It’s hard to know what’s really going on when it’s not being reported.
Much less explained.
One example of this is the not-reported news – which is big news – that Honda will stop making the Goldwing motorcycle after the end of this year. Not because it isn’t selling. The Goldwing, Honda’s big touring bike, has been doing that since 1976 – almost 50 years ago. It was a hugely innovative bike that quickly became one of the most enduringly popular bikes Honda has ever offered. 
The problem is complying.
Honda says the current bike’s iconic flat six engine can no longer be tweaked sufficiently to pass the latest slew of “emissions” standards that go into effect in Japan this fall.
A new-design engine, probably direct-injected and with a slew of new (expensive) “technology” would be needed – and the cost of developing such cannot be justified, because the new engine, even if “compliant” for now, would probably be unable to comply with the next ratcheting-up of these “emissions” standards, certain to be imposed within the next couple of years (if not sooner). Which would not be enough time for Honda to recover its forced “investment” in an all-new engine.
And so it is pulling the plug on its flagship bike, a model that is credited with inspiring this class of bike as well as many emulators such as the Yamaha FJR – which its manufacturer has also announced it will stop making after the end of this year, for the same reason. Other Japanese brands – including Kawasaki and Suzuki – are cancelling various models as well. 
All of the affected bikes are made in Japan, where the government has decreed that motorcycle “emissions” must be reduced by 33 percent, which sounds significant – until you dig into the numbers and discover that it is “33 percent” less than the existing “percent,” which is 0.06 grams per kilometer (g/km).
In other words, significantly less than 1 percent total reduction. A meaningless reduction, insofar as air pollution. A reduction for reduction’s sake. And for another sake – that being the Final Solutioning of the Combustion Engine Problem.
That problem having nothing to do with air pollution – or “climate change” – but everything to do with cording (and so herding and controlling) mobility. Honda says it plans to “electrify” its entire lineup, meaning it is being forced to as there is no market for electric motorcycles.
Because there is no such thing.
An electric bike is a scooter – by definition. It can be made to look like a motorcycle – just as a man can be made to look like a woman – but no matter how much either may look like that which they are trying to be, neither of them is or ever can be. Without an engine, without a transmission and gears to shift, levers to pull in and release, there isn’t much to do other than sit there – and while that may be riding it isn’t motorcycling.
Electric cars may have a kind of better-appliance appeal to people who view cars as appliances, which of course they are. But people who buy motorcycles view bikes very differently. The machine matters – and a battery-powered appliance will never take the place of the machine in the hearts of bikers.
That’s why bikes are being taken away from them via this unreported – this unexplained – “emissions” rigmarole. The average person has no idea that bikes are in the crosshairs – much less why, as it is never explained. If they hear anything at all, they hear “33 percent” – and think it’s significant and so, necessary.
This is both tragedy and abomination. Also forewarning.
Honda (and Yamaha and Kawasaki, et al) could move their production lines out of Japan and relocate them here, to the United States, where “emissions” standards for motorcycles aren’t yet as impossible-to-comply with as they are in Japan. This is why Harley and Indian – which are made here – haven’t cancelled their big touring and cruiser bikes . . . yet.
But everyone knows what tomorrow will bring.
That it is only a matter of time before the U.S. regulatory regime “catches up” – as it will be styled – with the Japanese (and Euro) “emissions” standards that have caused the cancellation of the Goldwing, FJR and other “noncompliant” models made in Japan. At which point it will no longer be feasible to make them here, either. At which point, Harley and Indian will also likely be forced to “electrify” their lineup. (The Deadwire gives us a preview of this motorcycle-less future).
Honda, Kawasaki, et al aren’t run by stupid people. They can see where things are headed. They know that relocating production of outlawed bikes to America would only buy them a little more time – at great expense – before they are outlawed, again.
Ergo, why bother?
The big bikes first. Just as big engines in cars have been outlawed via regulations. Then all engines – the same as is happening to cars, so as to force electric motors into their place – in the name of insignificant reductions in “emissions” that stopped being significant decades ago, for the purpose of cording everything – and thereby tethering us.
That’s the news, in case you haven’t heard about it yet.
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IMHO the really big killer is the aging Boomer buyers. Time is running out on their 30 day long summer runs across the country. The younger generation may not even know (or care) what an easy rider or individual freedom is. It is all about gaming, selfies and 150 hp pocket rockets or a KLR.
Eric,
I know that this thread is old, but I hope you see this and respond to it. I spent some time earlier perusing Harley-Davidson’s, Indian’s, and BMW Motorcycles’ websites. Guess what? They’re all making big, expensive touring bikes! They’re all making Goldwing competitors that cost $25K-$30K. If they see the ROI to offer such bikes, then why doesn’t Honda? That’s why I think Honda will bring back the ‘Wing; there’s money to be made in that segment, as shown by H-D’s, Indian’s, and BMW’s offerings. If they see money there, why wouldn’t Honda-especially since they have the class leading, ne plus ultra touring bike? Those are my thoughts…
NO Goldwing models are being cancelled anywhere but in JAPAN. The ‘non-Tour’, aka, ‘Bagger’, is being dropped ONLY in Japan. The document that was released came from Honda Japan, and not American Honda. The document stated for ‘domestic’, meaning Japan only.
LP, that would make sense. What doesn’t make sense is selling the Goldwing in Japan in the first place. It’s not like the North American continent where one can go hundreds or thousands of miles without stopping; Japan doesn’t have wide open spaces like we do, do the Goldwing doesn’t make sense in their market anyway.
I bought a new Goldwing in 1975, the first year. 1000 cc’s and the smoothest engine imaginable. Add whatever you wanted. Better fairings, Bates bags, Hardin saddle. Choicces galore.. Loved it. After the addition of the Interstate model several years later they became fully equipped from the factory. Now there is so much plastic the motor disappeared.
