While not the key point of the article, if this made you at all curious about engine maintenance then I would recommend checking out howacarworks.com
It was posted here a while back and I’ve been enjoying the detailed build up.
What motorcycles teach about maintenance
111–120 of 155 posts
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
I said it sounds like it. Meaning that, on my priors of every other experience I have with folks that have a motorcycle, it sounds like this. If you are putting the same number of miles on a motorcycle as a car, you either don't have to drive much, or are in some other very fringe situation. Pretty much period. Yes, it can and does happen. It is in a minority of cases though. Happy to be shown data that this is not t…
I use my motorcycle as my main commuter vehicle. It's safe to say I drive it 3-4 times as much as my car, which only leaves home for grocery shopping and long (2+ hour) drives at this point. If you live alone, or even with just a significant other, it's a really convenient way to get around. Plus it's more fun. What are you doing so much driving for that requires a car?
Personally, I don't drive much. Bicycle as much as I can, largely for commuting at a personal level. At a family level, we build miles on our car because kids and groceries.
But getting at a "how much do you personally drive" is silly. My point wasn't that some folks don't exist. It was that the norm is very very different. A google search claims: "The average annual mileage of a motorcycle is about 3,000 miles." Compared to: "The FHWA states that the average person drives around 13,500 miles per year. It equates to well over 1,000 miles every month."
Not quite an order of magnitude, but still highly skewed. Even in "commuting" miles driven, you lose the utility of merging your commute with a grocery run. Or dropping kids off at school. Very real limits for many.
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
Carbs are also great. My xr650r can sit in a shed for 300 years and if it was clean when stored will start up in 2 kicks or at worst in 15min after opening the bowl with one screwdriver and cleaning the jets. There is no fuel pump to break (or weight the bike down), I could run the carb with a soda bottle if I had to. There are no complex computers to break and brick the bike. Beyond the reliability, the real value o…
Car guys are almost completely unable to understand the "feel" difference you're talking about between carburetors and EFI because the car's controls are separated by so many levels from the engine and basically all street cars have such huge flywheel mass that you can't really feel what the engine is doing. And the # of people who ever drove a car that had separate throttle butterflies + carbs for each cylinder is m…
> a car that had separate throttle butterflies + carbs for each cylinder
What cars had these?
I imagine it makes for an amazingly close interaction between driver and vehicle
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#114Earlier quoted context omitted.
Car guys are almost completely unable to understand the "feel" difference you're talking about between carburetors and EFI because the car's controls are separated by so many levels from the engine and basically all street cars have such huge flywheel mass that you can't really feel what the engine is doing. And the # of people who ever drove a car that had separate throttle butterflies + carbs for each cylinder is m…
> a car that had separate throttle butterflies + carbs for each cylinder What cars had these? I imagine it makes for an amazingly close interaction between driver and vehicle
They're not all that fancy. My dad's 1967 Volvo 122s had two carbs for a four cylinder engine. It always failed the emissions test and I can't say that it ever purred like a cat.
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bike mechanics are in high demand and not super common. The quote he gave seemed super on point to me. It’s what I’d charge if someone asked me to do the same thing. I could probably get it running for less but it would probably continue to break down over time
Just due to the lower volume the price jumps up unexpectedly. For the labour of an oil change, I was quoted $25 for my car, and $65 for my motorcycle. To change the oil and filter on my car, you have to reach in a super terrible spot prone to burning and cutting people who attempt it. On my motorcycle? It's an enduro, I have a foot of clearance and can see the single bolt required from across the driveway, it also re…
The $25 oil change is a loss leader. They’re hoping to get more of your business.
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
I use my motorcycle as my main commuter vehicle. It's safe to say I drive it 3-4 times as much as my car, which only leaves home for grocery shopping and long (2+ hour) drives at this point. If you live alone, or even with just a significant other, it's a really convenient way to get around. Plus it's more fun. What are you doing so much driving for that requires a car?
