Don’t confuse them with facts.
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The key is “two cylinders.” Those are big cylinders. A 1200 cc Harley twin has 2 600 cc cylinders. If it was a 6 cylinder it would displace 3600 ccs, or about 219 cubic inches. I have a 3200 cc 6 cylinder in my Jeep (which is heavier than a typical car) but 40 mpg would be a dream for me; my best was about 28 mpg on a long freeway trip. Then, when you add in the Harley’s ability to accelerate (I know, not up to Ninja standards, but still better than many cars), the Harley seems to me to provide pretty decent economy, all things considered.
When I’m riding my Harley, an '84 Ironhead Sportster, 1000cc, gas economy is the least of my worries.
Decades ago, I rebuilt my engine, punched the cylinders out 0.090 from 81mm to 83.290mm, raising displacement from 997cc to 1001cc (Wa-Hoo…). I also shaved the same .090 off the heads (back then that was a “nice round number”…), increasing the compression ratio from 9.0 to ??? (it’s been a lot of years…) to “Premium…” Then I ported, polished, and cc’d the heads. I also installed a “low-end” high torque" Crane Cam that they cut on a special order. Installed Single Fire Ignition System to prevent the “popping” sound from the (stock is dual-fire) spark firing during the exhaust stroke to the heavy dump of fuel being fed in her… and a coil that I could Arc-weld with… The carb is an S&S Super E with a main jet so large it’s like flushing a toilet when I crack the throttle. And to top it all off, I installed a tunable Custom Thrust Exhaust System…
I like to “Short-Shift,” shifting at low RPMs, using the engine’s torque to pull me thorough. I’ve had the engine over 8,000 RPM when I was younger and stupider… But unless I’m on the highway, the engine usually stays under 4500 RPM
The Big Jets in the Carb dump gas just short of black smoke and it really makes the engine “Bark” when I crack the throttle. As for that Thrust Exhaust, I removed every baffle, the increase in low-end torque was not worth the reduction in the Engine’s Rumble. I kept one cross bolt in each pipe in case a police officer decides to shove a nightstick up my pipes to see if they are really “straight pipes”
As for fuel economy, I have a 2-1/4 gallon tear drop tank and I carry two one-quart containers of gas in my saddle bags when I’m cruising and as long as I have enough gas to reach the next station, I’m getting good mileage…
So, if any of the readers would like to curse me out for wasting gas, being a menace to society, for “racing” my Harley around, scaring little old ladies and babies with that unfettered exhaust; know this, I am old enough to have watched Marlon Brando in the “The Wild One” when it first played… So put your nickels, dimes, and quarter in the Swear Jar and donate the money to NPR to keep Click and Clack on the radio…
I come up with 1054 cc.
Update: Bought the eggs, $3.99 per dozen. I used to pay more than that, $5.99 / dozen, but purchased the eggs then from a vendor up the Peninsula 20 miles. That vendor unfortunately lost my business after Corolla forced of the road. Eggs from this latest vendor used to cost about $2.75 / dozen, prior to Covid.
More egg related news: Minor earthquake today in SF Bay area. Happened as I was cooking a dozen of the eggs for hard boiled snacks. Eggs survived earthquake ok, as did I. About 20 years ago, same size earthquake, someone who had recently moved to San Jose from the mid-west, living in a 3rd floor apartment, they got so frightened by the shaking they jumped off the balcony, and killed by the fall. I was maybe 5 miles away, I didn’t even feel that one.
In Europe, a new glut of LNG is starting to drive down the price of that fuel.
You’re right. I do not remember when or how I ever came up with that 1001. But it was way before the internet had so many wonder calculator available… May have been me or the original machineist on a 4-banger calculator…
81mm + 0.090 (2.286mm) = 83.286 mm bore…
Glad to hear you and the eggs were not injured.
You post reminded me of the old quote-
It’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the sudden stop at the end
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Reminds me of playing high school football. The problem wasn’t when you got knocked over by the line-backer, it was when you landed … lol … Weird things seem happen with the perception of time in events like that; the perception I had as I was flying through the air after being clobbered by another football player was like it was all occurring in slow motion.
