more costly European and Asian engines available in the US.

Some models such as Toyota’s Aygo and soon to be released IQ are not for sale in the US. Sporting a 1 liter 3 cylinder engine good for 48mpg combined fuel economy, the Aygo would make a perfect commuter car here in the States. But sadly, there are no official plans to make the Aygo or IQ available to the US market.

There is no denying America’s Big 3 auto producers have been caught asleep at the wheel. After decades of relying on high margin trucks and SUV’s to increase profitability, Ford, GM and Chrysler have been sent reeling by the economic slowdown and increased cost of petroleum. Rather than spending millions on new technologies, why not keep it simple?

Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company - click image to visit their website

The four door four cylinder sedan is a responsible choice for most folks, but trying to power a 3,200 pound car with four pistons has been a problem. In the last decade, we have seen displacements inch up from 2 liters to 2.5 liters in order to provide the additional torque necessary for adequate throttle response and safe passing.

Current technology exists to produce just as much power and torque from a direct injected gasoline powered 2 liter engine without the need for turbocharging or even variable valve timing.  Because direct injection allows for higher compression ratios, torque is increased throughout the power band which boosts horsepower.  Additional torque allows for more aggressive cam profiles which can boost power even further, while greater efficiencies improve fuel economy.

Ford (Mazdaspeed 3) and General Motors are already producing 2 and 2.3 liter direct injected engines, so re-tooling would be minimal.  Dropping such an engine into a low-drag chassis built with lightweight alloy steel to contain weight, a 4 door sedan should approach or even exceed 40 highway mph.  If placed into an existing chassis, pricing should range between $20k and $30k depending on trim levels and accessories. The time has come, so let’s fire up the foundries.

Note to Big 3: Don’t forget the 6 speed manual transmission option!

Calfee Design of La Selva Beach, California has a line of bamboo frames that are as beautiful as they are strong. A natural advantage of a bamboo frame is the compliant ride which is especially important for commuters and older riders.

Continuing with the sustainable theme, the frame is joined with hemp cord, and due to the natural light weight and strength of bamboo, frames start at just 4 pounds.

Image courtesy of Calfee Design

Calfee is also involved in the Africa Bamboo Bikes project which seeks to build affordable bicycles for underpriveleged Africans in rural areas. You may learn more about the Bamboo Bike project here:
http://www.bamboobike.org