[sustran] Motorcycle discussion

[Eric Bruun]

On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Niklas Sieber wrote:

> Dear Sustran Discussants
> 
> I found the debate about environmental impacts of motorcycles very 
> interesting. The actual question was raised by Barbara, quoting GTZ 
> that the bicycles are often replaced by motorcycles if income 
> increases. A research from Ouagadougou corroborates this thesis. 
> Bicycles are regarded as transport for the poor, while French 
> mobylettes are preferred by the middle class. This is not only an 
> image problem but also a physical one, especially when the 
> temperature rises above 40 Celsius in the summer time. 
> 
> My questions are now:
> 
> 1. What can be done to increase the image of bicycles?

  No short answer.  It varies from place to place. I think Walter
  Hook at the Institute for Transport and Development Policy ( a
  regular reader of this group) might know some contacts in
  different developing countries.

  For developed countries, contact John Pucher, pucher at rci.rutgers.edu,
  for very current info. about how Germany has succeeded in dramatically
  increasing bicycle use.  He also can shed light on other countries
  as well, of course. 
   
> 
> 2. Which technical improvements reduce environmental 
> damages of motorcycles? Regarding the low purchasing 
> power it is essential that these improvements have low costs.

  Switch to late model four-stroke engines of modest power. Or
  at least late model two-stroke engines.  There is no other
  solution.  They do cost more, if they didn't the Japanese and 
  eastern European companies would not be selling obsolete designs. 
  In fact, they probably sell all of the tooling for local assembly
  in the case of large countries like India.  I doubt they
  will sell their latest tooling.  in the United States, I believe 
  Honda builds most components and assembles them, but their engines 
 (the biggest trade secret and most valuable parts) are still 
  built in Japan.

> 
> 3. In case that there is no low cost solution, would it be desirable 
> that Development Cooperation subsidises the technical improvements?
> 
   I don't think that technology is the issue. The giant Japanese
   corporations like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki could
   afford to do their own development in any case.
  
   Maybe subsidizing the purchasing of electrically boosted bicycles
   could help drive down the unit cost and help them to catch on.
   In most cases, a boost up hill or with heavy loads is all that
   is needed.  People don't always need all of the power of a
   real motorcycle.

> _____________
> Niklas Sieber
> International Forum for Rural Transport and Development
> 150 Southampton Row
> London WC1 B5AL, UK
> Tel.: +44 171/ 278 3682, Fax: +44 171/ 278 6880
> e-mail: ifrtd at gn.apc.org
> Webpage: http://www.gn.apc.org/ifrtd
>