What's up with SYNTHETIC fuels, ETHANOL and MOTORCYCLES?! (ENERGY STORAGE)

[@cogentdynamics]

I can listen to Kevin’s every word. As back in the day, I read every word in the magazine (and his book). I am younger than him I think 😊

[@kevinfurness1741]

I am so pleased you two are producing this series. There have been so many great minds who have left us without the capturing of even a fraction of their great wisdom! Generations to come, I'm sure, will marvel at Kevin's huge store of knowledge and experiences and Marks great ability to keep us engaged and on message! Thank you both. Kevin, 🇨🇦

[@micyclesport]

Well put!!

[@scoutrifle6827]

Kevin is a national treasure.

[@homimono6644]

Amazing episode guys, sending hips of appreciation from Costa Rica! I learn so much from ypur guys experience and research. I'm so inspired to continue my mechanic career to make a better world for future generations; motorcycles seems like the way to go in all terms and love it haha, cheers guys!!

[@sloanspaeth1384]

Great episode! I just love you two. This is such an intelligent combination of basic science, engineering, culture, and philosophy, all packaged around something so many of us are passionate about - motorcycles - to make it relevant. Brilliant. My favorite part is following Kevin down into his deep dives and then being reminded of the big picture by Mark, like the great editor he is. Please keep doing exactly what you are doing. I can't get enough. Not really trying to generate any discussions here - just trying to do my part to stimulate your thinking for future episodes so you will keep making them: How about safety? Are traction control, ABS, helmet mandates, airbag vests, etc, really making any statistical difference? At middle age, my family and other (crucial) obligations have me continually weighing my love of motorcycling against the selfish risk I know I am talking. I tell myself that life is inherently risky. To be alive is to have cheated death one more day. I say, "The statistics are bad because so many of us are seduced by the thrill and addicted to dopamine." As an older rider, so I proclaim, I have learned to tone it down and get that dopamine fix below the speed limit by loving the machine itself. Am I lying to myself and my family? What are the numbers? Have we maxed out the reduction in danger through technology, or are there any other areas to explore to keep us alive, and maybe more importantly, unmaimed? To the peanut gallery: I know I could just sell my motorcycles and buy a van - or maybe limit myself to public transportation. I could also lock myself in the house and live in fear. That's not why I am listening to a motorcycling podcast. I want to hear the numbers from experts.

[@cogentdynamics]

Both of you fellows are just wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

[@alexpl812]

German tanks were not diesel because Germany did not have much oil at the time. Almost oil came from Romania, and all diesel went primarily to submarines. Germany made synthetic fuel from Fisher-Tropsch process from coal, and it much easier to get gasoline from it than diesel. Since diesel is heavier and the process require higher pressures to shift the process to heavier products. USSR have enough actual oil and could do diesel tanks due to it.

[@cogentdynamics]

I ride a Vespa scooter with the “no cat” sticker. 2004 150. Parks next to a Ducati.

[@midnightmc3096]

Kevin’s comment regarding the blown-up Russian pipelines and how “...it changed the financial relationship somewhat.” Classic!!! 😝 You guys are not only very informed, but you’re also comedians! I was surprised, though, that you didn’t specifically cover Porsche’s development of synthetic, nearly carbon-neutral, fuel. Thanks for a stimulating production, as always! From southern California ~ Ride Forever! 🦅

[@davidbanks1193]

You guys are brilliant, and not just about motorcycles! Thanks so much, I'm sharing this with my non-motorcycle friends.

[@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624]

It's like living on the street, in a house right in between you guys, and getting together to chat, every so often. Great stuff ! Thank you. (Super sport rider 40Yrs Exp)

[@vxe6vxe6]

I would like to see you guys add a guest to your show every now and then. How about some of the "old guy editors" from the magazines from years past. You two are awesome!

[@dukecraig2402]

The problem that the Germans discovered with using a diesel engine for a propeller driven airplane is that the shocks transmitted through the propeller shaft from a diesel engine tore propellers up causing them to crack and fly apart, it limited their service life on diesel engine's to something like ⅓rd of the hours that they could be used on a gasoline aircraft engine. There are FAA approved diesel aircraft engine's in use today in America but the only propellers certified for use on them are wood and carbon fiber, because unlike steel the pulses from a diesel engine won't cause cracks in them.

[@midnightmc3096]

Fascinating 👍

[@micyclesport]

Toyota pickup 22R/RE for the win!

[@GWAYGWAY1]

Steel? Not many props are not aluminium.

[@Sladep123]

Great video guys, very informative and enjoyable. Always look forward to each release. Thx!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

There was a single cylinder Diesel motor cycle built for the Military based on the KLR-650 Diesel . You mentioned it as I was typing.

