Motorbikes Higher Polluters Than Cars

Motorbikes are churning out more pollution than cars new research shows. However, as they are a much smaller fraction of the total number of vehicles the figures have been overlooked until now.

Swiss scientists have claimed that motorbikes produce up to 16 times more pollutants per mile than cars.
Researchers found 16 times more hydrocarbon emissions, three times more carbon monoxide emissions and a "disproportionately high" amount of other pollutants in motorbike fumes.

Driving in towns is generally less economical and also more polluting than motorway driving. This is due to the stop start nature of urban driving. Motorbikes are particularly bad polluters in this situation as motorcyclists tend to accelerate quickly, leading to engines burning fuel inefficiently giving a sharp peak in emissions. Motorbikes driven in cities produce 49 per cent more hydrocarbons than the average car, the scientists claimed, as urban driving produces particularly large amounts of exhaust fumes.

The researchers tested a wide range of bikes from a variety of manufacturers including Honda, Piaggio, Yamaha, Suzuki and BMW. Also a range of engine sizes from 800cc to 1150cc were used.

"The importance of motorbike emissions has been underestimated in legislation, giving manufacturers little motivation to improve after-treatment systems," said a Swiss researcher. The oversight has lead to a lack of research into ways of making motorbike engines run more cleanly.
In Britain there are approximately 25 times more cars than motorbikes on the roads. However, this does not negate the effect motorbikes are having on our environment.

Some tips for better fuel economy:

•    Drive smoothly – this means smooth acceleration and braking.
•    Read the road ahead – are there any hazards which you may need to slow down for, if so start easing off the accelerator pedal early.
•    Don’t ‘rev’ the engine – this wastes fuel when you are stationary.
•    Use gears sensibly – change into a higher gear as soon as possible.
•    Stick to the speed limit – the faster the engine goes the more fuel it is using.
•    Check your tyres – an underinflated tyre will cause more friction with the road, thus increasing fuel consumption to overcome it.

If you would like to know more about driving why not ask AnswerBank Motoring.