Why do you have to "break in" a motorcycle tire...but not a passenger car tire?

What is a "monocoque" chassis?

Why is a "through the frame" shift lever a good thing?

What are the pros/cons of a wet sump clutch vs. dry?

If shaft drive is so maintenance free, why dosen't everyone use them?

What's better, belt or chain final drive (what the heck, throw in shaft too)?

I understand rejetting carbs...how do you change the mix of air/fuel if the bike has EFI?  Do you even want to?  (I bet someone sells a computer thingy that can be adjusted and replace the stock computer thingy.)

LED's have been around a while.  Why aren't they the standard for vehicle lighting? (2 and 4 wheel?)  Are that THAT costly??

Since everything else is socially-engineered, why hasn't someone proposed a tax-incentive for motorcycle-commuting?  Seems to make great environmental sense. (I'm not necessarily a tree-hugging, granola-eating, spotted owl loving environmentalist..I just want some $$$ back.)

Enough for now.

...and why do they call it taking a dump?  I mean you don't take it with you do you?  When was the last time you took a dump with you to work to show your coworkers....

Why do you have to "break in" a motorcycle tire...but not a passenger car tire?

Oil on the tire... and car tires have so much weight on them they break in in a few rotoations... so no one talkes about them.

What is a "monocoque" chassis?

The GS is a perimeter. My virago 535 or recent BMW R bikes are monocoque

Why is a "through the frame" shift lever a good thing?

Says who...

What are the pros/cons of a wet sump clutch vs. dry?

Wet cools better, dry sucks less power...

If shaft drive is so maintenance free, why dosen't everyone use them?

More $$$ to make and sucks more power. Smaller bikes typically for these 2 reasons use chains or belts and bigger ones have shaft.

What's better, belt or chain final drive (what the heck, throw in shaft too)?

I like belt for smaller bikes and shaft for bigger, chain is right for Repli racers though.

I understand rejetting carbs...how do you change the mix of air/fuel if the bike has EFI?  Do you even want to?  (I bet someone sells a computer thingy that can be adjusted and replace the stock computer thingy.)

New carburetion module... from Dynojet... same company, different product.

LED's have been around a while.  Why aren't they the standard for vehicle lighting? (2 and 4 wheel?)  Are that THAT costly??

No cheaper... but only if they make large numbers... else bulbe are less work and hence cheaper. But thet doesn't explain instrument lights...

Since everything else is socially-engineered, why hasn't someone proposed a tax-incentive for motorcycle-commuting?  Seems to make great environmental sense. (I'm not necessarily a tree-hugging, granola-eating, spotted owl loving environmentalist..I just want some $$$ back.)

I agree...but those oil industry stooges that run the govt make most of the $$$ by robbing the public and taking handouts from the auto industry, so no chance it will happen.
Cool.
Srinath.

Enough for now.

About the monocoque chassis...

Perimeter is where you have supports/engine mounts that drp from the front of the frame spars in front of the engine/wraps around and reconnects to the frame whereas with monocoque doesn't have the "perimeter" around the engine. (this is all one long question).  Is that about right?  I ask for my own clarification.

Which model of Buell has put the fuel tank in the frame? Its getting close to monocoque perhaps. Buells are the bomb. Thast the untimate twin cyclinder!

If I 'member correctly, the XB9S Firebolt was the model where they integrated the fuel tank in the frame.  What was it, like a whole 3 gallons?

If shaft drive is so maintenance free, why dosen't everyone use them?
--I think the main reason is shaft drive adds alot of weight. This is why you only see them in larger "standard" type bikes. My Dad's Honda 1983 CX650C is shaft-driven. Also read below for additional answers.

What's better, belt or chain final drive (what the heck, throw in shaft too)?
PROS
--Belt: cheapest to replace; low maintenance (no adjusting needed)  
--Chain: cheaper to replace; more hp; withstands higher stresses (can stretch); can easily change gear ratios with larger/smaller sprockets
--Shaft: no maintenance; lasts alot longer
CONS
--Belt: almost no warning when it goes; not recommended for high HP (can slip at high RPMs)
--Chain: more maintenance (lubing & tension adjusting needed); if not adjusted properly sprocket teeth can wear
--Shaft: heavy; expensive to replace if it goes; changing gear ratios (if it is even possible) may be hard to locate and is expensive - requires you to swap out shaft drive

Conclusion: generally speaking, you find chains on "crotch rockets", belts on "harley cruisers", and shaft-drives on "standard" bikes

