Electric motorcycles

tached1000rr · 10-14-2012, 11:30 PM

inspired by the email sent to us all, figured I'd post a new thread...

How long before electric motorcycles are a normal part of our riding experience? Can they be priced in the neighborhood of our combustion stuff?
Gonna have to put some cards in the spokes of my 1st electric one
with a sticker that says loud cards saves lives...

Smittie61984 · 10-15-2012, 02:27 AM

They'll have the potential to have instant torque that'll make a nitro fed Ducati feel like a carnival ride.

I see the electric motorcycles going to scooters first. I can see places like San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, NYC, etc adapting electric stations at the local Starbucks or B&N Library.

Until that stuff hits the burbs, eletric motorcycles won't become common or cheap. It will be the norm one day though.

RedRider2k2 · 10-15-2012, 12:35 PM

Zero has 5 new models out for 2013. Then there's some of the cooler offerings.

http://youtu.be/UyYAJgEblrA

"With 14kwh of energy storage and a 120kw AC induction motor, Mission’s engineers have packaged nearly 90% of a Chevy Volt’s power and more energy into a compact sportbike. This powertrain propels the Mission R to 60mph in 3 seconds and on to a top speed of over 160mph"

http://ridemission.com/technology-de...ors/mission-r/

There's this too. $38,000 but its a full blown 200+MPH Race Bike.

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...deo-91402.html

Turbo Ghost · 10-15-2012, 12:51 PM

I don't see electric cars or any other vehicles being viable as a mass-production item until everyone adopts a standard that will allow hot-swapping of battery units at any local station. If I want to travel to NY from here, I don't want to have to stop 2 hours from there and wait 8 hours for my battery to recharge. It's like the voluntary usage by most manufacturers of the micro usb connectors for charging. Before it can happen, the most reliable and cost-effective design will have to be discovered first. I have no problem with driving/riding electric as long as it will perform up to the standard of a gas-powered vehicle.

Porkchop · 10-15-2012, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tached1000rr

inspired by the email sent to us all, figured I'd post a new thread...

How long before electric motorcycles are a normal part of our riding experience? Can they be priced in the neighborhood of our combustion stuff?
Gonna have to put some cards in the spokes of my 1st electric one
with a sticker that says loud cards saves lives...

Could be soon. I was talking to Eric Bostrom recently and he is racing an electric bike currently, and has road tested models recently for Cycle World. He says its a change in mindset. Once you are over the visceral feel, smell, and sound of a ice bike, you really get to appreciate the electric bikes. Like smittie said super flat torque curve. While battery life is better than some of you might think, until the "system" is changed, they are relegated to short to medium range trips. New cells charge fully in as fast as 2 hours though....

But yes, its the system and not the bikes holding us back.

tached1000rr · 10-16-2012, 06:00 PM

hmmn sounds like an opportunity, who wants to be the Steve Jobs or Marc Zuckerguy of the electric bike industry

tommymac · 10-16-2012, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbo Ghost

I don't see electric cars or any other vehicles being viable as a mass-production item until everyone adopts a standard that will allow hot-swapping of battery units at any local station. If I want to travel to NY from here, I don't want to have to stop 2 hours from there and wait 8 hours for my battery to recharge. It's like the voluntary usage by most manufacturers of the micro usb connectors for charging. Before it can happen, the most reliable and cost-effective design will have to be discovered first. I have no problem with driving/riding electric as long as it will perform up to the standard of a gas-powered vehicle.

thats my issue with them so far. It can be good as a commuter vehicle if you can charge it at work. But i cant see it as something you take out for a day of backroad riding. Worst case scenario with gas is if you do run out at least you can get a container and get to a gas station. I cant see you going to find a gallon of electrons

I also dont want 2 hrs of downtime on a ride waiting for a battery to recharge.

tached1000rr · 10-16-2012, 08:37 PM

It will be awhile but I'm betting someone will figure this out and when they do, they will be swimming in money

tommymac · 10-16-2012, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tached1000rr

