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Letter Re: Motorcycles as Bug-Out Vehicles
Dear James:
Since I am tied to the outer edge of a major metro area for business and family
reasons I have been wrestling with an alternative to a car or truck as a
bug out vehicle (BOV).I am
very worried about an EMP strike
sooner or later - it just makes too much sense from an enemy's point of view,
so EMP-proofing
is critical in my book. By the way, the Lights Out online novel about an
EMP strike is a very good read, and it gets you thinking of many factors
that are not obvious at first glance. After thinking it through, motorcycles
look to be the best "Get Out of Dodge" vehicle if the roads are
all clogged with debris, crowds or stationery vehicles, etc., etc., as you
can weave around obstacles, and go off-road if need be. You give up the carrying
capacity and protection of a few thousand pounds of steel, but you get more
mobility, the ability to squeeze through tight spots, and to go off-road
on trails, sidewalks, utility rights of way, etc., etc.So I was looking for
a motorcycle, specifically a diesel, because of the reduced fire hazard from
diesel versus gas, so you can store it more safely (especially important
when carrying fuel cans). And, if memory serves, diesel stores significantly
longer to boot. The ideal situation: you fuel your EMP-proof diesel truck,
and your motorcycle BOV out of the same fuel canister (and keep your bike
BOV in the back of the truck, or on a trailer.) Once upon a time, there was
a fair selection of diesel bikes, see:
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_bikes.html Now you have the new military
diesel motorbike:
http://www.dieselmotorcycles.com/newsletter/newsletter_nov_05.htm
but $19,000 :-O for one of 200 "collector bikes" made this year seems
a little steep for a motorbike - diesel mil-spec or not.The only well-supported
DIESEL bike I have found is a newer entry into the off-road bike market called
the Ecorider (The Hippo model.)
http://www.ecorider.us/ Advantages: DIESEL,
very robust, very reliable, quiet, light at 330 lbs., can tow 500+ lbs. (comes
with tow
bar), idiot-proof
to ride
(no shifting other than reverse, very low and High, all done when you are
stationary) and the diesel engine gets 120 mpg!!! Made in Scotland, of all
places, with high quality, mostly European parts. German Hatz engine which,
I'm told is well supported in the US. http://www.hatzusa.com/home.php Disadvantages: Only
goes 32 mph (maybe 35+ pushing it), but you probably don't want to be speeding
your way into TSHTF trouble
anyway. Proceeding extremely cautiously is the best way, as is so well illustrated
in the "road trip" in Patriots.
Does have some EMP-vulnerable electronics in the Glow Plug controller. But,
worst case, if these are fried and no battery,
I'm told that some vigorous pull-starting should heat things up enough for
a cold-weather start (electric AND pull start standard). Any engineers with
expert opinion on this? There is also a fuel line solenoid, but this can be
manually bypassed as well. Does not have power to BOTH wheels like the gas-powered
Rokon (http://www.rokon.com), but unlike the Rokon, has no critical electronics
in a gas engine ignition, and looks to be a higher quality design (and the
Ecorider
is $1,000
less expensive)
Just in case I sound like a salesman for Ecorider - I'm not! Just
looking forward to adding one to my preparations. I'll keep you posted on my
experience riding and trailer hauling capabilities. Regards, OSOM - "Out
of Sight, Out of Mind"