Since everything else is socially-engineered, why hasn't someone proposed a tax-incentive for motorcycle-commuting?  Seems to make great environmental sense. (I'm not necessarily a tree-hugging, granola-eating, spotted owl loving environmentalist..I just want some $$$ back.)
What, and give money back to the hard-working, blue collared people who keep this economy going!?! Oh no, they wouldn't dare do that!!!!! It all comes down to LOBBYISTs. They want to keep money in their own pockets if they can. Also, would they rather have you buy a motorcycle under $10,000 or spend $40,000+ for a SUV? Personally, I think it is more rational to get a motorcycle for "social" and "economical" reasons, but don't expect the large corporations and government to make that decision for you. Their decisions are driven by greed and power. End of story.

Quote from: FlashIf shaft drive is so maintenance free, why dosen't everyone use them?
--I think the main reason is shaft drive adds alot of weight. This is why you only see them in larger "standard" type bikes. My Dad's Honda 1983 CX650C is shaft-driven. Also read below for additional answers.

Everybody knows that the main reason is because shafties don't wheely!    

QuoteIf shaft drive is so maintenance free, why dosen't everyone use them?

One reason it that under acceleration, the pinion gear on the end of the spinning shaft tries to climb the ring gear in the differential housing resulting in the rear of the bike rising on it's suspension. When you let off the trottle, the pinion stops it's climb and the suspension settles. All this plays havoc with handling and ground clearance. BMW twins race with skid plates on the ends of the cylinders.  

Sometime ride behind an older BMW and you'll see it rise as it accelerates and sink as it slows.  

Also, a shaft drive can certainly wheelie.

OS
ex-BMW owner.

Shaft drive can certainly make you a better driver. For you should keep on the gas when going through a turn. And wheeling shafties can most certainly be fun.

Quote from: miketEverybody knows that the main reason is because shafties don't wheely!    

Oh Yea!

Go to http://www.sportbikehype.com/ and click SBH Videos link on the left hand side. Then click the "Crazy Larry III" tab and you can watch someone wheelie A Honda Goldwing!

The last time I checked the Goldwing was shaft-driven :nana:

Quote from: miket
Everybody knows that the main reason is because shafties don't wheely!    

Which brings up another question.... Why is miket smoking crack?  And what is crack anyways?  When I was young having crack meant your pants were too low when you bent over...

The Kawi ZX12R is a perfect example of a monocoque chassis.

You guys are confusing it with the famous usenet thread...
Why Spagthorpes cant wheelie...
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: seshadri_srinathYou guys are confusing it with the famous usenet thread...
Why Spagthorpes cant wheelie...
Cool.
Srinath.

Sadly most people don't know what usenet is

Or what a spagthorpe is...
Cool.
Srinath.

Crazy Larry is so intense! Everyone should watch those videos. I was not impressed with the beat down Rodeny King style when the cop finally got a hold of him.

QuoteOh Yea!  

Go to http://www.sportbikehype.com/ and click SBH Videos link on the left hand side. Then click the "Crazy Larry III" tab and you can watch someone wheelie A Honda Goldwing!

The last time I checked the Goldwing was shaft-driven

There have been very few motorcycles with anything resembling a monocoque chassis, despite some companies hyping some aluminum extrusions as "monocoque".

The original Honda NSR oval-pistoned endurance racer was a reasonable approximation. They changed it fairly quickly since the engine was difficult to get to, and they had more than a few engine problems. The Britten Aero D was a nice one:

Oh, and shaft drives don't necessarily rise up on acceleration, and squat on deceleration. And whether they do or don't has little to do with the old story about "the pinion gear climbing the ring gear".

Chain and belt drive bikes exhibit squat or anit-squat behavior also, but usually to a lesser degree than the old BMWs due to the suspension geometry using the chain tension to neutralize the anti-squat. I have an '82 R100, so I know exactly what they are like. The newer BMW's with the parallelogram rear supension linkage are very squat neutral, despite still having a pinion and ring gear.

Edit: And the reason they have skid plates on the valve cover is because they run out of cornering clearance with the new tires that allow 50 degree lean angles, and they drag the cylinders. The new Beemers don't do the rise/squat thing.

The rear suspension geometry determines the squat and anti-squat behavior. The traction force at the tire/road interface and it's relatively large moment arm to the swingarm pivot point tend to be the defining factors.

See Tony Foale's excellent technical book for a complete explanation:

http://www.tonyfoale.com/