I hope Honda will overcome this challenge. They have the engineering chops for it.
Hi Mad,
Amen. I own an ’83 Silverwing; one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned. Has the same fairing as the same-era Goldwings, too. My buddy Graves has two early-mid ’80s GoldWings. I keep thinking about buying one of them… but then I’d have to sell one of the others…
As well as the ’81 Goldwing handles in curves, I suspect you will be “polishing” the ends of the timing belt covers like you did the kickstand on the Silverwing, lol! BTW, I have to drop my Silverwing motor soon to repair/replace parts in the stater clutch that are worn out. The one down-side of this little work-horse.
Hi Graves!
Would believe (cue Get Smart voice) that the Kz’s front tire went flat?? Turned out to be a bad tube. I just got it back. But I have the header off on account of cannot abide the grime saw in the fins. So am cleaning and polishing everything… as time permits! Call me, you big geek!
The carbon footprint, its embedded emissions from manufacturing a lithium battery motorcycle is probably like the carbon footprint from manufacturing a lithium battery powered EV.
Like driving an ice powered motorcycle 50,000 miles….lol
ATTENTION: This is really bad….Before the EV (with a 40 kWh battery) goes one foot the emissions/pollution just from manufacturing it equal to driving an ice diesel 89,400 km (50,550 miles), about 7 years driving.
“If an electric vehicle is using a 40 kWh battery (some EV’s have 90 kwh batteries which are 2.25 x as bad ), its embedded emissions from manufacturing would then be equivalent to the CO2 emissions caused by driving a diesel car with a fuel consumption of 5 litre per 100 km (about 55 mpg), up to 89,400 km (about 7 years average driving) before the electric car even has driven one meter,” Circular Energy reports.
Then the battery dies in 10 years and you start over, another 89,400 km equivalent of pollution, (per 40 kwh battery), inflicted on the earth, just from the battery manufacture…lol….and it will only cost you $22,000…lol…
Ice diesel vs EV fuel economy comparison:
To go 100 miles the ice diesel burns 1.36 gallons of diesel in it’s super clean .000001% emission engine.
the EPA tells us that modern gas powered cars produce 98 – 99% less pollution than cars from the 1960s and 1970s. modern cars have .000001% emissions but that isn’t good enough they want zero, they are liars though, the new EV’s pollute more…lol
To go 100 miles the EV burns 43 lb of coal…… 43 lb of dirty coal were burnt to generate the electricity in the power station producing huge emissions destroying the environment.
ATTENTION: remember they are CEV’s Coal Electric Vehicles….
Plus the added bonus of a lithium fire bomb battery in the car….lol
ATTENTION: The Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion has emissions of 85g CO2 per km
A current-model large EV car emits about 88 grams of CO2 per kilometer,
Ice diesel:
The 2014 Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion diesel, capable of a claimed 88.3 mpg imperial, or 73.5 mpg U.S.
it has a 971 mile range, the perfect car.
The Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion has emissions of 85g CO2 per km. it is even cleaner (less emissions) than a Toyota Prius or an EV….
A bloomberg article states, “A current-model large EV car with a battery produced and charged in an average European Union country emits about 88 grams of CO2 per kilometer,
it weighs 1125 kg, 2480 lb, the new EV’s are over 4000 lb. it weighs 40% less.
EV
What test drivers are actually getting driving in the real world driving EV’s is they are getting 2.4 miles of range for every kwh
They are using 41.66 kwh to go 100 miles. (.4166 kwh per mile) = 83 mpg
ATTENTION: 83 mpg is based on electricity just coming out of a wall plug,
in reality 4.80 gallons of fuel or 43 lb of coal were burnt to generate the electricity in the power station = 20.8 mpg).
So to go 100 miles the EV burns 43 lb of coal
So to end up with 41.66 kwh of electricity which is equivalent to 1.20 gallons of gas to push the EV 100 miles down the road 4.80 gallons of fuel or 43 lb of coal were burnt to generate the electricity in the power station, remember net 25% efficiency. 100 miles using 4.80 gallons = 20.8 mpg,
New EV’s are over 4000 lb, that is why they get bad fuel economy. The 2014 Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion diesel weighs 40% less, helping it to get far greater fuel economy.
In the real world the EV with the large 90 kwh battery (some EV batteries are smaller) had only 216 mile range.
the 2014 Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion diesel has a 971 mile range.
Energy density:
In order to go 200 miles the EV had to carry around a 1000 lb battery (some tesla batteries weigh 1800 lb, the hummer battery is 3000 lb.)
In order to go 200 miles the 2014 Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion diesel had to only carry 9.52 lb of fuel.
There is the big difference the diesel ice car only had to carry 9.52 lb of fuel to go 200 miles the EV had to carry a 1000 lb battery, this has a huge effect on fuel economy
The 2014 Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion costs $24,355 U.S., EV’s start at about $45,000
there is a $20,000 incentive to buy the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion…lol
20.8 mpg….lol…..these EV’s use more fuel so pollute more then ice vehicles
most new gas or diesel ice cars get better fuel economy, cost way less, use far fewer resources to manufacture, don’t have lithium fire bomb batteries, last three times as long as EV’s….
NOTE:
Thermal efficiency of power plants using coal, petroleum, natural gas or nuclear fuel and converting it to electricity are around 33% efficiency, natural gas is around 40%. Then there is average 6% loss in transmission, then there is a 5% loss in the charger, another 5% loss in the inverter, the electric motor is 90% efficient so another 10% loss before turning the electricity into mechanical power at the wheels.
