Quote:
Originally Posted by kwackerken
I hate to be thought of as a Killjoy...........BUT I thought that a Catalytic Converter was added to the bike in order to reduce the toxicity of the emissions from the engine. 
On that basis, it seems irresponsible to remove it and subject all around us to pollution and possible health risks. 
As someone with Asthma who used to work in Central London, I can vouch for the detremental effect of exhaust fumes.
Why not just enjoy what is by far the best bike I have ever owned in 30 years!  |
I don't know where to start:
Catalytic converters are made from cadmium; one of the most toxic elements on the planet.
Manufacturing cats is massively damaging to the environment.
Recycling cats is a nightmare we are storing up for ourselves - you can't bury them they'll poison the water table - you can't melt them to recover the cadmium because it sublimes and enters the atmosphere - they have to be heated in a controlled environment with all sorts of nastiness - it just goes on and on.
By far the biggest effect on asthma sufferers from vehicles is soot from diesel engines - has anyone noticed the clouds of black smoke out of diesels and wondered why no -one does anything about it?
Diesel soot is a massive causer of smog and ingested particulate - mostly into the lungs which causes asthma, lung cancer, etc.
N.B. the number of lung cancer patients in the uk continues to rise although the number of smokers and those affected by passive smoking continues to fall.
Next: you would be amazed to learn how small a proportion of our UK pollution is down to internal combustion engines of any type - its currently < 5% most of the rest being power stations.
A well set up bike engine produces very little in the way of unburnt hydro - carbons but those it does produce - once the engine is hot pass through the cat anyway.
Bottom line: you should say 'thank you' for saving my cat instead of destroying it over the next 30,000 miles and another 'thank you' for not driving a diesel car in central London.