Personally, I don't drive much. Bicycle as much as I can, largely for commuting at a personal level. At a family level, we build miles on our car because kids and groceries. But getting at a "how much do you personally drive" is silly. My point wasn't that some folks don't exist. It was that the norm is very very different. A google search claims: "The average annual mileage of a motorcycle is about 3,000 miles." Com…
To me, operating a motorcycle requires 3x the effort of a car. In the case of a sport bike, multiply again by 2, and triple if you have a passenger. Along with motorcycles being more weather dependent, I would not travel as many kilometers. Having driven a car for 10 years, then motorcycle exclusively for the past 3, I much prefer a motorcycle over a car.
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's been... A very long time since I've been quoted that little for an oil change, by dealership or third party chain or an independent. And I do not drive an Audi either :-) Few thoughts / possibilities - was work done as part of larger work, as incremental? - does 25$ charge include parts? - was this a quick turnaround lube shop or an actual qualified mechanic - do you have a relationship - what's their business m…
I knew I was getting screwed but wow. $160 last time I got an oil change at the dealership. There is usually one bottle that meets spec in retail stores, and it is $80 alone. I kick myself for the VW diesel pretty consistently, but I still have some time left on the Dieselgate warranty extension. Canadian prices?
$160 is pretty common for a modern vehicle synth oil change. I wouldn’t call that highway robbery and especially not in Canada.
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#118Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bike mechanics are in high demand and not super common. The quote he gave seemed super on point to me. It’s what I’d charge if someone asked me to do the same thing. I could probably get it running for less but it would probably continue to break down over time
Just due to the lower volume the price jumps up unexpectedly. For the labour of an oil change, I was quoted $25 for my car, and $65 for my motorcycle. To change the oil and filter on my car, you have to reach in a super terrible spot prone to burning and cutting people who attempt it. On my motorcycle? It's an enduro, I have a foot of clearance and can see the single bolt required from across the driveway, it also re…
I’m guessing you have a subaru flat engine?
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
Lots of jobs you can do on a motorcycle yourself in a garage are like 100x harder on a car so it's nowhere near as accessible. Stuff like needing a lift, or needing a hoist to lift heavy parts like the engine or transmission. And even almost new motorcycles have minimal computer/electronic issues where the manufacturer is hiding how to do things. Get the Service manual and it tells you basically everything except how…
Right! just last night I had a couple of free hours and thought... 'you know, I really should do a preventative valve check on my honda 450'. Youtube step by step to the right, cold beer to the left. Just bliss. About the ECU. Bikes are becoming increasingly hobbled by emissions compliant ECUs. The aftermarket ECU options allow you to tune the bike the way you want. I'm not talking diesel-gate here either. My Honda E…
The are optimizing for minimizing NOx, CO, unburnt hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. The timing of engines cannot be advanced so much to have high temperature burns which allows for NOx creation. See page 13 of https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/91010CTV.PDF?Dockey=9101...
Re: What motorcycles teach about maintenance
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
Personally, I don't drive much. Bicycle as much as I can, largely for commuting at a personal level. At a family level, we build miles on our car because kids and groceries. But getting at a "how much do you personally drive" is silly. My point wasn't that some folks don't exist. It was that the norm is very very different. A google search claims: "The average annual mileage of a motorcycle is about 3,000 miles." Com…
To me, operating a motorcycle requires 3x the effort of a car. In the case of a sport bike, multiply again by 2, and triple if you have a passenger. Along with motorcycles being more weather dependent, I would not travel as many kilometers. Having driven a car for 10 years, then motorcycle exclusively for the past 3, I much prefer a motorcycle over a car.
And I'm right there with you, but with my road bicycle. Even in cars, I prefer my aging 100% manual (even the windows) truck. Which is far more effort than our minivan. We still use the van far more, because family.
Which brings it back into the realm of hobby. Note that if you are taking "hobby" as some sort of derogatory claim against it, that is not my intent. My point is pretty strictly on the fact that it is largely maintained for the pleasure of the activity. The utility of the alternatives is typically undeniable.