This is a very interesting thread to me. I like vintage, study it, and draw ideas from earlier efforts which fit the "marketing matrix" where the benefits of newer processes, materials, and technologies may make it feasable today where it was
too far out on the cutting edge back then. But just as I enjoy history, I like the science fiction of the future as well. (just imagine our wheels on future motorbicycles being horizonal spinning to make anti-gravity so we can whiz along over any surface.....wheeeeee!)
Has anyone seen the TV advertisements of CSX Transportation where they explain that a freight train can carry something like 125,000 tons a mile on a gallon of Diesel fuel ? They translate that to how many Big Trucks that that would take off America's highways. (those trucks are generally around 15 tons)
Thus making it safer for smaller/lighter morer fuel efficient cars.
CSX of course isn't explaining that most packaging companies encourage manufacturers to ship by motor freight (trucks) if the goods are going less than 300 miles as the roads are smoother that the rail and not as damaging to the goods carried in freight cars. For bulk items such as coal, chemicals, flowable solids in bulk Rail Frieght is practicle or for shipping manufactured goods for great distances. (but in that case the packaging has to be extra
durable (and costly) to protect the goods contained within them) Notice on eBay how people often question the packaging in their feedback ? And eBay sellers urge customers to buy insurance ?
As for the Big Car = Safer for the Kids.......that's justified the purchase of a lot of statusy Big SUV's to soccer mommies. In the 70's & 80's it was a Volvo or Saab wagon until the Mini Van was introduced. It wasn't long before the Stand Up comics where hired to "swift boat" those things. No man or woman wanted one after that, but like the VW Bus proved itself in the 60's as a very practicle vehicle so could have the American Mini-Van......except they weren't as profitable to sell as Conversion Vans and big SUV's. The 80's was a time of Ego Goods and Fronteer Consumerism so that's why the SUV's and big 4X4's reigned. And that habbit is why we are where we are now. Our motorbicycling will no doubt catch on as more people learn about he fuel milage. Those in huricane struck areas may consider themselves blessed if they had one to run errands on and if I were building and marketing such bikes
I'd be taking them there now and advertising in those areas. Especially custom trikes, or bikes like that "Cargo Bike" I've posted photos of as it could carry ice, water, and basic necessities efficiently on ounces of gas where fuel is almost non existant.
