230

[Howie]

The only incentive I would accept is a personal valet waiting to hand me my suit after I have a shower upon arriving at the office.  It was 96 deg the other day and I have a 25 minute drive (by car) to the office.  And I have to wear a suit.

I know there are plenty of people who don't wear suits to work, but when you are talking about the bulk of people in many cities -- you are talking about suits and ties (and blouses and skirts etc)

Bikes don't cut it.  I have a hard time even on the Monster.  Just doesn't work.

Which is why they made this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_C1

[ducatiz]

Which is why they made this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_C1

". It was never made available in the USA."

i saw one in Istanbul, it was fairly cool up close.  Kind of weird though, the top made it feel like it would tip.

[Porsche Monkey]

The only incentive I would accept is a personal valet waiting to hand me my suit after I have a shower upon arriving at the office.  It was 96 deg the other day and I have a 25 minute drive (by car) to the office.  And I have to wear a suit.

I know there are plenty of people who don't wear suits to work, but when you are talking about the bulk of people in many cities -- you are talking about suits and ties (and blouses and skirts etc)

Bikes don't cut it.  I have a hard time even on the Monster.  Just doesn't work.

You got me there

[Howie]

". It was never made available in the USA."

i saw one in Istanbul, it was fairly cool up close.  Kind of weird though, the top made it feel like it would tip.

Quite a short model run too.  Over priced, underpowered and downright geeky. 

[Cicero]

Quite a short model run too.  Over priced, underpowered and downright geeky. 

So a typical BMW?

[GAAN]

I don't think so.

Nope.  Incorrect.  Motorcycles did not require catalysts until 2006 MY. 

My 2005 S2R udder weighs half what a 2006 S2R udder weighs.  The MY2005 models had no catalyst.

well mine does

looks like this right at the inlet end of both slip-ons

[ducpainter]

well mine does

looks like this right at the inlet end of both slip-ons

We've always known you were special.

[GAAN]

We've always known you were special.

according to this article

http://origin-www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ducati/2003-ducati-monster-1000-14550.html?page=2

The '03 Euro spec bikes (Euro 1 emissions standard) had the cats

but

Not the USA spec bikes

so either they made a shipping error and I got a euro bike

or

The boys and girls in bologna made a part number error and i got euro spec cans

[ducpainter]

I'd be beating that stuff out of there.

[GAAN]

I'd be beating that stuff out of there.

it's not ceramic like a standard cat

it is rolled up corrugated metal

I've thought about pounding it out

but

I have a lightweight flywheel, PCIII, open airbox, and cored pipes gutted to the first chamber where the cats reside

and no valve adjustment for 40,000 miles

I still get 50mpg

I have this horrible feeling that if I make the beast with two backs with it any more

it will explode

[ducpainter]

I'd consider adjusting the valves.

[GAAN]

I'd consider adjusting the valves.

People keep saying that 

[Slide Panda]

Except for the whole Hydrogen Fuel cell thingy 

I was talking about the look of them.  If you parked gen 3 prius and the new insight side by side w/o brand badges they are basically identical on the outside.  Space pod look, 2 window hach back blah blah.

A news piece talked about this a little. Honda had (has?) the civic hybrid and has for years.  On most accounts it was a litt better than a the prius.  But, save for different wheels, a couple small items, and badges it looked like any other civic.  Researchers interviewed people who bought hybrids, specifically the Prius over the civic and found a lot made selection based on the look. In some cases if was they wanted to look different, in a number of others they just didn't know Honda had one since it didn't look significantly different. So I guess Honda fell in line with the 'hybrid look'

The Clarity (honda fuel cell) doesn't look like so much of a Prius clone as the new Insight.

[z0mb1e_DUC]

From Autoblog.com:

"EPA has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM. EPA does applaud GM's commitment to designing and building the car of the future - an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs. We're proud to see American companies and American workers leading the world in the clean energy innovations that will shape the 21st century economy."

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/epa-backs-away-from-gm-claim-of-230-mpg-for-volt/

One of the issues, I do believe, is that the EPA & GM disagreed on the definition of a duty cycle for the MPG testing of the Volt.   Last year I read a story in Motor Trend that I hyperlink'd below.  Here's the relevent text.

"Now, here's the rub: Reports suggest the Volt can make it through the EPA test cycle -- which from 2008 includes high-speed running, air-conditioning load, and cold-start tests in addition to the city and highway cycles -- with the internal-combustion engine running about 15% of the time.

The straightforward calculation gives the Volt an EPA fuel-consumption rating somewhere north of 100 mpg. But the EPA apparently wants to certify the Volt differently, insisting it finishes the test with the batteries close to full charge. That drops the calculated fuel consumption to just under 48 mpg, because the internal-combustion engine would have to be run essentially all the time to keep the batteries near full charge." 


http://blogs.motortrend.com/6293345/government/could-the-epa-cripple-the-chevy-volt/index.html

[Howie]

according to this article

http://origin-www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ducati/2003-ducati-monster-1000-14550.html?page=2

The '03 Euro spec bikes (Euro 1 emissions standard) had the cats

but

Not the USA spec bikes

so either they made a shipping error and I got a euro bike

or

The boys and girls in bologna made a part number error and i got euro spec cans

No shipping error, the 620s shipped to the US had cats. as did the 695s.  The other Monsters did not until the SR2 1000.  The US SR2 800, at least in the beginning, used the udder as a pre muffler and had no cat.  The US 696 does not have a cat, at least for now. 
From the owner's manual:
Exhaust system
Equipped with catalytic converter in compliance with Euro 3
emission regulations.
USA model: not catalyzed.
Same for the Monster 1100.

We are presently behind Europe on motorcycle emissions standards.