33% – 6% – 5% – 5% – 10% = 25% efficiency for EV’s. In very cold weather EV’s are 12% efficient
a gallon of gas retains 100% of its chemical-kinetic-electrical energy potential throughout the entirety of its supply chain. This is extraordinarily effective when compared to electricity in either transmitted or battery-stored forms – which does not retain its potential and can lose from 15 to 45% of the generated kilowatt hours of electricity during the delivery and battery-charging/depletion/use processes.
……… instead of 26% loss (during delivery and use) this says it is up to a 45% loss
33% – 45% = 15% efficiency for EV’s. Then in very cold weather EV’s are 8% efficient..another 50% loss….
EV’s are looking pretty useless, they are being pushed on people through lying….
An EV just sitting loses:
tesla says a daily 3%-5% stationary range consumption.” (just parked)
So Tesla says it’s normal to fully discharge itself in under 3 weeks. Keep this in mind when parking it somewhere 90kwh @ $0.40 per kwh = another $36.00 per week loss just parked…lol
Plus the cost of the battery, which is huge, you have to store the electricity in the very, very expensive battery, that is the killer for EV’s right there, the expensive, rapidly wearing out battery.
the tesla $22,000 battery is used up, worn out in 100,000 miles.
ATTENTION: this works out to $22.00 per 100 miles it is costing you for the battery.
greens say burning 43 lb of coal to power their stupid EV is cleaner then burning 1.36 gallons of diesel in an ultra clean .0000001% emission ice diesel engine….lol….they have lied to everybody and got away with it….lol
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15118719/2014-volkswagen-golf-bluemotion-photos-and-info-auto-shows/
So they want to replace ice motorcycles with CEM’s Coal Electric Motorcycles….
This where your EV electricity comes from…lol
your EV is remote emission so you can lie about it…lol….zero emission ….lol….what a joke…
coal powered electricity power station, spewing out far more emissions then the ultra low .000001% emission new gas and ice diesel engines
https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8539efa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/890×667+0+0/resize/880×660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwvpn%2Ffiles%2F201403%2F01_us_largest_coal_fired_power_plant_890.jpg
‘An electric bike is a scooter‘ — eric
And SCOOTERS KILL:
‘A fire in a Harlem apartment early Wednesday sparked by the lithium-ion battery on an electric scooter killed a 5-year-old girl and a 36-year-old woman, and left the child’s father in critical condition.
‘Firefighters responded just after 2:30 a.m. to a fire that broke out in a sixth-floor apartment in the Jackie Robinson Houses. A charred scooter sat outside the building on Wednesday.
‘E-bikes and scooters have been implicated in numerous fires in recent months, leading the housing authority to propose banning them from its buildings entirely.’ — NYT
https://archive.ph/YRRMe#selection-533.0-537.43
How many more must die because of these hideous electric fire starters?
Hi Jim
e-bike fires
Not just EV’s catching fire/exploding, the E-bikes are too….lithium fire bomb batteries are great…
In October, Consumer Reports found that 75 e-bicycle fires ignited in New York last year, causing 72 injuries and three deaths.
from a news feed………
Explosion of e-bike battery caused fire, man’s death at Downtown Eastside rooming house
Twenty-five crew members were sent to tackle the blaze. One of them found the body of the 32-year-old man in the alleyway beside the hotel.
“It looks like the man had been sitting on the room’s window ledge and the resulting explosion caused him to fall,” said Connelly.
Police confirmed two others sustained injuries from the explosion.
https://www.timescolonist.com/bc-news/explosion-of-e-bike-battery-caused-fire-mans-death-at-downtown-eastside-rooming-house-sro-owner-5469404
Hi Jim
Two years ago they talked about a bat germ killing grandma, these lithium fire bomb batteries will kill a whole building full of grandmas….lol
Lithium fire bomb batteries:
a battery fire tragically killed two teens in 2018; though they survived the car crash but the teens were killed when the battery caught fire, burning to death in the wrecked vehicle…..you can’t get out
…….from another tesla owner in a fire……He told the fire department: “I had to smash the window to get out of the car. I kicked through the window. Everything stops. The power didn’t work. The door didn’t open. The windows didn’t go down so I’m thinking I need to get the f*ck out of this car so I kicked through.”
Those deaths, despite occurring about four years ago, are relevant because the suit over their deaths just ended, with a Florida court finding Tesla at fault, as NBC News reported,
A federal jury in Florida has found Tesla negligent in a 2018 crash that killed two teens and found one of the teens 90% responsible for his role in the collision.
The jury awarded $10.5 million in damages. It was not immediately clear how much of that amount Tesla will be required to pay based on the assignment of responsibility for the crash.
If you drive an EV don’t get in a crash….lol
https://genzconservative.com/yet-another-ev-flaw-exposed-tragedy-strikes-teens-when-their-tesla-battery-does-this-after-a-crash/
Re: scooter fires
This may explain what seems to be a flurry of news stories recently about houses and apartments catching fire everywhere. It used to be that you’d hear of more fires in the winter from heating mishaps but now it seems every week you hear of a major blaze and total building loss. The newscasters always say the cause is under investigation but I never see any followups.
People laugh at the victorians for living with hazardous products in their households like gaslights, arsenic infused dyes, asbestos and phosphorus matches etc. but are we really any better? There are much safer battery chemistries available. Theres no reason to have all these short lived li-ion firebombs around. The safety czars have been rewarded heavily to look the other way when people die grizzly deaths from these large mobile firebombs. Click it or ticket!
Very important in view of this to take extra care of your existing bikes! Right now there is repair parts availability, this is another watch item going forward.
I helped a friend replace the fuel pump, filter, and related in tank tubing on a 2011 Harley. These were aftermarket mfg. via Amazon so for now stuff is available.
What I fear is the Gov. making this dry up via regulation, any aftermarket engine, fuel, ignition forced to be certified EPA compliant would put a damper on the aftermarket folks.