[@WBD86]

These podcasts are so good, thank you!

[@danieloreilly3497]

Another hour of my time spend learning . Thanks guys

[@presstodelete1165]

So refreshing to hear some sensible discussion on this stuff, everywhere else is just hystrionics. One little thought, can we assume Whales would have been long extinct but for crude oil.

[@craigclark57]

Thank you Kevin and Mark for your excellent podcast. Please keep up your highly enlightening podcasts.

[@ralphcantrell3214]

Kevin is a mechanical-minded treasure. Mark isn't too shabby either. Thanks for the video. 👍

[@lancelittle3956]

I'll keep it short by simply stating, I absolutely love this immense resource of intellectual stimulation.

[@kevinfurness1741]

Great episode, I'm 74 and learning at the feet of giants!😊

[@peterston4039]

Kevin is such a dictionary of knowledge, I think he did not sleep the last 50 years to absorb it all. Crazy how much stuff he has in his head and retains. Great as always guys.

[@jgoogleheim8880]

Loved hearing Kevin's impersonation of the one lunger used on lobstah boats. Great conversation.

[@mjo4981]

Our local Conway New Hampshire record setter Charlie Nichols set several land speed records, solo and sidekick, on a hand-built diesel-engine motorcycle at the Bonneville salt flats flats in the early 20-teens.

[@OzzieBird]

I love my nuclear powered bike. I only have to refuel once every couple years 😅 Best smelling exhaust... A two stroke burning gas/Castor oil mix. Ah the good ol' days ❤

[@sloanspaeth1384]

fusion or fission?

[@truantray]

The actual future is more likely a fuel cell electric bike.

[@richardlong4976]

I have come to really enjoy listening to your conversations and topics. This one all about fuels, carbon, clean energy is right on point. It's going to be a huge challenge to wipe of CO2 emissions, a century of fossil fuel infrastructure and profits is just not going to go away easily. Transitioning from a fuel source that can do everything to a fuel source(s) that is sustainable but limited in every application is an immense problem. And it is the oil companies who are going to have to figure it out (politicians can apply pressure only) and make it all profitable. I totally agree that it will take time, but it will happen eventually.

[@TheBlibo]

Hi Jumping on your 54 vello or goldstar might have been acceptable in the 1960s but having ridden a 59 goldstar it would be unbearable in today's traffic in the uk

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

Back in the 70s when one could purchase only 5 gallons of gas, I would park my car a block away and walk into the station with a 5-gallon can. They would allow me to fill it between other cars and I would avoid the blocks-long line.

[@ralphcantrell3214]

We survived that gas crisis by having a next door neighbor who owned the neighborhood gas station.

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

@@ralphcantrell3214 Friends in high octane places.

[@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624]

Outstanding Gentlemen ! Thank you.

[@LBrawn]

I love petroleum and i love 2 strokes.

[@ivanhills6460]

It’s funny you mention a diesel motorcycle My friend built a yanmar diesel in a Harley frame 😮

[@WilliamSudek]

''You're not gonna want the sun heating up your tank, so it's gonna have to be insulated'' I'm in the garage now, listening to this podcast at a significant volume to overcome the noise of what i call my ''gas tank fan'' On my Panigale, the sun is the smallest amount of things heating up my tank. After a brisk ride, the engine is sufficient enough to boil the always half empty tank of gas, thus making starting the engine later on into a challenging proposition. If it were a hydrogen powered Panigale, just riding it would make the fuel tank into a hydrogen bomb of megaton yield. I'll keep my gas please.))))

[@truantray]

Buell used the aluminum frame as a gas tank, then he wrapped it around an air cooled motor. Not sure what he was thinking on that one.

[@richardnowels]

When I was designing laser radars we built a demonstration of a laser radar for use in deep space. To cool the laser to be close to deep space I used alcohol as a coolant for the laser inside of a vacuum chamber I also had to design. Quite a fun exercise but also fairly exhausting to do in a very short period of time. It worked the first time we fired it up. I couldn’t use pure alcohol because you need a license from ATF for that. But denatured alcohol which is not quite as good thanks to the impurities was cheap and easy to find. We went with that. Our 2022 Tesla Model Y weighs 4555 pounds. Being retired we drive very little. When we do the Tesla costs less.

[@patheally]

Not to mention electric motorcycles (EMs) have no shifting, no sound, and no combustion-style acceleration. It's like riding a kid's toy, even if it does have massive torque. Not for me.

[@sloanspaeth1384]

Amen to that

[@Sladep123]

About as exciting as riding a cake mixer... whirrrrrrrrrrr

[@bretloyd8097]

Brilliant as usual, thanks.

