Stupid questions people ask you when stopped

[eepeqez]

Originally Posted by hoadie72

Let's put this in perspective. A typical family might start and stop their car engine 20 times over a weekend and god knows how many times during the week. That starter motor will last 20+ years. So starting and stopping it during a few times during a commute isn't going to make a lot of difference.

The average trip length for urban vehicles is something like 10km/6miles; the average traffic light interval is probably more like 0.5km/0.3miles. Restarting at every second traffic light instead of just once per trip has the potential to reduce the life of starter motors and ring gears by a factor of ten, bringing your hypothetical 20 year starter life back to just 2 years.

Automated engine off and restart at stops in traffic lights has only become viable with larger batteries and starters.

[Chromer]

Originally Posted by eepeqez

The average trip length for urban vehicles is something like 10km/6miles; the average traffic light interval is probably more like 0.5km/0.3miles. Restarting at every second traffic light instead of just once per trip has the potential to reduce the life of starter motors and ring gears by a factor of ten, bringing your hypothetical 20 year starter life back to just 2 years.

Automated engine off and restart at stops in traffic lights has only become viable with larger batteries and starters.

Mazda has a system for their direct-injection engines that doesn't require using the starter motor at all. The engine is stopped with a piston just past TDC ready for the power stroke. To restart, fuel is injected and sparked. Off you go.

To be fair, idling a modern 4-banger for an hour uses a ridiculously small amount of fuel. You'd have a bigger benefit from reducing aero drag by slapping on an underbody tray or finding a way to take 100lbs out somewhere.

[RidingDonkeys]

Remember when we used to talk about stupid questions people ask you when stopped? Those were the days.

[Phlemdog]

"Hey, I heard goldwings have air conditioning, so why are you complaining about how hot it is"?


Yeah. 96 degrees. Stuck in traffic, and my phone crashed because of the heat, leaving me with no music.

Also, I was almost late for school.

[Benesesso]

Back to the headlights-off question. Any inmates from S. America know if it's still done?

[Wingfixer]

Originally Posted by Benesesso

Back to the headlights-off question. Any inmates from S. America know if it's still done?

I'm just spit-balling here but older cars had generators instead of todays modern alternators, generators will not make sufficient amps at low rpm, idle, to power the lights so the battery is getting drained at idle. Also, generators need a little voltage to "excite" them into working, produce amperage. So, if the battery gets too dead the generator won't come back on line. This would be worse on older, less maintained vehicles.

And, to get back on track.....

While putting my helmet on outside of an Autozone the other day...

Mullet head: (Looks up at storm clouds) Looks like it going to rain.

ME: (Looking up at storm clouds) Yup.

MH: I hope you not going too far.

ME: Baltimore, home, about 130 miles. (No, I did not ride 130 miles to get to the Autozone, its conveniently near my parents house)

MH: Whatcha gonna do when it rains?

ME: Get wet. It happens.

MH: I never ride in the rain, heck, my Harley has never had a drop of rain onnit.

ME: Ah, well, have a nice day!

[Iowegian]

Originally Posted by Phlemdog

That phenomenon is not exclusive to bikes. I had a lady ask me once if I knew "George", because he was in the Air Force.

She didn't know his last name, what he worked as, what squadron he was in, or if he was even at my base anymore. She just thought that I would know.

When I was in the army and asked "do you know John, he is in the 82nd Airborne too?", I would say "Yeah, bummer about his leg." then walk away.

[JGNC]

Some fat old guy wearing a novelty helmet, homemade v-neck sleeveless shirt, 90's swimming trunks, and flip flops said to me, "Do you have any idea how fucking stupid you look with all that shit on?"

Watched a guy on a Harley do a 25ft diameter u-turn in a gas station parking lot then waddle the bike the last 15ft to the pumps. He walked over to my DRZ and inquired when I was going to get a real man's bike in a nasty tone. I asked him when he was planning on learning to ride his.

[WVhillbilly]

Sound like the guy that rolled up next to me outside a store on a "chopper" (bought not built).
Shit bucket helmet, cargo shorts, tank top and VERY white sneakers.

I'm putting my helmet and gloves on, was wearing a mesh jacket and pants. Riding my Superduke.

He said "if I had to wear all that shit, I wouldn't even ride"

I told him if I only idled around town at 25 mph I wouldn't wear it either

[scottrnelson]

Originally Posted by WVhillbilly

I told him if I only idled around town at 25 mph I wouldn't wear it either

Good one.

[beach23707]

Originally Posted by EastSideSM

Mods, can you change this thread name to "Innocent questions people ask to make small talk and replies by self important jack-asses"?

[der_saeufer]

Originally Posted by bwalsh

Never heard the "to save gas" explanation but I have heard of people in here in the States who think that using the headlights unnecessarily is bad and will kill the battery...like there is no charging system.

Where do they get these people?

On a permanent magnet generator with an old-style shunt regulator (e.g. on a dirt bike or old UJM), does it even cause any extra engine load to run electrical accessories? I'm not an EE, but I thought the generator always ran full-bore and got rid of extra electricity as heat through the regulator vs. a car alternator where the magnetic field is actually stronger when the load is heavier.

[RidingDonkeys]

This is why I ride a bike with a flux capacitor...

[bwalsh]

Originally Posted by der_saeufer

On a permanent magnet generator with an old-style shunt regulator (e.g. on a dirt bike or old UJM), does it even cause any extra engine load to run electrical accessories? I'm not an EE, but I thought the generator always ran full-bore and got rid of extra electricity as heat through the regulator vs. a car alternator where the magnetic field is actually stronger when the load is heavier.

To you and the other inmate who mentioned generators...I was talking about vehicles from the eighties and nineties with alternators, not generators...The battery isn't going to be drained sitting at a stop light...hence the original remark.

[eepeqez]

Originally Posted by der_saeufer

On a permanent magnet generator with an old-style shunt regulator (e.g. on a dirt bike or old UJM), does it even cause any extra engine load to run electrical accessories? I'm not an EE, but I thought the generator always ran full-bore and got rid of extra electricity as heat through the regulator vs. a car alternator where the magnetic field is actually stronger when the load is heavier.

These permanent magnet alternators are still very common and are not correctly termed generators because they produce an AC output (Alternator) which is then rectified and shunt regulated.

Using the term generator leads to misunderstandings like....

Originally Posted by bwalsh

To you and the other inmate who mentioned generators...I was talking about vehicles from the eighties and nineties with alternators, not generators...

The only motorcycle I've ever owned in over 30 years of riding which doesn't have a permanent magnet alternator with a shunt regulator is a 1984 air cooled BMW boxer with an automotive style alternator with a field winding controlled by the voltage regulator. My near new outboard motor also has a 3 Amp permanent magnet alternator.

Field regulated alternators are still quite unusual on motorbikes.

Originally Posted by bwalsh

The battery isn't going to be drained sitting at a stop light...hence the original remark.

If the lights are on, the lights are using energy.

That energy may be a trivial fraction of the engines output, or it may be power which the engine provides regardless of how it is used or not used (as is the case with the permanent magnet alternator or with a car heater which uses waste heat), but it has to come from somewhere.