There traditionally is a supply of garage queens for cheap, no weathering low miles and cheap. Wonder how that is now?
Demonrats are squabbling over the $7,500 EV tax credit in the Manchin-Schumer bill. It’s the intricate policy wonkery of central planning:
‘Access to half the $7,500 per-vehicle credit would depend on whether at least 40 percent of the critical minerals used in a vehicle’s battery are extracted or processed in a country where the U.S. has a free trade agreement, or recycled in North America. That percentage would climb beginning in 2024, hitting 80 percent from 2027 on.
‘The other half would hinge on whether at least half of a battery’s components are manufactured or assembled in North America, with that percentage beginning to rise in 2024 and hitting 100 percent in 2029.’ — rollcall.com
This is our Five Year Plan for EVs. After all, Five Year Plans worked so well for Uncle Joe Stalin.
Now the Lügenpresse is admitting that the Senate may not be able to pass it before going on August recess next week.
Good times for monkeywrenching!
Jim, your bring up a good and important (debatable) issue. As of right now, all products that we sell in the USA must now pass the new buy-America act which, right now, is 55% USA content, going up to I believe 65-70% in following years.
Sooooo, this issue with EV’s USA content that our Gov is bringing up ‘should’ apply to EV manufacture as well.
Now, I will say this, since I am involved, prices of our existing products that say were $50K and 10-20weeks to get, are now (w/buy america), $75K and 30-40 weeks. I hope that this ‘forcing’ of making stuff in the US works and prices/leadtimes go down.
ps: this is now LAW for any federal money spend (on our infrastructure products at least, not sure on other stuff), which I believe is WAY different than Obama’s 2009 ARRA act that was just stimulus money.
I failed to mention my point Re: buy american and EV’s. My guess is they will drastically reduce the US content required for EV’s, which is current law, with some kind of carve out because of their inherent desire to get EVs on the road now.
Another guess of mine, the the GOP are the one’s saying “wait a minute, we have current US law that states the US content and EV’s should be no different” I could be wrong.
Hi Jim
They should just ban them outright because of this…..
ATTENTION: This is really bad….Before the EV (with a 40 kWh battery) goes one foot the emissions/pollution just from manufacturing it equal to driving an ice diesel 89,400 km (50,550 miles), about 7 years driving.
You ruined my day Eric, or rather the news has. These M-f emission nazi’s have to stop and go away.
My wife and I were dreaming/planning on getting a Goldwing and doing cross country trips. Maybe it’s going to have to be on a H-D now, as I’m guessing the existing great Japanese tourers are going to become priceless. Glad I have a FJR, which now is a keeper. I guess we could do cross country on that but it’s passenger comfort is no where near the Goldwing.
EV’ing these things is not going to work. Touring bikes need range. Currently 250m +/-. I don’t see any way an EV bike is going to get even remotely close to that.
For some additional ridiculousness, I read somewhere that because of these new draconian emission regs, engine manufacturers are now being forced to consider the distance from the top piston ring to the top of the piston as this area does not burn the fuel properly (a very tiny area relative) and contributes to these new miniscule emission regs.
This news begs another question. What about all the other larger displacement bikes? For example the KTM 1190/1290 Adventure, etc…. Crap I may need to reconsider my retirement plans so I can buy like 4-5 bikes now…………………..not kidding.
ChrisN, you could always get a BMW K1600; there are no plans to stop making them. They come with big, I6 and have LOTS of power!
Thanks for the tip Mark, I just never really was really BMW street bike fan so don’t know their models well at all. I can be forced though and may be forced.
I just looked it up and it looks very similar to my FJR, and the Grand American version looks like it could work, but no offense, It still doesn’t appear to be at the level of the Goldwing, but maybe it won’t matter anymore.
ChrisN, I know that the Beemer is no Goldwing (no bike is!), but I thought it would help. To me, it struck me as a cross between a ‘Wing and your FJR.
There has to be more to the story though, as the Goldwing was THE KING of touring bikes; it was in a class by itself! If you wanted the ne plus ultra of touring bikes, there was only one choice: the Honda Goldwing. The ‘Wing is popular; it was never hurting for sales. Also, Honda could bring back the Valkyrie, which also used the ‘Wing’s flat 6 engine. A big company with Honda’s resources could build a new, compliant bike if they wanted to…
good analogy Mark, it does look like a cross between Wing and FJR. Thanks.
Hi Mark,
You keep saying Honda could build a new, compliant bike if they wanted to. I’ve explained that want has nothing to do with it. The cost has everything to do with it. It would be too expensive; the cost of the bike would exceed the ability of most potential buyers to buy it; that would leave Honda losing money on the bike.
It’s that simple – and sad.
Eric,
I understand what you’re saying. I can’t believe that Honda couldn’t make money on the Goldwing; it’s been one of their best sellers for decades. We’re not talking about a niche model like their GB500, FT500 Ascot, or the GL650 Silverwing that were only made for a year or so; we’re talking about the BEST SELLING touring bike ever! I just find it hard to believe that Honda can’t make the ROI work for them when it comes to the Goldwing.
Hi Mark
Its a matter of ROI and something called ESG. Blackrock, Vanguard, and State Street have been seriously pushing ESG over the last few years. They are the current leading edge of the so called Green energy movement. If you look at who is behind them, you find its the same groups behind the hysteria over nuclear power, the depopulation agenda, as well as the WEF. The corp types at Honda know which way the wind is blowing. Given the current situation in Japan, I can’t say that I blame them. ESG is just another one of the tools being used to destroy most peoples standard of living, and jack up the misery index.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-criteria.asp
Hi BJ,
Here’s a sick thought: Wealth, when general, confers no real distinction. When a plumber or mechanic can own a single family home and two cars, a motorcycle, etc. the “rich” person (if he’s an evil person) doesn’t feel as set-apart as he wants to. Our society gave the average person a better standard of living than any king of Europe had from 1066 through the about 1920. This is intolerable to the “kings” of our time…they want to recreate the separation that once existed between king and peasant.
