Bug Out Bikes | GTAMotorcycle.com

Bug Out Bikes

-Maverick-

-Maverick-

Well-known member
Forum Sponsor
It's actually happening... people are searching for old pre-electronic cars (pre 1986)...and Bug out Bikes as well should an EMP occur. Wondering what the best magneto style bug out bikes would be. Perhaps a list! I'm thinking the XR650 and KLR650 would be right up there.

https://youtu.be/CUNa0ttESC4

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
 
MLadin said:
It's actually happening... people are searching for old pre-electronic cars (pre 1986)...and Bug out Bikes as well should an EMP occur. Wondering what the best magneto style bug out bikes would be. Perhaps a list! I'm thinking the XR650 and KLR650 would be right up there.

DR650 Suzuki
Click to expand...
 
EMP attack! Wow, I guess Steve Jobs really was ahead of his time when he designed the NeXT Dimension computer.
 
You need something with NO electronics. So your XLR,DR, and KLR won't start.
You need something with points.

My choice would be a Lada Niva.
The Chinese have a non nuclear EMT device. The US is freaking.
 
InTheBarrel-3sp-MatteBlack-Profile_grande.jpg
 
bitzz said:
You need something with NO electronics. So your XLR,DR, and KLR won't start.
You need something with points.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. On the flip side, if I am close enough to an EMP that my bike electronics are fried, assuming I survive I need a larger vehicle to get the family out of dodge.

I need to do more research on what an EMP actually takes out. I am assuming it kills the electronics in an alternator? I would think the rest of the mini will keep working (plain coil and distributor ignition). So the mini and a fully charged battery should get me a few hundred km. Or will the coil get wiped out too? More just an interesting thought exercise than a useful process.
 
Funny.I bought a TY175 a few years ago and had the guy that restored it put a cdi ignition in it.(no messing with points for this guy) Guess what went belly up? Yup..the cdi!
 
Your coil will be fine, after the pulse. The pulse will collapse the field, but when the pulse ends the coil will work again, same as the battery. Both are mechanical devices.
Basically the EMP will wipe out any electronic memory, that isn't hardened. Most military vehicles are diesels, so don't need hardening.... for the engine.
The diesel in your modern consumer vehicle has a engine management system that will fry with a EMP, so an older diesel will make a good bug out car/truck.

I don't know why everyone is afraid of points. They work. They have worked for quite a while now.
I have bikes with points. At the beginning of the season; I check the points for gap and erosion, put a dab of lubricant on the tampon(s) and ride. Not a lot of "messing".
I have more problems with bikes that originally had points and got converted to something else, like Wingboy.
I am kinda partial to magnetos. My Yamaha race bikes run a magneto/CDI hybrid system, that is good for 12,000RPM. (Points only work to about 9,000 to 10,0000 RPM, then they start to float. Not a problem on a 4 stroke where the points are on the cam, running at half the crankshaft speed. A REAL problem on a 2 stroke where the points are on the crank).
 
bitzz said:
My choice would be a Lada Niva.
Click to expand...
I actually thought about buying one of those as a winter beater a few years back. Everyone I knew talked me out of it and so did the seller. Don't know enough beyond jokes about Ladas being crap to know if it was actually a good decision or not but I'm leaning towards yes.

Not that my modern BMW is likely any more reliable or either of my bikes.

Also looked at an old Nissan Patrol with a mechanical diesel. You could shut it off and take out the key and the engine would keep running until you pulled some lever that would somehow choke out the engine. Neat thing. Slow as heck though.
 
Last edited:
What's the threshold for what electrics do and don't get destroyed in this theoretically otherwise survivable nuclear attack? Or are these scenarios where someone has a non-nuclear EMP weapon?

If this is just for the fun of having old school tech, I guess you'd want an old school diesel pickup with a mechanical fuel pump and a bike with points and kick start. If you planned in advance, you could even be prepared to have the pickup run on different fuels. I don't think you could get away from having a battery start four wheeled vehicle, but the truck or whatever wouldn't necessarily have to be able to charge the battery itself.
 
Last edited:
TwistedKestrel said:
What's the threshold for what electrics do and don't get destroyed in this theoretically otherwise survivable nuclear attack? Or are these scenarios where someone has a non-nuclear EMP weapon?
Click to expand...

Apparently (wikipedia) previous tests have knocked out electrical devices 1500 km away. I was surprised that the affected area was that large. That was a 1.44 megaton blast (Nagasaki was 20 kilotons), current documented yields are up to 100 megatons. Who knows how large the yields are on current classified devices.

