Drafting for Gas Mileage
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,627
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From:
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
Drafting works; so does a lot of other things that do not advance the longevity of the biker. Blown tires, hidden debris (straddled by the trucker) showers of crap from the shoulder when (not if), increased potential for lane change problems all should steer you away from drafting.
As to damage from overheating, I used to commute years ago in a diesel VW Rabbit when it was too cold to ride. Even in the winter you could see the temp guage rising on that liquid cooled Rabbit when she was tucked up the back of a bus.
As to damage from overheating, I used to commute years ago in a diesel VW Rabbit when it was too cold to ride. Even in the winter you could see the temp guage rising on that liquid cooled Rabbit when she was tucked up the back of a bus.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,820
Likes: 6,615
From: Northern California
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
I've been close ( two lanes over ) to a truck that blew a tire.
I could have died without even getting hit with debris, I was so startled.
So many cars have tire pressure monitors now, you'd think they'd considerrequiring them on new trucks and trailers.
I could have died without even getting hit with debris, I was so startled.
So many cars have tire pressure monitors now, you'd think they'd considerrequiring them on new trucks and trailers.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 759
Likes: 0
From: Hampton, VA
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
ORIGINAL: blaw
Who wants to stare at the back of a truck, anyway? Besides, riders aren't generally worked up about fuel economy judging by our regular 150 mile trips to nowhere.
Who wants to stare at the back of a truck, anyway? Besides, riders aren't generally worked up about fuel economy judging by our regular 150 mile trips to nowhere.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 857
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From:
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
ORIGINAL: edilgdaor
So many cars have tire pressure monitors now, you'd think they'd considerrequiring them on new trucks and trailers.
So many cars have tire pressure monitors now, you'd think they'd considerrequiring them on new trucks and trailers.
Cost.
Just like disk brakes.
Yes, all trucks in the US are stopping with 90 year old technology.
Disc brakes on trucks are the norm in Europe. But the additional cost has kept the US trucking industry from adoptng this new and better technology. Trucking is a very competative industry. There isnt alot of profit margin. So anything that raises costs is frowned upon.
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
Drafting is not a myth... All they gotta do is talk to professional race car drivers/mechanics. They've been doing it for years. And as far as the tire tread goes; Anyone who's taken one in a car knows exactly how destructive they can be.
The mythbusters must be running short of material. lol
The mythbusters must be running short of material. lol
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 671
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From:
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
ORIGINAL: ZD
Drafting is not a myth... All they gotta do is talk to professional race car drivers/mechanics. They've been doing it for years.
The mythbusters must be running short of material. lol
Drafting is not a myth... All they gotta do is talk to professional race car drivers/mechanics. They've been doing it for years.
The mythbusters must be running short of material. lol
Besides obvious reasons (weight, engine size, etc) what is the main reasons regular size trucks get half the gas mileage of cars?
Drag Coefficient, this in turns creates a larger drag force...more force for an engine to overcome means it needs more power, where does it get this power? Gas
For example, lookat some toyota trucks/cars. Tacoma for truck/Camry for cars... you can get both with a V6 (not sure about liter size), but the camry will still get twice the gas mileage, of course some of this is due to weight, gear ratios, etc.. but a lotif notmost is due to the drag force because a car is more aerodynamic.
The point was that if you minimize the drag force, gas mileage will increase and getting close to a 18-wheeler minimizes the amount of wind "holding you back" making the amount of force needed to overcome decrease.
Also, depending on the speed, a large enough vortec could be created directly behind an 18-wheeler to actually push you along using very little power, if any at all.
I hope that made some sense.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,265
Likes: 0
From: Rep of Maryland (currently serving in Afghanistan)
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
Drafing may be good for some in cages, but life is short as it is and being stupid or careless will make it even shorter. Although I saw that same episode, I'll just stick with lousy gas mileage.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 13
From: Texas Hill Country
RE: Drafting for Gas Mileage
Oh boy, here we go again about retreads!![:@]
All those alligators out there arer NOT from retreads. The vast majority are NEW TIRES!!!
All you have to do is look at the alligator and see the cords. That IS A NEW TIRE NOT A RETREAD!!
When a retread goes there is NO CORD, only the retread cap.
A while back I did a little 200 + mile ride out here in the California desert on I-10. Saw over 100 alligators, and only 3, YES THAT WAS THREE!! That I couldn't see cords at 75 MPH.
Likey if I would have stopped and checked them out I would have seen the cords FROM THE NEW TIRE THAT BLEW!!!!!
Dang people, get a clue! [:@][:@] Not every tire that comes apart is a retreaded tire! Quite the opposite.
How about paying a little attention before you open your mouth and start bad mouthing something without the facts?
OK, rant over, flame away,, but start looking at those Gators. See the cord? IT AIN'T FROM A RETREAD!!!
All those alligators out there arer NOT from retreads. The vast majority are NEW TIRES!!!
All you have to do is look at the alligator and see the cords. That IS A NEW TIRE NOT A RETREAD!!
When a retread goes there is NO CORD, only the retread cap.
A while back I did a little 200 + mile ride out here in the California desert on I-10. Saw over 100 alligators, and only 3, YES THAT WAS THREE!! That I couldn't see cords at 75 MPH.
Likey if I would have stopped and checked them out I would have seen the cords FROM THE NEW TIRE THAT BLEW!!!!!
Dang people, get a clue! [:@][:@] Not every tire that comes apart is a retreaded tire! Quite the opposite.
How about paying a little attention before you open your mouth and start bad mouthing something without the facts?
OK, rant over, flame away,, but start looking at those Gators. See the cord? IT AIN'T FROM A RETREAD!!!
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