Eric,
I’ve heard that theory, and it’s F*CKED UP! If I were rich, I’d be happy for anyone who could join me. But yeah, I’ve heard that theory. I’ve heard that, since we can get cars that have everything that only luxury cars once had (e.g. power windows, cruise control, A/C, etc.), that certain wealthy people don’t like that they can’t set themselves apart. I just don’t understand it.
Hi Eric,
I’ve heard that theory too, and I think it’s correct, the “rich” guys don’t want some truck driver ahead of them at the golf course. Makes sense to me, they have such fragile egos.
Hi Eric
You have it exactly right. The so called “elite” spend most of their time with their nose in the air. They want to recreate the feudal era. Hell, that bastard Hamilton wanted us to have a monarchy. Look at the establishment GOP and the DNC types in the US. They act like they are lords and ladies of the realm. That is one of the reasons they are so intent on limiting energy use. Energy is the very life blood of modern civilization. Reliable, cheap energy is what has allowed many hundreds of millions of people, to escape the grinding poverty and misery that has been humanities base state from the start. It is petty spite, wrapped in a cover of “Green” that is behind this push against so called fossil fuels. But some of them are even worse. Some are out right psychopaths. They will use ANY means to achieve their twisted goals. That is why matters are going from bad to worse. Especially as the truth of various matters leaks out from under the Tech Lords censorship. Fall and winter look to be very “interesting”. Make certain you are properly prepared.
All reading this – please try posting a comment; trying to figure out whether the spam issue is fixed!
This is a test of the antispam/bot filter. If this was a real bot it would actually make more sense. This was only a test. 🙂
#1. Hydrocarbons are NOT “fossil fuels”. Oil is abiotic and is constantly being produced deep within the earth, well below the levels of “fossils”. In fact, old oil wells are “filling back up” as hydrocarbons migrate upward from the depths.
#2. Hydrocarbons are NOT pollutants in the traditional sense as the products come out of the ground. In fact, there are “vents” on the ocean floor that are spewing out many more “pollutants” than mankind could ever produce. Ever hear of the La Brea tar pits? In fact, one active volcano spews out more pollutants than that of mankind’s entire history. Utilization of energy has made the average person equal to those “elites” and others who resent that fact.
#3. Environmentalists are mentally ill. They consider human beings to be a pestilence (except for themselves) and will do ANYTHING to reduce the human population, including genocide. Environmentalists are “red” (communist) on the inside and “green” on the outside. Environmentalists use government power to effect “takings” of private property without compensation to the owners. They have no problem subjecting humans to discomfort, disease, and even death to save a fish or a squirrel (endangered species, yeah right).
#4 The “elites” are a tiny group with more money than brains. From Bill Gates to (((Klaus Schwab))) they think that they have all the answers. This also goes for the Harvard and Yale “elites” who lack common sense and HATE the average person–the common man who is able to make a decent life for himself and his family.
#5. These “elites” manufacture “crises” in order to “get their way”, the covid plandemic being the latest
crisis”. Of course, “globull warming” (aka “climate change”) is their latest scam. Shutting down hydrocarbon energy production is part of their plan.
These elites had better realize that there are many more of “us” than there are of “them”.
There is a way…shut down the country for a month. Europeans have always done this on a smaller scale with railroad and other transportation strikes. Shut down the USA for a month and see the elites “squirm”.
Eric,
After thinking about it, I think that Honda will bring back the Goldwing; it just won’t be next year. It’s taking them longer than they thought to get it right-Honda quality and all. My prediction is that, in the next year or two, the Goldwing will be back. Honda can’t let go its best seller!
“… the Valkyrie, which also used the ‘Wing’s flat 6 engine“
I agree, it actually looked like a motorcycle instead of an escapee from a Star Trek movie. One blew past me on the freeway, thought I was ridin’ large on the Electraglide Sport in ‘98 till that happened. We ended up at the same stop it was new to me and friends, guy said it was awesome – all the 6 cyl. power without the extra Goldwing weight. High speed equaled low gas mileage he said those 90mph stretches dropped to 26 MPG.
Yeah, the Valkyrie is something SPECIAL! I’d like one, but I couldn’t behave myself on it… 🙂
Sure a company with Honda’s pockets can make most anything they want to make but they aren’t in business to lose money nor are they in business to divert resources from the most profitable projects to the least profitable or money losers.
We’re probably talking hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a compliant Goldwing with minimal changes to the rest of the bike at the very least. Keep in mind a $100,000 will get you tooling for something like a plastic cover or a small die cast housing. This adds up real quick. They did the ROI, it’s not worth the cost. They will use their resources on more profitable projects, if there was even any profit in a new goldwing.
Governments are not stupid. They aim their regulations to specifically remove choices from the market they don’t like. Whatever regulation this is it was likely aimed specifically at motorcycles like the Goldwing. It stopped being about the environment a long time ago. By the mid 1990s the problems of pollution were functionally solved. Sure it would take awhile for the older stuff to go out of service, but now with hardly anything in western nations (including Japan) still in service older than 1996 or so pollution is effectively solved. Now its control freaks engineering society and just being control freaks for the sake of it.
Brent,
As I said above, we’re not talking about a niche selling bike; we’re not talking about something that was only made for a year or so; we’re not just talking about Honda’s best seller; we’re talking about the CLASS DEFINING touring bike of all time! We’re talking about the ne plus ultra for touring motorcycles. Even though the Goldwing sells for close to $30K, they’ve never had problems selling them before. I just don’t see how they couldn’t make the ROI work. I don’t see how, with building a liquid cooled engine, how Honda couldn’t make one that’s both compliant and offers them good ROI.