It will be awhile but I'm betting someone will figure this out and when they do, they will be swimming in money

Seems like the best idea now is the hot swapping that TG mentioned earlier. Getting your spent battery replaced by a fully charged one and keep it going forward.

derf · 10-17-2012, 08:57 AM

For battery swapping I have imagined something similar but less high tech. I always thought that you would pay at a battery station get out of the car, open the batter compartment aka the rear bumper, then you as the driver pull out long 3 for bricks, put them into the charging machine, pull out the new ones and plug them in, close the rear bumper get in the car and drive off

10-14-2012, 11:30 PM	#1
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	Electric motorcycles inspired by the email sent to us all, figured I'd post a new thread... How long before electric motorcycles are a normal part of our riding experience? Can they be priced in the neighborhood of our combustion stuff? Gonna have to put some cards in the spokes of my 1st electric one with a sticker that says loud cards saves lives...

10-15-2012, 02:27 AM	#2
Smittie61984 I give Squids a bad name Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Fly Over State Moto: 1996 CBR600 F3 (AKA the Flying Turd) Posts: 4,742	They'll have the potential to have instant torque that'll make a nitro fed Ducati feel like a carnival ride. I see the electric motorcycles going to scooters first. I can see places like San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, NYC, etc adapting electric stations at the local Starbucks or B&N Library. Until that stuff hits the burbs, eletric motorcycles won't become common or cheap. It will be the norm one day though. __________________ lifts - R.I.P.

10-15-2012, 12:35 PM	#3
RedRider2k2 Holier Than Thou Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: N.B, Canada Moto: 06 ZX10R, 18 400 Ninja, 11 KLX250s Posts: 463	Zero has 5 new models out for 2013. Then there's some of the cooler offerings. http://youtu.be/UyYAJgEblrA "With 14kwh of energy storage and a 120kw AC induction motor, Mission’s engineers have packaged nearly 90% of a Chevy Volt’s power and more energy into a compact sportbike. This powertrain propels the Mission R to 60mph in 3 seconds and on to a top speed of over 160mph" http://ridemission.com/technology-de...ors/mission-r/ There's this too. $38,000 but its a full blown 200+MPH Race Bike. http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...deo-91402.html __________________ Good judgement is the product of experience...Experience is the product of bad judgement. Sometimes The Faster It Gets, The Less You Need To Know. But You Gotta Remember The Smarter It Gets, The Furthur It's Gonna Go.

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10-15-2012, 12:51 PM	#4
Turbo Ghost Movie Star Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Kingsport, TN. Moto: KLR650 Posts: 682	I don't see electric cars or any other vehicles being viable as a mass-production item until everyone adopts a standard that will allow hot-swapping of battery units at any local station. If I want to travel to NY from here, I don't want to have to stop 2 hours from there and wait 8 hours for my battery to recharge. It's like the voluntary usage by most manufacturers of the micro usb connectors for charging. Before it can happen, the most reliable and cost-effective design will have to be discovered first. I have no problem with driving/riding electric as long as it will perform up to the standard of a gas-powered vehicle.

10-16-2012, 06:00 PM	#6
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	hmmn sounds like an opportunity, who wants to be the Steve Jobs or Marc Zuckerguy of the electric bike industry

10-16-2012, 08:37 PM	#8
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	It will be awhile but I'm betting someone will figure this out and when they do, they will be swimming in money

10-17-2012, 08:57 AM	#10
derf token jewboy Join Date: Nov 2008 Moto: CBR 900, KLR ugly ass duckling, Gas Man Posts: 10,799	For battery swapping I have imagined something similar but less high tech. I always thought that you would pay at a battery station get out of the car, open the batter compartment aka the rear bumper, then you as the driver pull out long 3 for bricks, put them into the charging machine, pull out the new ones and plug them in, close the rear bumper get in the car and drive off