Water bike

[slmoto]

Came across this article about a dirt bike made to run on water and thought it was pretty bad ass.

http://petapixel.com/2015/08/03/this-insane-motorcycle-surfing-shoot-was-2-5-years-in-the-making/

They put together an awesome video too.

https://youtu.be/lDi9uFcD7XI

[288RR]

That is freaking sweet.  Let's make them.  We already have the bikes.  Just need a paddle. And some skis.  Weld up some braces and we can cruise across Tahoe.

[RichVee4]

Did you see that on the news last night?  They had a short clip on the national news showing some of the video, pretty cool.    Just dont stop on the water or your bike ends up at the bottom.

[GreenMachine]

That's what I was thinking too, Rich.  Don't stop or fall over, ever!  That and the environmental damage that thing is causing.  It's one thing to scar desert mountains and maybe startle a deer or coyote, but in wetlands and over corals, there's tons of life, very much sensitive to a paddle wheel gouging its way through stuff.  The video kind of hints to that too.  You see the girl on her paddle board, the crew on their canoe, the surfers on their boards, all unpowered and virtually zero impact on the environment.  Come back tomorrow and nature looks the same as it did eons before.  Then you see this bike cutting across everything. 

Looked fun as hell on video and I was laughing my butt off watching it, but it's just an environmentally bad idea for so many reasons.

[slmoto]

Did you see that on the news last night?  They had a short clip on the national news showing some of the video, pretty cool.    Just dont stop on the water or your bike ends up at the bottom.

I saw it on Flipboard, then checked it out some on the DC website but they didn't have too much info. Figured you couldn't stop or make very sharp turns, I saw they have a modified jet ski with a trailer on the back to carry the bike when it's down.

Not a practical application by any means but I like the engineering feat and the video was put together nicely.

it's just an environmentally bad idea for so many reasons.

If you're truly concerned about the environment stop riding all together. There is nothing environmentally friendly about the bikes we ride. We burn fuel and emit pollution for nothing more than to entertain ourselves. Putting a hierarchy on the type of nature you destroy doesn't justify anything.

[dub]

Here's a better article that gives some details about the project. http://motocross.transworld.net/pipe-dream/

Like most other articles from random blog sites I have seen, that Petapixle.com article is just plain wrong. The engine wasn't waterproof, it was just a regular ktm 250 2t motor, it required a rebuild every time they sunk it, which was about 30-40 times. The rear tire wasn't custom, it was just a paddle tire (the guy who wrote that article probably just didn't know those existed).

Stop arguing about the environmental impact; it's moot. It's not like this is the next big trend and you will see these things taking over tropical surf spots world wide. It was just a one off stunt.

[GreenMachine]

It's still my choice.    Mr. water motorcycle can choose to ride the oceans.  He can risk the environmental damage done by his actions too.  I choose to make what I would call smarter choices by polluting and destroying the environment less than more, making my impact as little as possible and I won't give much thought to the short-term monetary cost of doing so.  It's why I drive vehicles with small efficient engines.  So your argument isn't far off.  I've considered giving up riding and driving my internal combustion vehicles for this very reason.  It crosses my mind daily.  My goal will be to give them up completely.  

I am truly concerned and I don't understand how some people base all of their decisions on money as the highest order.   They can choose to unload one Exxon Valdez oil tanker after another into the environment and alter it in big ways because it's cheaper to do so, they can choose to decrease the severity of their actions and alter the environment in little ways or they can choose to alter their environment as little as humanly possible.   However, the choice is independent of the constant: if your environment is healthy, chances are you and your offspring will be to.  What monetary value can one place on healthy offspring, given a healthier environment than the parent had?

Whether you or I agree or disagree with one anothers thought process, the constant remains.

And I still think parts of the video were funny as hell.  But you'd never catch me doing this kind of stunt.  Not ever.

[slmoto]

Difficult to bite my tongue but I'll take Dub's advice as this conversation will inevitably lead to nothing constructive or of useful substance.

Stop arguing about the environmental impact; it's moot. It's not like this is the next big trend and you will see these things taking over tropical surf spots world wide. It was just a one off stunt.

[Mel]

Damn GM, I didn't know you were such a lefty ! You probably should move to Cali where you will find a lot of your brothers and sisters with the same thought process ! I'm moving back to Cali, but to be a conservative rebel LOL!! I think you need to sell that big 900cc motorcycle and get a stock Ninja 300 which is so much more environmentally friendly hahaha ! This is gonna be a fun thread !

