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Four Letters Re: Advice on Motorcycles
Jim:
If you don't want to mess with mixing gas and oil in a 2-stroke bike engine,
try the 4-stroke engine at BikeEngines.com.
I've got one and it runs like a champ, at a couple of hundred miles per gallon!
Regards, - Hawaiian K.
Jim:
The 2-cycle
bicycle motorizing company mentioned also has a 4-cycle gasoline version.
With those, of course no fuel mixing oil required. - SF in Hawaii
Dear Jim and Family,
Dunno if you're aware, but methanol required for a mimeograph is a normal fraction
from the alcohol still process, usually the upper third of the distillate.
As its poisonous to drink, you boil it off first to remove it from your ethanol
and keep it separately. Its a good fuel and has other uses, just don't get
it on your skin as its very toxic.
On a side note, methanol is a critical part of the biodiesel chemical process,
so you really do want to save it for that purpose, for trading if nothing else.
It's probably on the same order of value as .22LR ammo or cured meat for general
trade value as a good. I'd even say its as good as currency if you've got a
good container and a silicone packet to absorb water and keep it from spoiling
the purity of the chemical.
So having an alcohol still for fuel and chemical processing is a really good
idea for any self sufficient inclinations. Hopefully, once this terrible war
in Iraq comes to a close and the majority of US troops come home Hayes Diesel
Technology (HDT) will release their civilian version of their super-small and
super-high-mileage diesel engine will become available. I'm also hoping their
bikes will sell
for around $8,000 instead of the current $19,000 for their tactical diesel
scout bike based on the Kawasaki KLR. If they do, I'll be getting one. Sustainable
transportation you don't have to pedal is a wonderful thing to have. Especially
if it will run on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO). Imagine buying a gallon of
soybean oil at the local supermarket and running the next two weeks on that.
Downside? Your bike smells like stir fry. Upside? No funding terrorists just
to get to work. That's the pretty big upside. I hope HDT is sensible about
their engine setup and goes with SVO compatibility. Best, - InyoKern
Hey Jim:
I'm a 10
Cent Challenge subscriber with an idea: How about a place for everyone
to show their Bug out Vehicle? Might be fun and give folks some ideas as well
as show the innovation of SurvivalBlog readers. "Don't tell them what
to do, tell them what you want and they will surprise you with their ingenuity" -
American Army General.
I rode my KLR 650 (with home made saddlebags) from Tucson to Yosemite, then
San Francisco and back. That was 2,200 miles
in six days. I calculated that the bike got 58 miles per gallon. - James C.
JWR Replies: Since a fair portion of my readership with mobile
devices insists
on
a "text
only" blog, I don't post photos. But I'd gladly accept descriptions of
your "G.O.O.D."
vehicles.
Just e-mail them to me. (And feel free to
include links to photos that are posted
off-site.) Consider this survey now open for entries!