Royal Enfield not only make engines compliant with current regs; they’re compliant with the more stringent, upcoming Euro 6 standards. Not only that, they’re AIR COOLED! While their engines are smaller and simpler, making an air cooled engine emissions compliant is much more challenging than it is for a liquid cooled engine. Liquid cooled engines offer more consistent operating temperatures, which means they can be built to tighter tolerances; because of that, it’s much easier to build a liquid cooled engine that’ll comply with emissions regs. Something doesn’t add up here…
Hi Mark,
Honda sells Goldwings – just not enough to offset the cost of designing an entirely new engine for just that bike (and maybe one other large cc bike that could share it, like the Valkyrie). It is why Toyota did not design its own six for the Supra. It has the ability to do that – it just doesn’t pencil out.
In re the RE and air-cooling. Yes – and no. A 650 cc engine (RE) that is a third the size (and a third the power output) consumes much less gas and emits less gas. Also the RE is an inexpensive, mass-market bike. The Goldwing is a very expensive bike. And – for most bike owners – a bike is a pleasure vehicle, not primary transportation. It is one thing to spend $35k on a car. It is another thing to spend $35k on a bike.
I assure you that – as Brent has already pointed out – Honda has done the ROI and it’s just not worth doing.
Same reason accounts for Stellantis is dropping the Hemi V8.
Eric,
I didn’t think about the lesser, overall emissions of the RE twin. Yes, RE’s are mass market bikes, particularly in their home market of India. They sell more bikes there in a month than most companies sell all year here! Finally, RE motorcycles are inexpensive; they offer a lot of value for the money. That’s why I bought one, and that’s why I’ll end up buying another one. Now, if I could only decide which one to get; I like ALL their bikes… 🙂
As I said above, I think that Honda will bring back the Goldwing; it’ll just take ’em a year or so before they do. Honda being Honda, they want to get everything just right, so they won’t release the product until it’s good and ready. Unlike domestic manufacturers, they make sure things are just right. That’s why folks speak of Honda quality and reliability. Once it’s right, we’ll see a new and improved Goldwing. I can’t believe Honda will give up on their flagship product that easily.
Glad I am close to expiration. The electric company is extorting me to keep my analog meter to the tune of $250 this year. Meter Readers are now too expensive. Forced to purchase a backflow preventer because I have a well for emergencies (hurricanes) then extorted to pay $$$ whatever the plumbers want to test it every couple years. Each testing jumps $50 to $100 each time. I have the equipment to test it but that is not allowed,,, of course.
As for motorcycles (and any IC machine) going the way of the Dodo,,, if you think you can ride your older bike,,, car ,,, forget it. Many cities have ordinances that all vehicles must ‘comply’ with the latest and greatest. You think your going to get by, by charging all your new battery operated crap at home. Wait until they install a second meter to extort you for charging your planet saving devices.
Every time we comply with their dictates the flame of freedom dims and will soon flame out. For your children, for your family, for humanity,,, Stop Complying!
Ken,
At least you can OPT OUT of smart meters! Here in PA, we can’t. Thanks to the GOP Assembly speaker being in bed with the utilities, no provision was made for those who want to use an analog meter. Be thankful that you can at least opt out; some of us aren’t so lucky…
Hi Mark,
Here in VA, we still have a smart meter installed, but we can get a “non-communicating” smart meter. I was able to do it for the business and am currently trying to hound the residential electric company to do the same. Our local electric company (for the business) has been easy to work with. They actually gave us a heads up on what they were going to do and actually gave the individual a choice to “opt out” although one does have to go hunting for that information.
Anything that the federal government is willing to supplement 50% of the costs for I am automatically suspect of its intentions. I have no doubt there will be a monthly cost involved for their inconvenience, but I am willing to pay it. This way they actually have to show up at my home to shut down my meter.
Duke Energy offered that in NC. Said the state required the option. $11 per month so some contractor can walk around the back of my house and read it.
It’s an older dude with a large handgun on his hip. Don’t blame him a bit. Same dude every time.
Worth it.
RG,
I’ll look in to getting a “non-communicating” smart meter. I never knew there was such a thing; I thought all of them “phoned home”. How could they not if they’re to be read without a someone to physically read it? I thought that phoning home was just something all smart meters do.
All I do know is that, thanks to the corrupt PA legislature, we can’t opt out of having smart meters. The GOP Assembly speaker was in bed with the electric company, so he gave ’em a sweetheart deal. Part of the deal is that, even if we wanted to pay extra, we cannot opt out; all homes and businesses in PA must have smart meters by next year. That I looked in to.
Reply to ken:
Couldn’t you just remove the interconnection between the two systems and just run the well pump for watering the lawn? Then when the grid water supply goes down shut off the city water supply valve and connect it to the house water supply with a hose?
test comment
Given how few miles bikes travel in a year compared to all the other vehicles on the road it’s clear this isn’t about emissions. This is about removing motorcycling as a viable alternative to overpriced and overregulated forms of transport.
https://afdc.energy.gov/data/mobile/10309
Other roadblocks to motorcycling have also gone up over the years. Belittling mandatory helmet laws and the requirement to attend a certified motorcycle skills class prior to testing turn away curious riders before they ever even throw a leg over. No more “learners permit” for you. Sorry, classes are full the next 3 months, first opening is next spring!
These few factors mixed with the ever greater expense and complexity of motorcycles will deny the masses the only mode of transportation left to a depressed population. We’re going to need 2 wheelers desperately in the coming post-war years. The Honda Super Cub shows how quickly motorcycles can get a devastated population mobile again. The master planners can’t allow that to happen if they’re to usher in a new feudal dark age.