Immediately after this recent small quake, the major news radio station asked for local-area folks to call in and tell their experience. Nearly all said it lasted 40 seconds to 2.5 minutes. I was watching the egg timer at the time, couldn’t have lasted more than 15-20 seconds. Significant shaking, maybe 10 seconds.
So, not long enough to make your 3 minute egg scrambled? 
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lol … not nearly long enough for that. You can see for yourself, here’s the time-waveform signals from that quake
Met some buds for coffee today, 2 of them are on the budget plant for household electric and gas. One guys monthly payment went up 38% the other 43%, gasoline future?fill up a 250 gallon tank now?
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I noticed recent electric rates here in Calif have gone up considerably too. Natural gas price seems less effected. Seeems like the way to address budget plan folks (with limited income) is to price the first allotment/month at a very low rate, then make the loot up by pricing the higher tiers more. That way folks with limited income could still get electricity for a reasonable price as long as they conserved, didn’t use more than they absolutely needed.
The Institute for Energy Research
Over the last two years, due to reduced demand from the pandemic and Presidnt Biden’s stated policy to reduce the demand for petroleum products, U.S. refineries have been shut down or repurposed to become biofuel refineries.
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth does not expect another oil refinery to be built in the United States ever again, due to federal government policies.
“How do you go to your board, how do you go to your shareholders and say ‘we’re going to spend billions of dollars on new capacity in a market that is, you know, the policy is taking you in the other direction.”
If you think prices are high now, give it 5 to 10 years…
Would you invest billions in future refineries given the EV craze sweeping the USA and the UE? Ford is ending all ICE production in the EU by 2026; no one is going to invest a penny in oil/gasoline infrastructure in the EU.
People think their ICE cars are going to be worth a fortune in the future when EV doesn’t pan out as promised…they’re wrong…gasoline will be $20 - $40 a gallon if you can find it. China and Saudi Arabia are building new refineries in China, maybe you’ll be able to buy Chinese gasoline on ebay and save a few bucks…LOL:)
My plan is to ditch everything gas powered in the coming years. I’m hoping for a cash for ICE government boondoggle…lol…give me $10k for my old ice car and I’ll buy an EV. That $7,500 current handout puts the price of a leaf down to $20k…but it is a leaf…best only as a grocery getter. Give me $10k more for my ICE and Leaf’s at $10k, ok I’ll bite.
I have literally, I mean literally, heard that for 40 years…and every year spending on all those programs has gone up…R’s, D’s doesn’t matter.
Health care was “affordable”, 1950’s, until government became heavily involved in making it “more affordable”.
Same with cars, affordability slipping away from an ever larger chunk of the population. Cars with 1 foot in the grave are $3000 and will bleed the buyer dry if they can’t fix it themselves. Decade old cars with 200k miles are $10,000 plus; how are people to afford this on $15/hr?
I’ve noticed so many bald tires on cars, people just can’t afford them and won’t buy until they literally blow out; it’s all very sad.
Something’s gonna give in a bad way…
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Venturing into comments overly political for Car Talk, but since the topic is invoked, some gov’t spending is good for the economy, while other types isn’t. Which is which, depends on who you ask. Recall the comment made by a well-known highly-placed politician a few years ago? “Deficits Don’t Matter!” Like I say, depends on who you ask.
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I was just going to say that. I’ve been hearing that scare tactic as long as I can remember. But when you have no ammo left what else ya gonna say. But like that song, drop me off in the middle of Montana, keep your retirement and your so called social security. People that don’t read history.
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The problem is over the year you still have to pay the full amount. It’s like getting gas at $2 one month and then the following month at $5. Nothing gained except a short reprieve. In Minnesota and other places, there is a cold weather rule where the heat cannot b shut off in the winter if you pay or not. Problem is spring comes and the full amount is due. Just avoided freezing to death is all.
The NYT had an article on bono I believe. After all these years he finally came to the conclusion that commerce/business is the answer not government. Some are slower to see the light than others or maybe more inclined to question their long held beliefs.
Bull…Insurance companies profit and expenditures is directly related to making health insurance unaffordable. Profits and (margin of profits) are up significantly since the 50’s.
They have 2 incomes working multiple jobs each. Every thing is higher now than the 50’s. Some are far better off then their parents were. Other’s aren’t.
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I’m sure there may be, but probably damn few.