[@frankburdi1001]

I was hoping you were going to talk about all of the additives to our modern gasoline alcohol anti-knock chemicals and the cocktail that they put in our gasoline oh well maybe next time maybe next time or did you already have that one let me know what number it is thank you

[@CharlieAiresman]

One thing that I think was missed in this conversation was that 10 percent ethanol in fuel was by far the best replacement for lead to suppress pinging. The government got involved and we a forced to use corn, but there are better ways to produce ethanol, we could be using switchgrass.

[@ccrider8483]

I watched this whole video and I feel sad and depressed for some reason. Thanks for the thought provoking topic.

[@bobmuir8232]

Good to hear you mention bill Lear‘s engine that never got into production at the same time. When I was about 14 I was reading about the Mento engine, which I need to look up now that we have Internet which didn’t make it to production the solution to these modern steam engines for a proper set up would be as a hybrid using the waste Heat from a diesel or gasoline power engine to possibly t increase as high as75% efficient!!!

[@DennisMerwood]

Mark, what happened to the great "Cycle" magazine of the 70's and 80's? Have you recently picked up the wonderful Italian monthly "Motociclismo" magazine. Lay it side by side with any of the latest American motorcycle rags - and weep. Gordon Jennings (1966-1969), Cook Neilson (1969-1979), and Phil Schilling (1979-1988) great articles were epochal. And highly missed by us American fans. And I'm sorry, but this blog just does not cut it! How about a blog on the demise of the great American motorcycle magazines?

[@ericalger5003]

TGIW!!! Happy Wednesday everybody!!!!

[@kenscycle]

Imagine a diesel motorcycle with the bureaucratic government mandated DEF system attached. Sounds like something from the mind of Joan Claybrook

[@ivanhills6460]

Look up Jet Zero Hydrogen powered air liner being developed in Long Beach

[@ccrider8483]

On the subject of renewable aviation fuel; I am told that farmers here in the Midwest are being courted to increase canola production for that very purpose.

[@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624]

I see bombardier is now marketing a modest line of electric Motorcycles.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

The Doble Steam car was very high tech. Petrol shortages lead to wood gasification systems..

[@georgecostanza2695]

No matter the subject of discussion, it has more gravitas coming from someone of Mr. Cameron’s seniority and experience… he could be telling us the earth is flat and the moon is made of cheese, and I’d still be hanging off his every word.

[@donbenjamin1102]

Evel Knievel's sky cycle was steam powered, 90 gallons of superheated steam.

[@TheBlibo]

Hi from the uk Just look at the Stanley steam car it held the steam land speed record until relatively recently when a British outfit produced a a highly specialised vehicle which took the record but in my opinion by an embarrassingly small percentage considering the time that had passed, I don't think it even bettered the the mallard steam locomotive. And what about the roper steam bike that could be developed into something more appropriate for today. I do think there is room for a diesel bike weather it be a highly fuel efficient commuter or a sport/tourer

[@frankburdi1001]

Boy oh boy do I need to hear this I've been wondering and I'm sure you guys are going to give the Straight Dope

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Then again Model T-Fords were cheaper than most motorcycles were like $350.00 ..

[@GS-zv3qn]

The electric motor has the power to weight but the batteries have a long way to go to get close to diesel or gasoline power density, electric motorcycles have such high wind drag at freeway speeds it drains down the battery quick,the electric cars do much better with the wind drag plus they can pack in battery mass and function well even with being on heavy side

[@basilwatson1]

I have checked this but I feed modern gasoline has more volatilies in it seems to "burn a lot quicker than the old leaded just my opinion

[@yorkchris10]

Some technology just didn't trickle down to motorcycles. Seatbelts , yokes, ...? Snowmobiles have supercaps.

[@TheBlibo]

Hiif you were to put the three cylinder 1.2 litre VW engine into a harley chassis it would out harley a harley and an equivalent 4cylinder VW in a gold wing would only improve its towing capacity

[@ericmondale3493]

You wrote while batteries are rapidly evolving, such that California and Texas (yes, Texas) have avoided power outages thanks largely to the addition of batteries to the wind and solar already in place. The states are doing this because it's cheaper. Several production level batteries are already offering major 130-150% better density than lithium. Please get on an Energica with 50% less battery weight then share thre results with your readers. You may pleasantly surprised yourself.

[@truantray]

Batteries are not rapidly evolving. They are rapidly getting cheaper and can charge faster, but the energy density and weight is far off what it needs to be. Periodic table is not going to change.