So, how long before there’s a carbon tax, or criminal charge, for farting and belching too much? How close are we to a WALKING person emits to many “dangerous” gasses? And how about getting a handle on the same from wildlife? Pursued to the end, all life must be extinguished. To keep the formerly ever changing climate from ever changing again. Polar bears included.
JK:
Yes, society must be destroyed to save it. Just like racism is bad, so racist policies must be employed to prevent racism.
Wow. And never any examination of reality by the media, just “New emissions standards will reduce dangerous blablabla by 33%”. Like Eric states, 33% of near nothing is really nothing.
Every wildfire, every summer heat wave, the stories always crow about climate change. Local news last week, there was some rare shark sighting in Puget Sound, of course the glasses wearing frazzle hair chick PHD “expert” blamed climate change for the rarity. Never any questioning as to what aspect of so called climate change caused this.
This whole mess is another waiting for Superman example – he ain’t coming to save the day. It’s obvious we won’t be voting our way to normalcy all are compromised.
Re: Sparkey August 4, 2022 At 10:23 am
That’s the con. It’s to take something rare but normal and blame it on people’s sins and scare them with it. It’s been going on for at least six thousand years.
Sharks, whales, and other sea creatures get lost or whatever and wonder into places they normally don’t go since forever. But people are easily and deliberately misled by intellectuals who’s main job is to get people to obey and sacrifice to the ruling class that funds the intellectuals.
Allen, I can see it now. Pro landscapers nationwide will have their electric equipment, plugged into a giant gas/diesel generator in the beds of their trucks, having to drive around whatever property they’re working on so that the cords will reach
Here’s how these things come to pass. Over-educated people get paid to extrapolate how much of an impact X has on the enviroment (as defined by the guy signing the paycheck). One of anything won’t do much of anything, but millions of things… now you’re talking about a massive problem! Personal transportation’s defined environmental impact doesn’t scale. Everything must scale in the name of manufacturing efficiently, so personal transporation must be eliminated. Because the problem isn’t the few Gold Wings that are sold, it is the potential of having a billion Gold Wings on the street that is the potential issue.
The thing I can’t get past is why India and China get a pass. Following the logic above, China should be the globalist’s public enemy #1. Everything about China and India’s CO2 “footprint” is so overwhelming compared to Japan. Heck, even the US has a much smaller impact per capita than China, and we’re supposed to be horrible stewards of the land. Only reason I can come up with is because everyone is so enamored with the potential of selling into a 1 billion consumer market they ignore the market what brought them to the dance to begin with. Why sell a few million old widgets when you can sell a few billion Green New Deal™ widgets?
RK:
The alleged Co2 “problem” is merely a pretext for controlling the governed. Chinese and Indian citizens are not governed by the U.S. or Japan, so neither really care what goes on there.
It’s just like fake “covid” shit.
RK,
Gaseous emissions aside, india and china are repulsive cesspit countries. Both of those countries make Love Canal look like a pristine garden of eden by comparison. Even if it wasn’t for the industrial revolution style of industry in that part of the world it would still be a fetid pigsty with billions of stone age people dumping their human waste and garbage everywhere.
Public health enemy #1 is an understatement.
Those using the environment as an excuse have all sorts of excuses why China and India don’t have to even do the cheap basics from 4-5 decades ago. That technology does like 85% of the work. Since we are 25 years past being like 95%+ clean, even that’s cheap now too. Back to the point, the idea is crush the people of western nations. There is in reality very little if any concern about the environment. Otherwise these people would be leaning hard on at least China that has the money and the means to clean up but simply doesn’t bother. Bang for the buck for the environment is cleaning up non-western nations and at least getting them to the mid-1980s level of the west if not the mid 1990s.
“the idea is crush the people of western nations. There is in reality very little if any concern about the environment.”
Yup. In a nutshell. No doubt.
Eric,
I thought that the Goldwing was made in Ohio, no? It may be made in Japan; parts of it, like the engine, may be made in Japan; but I thought that the Wing was produced in OH. Think about it: there’s no market for a bike like the Goldwing in Japan; it doesn’t have the wide open roads and vast distances found here.
But yeah, TPTB are coming after bikes. British YouTuber Stuart Fillingham has done multiple videos about this. I think I may have sent you one or two of them.
Hi Mark,
They were… until circa 2011, after which they were once again made in Japan (Kumamoto factory).
Okay, I didn’t know that. I don’t know why Honda couldn’t make an engine, especially liquid cooled, that would comply. Royal Enfield not only did it; they not complied with the more stringent, upcoming Euro 6 standards; they did it with AIR COOLED engines! If RE can do that, then why can’t Honda, especially for a liquid cooled engine? Why would Honda give a rip about meeting Japanese standards anyway, since the Goldwing isn’t a bike that would do well in the home market?
BTW, here’s a video about the UK’s upcoming ICE ban: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49r2s7e5Ho&t=2s
Here’s a video about the UK lowering speed limits, and making it more onerous to drive or ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8StGSC3FY
Here’s a video about the UK’s anti-tampering legislation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFXe7TLRpHA
As you can see, the same thing is happening outside the US…
Hi Mark,
Certainly, Honda can make such an engine. The issue – for Honda – is whether it’s worth making it. The Goldwing is not sold in the hundreds of thousands, so recouping the R&D money is a tough nut.
The RE engines are much smaller. Wait…
I know that RE’s engines will be on the chopping block, as TPTB want to take away our mobility. My only point is that they were able to make a compliant, air cooled engine, something that’s supposed to be impossible.
Hi Mark,
The Goldwing’s engine is a large six; a car-sized engine. Honda probably could design another one that met the standard, but the expense would be too great. RE’s 650 cc engine is a small twin that makes 47 horsepower. Much easier to “achieve compliance” – for now…
True enough about the ‘Wing’s engine. I’d be curious to know if BMW has plans to stop making the K1600 sport tourer? That has an INLINE 6…
Even so, the RE engines are air cooled; that means greater thermal expansion, which means it’s tougher to achieve emissions compliance. That’s why the vast majority of bikes are now liquid cooled; it’s simply easier to achieve compliance that way.
