| Author | Message | ||
     Henrik |
Breaking all kinds of copyright laws, but I thought you'd all appreciate this: >>>>>>>>>>>>>> National Public Radio Weekend All Things Considered, National Public Radio September 14, 2003 Interview: Bernd Kuhbier discusses the tribute paid to a US Navy ship by his German vessel on September 11th Article Text: STEVE INSKEEP, host: If you’re like me, the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks caught you a little unprepared. You didn’t really want to think about it, but on that day something caught in your throat as you saw an image on television or heard a ceremony on the radio or just had a moment to yourself. On September 11, the crew of a US Navy ship was surprised by a sudden display of sympathy. The guided-missile frigate USS Doyle was at sea when a German naval ship steamed up alongside. That frigate was the Niedersachsen, and the commander of that frigate was Commander Bernd Kuhbier(ph), and he joins us now. Commander, can you just describe what you did? Commander BERND KUHBIER (Niedersachsen): Well, we were at sea and the XO and myself, we were thinking of how we’re going to remember that second anniversary of this horrible day which happened in New York. And we thought about going alongside the USS Doyle and pay our respect and tell them how we feel for it. That’s all, basically. INSKEEP: And how did you pay your respects? Cmdr. KUHBIER: We steamed alongside USS Doyle and we put everybody on topside of the ship in uniform, and we paid our respect. So we went alongside, stayed there for five minutes and put out our hats and put them on our hearts and paid due respect to the United States. INSKEEP: And you flew the American flag, I’m told. Cmdr. KUHBIER: We flew the American flag on the top, which is not usual. Normally, you don’t do that. When you’re on a warship, you don’t fly a foreign flag on the top mast. But we thought the occasion is suitable to do that, so that’s what we did. INSKEEP: I’m told that that’s one of the highest tributes that you can pay the navy of another nation is to fly their flag on your ship. Cmdr. KUHBIER: That’s correct. And we were proud to do so. INSKEEP: Commander, there have been difficult times between your country and the United States in recent months. Cmdr. KUHBIER: I knew you were going to ask me that. But I have to tell you—we have to differentiate between the political issues and the military issues. And between the militaries, I don’t think there’s—we don’t have any problems at all. INSKEEP: We heard about this because we got a look at a couple of e-mails from people on the USS Doyle. One e-mail was sent to us by the commander, Tony Martin, who described this as a heart-wrenching experience to look across the water and see all your sailors standing there at attention with the American flag flying from that German ship. Cmdr. KUHBIER: That’s correct. Actually, what happened is we sailed alongside him and we were all on deck. And basically, USS Doyle was not ready—they didn’t know what they had to expect. And they were so impressed by this that Tony Martin asked me if I could do another approach with the whole crew on deck to take pictures and everything else because he was so surprised, and that’s what we did. So we took up back on the speed and we turned around and did another approach with the same thing. It was impressive to see that on Doyle, the whole crew was on topside and received that respect and it was great to see. INSKEEP: Commander Bernd Kuhbier is the commanding officer of the German naval ship Niedersachsen, which flew an American flag as it passed a US Navy vessel this past September 11th. And, Commander, thanks again. Cmdr. KUHBIER: Thank you. (Soundbite of music) INSKEEP: This is NPR, National Public Radio. >>>>>>>>>>> | ||
| Mikej |
http://www.embassymarine.org/GermanNavy.asp | ||
| Bomber |
stop it you guys . . . .. . .you're gonna make me, er, ehem . . .. . well, THAT made the hairs on my arms stand up! good to know that brothers and sisters in arms are, yes? | ||
| Benm2 |
http://www.amasuperbike.com/nsr500mat.htm 1894; Honda's NSR500 had the fuel tank under the engine, for "mass centralization". Mounting the muffler under the engine on an engine that shakes like a paint mixer allows the whole package (engine & exhaust) to be connected without any flex connections in the exhaust. An elegant engineering solution, with a benefit of mass centralization. In addition, the "uniplanar" system allows for the engine to really move around, making a frame-mounted muffler a difficult proposition at best. Likewise with the engine-mounted intake systems. But, Honda tried it first. Also, Kawasaki had some old monocoque GP bikes in the early 80's. As the fuel tank was stressed, that probably also qualifies as "fuel in frame". | ||
| Davefl |
I did not know that Honda was building bikes in 1894. | ||
| Mikej |
I think they held the patent for putting the oat bucket below the cart horse's head so it can eat and work at the same time, they're probably just referring back to that to control marketing rights. | ||
| Blake |
Great story Henrik. Ben, How many NSR500 street bike's did Honda sell? | ||
| Dynarider |
Has nothing to do with how many street models if any at all of a particular model Honda produced. Has to do with the fact that Buell did not coin the term "mass centralization". The term has been around a long time & has been used by companies before Buell. Erik just so happened to design his bikes around the terminology. | ||
| Road_thing |
Jeez, Henrik, that's nice. Thanks! r-t | ||
| Benm2 |
Sorry, typing dyslexia. 1984... I agree with Dyna, sort of. I think mass centralization was a neat way to market attaching the exhaust to the bike so it wouldn't shake off. | ||
| Bomber |
Mass centralization, as a concept, is certainly not new . .. aircraft designers have been paying attention to the concept for decades, auto designers as well . . . I don't recall hearing Erik or his company claim they invented the concept . . . they ARE marketing around it, and, unlike other marketing campaignes, the engineering backs up the marketing . . . . most bikes, on the other hand, seem to go as far as they can to increase the polar moment of inertia . . . Buell seems to have the lead in using the concept in commonly available scoots | ||
