revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Looking at various threads of old bikes and the regular rebuild/redesign/café racer things got me thinking. (That dull grinding noise and occasional clunk you can hear...s'me).
Bikes haven't changed much have they? All the bits have got better but they're still 2 wheels connected to something that makes the wheels go round, with a seat on top. Some things have been added (for better or worse - ABS, more electronics etc) but not much really. Even that $190k thing was 'retro' rather than 'tomorrow, today'.

What have I missed? What great innovations do you think have been introduced? What would you like to see?

Arguably cars have followed a similar track since they standardised the pedal and gear stick layout?

And bicycles once the safety bicycle was released.

I love ABS as I'm crap at braking and had a front wheel tuck once.

Fuel injection is a PITA at slow speeds/part throttle openings.

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:10 pm Arguably cars have followed a similar track since they standardised the pedal and gear stick layout?

And bicycles once the safety bicycle was released.

I suppose you could say that doing away with a pedal (and, effectively, a gear stick) with the auto box was an innovation. Rotary engines were an attempt to get away from up/down/up/down -suck/squeeze/bang/blow but never really caught on.

Re Taipan and ABS. How about something that eliminates high-sides? That'd be clever!

Since when?

Cos possibly the greatest innovation was the wheel.

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:23 pm I suppose you could say that doing away with a pedal (and, effectively, a gear stick) with the auto box was an innovation.

In that case, DCT?

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:25 pm Since when?

Cos possibly the greatest innovation was the wheel.

Aye motorcycles were rubbish before wheels.

Wasn't nearly everything on a modern bike, apart from the electronics, tried by the Second World War?

Pretty much. Even fuel injection is pre war tech, although not computer controlled of course.

Oh and carbon fibre, but even that is 60s tech.

Not on the bike (cos I've never had one new enough to have it), but today I'm in the wife's little Aygo, it's got auto lights and wipers and radar braking and lane departure, etc... but it hasn't got Cruise Control, I use it every journey in the Merc, even if it's just for keeping at the speed limit in 30's.

I miss it more than any other toy when I don't have it.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:43 pm Pretty much. Even fuel injection is pre war tech, although not computer controlled of course.

Oh and carbon fibre, but even that is 60s tech.

ME109s were fuel injected, they're pre war.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:49 pm ME109s

No such thing.

BF109 innit. Common mistake tho' so I'll let you off.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:51 pm

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:49 pm ME109s

No such thing.

BF109 innit. Common mistake tho' so I'll let you off.

Incorrect, early 109s are BFs, late ones made in a different factory are MEs, but all the pre war ones would have been BFs, and yes, I'm kicking myself for that middle aged error (I was going to say school boy error, but when I was a school boy I was aeroplane mad and would never have made that mistake)

Edit: Bollocks, wrong again, they are all BFs

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:40 pm

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:25 pm Since when?

Cos possibly the greatest innovation was the wheel.

Aye motorcycles were rubbish before wheels.

You can't get a knee down on those though, you slip off. I've tried a few times when at the playpark with the kids and bored.

Taipan wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:15 pm I love ABS as I'm crap at braking and had a front wheel tuck once.

Fuel injection is a PITA at slow speeds/part throttle openings.

Always works great on sports bikes. It's the budget bikes where it fails.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:25 pm Since when?

Cos possibly the greatest innovation was the wheel.

Whenever you like! I just got to thinking that, here we are, rapidly approaching the end of the hydrocarbon age and we're riding around on things that are the same in many ways as soon after it started.

Lots of things have improved, engine technology, tyre technology, suspension, once added, has come on a bit etc. But we're not riding Akira-mobiles or hover-bikes or Transformers or even FJRs beloved feet-forwards.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:54 pm

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:51 pm

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:49 pm ME109s

No such thing.

BF109 innit.

Incorrect, early 109s are BFs, late ones made in a different factory are MEs,

Edit: Bollocks, wrong again, they are all BFs

Both wrong.

Enny fule kno that they were all fokkers.

And saying so will get you banned from tv.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:25 pm Since when?

Cos possibly the greatest innovation was the wheel.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:48 pm Not on the bike (cos I've never had one new enough to have it), but today I'm in the wife's little Aygo, it's got auto lights and wipers and radar braking and lane departure, etc... but it hasn't got Cruise Control, I use it every journey in the Merc, even if it's just for keeping at the speed limit in 30's.

I miss it more than any other toy when I don't have it.

Had a couple of bikes with cruise control and assumed I'd never use it but it's great when you need to scratch your bum (if you're right handed). I was also impressed that at 70 it was more fuel efficient than me holding the bike at 70. Dunno why, but it was by a significant amount.

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 5:38 pm

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:48 pm Not on the bike (cos I've never had one new enough to have it), but today I'm in the wife's little Aygo, it's got auto lights and wipers and radar braking and lane departure, etc... but it hasn't got Cruise Control, I use it every journey in the Merc, even if it's just for keeping at the speed limit in 30's.

I miss it more than any other toy when I don't have it.

Had a couple of bikes with cruise control and assumed I'd never use it but it's great when you need to scratch your bum (if you're right handed). I was also impressed that at 70 it was more fuel efficient than me holding the bike at 70. Dunno why, but it was by a significant amount.

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