Better grab that new chainsaw or yard trimmer before 2-cycle engines become outlawed!
‘This is why Harley and Indian – which are made here – haven’t cancelled their big touring and cruiser bikes.’ — eric
Harley-Davidson has a small but dedicated following in Japan. Presumably the same ’emissions’ rules killing the Gold Wing also will stop imports of the giant Waffleheads to the land of Nippon.
Two wheels bad, four wheels bad. You only deserve to walk to your destinations. You’ll need a permit to board any vehicle that has an engine for locomotion.
Two brothers that were Harley-Davidson enthusiasts worked out of their garage for a long time, Harley-Davidson made sure they stayed alive, was supportive of their efforts to have a Harley shop in town. It was during the early years of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. One brother lived to be 106 years old.
Their wives made them go look for a job. lol
In other news:
The newest designer model of a simplemachine that will pass all emissions tests and is highly efficient, proven to be 100 percent accurate every single time. It never fails. Sets the standard. Gets your attention.
Gotta keep up with the times.
The Puritans/Yankees/Progressives, again. Fun is illegal. Unless its trans sex acts. (shudder).
This saddens me. Seppuku is real.
Pretty soon the common man will be left with rickshaws.
Hey Mike you better make sure your rickshaw driver has a cork stuffed up his ass or it won’t pass emmissions tests!
I have to wonder, what happens next after those electric bikes barely sell at all?
Next? Lol, why you get higher taxes to bail out the manufacturers, who lay off the help, as their management float safely back to earth with their golden parachutes.
Hi dood,
That’s the point! To sell no – or very few – bikes (and cars) which soon only the rich will be able to afford and the remainder won’t be allowed to have.
You’re right on that one Eric,
The wealthy have been able to afford to bypass all of these automotive regulations by being able to afford low volume reproductions and pristine vintage stock. If these yuppie scum ever get their way and mandate EV’s they’re sure to be loopholed out of it. There will be exceptions for fresh off the line original Mustangs and Shelby Cobras as well as new designs of low production ICE vehicles. Collectors cars that only long-time owners or the connected can afford will be grandfathered and allowed as their value and fuel cost us sure to skyrocket due to artificial scarcity. Look at how outrageously expensive it is to own a grandfathered NFA Machinegun to see how this will play out. They’re not violating your rights, you just have to jump through burning hoops, cough up a small fortune AND be able to feed the thing to own one. If you can’t, well then I guess you just didn’t work hard enough or go to school long enough, loser.
Hi Zoom,
Yup. I foresee the same; that my ’76 Trans-Am will become the Orange Barchetta, kept as a memory of a better, vanished time.
Hi Eric
It is all part of this….transition” us from fossil fuels and coal over to reliance on the wind and sun,
The Lockdowns Kicked Off This Depression
They just approved some $750 billion (do these numbers even mean anything anymore?) to “transition” us from fossil fuels and coal over to reliance on the wind and sun,
Also last week, the Fed raised interest rates again, all in the name of controlling inflation. But the damage to the dollar is already done: since lockdowns, we’ve lost some 14% of domestic purchasing power. This has been devastating for savings, the rate of which has fallen to half what it was ten years ago. In real terms, wages and salaries are falling fast.
And spare some pity for the manufacturers too, who face their own disaster.
What is the effect of this? Sure, it could pull back the rate of inflation a bit, maybe. Mostly, however, it further wrecks the abysmal bond market which has been performing worse than at any point since the Civil War. That is what one might expect from a Fed policy moving from zero or negative rates to positive rates. It’s time for a return to reality.
It has also locked up the consumer end of the housing market. People only a year ago were flipping houses like crazy, driving up prices as never before and absorbing vast amounts of upside inflationary potential.
But now 2% rates on 30-year mortgages are soaring to 6% and higher, meaning that no existing owner can afford to sell and buy without taking a huge haircut. As a result, we are facing a massive supply curve shift to the left: soaring prices plus falling demand. The industry is in quite a panic.
But that’s just the start of it. Credit card debt is up and defaults also, as real incomes are falling dramatically. Business investment is down. Consumer confidence has crashed to lows never before seen, even as trust in government will soon be in the single digits.
the Fed is driving the recession at a time when the ruling class has decided that the rest of us should be poor and hungry, driving Flintstone cars and foraging for food. The result, for now, is shocking stagflation. But we don’t even have a word yet for what might be coming. Depression is already used.
But truly, there is no making sense of these people anymore.
They are ready to shell out hundreds of billions to take over arable acreage with solar panels even as we face a food crisis, and festoon the countryside with bird-slaughtering windmills rather than permit more pipelines and refineries to open.
Lockdowns….
It was all kicked off by the most draconian and destructive public-health policy on record, one that utterly shattered the liturgy of life, took away education for the kids who were forced to learn alone with masks, shuttered churches and civic meetings, mandated shots on an unwilling population,
demoralized the labor markets as everyone was forced to take their place as essential vs nonessential, broke long-established market relationships, blew the federal budget many times over, and generated a savings-wrecking inflation that has utterly transformed expectations for prosperity and progress.
Many of us despaired in the dark days of March 2020 concerning what could be coming. We could not have imagined half of it.
The Lockdowns Kicked Off This Depression” Uh.. NO!
The Repo crisis of September 2019 kicked this off and really one could say QE1,2 and 3 kicked it off.
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/lockdowns-kicked-depression
the ruling class has decided that the rest of us should be poor and hungry, driving Flintstone cars and foraging for food. …..lol….