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iainb

Why Do Speedway Bikes Run on Methanol?

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20 minutes ago, False dawn said:

Wood is a bio fuel. Perhap we should try steam power?

 

I'll get my coat :oops:

I assume you know that methanol used to be known as wood alcohol.

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Speedway has a tendency to take the view 'if it aint broke don't fix it'. The JAP engine was a prime example even in the 1950's it was a throwback to the 1920's but speedway persisted with something that should have been on the London to Brighton run. It think to have different engines fuels and formats could revitalise are tired sport. A bit more racing would hurt either.

Edited by Pieman72
Grammar

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I think if there were ever to be any plans to use petrol engines for speedway bikes there would be immediate and probably insurmountable problems with the environmental police so I wouldn't advocate taking this step myself!

!

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Don't we have enought problems with bike tyres at the moment without considering changing everyone over to a petrol engine ? Such a move would have to come from theFIM I guess to ensure ALL speedway ran on petrol engines , or we would have even higher costs for riders havign to have 2 sets of engines ! Dont see any savings for riders only increased costs.

Don't see anything but negatives for changing to petrol when the world is heding towards electric powered engines ........ mmm now there's a thought  (only joking)

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Why is their even a discussion about petrol, that time has gone & wouldn't be approved by any association today. 

All new or change of use motorsports  have to use electric or eco fuels according to government regulations 

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39 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

Why is their even a discussion about petrol, that time has gone & wouldn't be approved by any association today. 

All new or change of use motorsports  have to use electric or eco fuels according to government regulations 

Why not there is the Formula Honda Grasstrack Club running 250 Honda's. What association are you talking about. When there are millions of cars burning petrol I don't think there is an environmental argument. Oh this bunker mentality no wonder speedway's in this dire position. Speedway needs change and it's beginning to happen.

Edited by Pieman72
Grammar
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Do "junior" Speedway bikes (non 500cc) run on methanol also?

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17 minutes ago, iainb said:

Do "junior" Speedway bikes (non 500cc) run on methanol also?

No junior grass bikes generally use petrol and the 1000cc Sidecars use petrol. There isn't a problem. 500cc laydown methanol burning speedway bikes are expensive to buy , run and maintain and are generally a bespoke item.

Edited by Pieman72
Grammar
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But there still isn't a petrol engine I know of that has or even has room for the flywheels found on speedway bikes. The flywheel weight is what allows a Speedway bike to broadside better than anything else, lose the flywheels and you lose the real essence of speedway. 

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2 hours ago, iainb said:

Do "junior" Speedway bikes (non 500cc) run on methanol also?

We ran our 125cc speedway bike on methanol as do some other in the youth class at the moment 

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6 hours ago, Pieman72 said:

Why not there is the Formula Honda Grasstrack Club running 250 Honda's. What association are you talking about. When there are millions of cars burning petrol I don't think there is an environmental argument. Oh this bunker mentality no wonder speedway's in this dire position. Speedway needs change and it's beginning to happen.

Formula Grasstrack Association run 125 Hondas, very model specific, nothing too modern. I think the association Daniel Smith may be referring to is any Governing body such as the ACU or FIM. Like it or not, fossil fuels are being phased out and I don't think changing from an environmentally friendly fuel like Methanol to petrol is acceptable. 

Edited by Rich
Word added

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I would have thought running on a bio fuel like methanol has got to be a positive if the sport ever decided to market itself in these environmentally sensitive times.

If you're looking for alternatives then electric is your only option. Development of petrol engine for speedway now would be a huge step back.

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If there was a switch to battery, surely you would get the explosive instant power, similar to a current methanol burning engine, but you wouldn't get the braking effect from an electric motor, but maybe that can be overcome. On the other hand, 4 bikes going round without the distinctive noise and, although reducing these days, due to riders using synthetic oil, the smell, will be the final nail! :unsure:

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9 hours ago, Ray Stadia said:

If there was a switch to battery, surely you would get the explosive instant power, similar to a current methanol burning engine, but you wouldn't get the braking effect from an electric motor, but maybe that can be overcome. On the other hand, 4 bikes going round without the distinctive noise and, although reducing these days, due to riders using synthetic oil, the smell, will be the final nail! :unsure:

I viewed some footage of electric bikes (think it was from Denmark?) and there was a strong element missing...not sure if I found it appealing personally!

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12 hours ago, Rich said:

 Like it or not, fossil fuels are being phased out and I don't think changing from an environmentally friendly fuel like Methanol to petrol is acceptable. 

Not ALL fossil fuels are bad, just like not ALL plastic is bad. It's the big emitters and the big single plastic users that need to change to allow acceptable use of fossil fuels and plastic. A big part of all motorsport is the noise and I don't think you're going to get that without some sort of internal combustion engine. I don't see why we can't live in a world where some fossil fuels are still used for motor sports, vintage cars etc. While the rest of the world has moved away from them

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