Impetus Needed To Develop Eco-friendly Motorcycles

Eco-friendly motorcycles are the latest buzz in the bike world. They are being touted as the solution to the problem of harmful emissions from the motorcycles. The eco-friendly motorcycles are mostly the hybrids that have dual fuel engines. One is the normal conservative fossil fuel and the other is the alternate fuel option.

The motorcycles have been reported to be bad polluters. Although they do not contribute as much to the problem of global warming as cars, light trucks or SUV's but they do contribute to the air pollution. Their contribution in the air pollution is the highest in the transport modes. Any average motorcycle releases harmful hydrocarbons that have the capability of forming smog. Actually, these hydrocarbons are produced because the motorcycle engines are modified to extract maximum fuel efficiency.

It has become inevitable to take the necessary steps to reduce or stop the emissions from the motorcycles as well as from other modes of transport. The developed nations, multinational car and motorcycle manufacturing companies and international organizations are coming forward to discuss and design the steps that need to be taken to reduce the emission and carbon footprint of vehicles.

The first thing that can be done is to look for alternate energy options available. Not only looking is enough, we have to evaluate the viability of any alternative fuel. We need to check the commercial viability as well as availability of the fuel. Developing alternate fueling options for the motorcycles will be surely a brilliant idea. As they have smaller engines and lower level of engineering, so developing eco-friendly motorcycle is a healthy plan.

The currently available alternate fuels are bio-diesel, bio-ethanol, natural gas (compressed natural gas), hydrogen gas, hydrogen fuel cell, electricity, solar cells. Newer alternate fuels are also being searched. The currently available eco-friendly motorcycles are mostly the ones that are hybrids with dual fuel engines, others with the same but more improved and efficient fossil fuel engines. The electric or battery operated motorcycles have been commercialized but have not gained huge success. The problem of low power and fast discharge is coming in their way of being a commercial success however; people have started understanding the need to switch their motorcycles.

The international motorcycle manufacturing companies like Honda, Harley Davidson, Yamaha, Hero Honda, etc should come forward and make joint efforts in R&D to develop more efficient and usable eco-friendly motorcycles.

Even the government regimes world over and international agencies like United Nations, World Health Organization and others need to join hands to make rules and pour funds into the R&D of the alternate fuel vehicles or motorcycles. Success of alternate fuel motorcycles will surely pave the way for developing hybrid and alternate fuel cars.

The debate over the futility of motorcycle races is also heating up. People say it is wasteful use of a scarce resource. Some are of the view that these type of events must be banned. The sides in these types of events have their own research and development teams that are constantly working to improve their bikes. So these racing grounds can also prove to be boon in disguise where alternate fuel motorcycles can be developed, tested and also made popular.

The technology of eco-friendly motorcycles need to be developed in a way that it can be commercialized successfully. For that, even a small sort of movement needs to be started so that the public becomes aware of the benefits of driving such vehicles. Also the cost of eco-friendly motorcycles needs to be brought down.