The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Motorcycle sales up

By

A story in USA Today covers the rising sales of motorcycles in the U.S. in 2004, the best year since 1979. Although total sales were up there has been some slowing toward year end and unsold inventories at Harley Davidson are up. The average age of buyers is also rising which may reflect the rising prices of many motorcycles, especially custom cruisers which are often way up … [Read more...]

Hydrogen engines

By

Yesterday's post about engines led to a comment by Doug Staab who wondered what a hydrogen engine would sound like. Well, it might sound a lot like the engines we already run. Some college students, way back in 1972, converted a Gremlin to run on hydrogen and the engine they used was a transplanted Boss 351 from Ford. The exhaust was water vapor and it actually was cleaner than … [Read more...]

Motorcycle engines and car engines and airplane engines and …

By

I've always loved internal combustion engines, anything that powers and moves something else is fascinating. These days, electric motors are getting into the act but they don't hold the same appeal, at least not for me. I like cars, but there's often so much sheet metal and plastic covering up the engine we lose sight of the mechanical drive system and that's what is so cool … [Read more...]

Diesel motorcycles

By

I mentioned here that some diesel motorcycles had been out speeding at Bonneville and admitted I hadn't given much thought to them before but after coming across more info I see good reasons for them. Especially in military applications, everything else runs on diesel already so using the same fuel is a big advantage plus it's more efficient, the bikes get over 100mpg and … [Read more...]

Chilly weather

By

I just mentioned four days ago that the temperature hit 70 degrees. Right now it's in the low teens and heading for 0. I doubt I'll be seeing any bikes out in the next day or so. … [Read more...]