187 replies to this topic

[Bill Z]

I've never heard of anything saying air-cooled engines aren't allowed. Besides VWs, there's also Corvairs, which granted some think were unsafe at any speed, but are still allowed on the road.

Go read supermom's post
Here' the clip

Si, in response to the air cooled bit.....the state of california does not allow me to run an air cooled vehicle on public roads. Some thing about EPA.

[Darth Lefty]

There are still air-cooled bikes out there - most Harleys and some Ducatis and a lot of smaller bikes from other companies - but they're going to fuel injection and catalytic converters. I was surprised in this year's new bikes to see this thing, imported by Suzuki for the whoops-it's-over gas price crisis.

[Ram_it!]

ram_it, what did you get after you sold your ST?

(Can't imagine trying to lane split on that monster!)

Just so everyone's clear on this, I lane split because I can and it gets me a free pass to the front of the line. I tend to presume that complaints about this are mostly founded in the feeling that this isn't fair to the poor people in their cars. I think this is really the core of it, not safety or air cooling or the fine points of its legality.

I love talkin' motorcycles

I bought a R1200RT. I love it. Its even wider than the ST and limits soem of my plces to lane split. The ST was actually a pretty good lane splitter. Its all a matter of control and knowing your limits. I have actually lane split with my BMW K1200LT (the big goldwing type bike) so the RT isnt all that hard. I can take the cases off if I want to get into some serious lane splitting.

I appreciate the people in cars that move over out of the way when they see a lane splitter. I dont get alot fo hassle too often. I do know people that kick mirrors off of cars and kick in door panels to rude car drivers but I am not one of those. Thats taking it to the extreme.

[ducky]

Go read supermom's post
Here' the clip

I did read her quote, but it was a little confusing because later she seemed to contradict her previous point.

I agree with you, Bill Z. I'd like to see a cite. I don't drive my Corvair anymore, but it's because I traded up a long, long time ago because I got tired of having to stop and put the fan belt back on, not because it was disallowed by some strange law. Also, driving with my head out the window on freezing mornings because the defroster never worked got old pretty fast. Only being able to get it up to 50 mph on the uphill sections of freeway was pretty embarrassing as well.

I don't see the problem with lane splitting. I do get nervous for the motorcycle riders doing it only because some people do stupid things because they do have a problem with it.

[Bill Z]

I did read her quote, but it was a little confusing because later she seemed to contradict her previous point.

I agree with you, Bill Z. I'd like to see a cite. I don't drive my Corvair anymore, but it's because I traded up a long, long time ago because I got tired of having to stop and put the fan belt back on, not because it was disallowed by some strange law. Also, driving with my head out the window on freezing mornings because the defroster never worked got old pretty fast. Only being able to get it up to 50 mph on the uphill sections of freeway was pretty embarrassing as well.

I don't see the problem with lane splitting. I do get nervous for the motorcycle riders doing it only because some people do stupid things because they do have a problem with it.

What your corvair needed was an upgrade, by mounting a 327 V8 in the backseat (thereby converting it from a rear engine to a mid-engine), using a corvette transaxle, you would more than likely solve both problems, the uphill acceleration and the heating of the interior.

Growing up, my dad had a friend that had done that and he said his friends favorite pastime was embarassing Porsche drivers by leaving them in the dust.

[supermom]

ram_it, what did you get after you sold your ST?

(Can't imagine trying to lane split on that monster!)

Just so everyone's clear on this, I lane split because I can and it gets me a free pass to the front of the line. I tend to presume that complaints about this are mostly founded in the feeling that this isn't fair to the poor people in their cars. I think this is really the core of it, not safety or air cooling or the fine points of its legality.

I love talkin' motorcycles

I like your honesty.

BTW--I was referring to automobiles that are built now--now vehicles that are grandmothered into the terminology (before the dinosaurs)!!!

he he he he

[ducky]

What your corvair needed was an upgrade, by mounting a 327 V8 in the backseat (thereby converting it from a rear engine to a mid-engine), using a corvette transaxle, you would more than likely solve both problems, the uphill acceleration and the heating of the interior.

Growing up, my dad had a friend that had done that and he said his friends favorite pastime was embarassing Porsche drivers by leaving them in the dust.

I'm so glad I don't have the Corvair anymore. My husband would love your idea, though. The V8 would have definitely solved that problem, but, being as I was 16 at the time, it wasn't in my budget. Sounds like something that Top Gear show would do.

[Bill Z]

I'm not sure if earlier I gave my short and simple answer to the OP question.

I'm all for lane splitting when done safely, but so often today, I find bikes that split lanes shooting past me at speeds far faster than I consider safe lane splitting.