[@gardemeister]

Wait until green synthetic oil blue synthetic oil debate escalates

[@Sloans_ART]

Come on Wednesday! Tick tock…

[@TheBlibo]

Hi Your reference to formula 1 engines is inaccurate the primary goal is to make power with fuel efficiency being a second best requirement. The cylinder dimensions are not favourable for fuel efficiency unlike the very long stroke low speed diesel engines in container ships

[@stephendrake8145]

Petroleum IS stored solar power!!! It truly is a non-electrical battery…

[@GWAYGWAY1]

Ships that carry gas use the gas offloading to make them go.

[@rjbiker66]

A litre of diesel contains more energy (14%) than a litre of gasoline. LPG is the best alternate gas for cars. Solar/wind will never be able to provide the amount electricity required. People forget that EVs pre-dated ICE vehicles.

[@midnightmc3096]

We'll never land on the moon...

[@truantray]

640k ought to be enough for anybody. Alcohol pre dated gasoline as fuel when Ford started, because he thought it would be a huge advantage for any farmer to make his own fuel. Standard oil political lobbying killed that idea and 100 years later people still parrot big oil misinformation.

[@GWAYGWAY1]

Do you mean that Harley’s are not diesel dump truck engines?????😊

[@joseaguirre7517]

Hello, everyone!

[@truantray]

Yes, 40% of corn crops are used to make ethanol. But, 80% of corn crops were never edible, just grown for oils and syrups. In Brazil, ethanol fuel is an option on every pump and every vehicle can run any type of fuel. And strangely, gasoline costs less because of the competition. Ethanol burns very clean and cool, as any drag racer knows. Indy ran methanol fuel for decades because it was the better fuel for high compression turbo motors. Those motors look like new inside 50 years later in museums. Ethanol is carbon cycle fuel. Every gram of CO2 released is recaptured in new plant growth. The biggest problem with ethanol? Anyone, anywhere, in any country can make it easily and cheaply and that does not work with an international price fixing cartel corrupt with all governments. But, there is a 50/50 chance the US is going to join a list of countries under rule by corrupt Fascists, which will set back technology by decades. So, don't worry about hydrocarbon fuels because political corruption is a 100% certainty.

[@gordonborsboom7460]

Im sure there were plenty of hangovers in the 1930's

[@drgallup]

I've spent my entire career designing fuel injectors. Diesel, gasoline (port and direct), gaseous CNG, LNG, LPG and now hydrogen. We make them in the USA and sell gaseous injectors to China except the LPG which is used here. I have no interest in electric vehicles. Probably need to buy one more big V8 vehicle while I still can.

[@alangolightly9850]

You guys have too much common sense; couldn't be a politician.😅

[@twinturbo8304]

Brad Pitt never fought anything

[@wsbill14224]

Engineered fuel off the shelf doesn't work well in lawnmowers anymore, if it ever did. It's another ripoff gimmick today like bottled water. It doesn't work. We already know this. Many people can't start their mowers after filling them with engineered fuel. It's supposed to remain effective in the can but doesn't. Why would I put it in my bike?

[@truantray]

Why would anyone not use an electric mower any more.

[@wsbill14224]

@@truantray because their gas mowers still work, you twerp.

[@YouCantSawSawdust]

Of all the episodes you guys have done, I've never seen you two so down and depressed about the topic. I guess you are starting to accept the inevitable. Our best motoring days are coming to an end.

[@Sloans_ART]

I didn’t get that vibe from them. Same two smart guys talking about complex and relevant subjects in an entertaining way. Humans are clever. Change is constant. We’ll figure it out! I believe in and treasure the engineering minds in our species!

[@edwinbrown3303]

Going to need alot more electricity

[@twinturbo8304]

Psycho world totally ruined my pocketbook with their bullshit about the Canondale

[@LBrawn]

Is Greta Thunberg threatening you guys?

[@truantray]

Not everyone into motorcycles denies basic chemistry and the effect of carbon dioxide.

[@johnunderwood9575]

This country can barely keep up with the increasing demand for electricity. There is absolutely NO possibility that the US grid could support Electric vehicles for all. We don't produce enough power now to support even a 5% percentage of EV's.

[@truantray]

Gee gramps, good thing the grid is expanding capacity.

[@LBrawn]

please folks, say NO to electric

[@dasboototto]

16:40 Kevin, all the diesel was going to the u-boat fleet

[@colinm1325]

Yep, Everyday is a School Day. 🏍🛵👍👏🍻🫡☕️

[@DavidGreen-hp5yq]

Problem with EV, esp. motorcyles, is virtual freedom. You do not get that, if you are relying on Gov infrastrutures -- esp. today! [ notiied my "...B>?

[@DavidGreen-hp5yq]

EV are NOT going to happen. And that is disounting the scam of a heating world.

[@midnightmc3096]

@@DavidGreen-hp5yq 😆