| Al_lighton |
PAGING HENRIK!! Henrik, on your seal install page at http://isk-institute.com/henrik/Shaft_Seal/FrameSet.htm, you show the Kent-Moore seal install tool. They won't sell the tool to me, have to go thru the harley dealer, and I don't have time for that. I will make one myself. Can you please make a couple key measurements on the tool please? In particular, the diamter of the tool, the thickness of the lip that goes into the seal recess, and the length of the lip (that determines the distance that the seal will be installed before the tool bottoms out on the spacer. I need this fast if you can swing it, please send the dimensions to my home email: alighton @ adelphia.net Thanks Henrik! AL | ||
| Davegess |
<How accurate is this statement from the MSN article? Or more importantly, how valid is it? Or another way to ask it is what is the relative risk potential of MSF vs non-MSF riders in being in a wreck/crash? I know the MSF class system generally helps, but how many MSF card carrying students and attendees have crashed after taking the class. The quote makes it sound like taking the class will prevent you from getting into a crash. > I think this number is very misleading, not because it may not be true, I suspect it is true but because MSF course takers are self selecting for safe riding styles. The mere fact that you say " I need to take a class to learn to ride" indicates that you are interested in learning the proper way to ride. MSF students are more likely to be helmet wearers, are more likely to ride consevativly and are more likely to not drink and ride etc. The fact that they do all these thing makes them more likely to take and MSF cousre not the other way around. Take a squid off the street and make him take MSF classes and I suspect you will see little improvment in his crash statistics. Dave PS ai have take several MSF course adn would recommend them to anyone of any riding level. | ||
| Jim_sb |
Well said, Dave. It's what statistical bias is all about.  Jim | ||
| Jim_sb |
BTW, my S2 tore it's front isolator mount yesterday. Dang it. Looks like a PITA to replace. I posted a note over on the appropriate Knowledge Vault page. Looking for any good advice on the repair. TIA. Jim | ||
| Jim_sb |
PS. Is it just me or are the new XB's hands down the best looking naked bikes out there? The looks of the Tuono do nothing for me, ditto the 919 and the FZ1. I find the Ducati Monsters oddly appealing, the Speed Triple mildly appealing and the Z1000 striking (in tangerine), although the tail is too angular for my tastes. But to me the XB's have it all over those bikes in the swimsuit competition... Hmmm... | ||
| Anonymous |
BenM2, Mass centralization was never the claim of the NSR-500, nor did it achieve it. The goal was to lower the CG as much as possible...not the same as mass centralization. | ||
| Bartimus |
JIM_SB, check your email.... | ||
| Steve_a |
I visited HRC in japan in about 1987. They had a wonderful measuring device to measure roll moment of inertia, made by Ono Seki, if I remember correctly. I asked if they bought it after they had come up with the NSR500 with the low-mounted fuel, and our host laughed and said yes. Motorcycles, very much more or less, roll about their center of gravity. Any heavy weights carried too low increase roll inertia, and make a bike slow steering and unresponsive, the problem with that NSR. The ideal is to keep the CG low and the roll inertia low as well, a more difficult problem than it first appears. In solving it, the chassis designer would very much like to design the engine package and configuration as well. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Jim,if you mean the top isolator near steering stem its not too bad.Remove tank cover,gastank and support engine.Then get Magilla Gorilla to wrench off nut.Soak liberally with liquid wrench as this one sees alot of road grime.Make sure top washer faces forward when installing--fairly obvious.And I believe its a Harley part so should be easy to get. | ||
| Benm2 |
So, are you saying that Buell learned nothing from Honda's experiment with fuel below the engine? Honda's "failed" experiment with the fuel below the frame set a different direction for chassis design, that Honda itself subsequently followed. Are you claiming that Buell "invented" mass-centralization without the benefit of others experiments? | ||
| Loki |
Jim, Front isolator is also used on the 80-02 FXR. p/n: 16207-79B | ||
| Bomber |
er, Ben, I think you're mis-reading (or mebbe trolling {smile}) . . . . everyone benefits from everyone's experience when those experiences are shared . . .. Buell no more "invented" mass centralization than Honda did the disk brake . . .. both companies, however, can rightly and proudly claim that they were the first to applied the concepts broadly in generally available motorcycles . .. . . which is very different than inventing something .. .. invention is, well, not easy, certainly, but the real-world application of an invention of physics theory is another kettle of fish . . . just as difficult, and, to my mind, more interesting . . . | ||
| Nevco1 |
Henrik...Thanks for sharing the interview. It really made my day! | ||
| Jim_sb |
Bartimus and FMJ, thanks guys. As always, you guys give me just enough of a nudge to make me believe I can pull this off. I'll dig out my parts manual, order up all new stuff and have a go at it. I've got a centerstand (lifts at the peg mounts) and a bottle jack for the engine. This should be interesting... | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Anyone have Aaron's home phone, I left the number and directions to his ranch at home on the counter  | ||
| Josh_ |
Bluzm2 yes, email me | ||
| Ferris |
thank you Henrik! FB  | ||
| Ferris |
ps: OktoberFAST, October 10-13, 2003, Ferrisville, CA. y'all come. | ||
| Jim_sb |
OktoberFAST? Need more info... Now I'm wondering if I can get the bike fixed in time... Jim |
