High price to pay to say the words "I have a Green Motorcycle". Like a Prius, wait till you have to pay to change the batteries or the power controller, and we shall see why again, we use petroleum based gasoline's.
I know why we use gas engines, but I like this anyway, for what it is. Just like some people like v-twins over 4s, this bike will speak to a certain group of people and it will make them happy. If things were a little different, I would have one. It has just enough range for my commute. Also, there are enough mined metals and other chemicals in there, that I wouldn't dare call it green, but it would be nice to never need to gas it up. I get my electricity from a coal power plant, which is at least an american resource, so while not being green, it is nice to keep some of the money inside the USA. Someday you have to swap out the controller and the batteries. Whoopdedoo. ICE bikes don't last forever either.
<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X5N-_JojeKY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I watched them race the FIM ePower class at Laguna Seca last weekend. Less than 10 seconds per lap off the MotoGP bikes pace. Top racer would have finished in the top 10 in the AMA Superbikes class. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/762/1...-E-Power-TTX-Laguna-Seca-Qualifying-2011.aspx Imagine that, 'planer. Sportbike speed, and enough juice left over to power your industrial 480V 3 phase piston action buttplug like you like. Thanks CA Stu
Have you ever heard a GP bike? After being deafened by those things, the whine of an electric bike is almost soothing.
The whine isn't so bad, its the high freq squeaks that are irritating. Just one of those little things that will hopefully get ironed out as time goes on. Its early days.
I applaud them for trying but battery tech just isn't there yet imo. My wife's little 620 monster is a billion times better looking, faster, goes an honest 200 miles on a tank of gas (maybe 160 if you were to really flog it) and takes less than 4 minutes to re-fuel. It also weighs less, probably handles better and even new cost less to buy (and used cost way, way less). At 60mpg it'd take a billion years to burn enough fuel to matter and with, what I'd guess to be a real-world 50-mile range on the e-bike it'd take two billion years to ride it far enough to save enough on fuel costs to matter. I'd wanna know a real-world expected battery life and cost of replacement. Are we talking new batteries every 2yrs like my laptop? How much? Judging from the price difference between models I'm guessing on the order of $7k for a battery. I just can't see how this could be a cost-saver for anyone, especially since it can't replace a real motorcycle (unless 50 miles a day is enough to keep you happy) and at, best, could be a fun novelty to add to the garage. Does that mean I'd never buy one? Nope, I'm all for weird, novelty bikes - I just bought an H1 afteral.
Yeah, pretty much agree with you about the batteries, assuming these Lithium Ion batteries have the normal recharge cycle limit of 500 times before they start degrading and if you had to recharge each night you would hit the wall after only 2-3 years, assuming you commuted with it each day. That said the whole bike is only $7,000 with all the rebates, in the right states, so I doubt the battery is more than $2,000 for a replacement. Your gas savings would get eaten up by that easily. Still, it looks fun.
The batteries don't just die, they begin to degrade, as in lose a few miles. And then by the time they do really need replacing, batteries are going to be much cheaper and more efficient. That is without question, it's already happening.
In terms of utility and range, electric motorcycles might be at this point right now: but they'll continue to improve. There is already technology being developed to rejuvenate batteries and eventually range will be a minor issue. The racing circuit will advance the technology much faster than in the past. As long as it's available there will always be those who prefer petroleum-based rides, but, personally, my next new bike will be electric.
do. not. want. Motorcycle Consumer News had an editorial that spelled out a few good reasons, comparing the Zero DS to a Suzi DR200S with dollar signs to demonstrate cost effectiveness - but it missed the real part. The lack of an engine leaves me about the ebikes. YMMV "Playing cards in the spokes?"
I like it! It has real potential as a commuter bike with some speed. Since it is electric, it might pass the sniff test as a scooter, so I can park it in DC on the sidewalk, yet still do the 14 mile each way commute. Even if not, it would be a fun toy for messing about around town. I'll give one a try when they come out. Jim
I can say without hesitation that if the prices ever come down to toy or second bike level I would buy an electric dual sport motorcycle in a heartbeat. The stealth fun would just be too tempting to not give it a whirl. You see, there are this closed park and trail system behind my house......... But right now I can't really afford a second bike and I surely don't want an only bike that doesn't have enough range to get me to work and back or is going to leave me waiting for the sweep truck on a dual sport ride. I think the fun is already there for electric. But right now it is all about cost for me. I just won't pay that kind of money for something with such limited utility. My time and money are just too scarce these days to own a bike with built in limitations. But I wish all you early adopters would start buying enough of the damned things to make them affordable for the rest of the unwashed masses.