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Conference kaosws::canada

Title:	True North Strong & Free
Notice:	Introduction in Note 535, For Sale/Wanted in 524
Moderator:	POLAR::RICHARDSON

Created:	Fri Jun 19 1987
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1040
Total number of notes:	13668

893.0. ""leaded vs unleaded"" by PLAYER::FOLIE () Fri Feb 10 1995 11:54

Hello,

My name is Claire Folie and I work for Digital Belgium as Development
specialist in the IM&T - DC services.
We have spent, my friend and myself, 7 short days in Quebec during the
last week of January and we enjoyed our too short holidays.
We think seriously to spend more longer time in Quebec in the future.

We noticed that in Quebec, there is no "leaded benzine" available,
as we still have here in Europe.

My friend has a moto model "transalp" - XLV600 (600cc, 2cyl.) of course
using "leaded benzine". 

We would like to know how to use the moto in Quebec.
So, I have some questions:

1. Does this model exists in Canada and what can be its price?
2. Are all the motos saled in Canada equiped and manufactured specially
   for Canada and US?
3. If 2 is correct, does anyone knows what kind of special equipment
   is builded in?
4. If 2 is not correct, is it possible to use "unleaded benzine" with
   something like special 'additives' for our european motos?

Thanks a lot in advance for any help.

Claire.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
893.1		TROOA::SOLEY	Fall down, go boom	`Fri Feb 10 1995 12:09`	8
	I assume that what you are calling "benzine" we call gasoline and the Brits call petrol. North American gasoline has not been available with lead for a few years, other additives are used instead to boost the octane. It's probably possible to bring your motorbike over for a visit but the red tape and paperwork you would have to do would make it not wothwhile.
893.2		KAFS31::LACAILLE	Half-filled bottles of inspiration	`Sun Feb 12 1995 16:06`	9
	Lead has nothing to do with octane, but rather and old and dangerous way to provide lubrication for valves in a 4-stroke motor. I beleive our unleaded fuels have other additive to provide this lubrication...if not, these additive are available at automobile part stores. Charlie
893.3	Don't get the one that goes ping...	POLAR::ROBINSONP	Liv'er on the edge	`Mon Feb 13 1995 07:14`	12
	Au contraire, tetraethyl lead compounds have a lot to do with anti-knock in 4-stroke engines, retarding the combustion process just like increasing the octane rating does. As stated, additives are readily available to add to no-lead gas. Your bike will need this to protect the combustion chamber, piston and valves from the heat buildup associated with pinging or knocking. It's probably cheaper to buy a bike here and sell it back to the dealer when your holiday is over. Pat R.
893.4	What would be the price for a new one?	PLAYER::FOLIE		`Mon Feb 13 1995 09:27`	26
	Hello, Thanks to everybody for the informations. As I said, we think to spend more.... time in Quebec, meaning, we are half way to be accepted by the Quebec immigration, so we want to know how to decide if we keep our european motorbike and be able to use it, or if we sale it here and buy a new one in Quebec. Just to be able to compare the prices of a new motorbike, the one we have, a Honda Transalp costs here in Belgium without taxes +/- 11.000 $ Can. Any idea about the price in Canada? To that amount, we need to add in Belgium 1. 19 % of VAT (Value Added Taxes) on the value of the bike - when you buy it. 2. +/- 110 $ Can to get the official plate 3. +/- 110 $ Can each year to get authorized to ride! (something we call "circulation tax". 4. to pay each year the insurances.... which are more expensives here than in Quebec, something like twice the price. Re .1 What do you mean with "red tape and paperwork?". Thanks for your help, Claire.
893.5	Around 7K$	POLAR::ROBINSONP	Liv'er on the edge	`Mon Feb 13 1995 10:26`	7
	About $7000 CDN will get you on the road with one of these, but insurance in Quebec will cost $$ 300-400, maybe someone in Quebec can comment on their no-fault insurance system. Pat R.
893.6		KAOFS::B_VANVALKENB		`Mon Feb 13 1995 11:39`	6
	I was under the impression that all vehicles made after 1970 had hardened valves and were able to use unleaded gas. As for knock why not just adjust (retard) the timing. Brian V
893.7	Environment Canada	TROOA::SOLEY	Fall down, go boom	`Mon Feb 13 1995 16:44`	6
	What red tape? Canada has various standards on vehicles that you must prove a vehicle meets before you can license it here. This is probably less strict for a bike than a car but still would be a pain and potentially quite expensive. It's doable but not worth it for most vehicles.
893.8	Buy Canadian	KAOFS::W_GILROY		`Wed Feb 15 1995 12:32`	5
	I had friends who purchased a VW Van in Belguim built to the Canadian/Bulguim Vechical safty standards so they could bring it back to Canada when they returned. The main differance between the Belgin and Canadian vechicals was the engine and exhaust. There for sell the bike and buy a new one here.
893.9	Hhmmm...	TROOA::TRINNEER		`Wed Feb 22 1995 19:00`	7
	I haven't contributed to this conference in the past, but I do want to thank Claire for the wonderful insight into the cost of buying the bike in Belgium and for the staggering costs for various taxes and licenses there. Sure helps put into perspective the Canadian situation which we all love to whine about...
893.10	Cost of life!!!	PLAYER::FOLIE		`Thu Feb 23 1995 07:53`	18
	Hello, Just to enforce your feelings, during the short week se have spent in Quebec, we have looked on the cost of things!! If you say that to buy something of the current life in Canada you need $100 CDN, you pay the same thing the equivalent of $160 CDN here in Belgium. This seems to be valid for most of the usual life. But as soon as you want to buy in Canada some imported goods, then we feel you pay about the same amount that the one in Belgium. Of course, we noticed: better not to drink too much beers or wine... better not to like too much cheese, better to buy a car in Canada, it will be bigger, more powerfull... for less than the usual belgian price. Anyhow, we were happy during that short trip to Quebec and we hope to be back very soon there. Claire.