Electric bikes, the next step

[Bigyin]

I think a leccy motor could be good in an enduro bike. On some tricky climbs it can drop out of power band before you can change gear.
Seamless power could be good. Same in a trials bike.

KTM already make one ..... you can join weeksy in the church of Orange worship

http://www.drysdalemotorcycles.co.uk/ne ... -2020.aspx

[Yorick]

I think a leccy motor could be good in an enduro bike. On some tricky climbs it can drop out of power band before you can change gear.
Seamless power could be good. Same in a trials bike.

KTM already make one ..... you can join weeksy in the church of Orange worship

http://www.drysdalemotorcycles.co.uk/ne ... -2020.aspx

I'll skip the council house version and wait for the Husqvarna model

[Yorick]

This might be a bit small for me



But this is quite manly

[Dodgy69]

I'm gonna stick with petrol bikes, they'll be here for a good while yet.

[KungFooBob]

[Potter]

I'd very happily ride one, if they get to be on a par with ICE bikes financially and with the infrastructure/technology to make riding them everywhere no problem.

Right now I have no idea how much petrol is in my bike, but I know there is a petrol station within 5 miles in any direction, so I'd probably check how much is in right before I twist the throttle to set off, knowing that if it's low I can call in and get some on my way out.
That sort of jump-on-and-go infrastructure/technology isn't there for electric vehicles.

Also, if I run out of petrol now it's a short walk to the petrol station to bring some petrol back to my bike in a can, two minutes to pour it in and away I go.
I can't bring a can of electrons back, and even if I could then how long to re-charge the batteries?

[Horse]

I'd very happily ride one, if they get to be on a par with ICE bikes financially

Apart from low CC scooters for commuting, I don't think any bikes make sense financially, especially if used solely for recreational riding. Do many people compare service intervals and costs, and mpg, when choosing? Not really.

That sort of jump-on-and-go infrastructure/technology isn't there for electric vehicles.

But that's the biggie.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I suspect it will be the owners who change, not the bikes.

[David]

I suspect it will be the owners who change, not the bikes.

Bikers don't change...they die off.

[Mr. Dazzle]

So the younger ones will grow up with steadily more electric vehicles and different notions of what ownership entails. Same difference

[Whysub]

Look on the bright side, it will take ages to get through a set of tyres as the bike only has about 100 miles range before needing a full recharge.

Zero have certainly made a step in making electric bikes more of a complete package and looking good.

A lot is being made of the 20K price but thats the top of the range bikes. Their bikes actually start under 10K

Havent been to the showroom for a look yet even though its less than an hour away

https://www.englishelectricmotorco.com/ ... torcycles/

You really should go there and try one out. Alec the owner is a really nice bloke (who also builds, and wins awards, for some beautiful petrol engines custom bikes). He stocks a number of electric bikes from many different makers.

I had a Lifan Eco3 scooter which was really good-maybe Chinese but has a Bosche hub motor (as do many Chinese electric bikes). Only sold it because I was moving abroad. I would say that it did struggle on steep hills, otherwise it was fine. Build quality was very good and panels etc were dirt cheap. The battery could be charged on the bike, or be lifted out and charged indoors.

Also available in KTM orange....

20201212_103604.jpg (177.69 KiB) Viewed 938 times

[A_morti]

There are various companies in Malta with rent by the minute Niu scooters. They're brilliant, but 45km/h limited speed isn't where it's at.

The Niu rqi was touted as the next (first?) Big thing in electric bikes back in January, but seems to have crept under a rock since then.

For me, electric bikes don't have to be on a par with ICE. They just have to be affordable and have a genuine 70mph top speed which doesn't reduce on a hill and a day's worth of commuting range. Half a day would do it if you can charge at work. Realistically, it's the same for anyone using a bike as daily transport.

Most of us want a full tank's worth of range and instant recharging like petrol bikes, but honestly it's for a few weekends a year when we get to go touring, and we don't actually need it. Same as no one needs 100hp on a road bike.

[The Spin Doctor]

I test-rode a couple of Zeros last year. I thoroughly enjoyed riding them. Seriously quick off the mark. Decent handling, comfortable riding position and surprisingly light - no weight penalty over a ICE bike.

The price is an issue. Range is getting there. I need about 150 miles range to run a course. They're close with the range extenders in place, but they'd still come up short on my more distant start points. But if I was doing CBT / DAS and could leave a bike parked up and charging overnight at the school I'd think very seriously about one.

[MingtheMerciless]

I know they are inevitable BUT please make them sound better, like a tie fighter or pod racer, anything but the the whiny milk float sound the Live wire that came past me made.

I've "stolen" the Santa post.

[demographic]

Apart from the enflated range estimates I like the idea of this and the bloke testing it seemed to have a hoot.
Realistically a hundred miles is a I'd really care about and its about what I get down to the reserve on my Slingshot when riding it... erm... normally.

[Dodgy69]

Good vid tbh, but why all the bullshit on range. The bikes are good, the motors are good, just need a liquid to charge them.

[Skub]

They'll need to work some on the aesthetics of the 'engine',or maybe they'll be lazy and hide the ugliness of the electric lumps behind plastic.

The end of the naked maybe?

[Mr. Dazzle]

They'll need to work some on the aesthetics of the 'engine',or maybe they'll be lazy and hide the ugliness of the electric lumps behind plastic.

The end of the naked maybe?

We're just used to seeing carbs, exhausts, etc. Electric motors of course don't have any of that.

As before, I reckon its the owners who will change not the bikes. If you grow up seeing electric vehicles then a fancy titanium exhaust seems about as relevant as a steam engine doesn't it?

Same reason I think spannies look a bit odd.

[Skub]

Same reason I think spannies look a bit odd.

Freak.

[Mr. Dazzle]

For reference, I work with a lot of young people who have just finished or at still doing various engineering degrees, generally in subjects like automotive or motorsport engineering. They are of course mostly massive petrol heads.

They all think electric vehicles are cool and are more interested in clean white self driving Teslas than bean can exhausts.

It's just changing times and opinions.

Full disclosure: I work for an electric motor company so naturally my colleagues are somewhat biased!