The Big Four working together on new motorcycle battery tech

“Big Four” relates to the four large Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. That term started in the seventies and had nothing to do with overall sales numbers.

As far as Indian is concerned, they have sold less than 100 racebikes so that’s not really cementing your point.

 

I would agree that the BIG 4 has related to the Japanese, in the USA because the have always been grouped together and in the late 70's they were selling more product than Harley, that's how that happened. Over the last 30 plus years that has changed, it all started to change when AMC got rid of the Harley Brand, the Gentleman before quoted about ALL PRODUCT lines produced by the manufacturer NOT JUST Sportbikes, then mentioned world wide sales, so show me some numbers that prove me wrong......

 

We can argue this all day and all night, the problem is he is making an argument about something that has not factual basis and no defined criteria.
1) How do we want to compare this argument? Sportbikes only?
2) All Vehicles produced by the OEM? in the USA? WW?
3) Japanese manufacturers only?

The discussion thus far has been using very broad and different criteria, none the less, the only criteria that has been discussed that could hold water about the BIG 4 still being the BIG 4 is if you compare ONLY Japanese manufactures and sales in the USA, any other criteria and they are not the BIG 4...

 

Thank you.

I think he’s arguing with himself based on all the back to back posts. I don’t really care enough to continue.

 

Ho hum...electric...hoo hum...still boring....

The future will be a miserable with the sound of whining PWM modules. Can't we all just wait.

 

I'm not sold on the swapable concept. It sounds like a can of worms.

 

I am not arguing with myself, I am trying to understand why you called my wrong about the BIG 4? When the BIG 4 is not the BIG 4 any longer, and there is no factual evidence to make that claim.... The reality is the Japanese have lost their production numbers in the USA and the world markets to other manufacturers, the numbers don't lie, so calling them the BIG 4 is illogical based on any standard.

 

The term big 4 is just that, a term. Are the Dallas Cowboys really America’s team or is Virginia really just for lovers? Is everything really bigger in Texas? Everything? The GDP of Texas is not as “Big” as one other state so you better go and get those folks straightened out.

They are still the Big four, just accept it and move on with life.

 

So you are telling me that since the BIG 4 are not the BIG 4 anymore based on logic, and numbers, it is still OK to call them that? and it's OK to call me wrong for pointing out that referring to them as such has no logical merit. SO when I make the logical numbers argument that someone that called me wrong does not know their ass from a hole in the ground he is OK with you to call me wrong..... SO you are saying hey it's ok to call someone wrong, but when the accuser is pointed out to be a bit uniformed and foolish I am wrong in defending my position with logic and numbers. GOT IT.... I apologize for correcting someone, and defending the logical original statement, and we should all go back to believing the people that just say it's so....

 

Holy thread hijack. Wow.

 

Sooo why do we call them the big 3 in the US if dodge, gm and ford don't really sell the top 3? is it top there in world wide sales, us sales, US sales of suvs, or just trucks or both? Does it really matter? When people in the US auto market talk about the big 3 they know it refers to Dodge/ram, GM, and Ford. When people talk about the big four in motorcycles they know it means the big 4 Japanese manufacturers.

 

So back to the original topic and ignoring all the arguing about labels:

The battery is just one piece of he puzzle. Motors, cooling, chassis will all be a huge factor in how these bikes work and their performance. The battery is just the energy storage.

 

Please don’t engage him. He will start throwing numbers again and frankly, it’s boring.

Anything to advance the development of batteries is cool with me. Electric is fighting an uphill battle with the petroleum industry or we would we be much further down the road by now.

 

I think it was a BP commercial that I saw that touted their solar/wind renewable energy ventures but made sure to address that when the wind stops blowing there is natural gas backup. So sure BP is only one of a hundred oil companies but it's nice to see someone venturing and at least investing enough to make a PR statement about it.

 

AMF, American Machine and Foundry. Not AMC, American Motors Corp.

 

Yup sorry about the typo....

 

Its only boring if you are wrong........

 

Cheeseburger on a electric treadmill; can it count to four?....

Rins, repeat.

 

Back to batteries, standardization would be a good thing for the consumer. Kind of like AAA, AA, C, D. It is nice to be able to generally get what you need off the shelf and manufacturers design around the available batteries. There is also some standardization in car and motorcycle batteries already. This just makes sense to me. Back when I was in the business, I used to keep YB14LA2 battieries filled and charged cause I used to sell a ton of them and the customer appreciated it when he could walk into the parts department and walk right back out with a replacement battery ready to go.