Wikipedia also says that most small electronics (such as vehicles) should be unaffected so the current thread may not matter (assuming wikipedia isn't grossly wrong). I am sure everything will be damaged as the strength increases, but as you pointed out, if you are where the EMP is the strongest, it isn't your biggest problem.
 
Last edited:
Internal combustion engines require fuel. In the chaos of a post-EMP event, I doubt you're going to have much luck going to your local gas station aiming to siphon a few gallons of regular for even a low-tech dual-sport. Others looking to do the same, the station owner or the military would bag you if you tried to loot like this.

Get into shape, get a decent mountain bike, have 72 hrs of food and water and prepare to just hunker down through the worst of such an event.
 
bitzz said:
Your coil will be fine, after the pulse. The pulse will collapse the field, but when the pulse ends the coil will work again, same as the battery. Both are mechanical devices.
Basically the EMP will wipe out any electronic memory, that isn't hardened. Most military vehicles are diesels, so don't need hardening.... for the engine.
The diesel in your modern consumer vehicle has a engine management system that will fry with a EMP, so an older diesel will make a good bug out car/truck.

I don't know why everyone is afraid of points. They work. They have worked for quite a while now.
I have bikes with points. At the beginning of the season; I check the points for gap and erosion, put a dab of lubricant on the tampon(s) and ride. Not a lot of "messing".
I have more problems with bikes that originally had points and got converted to something else, like Wingboy.
I am kinda partial to magnetos. My Yamaha race bikes run a magneto/CDI hybrid system, that is good for 12,000RPM. (Points only work to about 9,000 to 10,0000 RPM, then they start to float. Not a problem on a 4 stroke where the points are on the cam, running at half the crankshaft speed. A REAL problem on a 2 stroke where the points are on the crank).
Click to expand...

Trials bike quite often spend time in the water.Cdi is better than points when water is present.
 
Blackfin said:
Internal combustion engines require fuel. In the chaos of a post-EMP event, I doubt you're going to have much luck going to your local gas station aiming to siphon a few gallons of regular for even a low-tech dual-sport. Others looking to do the same, the station owner or the military would bag you if you tried to loot like this.

Get into shape, get a decent mountain bike, have 72 hrs of food and water and prepare to just hunker down through the worst of such an event.
Click to expand...

Pretty much sums it up except for needing to protect the bike and food. Most pre 1980 cars have a full tank range of 250 miles IF the roads aren't plugged with late model fried ones.

There are bunch of survivalist videos on YouTube. A lot of gun talk.
 
Meh, the surviving cops, military and bandits in a disaster scenario will commandeer the remaining fuel sources and functional vehicles/generators as necessary. Being in possession of either resource will make you a target. Better to have good shoes/clothing, clean water and safe living quarters. A proper utility bicycle would be very worthwhile, as long as the tires/tubes lasted.
 
Blackfin said:
Internal combustion engines require fuel. In the chaos of a post-EMP event, I doubt you're going to have much luck going to your local gas station aiming to siphon a few gallons of regular for even a low-tech dual-sport. Others looking to do the same, the station owner or the military would bag you if you tried to loot like this.

Get into shape, get a decent mountain bike, have 72 hrs of food and water and prepare to just hunker down through the worst of such an event.
Click to expand...

lol there will be stalled vehicles everywhere with fuel in their tanks. An EMP may also come from a higher intensity solar flare? Any older bike (mid to late 70's or earlier) with points and condenser, such as a 77 gold wing ; which has points and condensers (dual points set up to deal with the higher revs). But for a bug out I would go with a late 60's pick up for hauling people/gear.

Anyone have a horse? Trump card.

I've read articles on the military - they are actually testing the electronics of cars to EMP...bottom line is it gets facked depending on the intensity. They have and are prepping their military vehicles for just such an incident. A strong solar flare would cause havoc far beyond 72hrs, experts say to fix the electrical grid after a strong event would require years of work to restore. - In such an event the masses will be abandoned - the military and government will be busy saving themselves.
 
Last edited:
bitzz said:
You need something with NO electronics. So your XLR,DR, and KLR won't start.
You need something with points.

My choice would be a Lada Niva.
The Chinese have a non nuclear EMT device. The US is freaking.
Click to expand...

I had a Lada Niva. It even had a crank for hand starting.

Also had a manual over ride on the fuel pump so you could get some gas to start a fire while stranded....
 
If it comes to the use of EMP's it's already over. The more "stuff" you possess the quicker you'll be killed by roving marauders for it's value...
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom