Motorcycles: Good for the Environment or Bad to the Bone?
Is riding your hog causing too much of a fog?
Just you vs. the open road… The wind blows through your hair (or hopefully helmet) as the engine rhythmically switches from monstrous revs to soothing purrs. Simultaneously, you enjoy dramatically better fuel efficiency than your average SUV driver.
Your mode of transportation from home to your destination is a big part of a green lifestyle. To go along with the better gas mileage, motor driven cycles provide other advantages such as: they require less material to produce, saving on energy and manufacturing costs; they are easier to maneuver in city traffic; they’re smaller, which eases traffic congestion and you can park them almost anywhere; and did we mention better fuel economy?
Aside from being all the rave in most European countries (which are known to be more “green” than we are here in the United States), you’re well on your way to doing your part with saving the environment, because motorcycles are better for the environment than your average four-wheel vehicle…. right?
They Aren’t Perfect for the Environment
That may not necessarily be the truth, because although they use less gas, the hydrocarbons emitted into the air from your average motorcycle, can be up to 90 percent higher than your average SUV (according to an article posted by the EPA)! Motorcycles also produce greater amounts of emissions called oxides of nitrogen which are one of three pollutants that the EPA and the California Air Resources Board measure to see whether or not a vehicle meets acceptable emission levels.
Hydrocarbons are caused by unburned compounds in fuel that escape through your vehicle’s tailpipe, gas tank and fuel line. When combined with NOx and sunlight, ozone is formed which is the key component of smog. These fumes can also cause damage to your skin, lungs, and eyes. According to the EPA, a study shows that hydrocarbons dry out the protective membranes of the nose and throat, interfering with the body’s ability to fight infection. Some hydrocarbons are also considered toxic, causing serious health problems such as cancer or even death.
Other Considerations
Of course, there are ways for you to enjoy your need for speed without damaging the environment:
The electric motorcycle
There are new electric motorcycles on the market these days. Many can travel between 50-100 miles between recharges which generally only require an hour to recharge fully. At the Portland International Speedway, a special high performance 390 horsepower electric track-only bike turned a 158 mile per hour quarter mile in only 8.192 seconds!
Converting your current bike into an electric motorcycle seems complicated and expensive, but actually, it’s easier than you think and the money that you would save with the conversion, suggests that the makeover is well worth having a more eco-friendly motorcycle. sustainlane.com has a great article and video that discusses the prices and steps necessary to convert your bike.
Home sweet Vrooom?
Some bikes will carry you and one passenger, but you can’t transport many others on a motorcycle. Also carrying groceries is not really an option. With carpooling being essential in helping out the environment, motorcycles seem to go against this principle. You also are hampered by weather conditions. Cold weather, rainy or snowy weather and sometimes extreme heat are problems for riders.
Overall, keeping a smaller, fuel efficient motorcycle for local errands can save fuel and space. A partially green solution if you will. Not as good as riding a bicycle or walking, but generally better than using an automobile.
Other Reading and References
December 21st, 2009 at 4:01 pm
So why aren’t the motorcycle manufacturers forced to comply with the same standards as the car manufacturers are?
December 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I always thought bikes were better for the environment! I had no idea about all this other stuff. I guess just because they run on less gas doesn’t mean they’re necessarily more eco-friendly. Crazy!
December 21st, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I really don’t think most people get motorcycles to be more eco-friendly. If they did, they would be used for transportation no joyrides, wheelies and indos. Just saying…
December 21st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I think motorcycles are cool but unless they run on biofuel and are made out of reclaimed or recycled materials… they are no better than cars! Maybe a little less emissions but the fuel is worse, the sound is annoying, the manufacturing is highly toxic, and most metal used on bikes are virgin mined metals. I rather walk.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
I like bikes. That sucks though, I didn’t know this about them. hmmmm…. what to do.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I love bikes! I really would love to get an electric one that you can recharge. That would cut my emissions don’t greatly, or at least I assume it would.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:16 pm
i agree with the author. they’re better, but simply not the best solution. unless you’re going a really long distance walking or a bicycle are probably better. but sometimes it’s hard to avoid contributing to global warming.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:17 pm
awesome article
now you need an article on cars!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:18 pm
“Motorcycles also produce greater amounts of emissions called oxides of nitrogen which are one of three pollutants that the EPA and the California Air Resources Board measure to see whether or not a vehicle meets acceptable emission levels.”
NO WAY! I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE BETTER! BUT I WON’T START DOUBTING THE EPA NOW
December 21st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
in america, we live a sprawled out life so we have to travel far just to get to the grocery store. i would just carpool with a few friends, or walk if you live in the city!
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
All very nice, I always love the well supported articles in the website, however, it appears that this time they forgot to mention that the only correction needed to most motorcycles is the catalytic converter (which by the way, my BMW bike has). Increasing scale of production is truly what would make the installation of the converters not as expensive in relation to the price of the vehicle, that’s why currently they are not widely available. I agree that there should be more rigorous legislation, but the article pounds on the facts that a car is better overall, when it is not. Efficient motorcyles (better aerodynamics, better materials, etc) will be the long-range individual transportation of the future.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Excellent post. I’m still in the market for a motorcycle, but I think I’ll look more closely at the electric bikes I’m hearing about.
January 15th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
i like electric bikes better
January 21st, 2010 at 7:04 pm
You know whats greener than a motorcycle? Bikes.
July 6th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Although they use less gas, the hydrocarbons emitted into the air from your average motorcycle, can be up to 90 percent higher than your average SUV .
Also after the mufflers are removed from the Harley Hogs and Ninjas the noise polution is equal to a Boeing 747 .