[dub]

Difficult to bite my tongue but I'll take Dub's advice as this conversation will inevitably lead to nothing constructive or of useful substance.

Sometimes I think he doesn't even read what we write, he just likes to argue against a fictional opponent in his head. A good trick is when you realize he is going off on some nonsensical rant that totally misses the point, like above, just stop reading. That way you wont be tempted to engage. I only read this far before realizing there was no point in continuing:

It's still my choice.    Mr. water motorcycle can choose to ride the oceans.  He can risk the environmental damage done by his actions too...

[GreenMachine]

I'm quite outspoken about it.  You never noticed?

Can't believe you're advertising that you're anything but a leftie, if being a leftie is trying to leave behind a better place than the way you found it.  If you're advocating passing on an environment that is unhealthy to the next generation, I'm not sure that would be something to be proud of.  20/20 hindsight alone would have you probably vocally scorning every prior generation that preceded you, that did.  Wouldn't that be hypocritical given your stance!

And my bikes are probably still cleaner than most bikes.  It's also common for me to go weekends where I don't drive or ride any vehicle.  If there's not a compelling reason to do so, I wait.   And I've been looking into getting cats for my bikes and have already inquired about it, but the vendors will not give me measurements of ID/OD.  If you guys can help a leftie out with those measurements, I'll probably order two and have them fitted immediately.



But not for you.  For me.

[GreenMachine]

Difficult to bite my tongue but I'll take Dub's advice as this conversation will inevitably lead to nothing constructive or of useful substance.

Sometimes I think he doesn't even read what we write, he just likes to argue against a fictional opponent in his head. A good trick is when you realize he is going off on some nonsensical rant that totally misses the point, like above, just stop reading. That way you wont be tempted to engage. I only read this far before realizing there was no point in continuing:

It's still my choice.    Mr. water motorcycle can choose to ride the oceans.  He can risk the environmental damage done by his actions too...

Not surprised you take the stance that you think I'm arguing.  Most of what I've written so far is just statement of fact and I'm agreeing with the points made.  Doesn't at all sound like an argument to me.

For instance, you cannot add chemicals to any substance without altering the original substance.  I think an argument to the contrary is asinine.    

[dub]

It's not that what you are saying is wrong, it's that it's irrelevant. You are still missing this point: the stunt depicted in the video had absolutely no environmental impact. None. Nada. Zero.

If you want to start a thread where you rant about your views on the environment, go for it. But it's irrelevant in this one.

[RichVee4]

it required a rebuild every time they sunk it, which was about 30-40 times.

I wouldnt write off the environmental impact so quickly, just the fact above could have easily leaked some oil/gas into the water.    That potential exposure to sensitive reef areas is a different issue than going for a ride down the street.     

Obviously its a Gimmick and has no practical use, but the production was well done and sure generated a buzz..

[dub]

I wouldnt write off the environmental impact so quickly, just the fact above could have easily leaked some oil/gas into the water.    That potential exposure to sensitive reef areas is a different issue than going for a ride down the street.

How much fuel/oil do you think spilled out of the bike each time they sank it? I would say you are correct, some oil/gas leaked into the water. Realize how vast the ocean is. Some oil/gas is literally a drop in the ocean. Additionally, I don't think all of those sinkings were in Tahitian reef waters. They developed the project for 2 years before arriving on the shoot location.
Going for a ride down the street also has no environmental impact, taken as an individual event. The problem of course is that millions of other people are simultaneously going for a ride down the street and the combined effect of their combustion by-products has an environmental impact. There are not millions of dirtbikes being sunk in Tahitian reefs. There was one. Two stoke boat motors were banned on Lake Tahoe because their combined effect was having an environmental impact. One two stroke boat motor has no impact.
Therefore I maintain my assertion that this stunt had no environmental impact. Think in the macro about what we are talking about. Impact means lasting effect or influence. Thousands upon thousands of freighters crisscrossing the ocean burning bunker fuel for the last 100 years has made an impact on the environment. Dumping a gallon of two stroke premix into the ocean makes no lasting effect or influence.

God dammit, I wish I had taken my own advice like Scott did and not wasted any time by containing to engage in this. If I see the new post icon next to this thread I'm not clicking on it.