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BMW style accessory plug, Why?

About 50 years ago there was a push to go metric in the US but certain political factions opposed. There was also a push to go with alternative energy about about 40 years ago but the same political factions opposed.
 
The real push in the U.S. came with the Carter administration. However, everything about the Carter administration failed.
 
The real push in the U.S. came with the Carter administration. However, everything about the Carter administration failed.

Actually, folks would be amazed at how much metrification has been adopted in the U.S. by science (almost totally) and industry (substantially). We don't even have newish cars (1997 and 1999) but many components on both our Ford and our Saturn are metric. Many things I buy at the hardware store wind up being metric. Almost everything that came from Asia is metric. Even setting the BMWs aside and not counting them, I use metric tools more often than ASA/SAE tools. The Whitworth tools, of course, haven't been touched in a couple of decades.

Sure, we still use miles and U.S. gallons, but metrification is creeping into everybody's life by stealth. If U.S. industry doesn't adopt metric design they risk sacrificing huge parts of the market.
 
Actually, folks would be amazed at how much metrification has been adopted in the U.S. by science (almost totally) and industry (substantially).

Antiquated machinery keeps SAE hardware in circulation and the Chinese do a fantastic job fabricating the necessary replacement parts.

When you don't demand higher performance, the old machinery is fine and it's simply a matter of finding the cheapest parts supplier.
 
The BMW DIN socket does fail (corrosion and lack of contact).

So true. They turn green as brass(SAE's corrode too so nothings perfect here) is given to do. Best to grease the female socket . Also the powerlet is simply smaller so fits in/on the bikes better.
 
Actually, folks would be amazed at how much metrification has been adopted in the U.S. by science (almost totally) and industry (substantially). We don't even have newish cars (1997 and 1999) but many components on both our Ford and our Saturn are metric. Many things I buy at the hardware store wind up being metric. Almost everything that came from Asia is metric. Even setting the BMWs aside and not counting them, I use metric tools more often than ASA/SAE tools. The Whitworth tools, of course, haven't been touched in a couple of decades.

Sure, we still use miles and U.S. gallons, but metrification is creeping into everybody's life by stealth. If U.S. industry doesn't adopt metric design they risk sacrificing huge parts of the market.
Google: "going metric pays off" for a list of the many companies that were early(as in USA "early") metrification doers. I wrote a paper in 1973 when I went back to college at age 30 on this subject. At the time I was amazed @ the USA companies that were resistant to doing so ,even though it was sort of written on the wall. I will say that I don't believe in the guvment forcing the issue on business. Seems I recall that Caterpillar didn't go there at first then came around. Definite that longlife machines complicate that issue. Stupid never wins in business.
Seems to me that the USA cig lighter accessories didn't fit the euro cars sockets too well at times-perhaps there were "bastard sized ones" in use?
 
Google: "going metric pays off" for a list of the many companies that were early(as in USA "early") metrification doers. I wrote a paper in 1973 when I went back to college at age 30 on this subject. At the time I was amazed @ the USA companies that were resistant to doing so ,even though it was sort of written on the wall. I will say that I don't believe in the guvment forcing the issue on business. Seems I recall that Caterpillar didn't go there at first then came around. Definite that longlife machines complicate that issue. Stupid never wins in business.
Seems to me that the USA cig lighter accessories didn't fit the euro cars sockets too well at times-perhaps there were "bastard sized ones" in use?

IMHO, the major hinderances to metrification in the US are 1) our lmilitary industruial complex which does not answer to international market forces and 2) antiquated power production machinery which is grandfathered to lenient performance standards.

Stupid typically wins in business when it provides the maximum near term profits. Accordingly, running the same old machine using the lowest cost import parts is the cheapest way to bring product to the market. When the old machine finally dies, hopefully, some foreign company will provide the spiffy new high tech replacement, because the domestic suppliers disappeared, long ago. And, I mean a real domestic supplier, not someone with the rights to a nameplate and foreign production and design facilities.

Relative to Caterpiller, it's an internationally diversified manufacturer.....it tailors product to individual markets and shifts production based on exchange rates.
 
I doubt most would consider that political- more like a statement of fact re what history has concluded about Mr. Carter as president though he has surely done some superb thing since then (eg Habitat, election monitoring, etc)

Actually, he did one thing that has made a number of our members here happy- he signed the bills that made homebrewing of beer legal in the US, which turned out to be a substantial driver of microbrews that have led to more beer variety for consumers...
 
I don't own a single thing that plugs into a Powerlet type socket. If I did, I'd install one in addition to US-type lighter socket on the bike.
 
I happen to think Carter was a bit more progressive than the average politician at the time and he threatened the status quo especially big oil. And he got politically assassinated by both parties and the media. We would have been the world leaders in alternative energy right now had we listened to him. But we don't want to get political ,right
 
I happen to think Carter was a bit more progressive than the average politician at the time and he threatened the status quo especially big oil. And he got politically assassinated by both parties and the media. We would have been the world leaders in alternative energy right now had we listened to him. But we don't want to get political ,right

It wasn't what we currently call alternative energy, it was technologies like low-head hydroelectric and co-generation for gas turbines. The development of both of these technologies was continued by European and Japanese companies and have been available to the market for a few decades.

I was working in the hydro-electric industry when the bottom fell-out in the early 80's. The end of funding to the Export-Import bank and USAID killed our chances on international projects. It was fun, but long ago.........
 
I happen to think Carter was a bit more progressive than the average politician at the time and he threatened the status quo especially big oil. And he got politically assassinated by both parties and the media
and 18% interest rates and 9% unemployment.
 
and 18% interest rates and 9% unemployment.

It was the Volker strong dollar policy which killed inflation. And, within a year or two of instituting that policy, the US dollar exchange rate had risen enough that oil and most other imported goods prices dropped.

The unemployment rate went from 9% in 1976 to 6% in 1980. It hit 11% in 1983 when I was working a replacement grinder while our union workers were on strike at Allis Chalmers. By 1985, commercial/industrial manufacturing was a thing of the past, so I joined the Military Industrial Complex. For my friends that stayed in commercial manufacturing, it hasn't been pretty and many have minimal retirement accounts.
 
Back to the topic. I didn't see it mentioned but a Powerlet/BMW plug will also power your heated gear provided that it's not connected to the Canbus. Most cigarette style plugs can only handle 5 amps, Powerlet/BMW 15 amps. Try going down a rough road with your GPS plugged into a cigarette style. More then once my GPS connection stopped making contact. That never happened with a Powerlet/BMW plug. In addition to European bikes and John Deer tractors you can add Caterpillar heavy equipment, Can AM Spiders, and some Victory motorcycles are also using them. I believe Powerlet is also working with HD to start putting these on their bikes. I would think in about five years or so the Powerlet/BMW style plug will be on most powersport vehicles and the cigarette style will be a thing of the past.
 
Carter signed into law the right to home brew,that makes him OK in my book!
Both my RT's came with those european plugs so I just bought the american adapter so I have the best of both.I only use them for charging my cell phone.

He just did the home brew thing to keep Billy out of jail.
 
If you feel like it you could install both. On my scooter there is a north American style outlet in the glove box but it is not accessible to use while riding unless you are charging a phone. I am installing an additional outlet on the dash somewhere soon that can be used all the time.

I did the same thing with my VStrom. It has both styles in the fairing and an addtional Powerlet outlet on the side below the seat where I can easily plug in my heated gear.

I actually have never used the cigarette lighter outlet...
 
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