[sustran] 1) Motorised 2 wheelers 2)Hong Kong

[Dr.Rajeev Saraf]

I am this "low-compression" and "high compression" terminology for the 
first time. Generally, we talk about 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines for 
motorised two wheelers (MTWs). Cars have 4-stroke engines.
In 4-stroke engines, Hydrocarbon emissions are much lower than 2-stroke 
engines due to beter burning of the fuel. In 2-stroke engines, a large
amount of unburnt fuel is emitted into the air. 
For the same reason, two-stroke engine have a lower CO/CO2 emissions than 
4-storke engines. Since the burning is better in 4-stoke engine, there 
is higher emission of carbon oxides which is a byproduct of burning.

It should also be noted that 4-storke engines provide better mileage.

___________________________________________________________________________
Dr Rajeev Saraf                 |
Urban and Transport Planner     |
SENIOR PROJECT SCIENTIST        |      PHONE : 91-11-6858703
APPLIED SYSTEM RESEARCH PROGRAM |      EMAIL : sarafrk at cbme.iitd.ernet.in
IIT DELHI 110016                |      FAX   : 91-11-6862037
INDIA                           |
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On 13 Apr 1998, Roberto Verzola wrote:

>  >numerous other cities with high motor bike traffic, I need no
>  >convincing that two-cycle motor bikes are not a means of
>  >transportation to be encouraged.
> 
> Will somebody please clarify if it is true that two-cycle motor bikes
> are of the low-compression type? Barry Commoner in The Closing Circle
> made a distinction between low-compression engines and
> high-compression engines (as found in cars), and says that the
> pollution is much worse for high-compression engines (SOx, NOx, lead,
> etc.) than for low-compression engines (water vapor, CO2, unburnt
> fuel, etc.).
> 
> Obviously, walking and biking are even less pollutive than 2-cycle
> motors, but are we or are we not justified in lumping together 2-cycle
> and 4/6-cycle engines?
> 
> Obet Verzola
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  >
>  >We need to create conditions and infrastructure that promotes
>  >walking, bicycling, and muscle powered movement of goods, but
>  >also channels the inevitable desire for more speed, power and
>  >range to clean, quiet, affordable vehicles.  A vision of how I
>  >think this might be achieved can be found at
>  >http://www.biketrack.com/visions.htm
>  >
>  >We have been testing  and developing the surface to be used in
>  >the EcoTrack transportation system since 1993.  We now have many
>  >installations of the surface on steps, wheelchair access ramps,
>  >gangways, bicycle/pedestrian bridges, etc. around the U.S.  A
>  >partial listing of these sites can be found at
>  >http://www.biketrack.com/install.htm
>  >
>  >The next step toward the EcoTrack transportation system will be
>  >the introduction of structural travel surface panels that may be
>  >placed together to form high quality walking and bicycle riding
>  >surfaces without the need for a wood or metal sub-surface and
>  >eliminating the need to excavate and pave.  The first 2'x4'
>  >panels will be available by the end of next month along with a
>  >new, modular truss system for building economical bicycle and
>  >pedestrian bridges.   Please watch www.biketrack.com for
>  >developments.  We will be posting more details on the surfacing
>  >panels and modular truss system during the month of May.
>  >
>  >Gerry Hawkes
>  >Bike Track, Inc.
>  >Woodstock, Vermont USA
>  >
>  >www.biketrack.com
>  >
>  >ghawkes at sover.net
>  >
>  >Tel. 802-457-3275
>  >Fax.  802-457-3704
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >-----Original Message-----
>  >From: Barbara Gruehl Kipke <hobbes at t-online.de>
>  >To: Activists <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
>  >Date: Saturday, April 11, 1998 3:51 AM
>  >Subject: [sustran] 1) Motorised 2 wheelers 2)Hong Kong has all
>  >the solutions?
>  >
>  >
>  >>Dear Sustainable Transport Activists,
>  >>
>  >>Hi! I'm new to your discussion list! You're welcome to find out
>  >more
>  >>about me at my web site: http://www.mobility-consultant.com.
>  >>
>  >>Maybe you can help me with two issues that have cropped up:
>  >>1) We are trying to convince German development aid agencies to
>  >put more
>  >>money into the sustainable transport modes (ie. walking,
>  >cycling, animal
>  >>drawn alternatives, hand carts etc.). One guy from GTZ (an
>  >important
>  >>development aid agency) has written a counter-argument saying
>  >among
>  >>other things that it is not a bright future/perspective if we
>  >start with
>  >>the bicycle and the next development step is the polluting
>  >2-wheelers =E0
>  >>la Hanoi, Vietnam or Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
>  >>
>  >>The Asian region seems to abound with this problem. You must
>  >have come
>  >>up with some alternative scenarios?! I thought Singapore might
>  >have
>  >>banned motorcycles/2-wheelers from their streets...is that the
>  >case? It
>  >>would seem a good combination of public transport together with
>  >bike &
>  >>ride =E0 la Japan could be the way forward. How did Japan tame the
>  >>motorcycle development. Do you have other positive
>  >>examples of how Asian cities have handled the 2-wheeled
>  >motorized
>  >>"pest"?
>  >>
>  >>For your information, I have already looked at Sustran-discuss
>  >files
>  >>134, 136, 138, 167 that discuss this subject. Are there
>  >additional
>  >>comments you can provide me with?
>  >>
>  >>2) The GTZ guy mentions Hong Kong as a city that has solved "the
>  >>transport problem". Hong Kong can thus "show us the way forward"
>  >>according to this guy.
>  >>
>  >>I was in Hong Kong many years ago, but I don't remember it being
>  >>particularly great in terms of its transport solutions. I
>  >haven't seen
>  >>too much written on Hong Kong that would lead me to believe that
>  >they
>  >>are very innovative or effective.
>  >>
>  >>How do you see the transport situation in Hong Kong?
>  >>
>  >>Thanks in advance for feedback!
>  >>
>  >>Yours sincerely from the deep Black Forest in Germany
>  >>(where the Black Forest Cake comes from...)
>  >>--
>  >>Barbara Gruehl Kipke (M.B.A.)
>  >>Mobility Consultant
>  >>
>  >>Horber Gaessle 13    Tel./Fax: 0049 7451 6985
>  >>72160 Horb           e-mail: barbara at mobility-consultant.com
>  >>Germany              http://www.mobility-consultant.com
>  >>
>  >
>  >
> 
>